Hanoi Itinerary 3 Days – Things To Do In Hanoi, Vietnam

Welcome to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, the country which backpackers adore and love. With one of the best cuisines in the world, backpacker-friendly hostels and ease of obtaining information, Hanoi in Vietnam is very easy to travel in. Today, let’s look at what to do there in this 3 Days Hanoi itinerary!

First of all, let me clarify this. Everyone has a very distinctive travel style, so you might find that you’ll need more time to explore more in-depth of this lovely city.

Hanoi Itinerary 3 Days – What To Do in Hanoi, Vietnam

In my opinion, 3 days is just enough to enjoy all the must-see attractions Hanoi has to offer. If you plan to stay a little longer, I’m sure you’ll need this guide to backpacking Vietnam.

Enough talking, let’s dive in and see what we can do in Hanoi in 3 days! Let’s also assume you’re visiting on the weekends.

Language

Vietnamese is the official language in Vietnam and is spoken by everyone here. Some Vietnamese still understand English but you’ll find a majority of them do not.

If you’re stuck and looking for help, ask the younger Vietnamese, who might be able to speak English thanks to the school.

I once heard this: “The only international language in this world is body language”. Make use of it!

Currency

Vietnamese Dong is the only currency used here. Some restaurants or travel agencies do accept US Dollars but it’s only within Hanoi Old Quarter, where all foreigners are concentrated.

The rate is approximately 1USD to 23,000 Vietnamese Dong. If you pay by US Dollars, they will be counted as 1USD to 20,000 Vietnamese Dong. Not worth it, so change your Dongs before doing any shopping!

3 Days Hanoi Itinerary

Hanoi Itinerary Day 1

Have Breakfast in Hanoi Old Quarter

I assume that you’ll be staying in Hanoi Old Quarter throughout the 3 days in your Hanoi itinerary because it’s close to all attractions and has easy access to all travel resources in Hanoi city.

Hanoi Old Quarter is a street food heaven in the morning. Stalls are serving noodle soups, rice and all kind of Vietnamese breakfast. You’ll also see some stalls on bicycles, pushed around the streets.

How to find the best street food in the Old Quarter? Well, follow the crowd! Look out for the restaurant or stall which has the most customers, then ride the tide and order!

A great way to kickstart your trip in Vietnam, huh?

Vietnamese Egg Coffee in Giang Café

Giang Café is the best café when it comes to serving authentic Vietnamese egg coffee. It’s located within the Old Quarter, so you’ll be able to reach by foot.

Mixing the aroma of Vietnamese coffee and whipped egg yolk, Vietnamese egg coffee was born during the war era when there was a shortage of milk.

Of course, there are more ingredients to make this beverage so amazing.

The café gets crowded real quick especially in the morning, so you might have to wait or queue a little to enjoy your daily dose of caffeine. And some protein.

Visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

The final resting place of Vietnamese revolutionary leader, Ho Chi Minh. Interested in finding out what happened in Vietnam for the past few decades? Check out the Vietnam War history.

Regarded as Uncle Ho in Vietnam, Mr Ho Chi Minh is well respected throughout the ages. You can tell by judging this massive mausoleum dedicated to him.

Every day, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum receives thousands of visitors. So if you want to take a photo without any interruptions, make sure to visit in the early morning, preferably right after your breakfast. Tourist crowds start flocking in right before noon.

In front of Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is Ba Dinh Square, named after Ba Dinh Uprising, a rebellion war against the French.

There’s a park beside the mausoleum too, which you can visit at a small fee. The mausoleum is free of charge though.

Vietnam Military History Museum

Built around the remains of a crashed war jet, Vietnam Military History Museum is the best museum you can find in Hanoi city.

With numerous artifacts and war equipment, the museum offers a glimpse back into the Vietnam War era. Information boards are mostly in the English language so you’ll know what the photo’s trying to tell.

The downside is that there are not enough information boards to convey all the information. Some parts of the museum are left without any info boards, so you might not know what you’re looking at.

Outside of the museum building, you’ll find a variety of military tanks, jets, and torpedoes. Take a photo with the remains of the crashed jet there!

The entrance fee is VND 30,000.

Hoan Kiem Lake At Night

At weekend nights, the streets surrounding Hoan Kiem Lake will get sealed from vehicles. The street instantly transformed into the most happening place in Hanoi city.

Locals came out to the street with their guitars, badminton racquets, skating shoes, you’ll see everyone enjoying themselves here.

Pay a visit to Temple of the Jade Mountain, located in the middle of Hoan Kiem Lake as well. The entrance fee is very reasonably cheap as well.

Inside, you’ll find a preserved carcass of giant turtle from the lake in a glass chamber. There’s a legend surrounding this very turtle, which led to the name of this lake. Want to know about it? Read on!

Have a Beer in Legend Beer

What’s better than having a drink in the fanciest bar in Hanoi city, with multiple story open-air style overlooking Hoan Kiem Lake. If that’s what you fancy, Legend Beer is where you should go.

