If this article is not your first one with us, you probably guessed it – our itineraries revolve around food. Well, that’s how it works in Hanoi at least. Walk like 10 steps and you’ll reach a stall selling food.
Vietnamese food is arguably our favourite cuisine in the world. It is more than just Pho. Ever since we embarked our 2-week journey in Vietnam, we have completely forgotten about Pho. You will see what we mean if you had done the same.
This itinerary is meant to embrace the chaotic city so let’s not try too hard to escape the bustle and hustle. Traces of their history remain everywhere in the city, from the Chinese-style temples to the French quarter.
Kindly note that all Vietnam articles published on this website were written based on information collected before the COVID-19 period. We encourage anyone to save this article for travelling after the pandemic. Stay safe.
Overview
- Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum & One Pillar Pagoda
- Temple of Literature
- Ngoc Son Temple
- Night Activities Around Hoan Kiem Lake
- Beer Street (Tạ Hiện)
- French Quarter Walking Tour
- Trang Tien Ice Cream Company
- Grilled Pork and Noodle (Bún chả)
- Long Bien Bridge
- Egg Coffee (Cà Phê Trứng)
- Boiled Snails in Lemongrass (Ốc Nóng)
Here’s how you can spend 48 hours in Hanoi
Day 1: A walk through Hanoi’s history
8:00 AM
Snail Tomato Noodles (Bún ốc)
Operating in a little alleyway, there isn’t any system here. Tables only as tall as the stools are arranged neatly outside shops that are not yet open for the day. we find it extremely humbling and catering to tourists is the last thing on their mind.
A bowl of hearty tomato soup base filled with a generous serving of snails and thick rice noodles, plus a basket of fresh vegetables on the side. If you are not a breakfast person, this may be too much to take as the first thing in the morning but we would say this is much needed to fuel you through the entire morning of sightseeing.
Price: 40,000đ
Address
Giang – Bún Ốc Phố Cổ
36 Lương Ngọc Quyến, Hàng Buồm, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, Vietnam
Google Maps
9:00 AM
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum & One Pillar Pagoda
Ho Chi Minh was the founder and first leader of the Vietnamese Communist Party. He puts the end to French colonialism and is the true hero that Vietnamese look up to. After his death, his body has been preserved and is placed in the mausoleum since 1975.
Tourists flock to this place to pay respect to the country’s hero. It is one of the most visited attractions in Hanoi so lines are expected and many regulations to be followed since it is considered a sacred place.
A stone-throw away from the mausoleum lies a small and unique structure – the one pillar pagoda. It is erected in the middle of a lotus pond, made to resemble a giant lotus. The guan yin in the pagoda is known in folklore as the goddess to pray to for a child and hence, many locals visit this pagoda for that very purpose.
Free to visit.
Must go between 7:30 –10:30 AM
Closed on Mondays and Fridays
No photography, shorts, short skirts and sleeveless are not allowed.
11:00 AM
Temple of Literature
Temple of Literature is a well-preserved traditional Vietnamese architecture dedicated to Confucius and is also the first university in Vietnam. Walking around the complex, you may find turtle stone plaques erected to honour scholars.
The temple is also Hanoi’s most picturesque tourist attraction which is obvious why the location became the first choice for university grads’ photoshoot.
Entrance fee: 30,000đ
12:00 PM
Beef Noodle Salad (Bún Bò Nam Bộ)
It’s finally time for lunch. Don’t be taken aback if this is not an image of any garden salad you just imagined but because noodles are a huge part of the food scene in the country and so it is only natural to have them in salads too.
The name literally translates to rice vermicelli with beef from the South and widely enjoyed in the Northern city – where Hanoi is.
The flavourful bowl is packed with sweet marinated grilled beef, fresh herbs and a combination of salty and tangy fish sauce dressing, topped off with crunchy peanuts and fried shallots for that extra texture!
Price: 60,000đ
Address
Bún Bò Nam Bộ
67 Hàng Điếu, Cửa Đông, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, Vietnam
Google Maps
2:00 PM
Ngoc Son Temple (in the middle of Hoan Kiem lake)
For the rest of the day, we will be hanging out around Hoan Kiem Lake. Digest your lunch with a quick visit to the Ngoc Son Temple located on a small island in the northern part of the Hoan Kiem Lake. The temple was built in the 18th century in classic Vietnamese architecture and designed with Taoism symbols.
The lake is also known for the critically endangered softshell turtle which you may find a well-preserved specimen of the said turtle that is estimated to be 500 years old inside the temple.
Entrance fees: 30,000đ
3:30 PM
Coconut Iced Coffee (Cà phê Cốt Dừa)
If you have ever wondered what it is like to be still in the middle of the chaos – sit at the terrace of Cong Caphe, the outlet that overlooks the Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square. Slip a cup of the severely underrated coconut coffee, often overshadowed by the renowned egg coffee and watch the world go by.
Cong Caphe is one of the most popular coffee chains in the country, particularly in the big cities like Hanoi, Danang and Ho Chi Minh City. The beverages can come out as a little pricier than regular local coffee shops but they score high with the comfy interior, rustic deco and artisan coffee offerings.
