Hanoi is an amazing metropolis, with much to offer. Close to many other well-known destinations in the north, Hanoi is a great central base for exploring Northern Vietnam.
Sections
4
Day 1 - Arrival and Exploring Old Quarter (Hanoi)
Day 2 - Coffee, Shopping & Main Sites (Hanoi)
Day 3 - Trang Anh Complex Boat Tour & Settling In (Ninh Binh)
Day 4 - Tam Coc, Hang Mua (Ninh Binh/Hanoi)
Day 1 - Arrival and Exploring Old Quarter (Hanoi)
Arrive in Hanoi in the morning/afternoon and spend the rest of the day exploring the Old Quarter. There is also a night market on weekends!
Old Quarter is so beautiful and there's so much to explore. Highly recommend doing a tour to get to know the history a bit more.
The Hidden Hanoi Old Quarter Experience
Train Street is an absolute must! Watch this video for three tips on how to maximize your experience!
Save this for your Vietnam 🇻🇳 trip! 3 tips to get the best seats in Train Street.
Food in Hanoi is absolutely delicious! Taking a tour with a local foodie is the best way to explore all the foods that Hanoi has to offer.
Hanoi Food Tours in Hanoi Old Quarter (Small Group/Private)
Beer street is a great place to settle down at night. Sit outside with beer and people watch the night away.
Google Maps - Ta Hien Beer Street
Perfect way to explore the museums and history in Vietnam.
Hanoi Hoa Lo Prison and War museums Tour
Day 2 - Coffee, Shopping & Main Sites (Hanoi)
A day full of shopping, sites and good coffee/food!
Lovely handmade leather shop that is in the Old Quarter. Quality is superb and prices are amazing!
Local leather shop
I loved my visit to Kisserine Atelier. Staff is super friendly and all the dresses are absolutely stunning!
Kisserine Atelier for a floor length gown
I didn't get a chance to see this but I hear it's a great show. Highly recommend if you can make it!
Skip the Line: Thang Long Water Puppet Theater Entrance Tickets
The original egg coffee recipe is now passed down to the daughter who runs this cafe. It was delicious!
Cafe Dinh - original egg coffee
Where I had coffee and bought beans. Truly amazing!
Cafe Milano
Beautiful place to visit.
Imperial Citadel of Thang Long
Really beautiful temple that has the lore about the Hoan Kiem turtle.
Ngoc Temple
Day 3 - Trang Anh Complex Boat Tour & Settling In (Ninh Binh)
Travel to Ninh Binh and settle in. This is the perfect day to add in the Trang Anh Complex and to take the 2-3 hour boat tour.
Trang Anh Complex is gorgeous and a must visit - the boat ride is about 3 hours long and can be combined with other tour sites.
Trang Anh Complex
Explore the old town of Hoa Lu, it's a great place to bike around and see within an hour.
Hoa Lu Ancient Town
I absolutely loved the hotel I stayed at! Super clean, beautiful shower and bathtub and great hospitality!
Greenery Garden Hotel
A video of the hotel!
My favorite hotel during my trip was in Ninh Binh!
Day 4 - Tam Coc, Hang Mua (Ninh Binh/Hanoi)
Wake up early to see sunrise at Mua Caves before heading to Tam Coc to explore the main town. Then head back to Hanoi.
Wake up for sunrise at Mua Caves. Great place to explore in the morning before the crowds arrive!
Mua Cave tour
Explore the nearby town and pagoda after watching sunrise. It's a nice town with many coffee shops and stores!
Tam Coc Town Exploration
Last stop in Ninh Binh before heading back to Hanoi for the rest of the day.