Beer is a part of Vietnamese culture, which is why you’ll find a brand of beer for each city in Vietnam – Saigon Beer, Hanoi Beer, Hai Phong Beer, you name it.

Other than all sorts of beers served here, you’ll also find a wide variety of cuisines here, most of them are Western cuisine. German-style pork knuckles are one of the famous dishes here.

I wouldn’t go for Vietnamese cuisines here because I’m positive that I could find a better one in Hanoi Old Quarter in the morning.

Looking for a place to socialize and get to know other backpackers or looking for travel mates? Look no further than Legend Beer.

Hanoi Itinerary Day 2

Day Trip to Ha Long Bay

Walking along the streets in Hanoi Old Quarter, you’ll see dozens of tour packages to Ha Long Bay, most of them offering day trips.

If you’re not visiting Cat Ba Island in your Vietnam trip, I would highly recommend to include Ha Long Bay Cruise in your Hanoi itinerary.

It’s an unmissable attraction in Vietnam, arguably the most visually-impressive natural landscape in the country.

Due to the competitiveness, the price doesn’t range too much from each other. In fact, you’ll find them much cheaper than you anticipated.

I took my Ha Long Bay Cruise from Cat Ba Island at only VND300,000 (around $13), which includes kayaking amongst the limestone karsts, swimming in the vast cold ocean, hiking in Monkey Island, hours-long cruise, and amazing buffet lunch.

The day trip cruise can easily take you a whole day because the journey to the cruise would take 3 hours. Another 3 hours back, that’s 6 hours in total on the bus.

Hanoi Old Quarter Night Market

Like Hoan Kiem Lake during the weekend nights, the streets in Hanoi Old Quarter will be sealed, prohibiting any vehicles from entering.

The street instantly transformed into a vibrant night market with hundreds of stalls aligned along the street. You’ll find all sorts of stuff here like shirts, street foods, gifts, souvenirs, and daily appliances.

The night market is so huge that you’ll need more than 30 minutes just to window-shop all the stalls. I easily spent 2 hours in the night market, even though I left empty-handed.

At the end of the night market, you’ll find bands performing, contributing to the weekend vibes. Looking for cheap local beers? You can get a cup at only VND5,000 from a local vendor’s self-brewed beer tank.

Hanoi Itinerary Day 3

Morning Shopping in Dong Xuan Market

On the third day in our Hanoi itinerary, we’ll pay a visit to one of the oldest markets in Hanoi city.

Welcoming hundreds of local Vietnamese every morning, Dong Xuan Market has been around for more than a century. It was built back in 1889.

It has been renovated several times due to different incidents, but the structure still stands strong and rigid nowadays.

Inside the market, you’ll come across several dozens of stalls, each selling a different kind of things like groceries, tools, shirts, clothes, and all sorts of daily appliances.

Looking for some food to fill the tummy? There’s a food court inside the market as well, serving a variety of Vietnamese cuisines.

A market is a perfect place for travellers to blend into the locals and experience their way of life.

Watch the Water Puppet Theatre

If you read carefully just now, you’ll remember I mentioned about a legend surrounding the giant turtle in Temple of the Jade Mountain in Hoan Kiem Lake.

Good news? You can learn more about the legend and other myths in water puppet theatres in Hanoi!

The best theatre in Hanoi City would be Thang Long Puppet Theatre.

If you’re planning to do this, remember to book your tickets earlier because they run out quite often. Imagine large tour groups coming in and buy dozens of tickets at once. What are your chances?

Of course, you don’t need to buy a week before, but if possible, book the ticket a day before or in the morning if you plan to watch it in the afternoon or evening.

Ready For This 3 Days Hanoi Itinerary?

Then here is some practical information that will come in handy while planning your Hanoi trip.

Getting To Hanoi, Vietnam

• Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam, a country in South East Asia
• To reach Hanoi you need to fly into the Nội Bài International Airport
• The airport is about 25 kilometers from downtown Hanoi
• Major international airlines fly in and out of Hanoi

If you are thinking of a holiday in Hanoi, you can book a flight right here through TripAdvisor or Agoda or CheapAir or Cleartrip or Makemytrip or Priceline.

You can book trains, buses, ferries, transfers, and flights in Hanoi or places in Vietnam here.

Where To Stay In Hanoi, Vietnam

If you are looking to book accommodation for your Hanoi trip, you can do it right here through TripAdvisor or Cleartrip or Agoda or Makemytrip or Priceline and get awesome deals and savings.

Hanoi Tours & Activities

If you prefer to plan your itinerary well in advance and book your tours beforehand, you can book Hanoi attractions tours online or book some of the best and most recommended Hanoi tours. You can also book activities in Hanoi right here.

That’s all I’ve got to suggest for your 3 days Hanoi Itinerary. Hanoi is a perfect backpacking destination, I highly recommend staying here for a longer time but it’s understandable that if you couldn’t. Anyway, I hope this itinerary helps you plan your trip to Hanoi. As usual, happy travelling and enjoy Hanoi!

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