Vietnam · 3 days · 17 stops
3 days in Hanoi – a ready-made itinerary
Hanoi is dense, loud and full of scooters, yet surprisingly calm around its lakes. Day one covers Hoàn Kiếm Lake and the Old Quarter, day two the Temple of Literature, Ba Đình and West Lake, and day three museums and the water puppet theatre. The stops are in walking order, with longer taxi rides noted.
In short
- Length
- 3 days, 17 stops
- Highlights
- Hoàn Kiếm Lake, Temple of Literature, Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, Ngọc Sơn Temple, St. Joseph's Cathedral
- Where to stay
- Old Quarter, French Quarter, West Lake (Tây Hồ)
- Getting around
- The Old Quarter and the area around Hoàn Kiếm Lake are best explored on foot.
- Best time to go
- Spring (roughly March and April) and autumn (roughly October and November) are the most pleasant: mild and mostly dry.
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Plan created with AI support – please check opening hours, prices and routes before you go. YesTrip editorial team · Updated: .
Top things to do in Hanoi
14 places you should not miss in Hanoi – each one is in the plan below with a time and the way there.
Hoàn Kiếm LakeThe lake at the heart of the city. In the morning many people do tai chi and exercises here, and the Turtle Tower stands on a small island.Day 1
Ngọc Sơn TempleA temple on an island in the lake, reached by the red wooden Thê Húc bridge. A preserved giant turtle is on display inside.Day 1- St. Joseph's CathedralA neo-Gothic church from 1886, modelled on Notre-Dame in Paris. Cafés all around for a Vietnamese coffee.Day 1
- Hỏa Lò PrisonA prison built by the French, later known to American pilots as the "Hanoi Hilton". The surviving part is now a museum.Day 1
- Long Biên BridgeA colonial-era steel bridge over the Red River. Trains run down the middle, and you can walk out a little way on the side path.Day 1
- Temple of LiteratureA temple of Confucius from 1070 with the country's first university. Stone steles on turtles list the graduates of the imperial exams.Day 2
- Ho Chi Minh MausoleumOn Ba Đình Square, where independence was declared in 1945. Cover shoulders and knees and stay quiet inside. Check opening times first.Day 2
- One Pillar PagodaA small pagoda on a single pillar in a pond, shaped like a lotus flower. It stands right behind the mausoleum.Day 2
- Imperial Citadel of Thăng LongA UNESCO World Heritage Site with gates, palace remains and excavations spanning many centuries. Spacious and usually quiet.Day 2
- Trấn Quốc PagodaThe city's oldest pagoda, on a small island in West Lake, with a tall stupa. Stay on the shore afterwards for the sunset.Day 2
- Vietnam Museum of EthnologyA museum about Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups. Replica stilt houses and longhouses stand in the garden, and you can go inside.Day 3
- Vietnamese Women's MuseumA museum about women's role in family, war and trade, with costumes and jewellery of the ethnic groups.Day 3
- Hanoi Opera HouseAn opera house from 1911 modelled on the Paris Opéra, at the centre of the French Quarter with its wide avenues.Day 3
- Thăng Long Water Puppet TheatreWater puppetry is an old art from the Red River Delta – the puppeteers stand in the water behind a screen. Get tickets in advance.Day 3
Day 1
Hoàn Kiếm Lake and the Old Quarter
Hoàn Kiếm Lake
The lake at the heart of the city. In the morning many people do tai chi and exercises here, and the Turtle Tower stands on a small island.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Hoàn Kiếm Lakeabout 5 min on foot
Ngọc Sơn Temple
A temple on an island in the lake, reached by the red wooden Thê Húc bridge. A preserved giant turtle is on display inside.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Ngọc Sơn Templeabout 5 min on foot
St. Joseph's Cathedral
A neo-Gothic church from 1886, modelled on Notre-Dame in Paris. Cafés all around for a Vietnamese coffee.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): St. Joseph's Cathedralabout 5 min on foot
Hỏa Lò Prison
A prison built by the French, later known to American pilots as the "Hanoi Hilton". The surviving part is now a museum.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Hỏa Lò PrisonAbout 10 min by taxi or about 30 min on foot through the Old Quarter.
Đồng Xuân Market
The city's largest market hall, dating from the colonial era. Stalls in and around it serve noodle soups and sticky rice.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Đồng Xuân Marketabout 20 min on foot
Long Biên Bridge
A colonial-era steel bridge over the Red River. Trains run down the middle, and you can walk out a little way on the side path.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Long Biên Bridge
Day 2
Temple of Literature, Ba Đình and West Lake
Temple of Literature
A temple of Confucius from 1070 with the country's first university. Stone steles on turtles list the graduates of the imperial exams.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Temple of LiteratureAbout 15 min on foot to the mausoleum.
