The 2-day itinerary for first-time visitors to
Hanoi will be a useful guide for those planning to visit the capital city. Hanoi
is a city with a modern lifestyle mixed with ancient features, which is both a
gentle and mysterious attraction of the thousand-year-old capital.
Transportation in Hanoi
- Motorbike: Renting a motorbike in Hanoi is very simple. You can contact the
hotel or call the motorbike rental service directly. The price of a motorbike is
about 100,000 - 150,000 VND / day.
- Taxi: For a comfortable trip, you can choose to travel by taxi. Popular taxi
companies in Hanoi are Mai Linh (Tel: 024.38.222.666), Taxi Group (Tel:
024.38.26.26.26), V20 (Tel: 024.38.20.20.20)
- Cyclo: A typical image of the old town is the cyclo which is still kept to
serve tourists. You can easily catch a cyclo when in the old town, go around the
small streets while listening to interesting stories from the cyclo driver.
- Tram: Another interesting way to visit the old town is by tram. Tickets are
sold at Hoan Kiem Lake area for 15,000 VND / 15-minute trip.
Here is a suggested itinerary for first-time visitors to Hanoi in 2 days:
Day 1: Explore Hanoi's History and Culture
Morning:
1. Hoan Kiem Lake & Ngoc Son Temple (8:00 – 9:30)
- Start the morning at Hoan Kiem Lake, a famous symbol of Hanoi. Visit Ngoc Son
Temple located on a small island in the lake, The Huc Bridge to learn more about
the culture and history of the capital.
2. Visit the Old Quarter (9:30 – 11:00)
- Stroll around the Old Quarter with narrow streets, ancient houses and typical
shops such as: Hang Dao, Hang Gai, Hang Ngang, Hang Duong. Here, you can find
handicrafts, clothes and souvenirs.
Lunch:
3. Lunch in the Old Quarter (11:00 – 12:30)
- Enjoy Hanoi specialties such as bun cha, pho, banh cuon, or bun thang at
famous restaurants in the Old Quarter.
Afternoon:
4. Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (13:30 – 15:00)
- Visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, where the body of President Ho Chi Minh is kept.
This area also has other historical relics such as Ho Chi Minh Museum, Uncle
Ho's Stilt House and Fish Pond.
5. One Pillar Pagoda (15:00 – 15:30)
- One Pillar Pagoda is a unique architectural work of Hanoi, rich in history and
culture.
6. Temple of Literature - Imperial Academy (15:30 – 17:00)
- Visit the Temple of Literature, which is dedicated to Confucius and is the
first university in Vietnam. This is an ideal place to learn about the country's
Confucian knowledge and culture.
Evening:
7. Enjoy Water Puppetry (18:30 – 19:30)
- Water puppetry is a traditional art form of Hanoi. You can enjoy a performance
at Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre.
8. Stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake and have dinner (19:30 – 21:00)
- End the first day by strolling around the lake in the evening and enjoying
Hanoi street food such as lemon tea, fried spring rolls, sticky rice, and sweet
soup.
Day 2: Explore Hanoi's Nature and History
Morning:
1. Duong Lam Ancient Village (8:00 – 10:00)
- About 1 hour from the center of Hanoi, Duong Lam Ancient Village is where you
can learn about the traditional life and culture of the people of the North. You
will visit ancient houses, temples and specialties of the village.
2. Tran Quoc Pagoda and West Lake (10:30 – 12:00)
- Tran Quoc Pagoda is located on the shore of West Lake, one of the oldest
pagodas in Hanoi. West Lake is an ideal place to relax with a peaceful, spacious
space.
Noon:
3. Lunch at West Lake (12:00 – 13:30)
- In the West Lake area, you can enjoy famous dishes such as West Lake shrimp
cakes or specialties of this region.
Afternoon:
4. Vietnam Museum of Ethnology (14:00 – 15:30)
- Visit the Museum of Ethnology to learn about the 54 ethnic groups of Vietnam
through vivid exhibits and artifacts.
5. Bat Trang Pottery Village (16:00 – 17:30)
- Bat Trang Pottery Village is famous for its long-standing traditional pottery
craft. You can visit the pottery workshops and make your own pottery products.
Evening:
6. Night market and dinner on Ta Hien Street (18:00 – 20:00)
- Explore Hanoi night market and enjoy specialties such as Banh Mi, Bun Cha,
Nem Chua Ran, and drinks on Ta Hien Street - where the atmosphere is vibrant among
Hanoi's youth.
With this itinerary, you will have the opportunity to experience the most unique
attractions of Hanoi, from culture, history to traditional cuisine. Hanoi, with
its thousand years of civilization and its cultural blend of modernity and
tradition, has created a city with its own unique features that you should visit
and explore once. Have a nice trip!
Hanoi Travel Tour is a local travel company that operates private
Hanoi tours and nearby destinations
in northern Vietnam. As the local insiders of our country, we are pleased to
bring the beauty of our country to travelers all over the world.