48 hours in Hanoi

This itinerary is for those who come to Hanoi for the first time and want to experience the most unique features of the capital.

Coming to Hanoi in the fall is one of the unforgettable experiences for many tourists. Autumn in Hanoi, from mid-September to November, is cool, with an average temperature below 30 degrees Celsius, sunny and dry. Autumn is also the time to enjoy many typical dishes such as green rice, fried shrimp paste, and ripe sour plums.

Day 1

Morning

A perfect start to your Hanoi trip is to have breakfast and drink coffee by Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old Quarter. You should wake up as early as possible to enjoy the fresh air before the streets become crowded.

Pho Thin Bo Ho is located on Dinh Tien Hoang street. Photo: Tam Anh

One of the recommended pho restaurants is Thin Bo Ho, which is nearly 70 years old. Some other options are Pho Suong in Trung Yen alley, Pho Tu Lun (Au Trieu), Pho Ly Quoc Su, Pho Lam (Hang Vai). These are all familiar addresses for locals and tourists.

A cup of coffee around the Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake is the next experience. You can choose Dinh Coffee in a small attic on Dinh Tien Hoang Street, Giang Coffee or Lam Coffee on Nguyen Huu Huan Street or newer shops such as Pho Cho Coffee in Hang Be Market, Loading T on Chan Cam or surrounding shops with panoramic views of the lake. Drinks to try in these places are traditional black/brown coffee and egg coffee. If you have time, you should also stop by Trang Tien Ice Cream to try one of the snacks.

>> See more: Coffee shops that attract customers from far away

Egg coffee at Giang. Photo: Hieu Luong

If you’re wandering around Hoan Kiem Lake on the weekend, head to the Water Puppet Theatre on Dinh Tien Hoang Street to catch the show every Sunday morning at 9:30am. There are also evening shows from 4pm to 9pm.

If you like history, visit places like Hoa Lo Prison, the Revolutionary Museum, the History Museum, the Military History Museum. If you like architecture, stop by structures like Quan Chuong Gate, the Opera House, the Cathedral, the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, the One Pillar Pagoda, Long Bien Bridge, the Government Guest House, the State Bank...

These places are all within a 1-2 km radius of Hoan Kiem Lake, making them convenient to travel to. If you cannot visit all of the above places in the morning, save them for the afternoon. Visitors can walk or use public transport such as buses, taxis or motorbike taxis.

Noon

On the way to the Old Quarter, enjoy lunch with another typical dish of Hanoi: Bun Cha. Bun Cha consists of vermicelli, pork patties (minced or whole pieces) grilled over charcoal, served with sweet, salty, spicy and sour fish sauce and raw vegetables, pickles. This is a typical dish of the North, one of the special features of Hanoi cuisine. Some reference addresses around the central area: Bun Cha Hang Quat, Bun Cha Dac Kim, Bun Cha Huong Lien (Obama).

Bun cha on Hang Quat street. Photo: Xuan Phuong

A portion of Dac Kim vermicelli with grilled pork is very large, so you need to be careful not to have leftovers. Hang Quat and Huong Lien vermicelli with grilled pork are crowded at noon.

Evening

If you don't know the atmosphere of Hanoi's Western Quarter, spend the whole evening "partying" in the Ta Hien - Luong Ngoc Quyen area, also known as the "international crossroads" or "the street that never sleeps".

Ta Hien is peaceful and deserted during the day but bustling and bustling from the evening until late at night. Ta Hien's drinking food is simply snacks such as fried sour spring rolls, cheese sticks, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and roasted quail, served with cold glasses or bottles of beer. But what makes Ta Hien stand out to tourists is the joyful atmosphere that is always filled. You can sit in small groups along the street or go to bars to listen to music and dance to it. Prices at Ta Hien are average.

The Ta Hien - Luong Ngoc Quyen area is crowded with young people coming to have fun at night. Photo: Giang Huy

If you come to Hanoi on the weekend, you can wander around Hoan Kiem Lake walking street, Dong Xuan night market before stopping at Ta Hien.

>> See more: Suggestions for eating and playing on Hoan Kiem Lake walking street

Day 2

Morning

You should spend time with West Lake, which has an area of ​​5.2 km2, next to Thanh Nien Street and Truc Bach Lake. This is a famous relaxing space, with many delicious dishes and entertainment activities.

The 15km area around the lake is ideal for sports enthusiasts. You can jog or cycle. Along Nguyen Dinh Thi and Trich Sai streets, there are many bicycle rental shops with prices ranging from 40,000 VND to 50,000 VND for two hours. In addition, there are also SUP or kayaking services with prices ranging from 200,000 VND to 250,000 VND for two hours.

A bicycle rental place on Trich Sai Street. Photo: Tam Anh

Bun oc is a suggestion for breakfast in the West Lake area. Bun oc in Hanoi is a combination of rustic, easy-to-eat ingredients. You will feel the rich, chewy flavor of snail meat, the sour taste of the broth. Two bun oc shops you should visit: Bun oc Ba Ngoai (To Ngoc Van street), Bun oc Co Hue (Dang Dung street). At Ba Ngoai restaurant, you can also try cold bun oc.

Noon

Visiting Tay Ho Temple is the next suggestion. This is the place to worship Princess Lieu Hanh, built in the 17th century. The temple is located on a large peninsula in Nghi Tam village, jutting out into West Lake. The temple opens festivals on two main holidays, March 3rd and August 13th of the lunar calendar. On non-holidays, Tay Ho Temple is a space for you to relax, sightsee and meditate. This is a different corner of Hanoi from the crowded, noisy Hanoi.

Shrimp cake is a typical dish of the West Lake area. Photo: Thanh Mai

For lunch, enjoy shrimp cakes around the Tay Ho area. There are many restaurants such as Nham Thin, Phuong Dung, Thanh Mai with the most popular dishes being shrimp cakes along with snails steamed with lemon leaves, snails steamed with Chinese herbs. A full meal for one person costs about 200,000 VND to 300,000 VND.

Evening

Taking photos and watching the sunset at West Lake will give you an unforgettable experience. You can come around 4pm, "pedal duck" by Truc Bach Lake, then walk across Thanh Nien Street to watch the sunset at West Lake. There are two types of duck pedaling at Truc Bach Lake: large duck for families at 200,000 VND per hour, small duck for two people at 100,000 VND per hour. The starting point is on Lac Chinh Street. Note, you should wear a life jacket, follow safety rules and maintain public hygiene.

West Lake sunset seen from Thanh Nien Street. Photo: Le Bich

For dinner, if you still want to enjoy Hanoi specialties, you can visit Ngu Xa food street with the most typical dish being pho cuon. This dish is made from a thin layer of pho noodles, wrapped inside with beef and raw vegetables, dipped in sweet and sour fish sauce. Some famous pho cuon shops: Hung Ben, Huong Mai, Huong Lien.

If you want to change your taste, try Western-style food. The area around West Lake with Xuan Dieu, To Ngoc Van, Dang Thai Mai streets are ideal places for you to find a cozy and quiet restaurant for European meals such as French, Italian or South American style such as Argentine, Brazilian. Some suggested restaurants: Los Fuegos - Argentinian Steak and Grill, El Gaucho Argentinian Steakhouse, Cugini, Paolo & Chi Italian Restaurant...

Some alternative suggestions: Shopping at shopping malls such as Trang Tien Plaza, Vincom Ba Trieu; taking a double-decker bus to see the streets and tourist attractions, listening to music at tea rooms...

Tam Anh

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