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
On Ba Đình Square, where independence was declared in 1945. Cover shoulders and knees and stay quiet inside. Check opening times first.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Ho Chi Minh Mausoleumright next door
One Pillar Pagoda
A small pagoda on a single pillar in a pond, shaped like a lotus flower. It stands right behind the mausoleum.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): One Pillar Pagodaabout 10 min on foot
Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long
A UNESCO World Heritage Site with gates, palace remains and excavations spanning many centuries. Spacious and usually quiet.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Imperial Citadel of Thăng Longabout 10 min on foot
Trúc Bạch Lake
On the Ngũ Xã peninsula by the lake, many places serve phở cuốn – rice noodle sheets rolled around beef and herbs.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Trúc Bạch Lakeabout 5 min on foot
Trấn Quốc Pagoda
The city's oldest pagoda, on a small island in West Lake, with a tall stupa. Stay on the shore afterwards for the sunset.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Trấn Quốc Pagoda
Day 3
Museums and water puppets
Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
A museum about Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups. Replica stilt houses and longhouses stand in the garden, and you can go inside.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Vietnam Museum of EthnologyAbout 30 min by taxi back to the Old Quarter.
Old Quarter
The lanes of the old guilds are named after the goods once sold there. At lunchtime phở and bún chả are served everywhere on low plastic stools.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Old Quarterabout 20 min on foot
Vietnamese Women's Museum
A museum about women's role in family, war and trade, with costumes and jewellery of the ethnic groups.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Vietnamese Women's Museumabout 10 min on foot
Hanoi Opera House
An opera house from 1911 modelled on the Paris Opéra, at the centre of the French Quarter with its wide avenues.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Hanoi Opera Houseabout 15 min on foot
Thăng Long Water Puppet Theatre
Water puppetry is an old art from the Red River Delta – the puppeteers stand in the water behind a screen. Get tickets in advance.
On the map (OpenStreetMap): Thăng Long Water Puppet Theatre
Good to know
Best time to go
Spring (roughly March and April) and autumn (roughly October and November) are the most pleasant: mild and mostly dry. Summer is hot, humid and rainy, while winter is cool and often grey with drizzle – unlike southern Vietnam.
Getting around
The Old Quarter and the area around Hoàn Kiếm Lake are best explored on foot. For longer trips, taxis and ride-hailing apps are cheap, including rides on the back of a scooter. To cross the street, walk slowly and steadily and the scooters will flow around you. Express buses and taxis run from Nội Bài Airport into the city.
Where to stay
Old Quarter
Right in the thick of it, with street food and cafés on the doorstep and the lake within walking distance. Noisy at night, but everything is close.
French Quarter
South of the lake, with wide avenues, colonial buildings and larger hotels. Quieter than the Old Quarter and still central.
West Lake (Tây Hồ)
By the city's largest lake, with cafés along the shore. Calm and green; take a taxi into the centre.
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More on Hanoi in our blog: How many days in Hanoi? Plans for 2–7 days · Best time to visit Vietnam: north, centre, south
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Hanoi: frequently asked questions
What are the must-see sights in Hanoi?
The must-see sights in Hanoi are Hoàn Kiếm Lake, Ngọc Sơn Temple, St. Joseph's Cathedral, Hỏa Lò Prison, Long Biên Bridge and Temple of Literature. This plan links 14 of them into short walks over 3 days – with times, a map and tips.
Are 3 days enough for Hanoi?
For the Old Quarter, the main temples and the museums, yes. With one or two more days you can add Hạ Long Bay or the karst landscape around Ninh Bình.
How do I cross the street?
Don't run and don't stop suddenly: walk slowly and steadily so the scooters can judge where you are going. Traffic lights and zebra crossings only help so much.
What should I wear in temples and the mausoleum?
Cover shoulders and knees – the mausoleum is strict about it. Take your shoes off before some prayer halls.
What should I sort out before the trip?
Check entry requirements with your government's travel advice before you go. In summer drink plenty and avoid the midday heat; in winter pack a jacket.
Plan created with AI support – please check opening hours, prices and routes before you go. Coordinates checked with Wikipedia and OpenStreetMap (Photon). Photo: The original uploader was Chuoibk at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. More in Sources & licences. YesTrip is a trip planner, not a travel agency – nothing is booked.
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