Price: 45,000đ
Address
Cộng Cà Phê
116 Cầu Gỗ, Hàng Trống, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, Vietnam
Google Maps
5:00 PM
Night Activities Around Hoan Kiem Lake
When the night falls, you will notice the gradual increase of crowd surrounding the lake – students gather in groups to kick shuttlecock, buskers getting ready with their instruments, artists setting up to sketch portraits, street vendors selling games and balloons everywhere. All of a sudden, the district became livelier than it already was.
Take a stroll and immerse in the locals’ life, observe what are some of their favourite past time activities or join them for a game – they are more than happy to have you in.
8:00 PM
Beer Street (Tạ Hiện)
Anytime when you feel your stomach grumbling, head over to the beer street. In Asia, beers are always paired with street food so you can have your dinner and drinks all in one restaurant. This 200-metre long street is packed every night, also where most foreigners are found.
For a decent meal, there are BBQ or hotpots available. Otherwise, snacks that go along with beer are very popular. Some of the snacks served are very westernised such as fries and cheese sticks so if you would like something more localised, we recommend getting fried chicken cartilage (sụn gà rang muối)! We would say all restaurants located on this street have English menus to cater to the influx of foreign customers in the evening.
Day 2: French influence in Hanoi
8:00 AM
Breakfast Hunt
Good morning! Once you are out on the streets, you will realise how important mornings are to the locals. They start their day early. Streets start to get filled with vendors selling food and flowers at the break of dawn – we always say this but one of the best things about travelling in Southeast Asia is you never have to worry about the opening hours of any convenient goods you need. They are always there when you need them regardless of daybreak or in the dead of night.
Hit up the streets for breakfast of your choice! There is no trouble finding one but we bet anyone would have a tough time deciding between the options.
Here are some ideas:
Congee (Cháo)
In many parts of Asia, Congee is comfort food and it is the dish that we often think of when we want something light. It is usually paired with deep-fried dough to give a contrast to the gooey texture.
The chicken congee we had in Hanoi was more sticky and thicker than the Cantonese congee we are familiar with. But the toppings of the Cháo we had were GENEROUS which was right up our alley.
Price: about 20,000đ
Steamed rice rolls (Bánh Cuốn)
Undeniably, rice rolls is another familiar dish to Asians but the Vietnamese style of rice rolls are served with pork, wood ear mushroom, fried shallots and the final touch is to cover the dish with cilantro. Well, we are team cilantro all the way so…it’s a delight!
Price: about 30,000đ
Sticky Rice with Mung Bean (Xôi Xéo)
A plate of bright yellow sticky glutinous rice is one of the favourite breakfast dishes in Hanoi. Glossed up by fragrant shallot oil and topped off with crispy fried shallots, this is definitely a simple dish that yet smells, looks and tastes good.
Price: about 30,000đ
9:00 AM
French Quarter Walking Tour
Hanoi is one of the Indochina cities that still preserves a huge part of their colonial buildings. In recent years, the architecture has been promoted as part of tourism. A walk around the French quarter is best done with a local walking guide or if you prefer to go free and easy, it’s also really straightforward.
I strongly recommend a visit to the Hoa Lo Prison, the “Hanoi Hilton”. The prison museum focuses primarily on the sufferings of the Vietnamese prisoners and highlights the contrast of treatments between the Vietnamese inmates and American POWs.
Though the information displayed could be deemed as a highly one-sided or preconceived idea of what really happened in the prison, it is still worth a look inside. However, do go in with a bit more research from the internet about the place.
Entrance fees: 30,000đ
Here’s the link for FREE French Quarter Walking Tour.
12:00 PM
Trang Tien Ice Cream Company
An ice-cream company that is so famous that a street is actually named after it. That’s right, Trang Tien Ice-cream company located right on Trang Tien Street. The ordering system is so efficient that even with the large volume of customers, there is hardly a queue.
The vanilla ice-cream is refreshing. Not too thick or sweet but what stood out most was the waffle cone. It tasted as if the batter is infused with black sesame seeds which gave a subtle savoury and nutty taste. A must try in Hanoi.
Price: 12,000đ
Address
35 Tràng Tiền, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, Vietnam
Google Maps
1:00 PM
Grilled Pork and Noodle (Bún chả)
It’s finally time for us to introduce our favourite (or most people’s favourite) food in Hanoi! Bún chả is yet another noodle dish but hold up…there are reasons why it is everyone’s favourite.
The first one is, of course, the fact that former President Barack Obama and late celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain shared a simple meal of bun cha in Hanoi back in 2016.
The more important one is that bun cha is a reflection of simplicity in Vietnamese cuisine – like in most Vietnamese dishes, basic but fresh ingredients are always used. The sweet marinated pork are grilled over charcoal to retain the juiciness, often done so at the shopfront. The grilled pork is then thrown into a bowl mix of fish sauce and sugar. For more authentic local taste, you have to add in cut birds eye chilli but they are self-serve so no pressure here! We like to pick out the pork wrapped in betel leaf because they are extra crispy!
The rice noodles (also known as the Bún) is served at the side and may seem a little dry and stuck together like a ball of yarn. Dip it into the sauce before you put it into your mouth and it will all loosen up.
For a less crowded and authentic experience, we recommend Bun Cha 34 (Bún Chả Tuyết) although it is not the one made famous by the public figures, they do serve mind-blowing bun cha.
Price: 35,000đ
Address
34 Hàng Than, Nguyễn Trung Trực, Ba Đình, Hà Nội, Vietnam
Google Maps
3:00 PM
Long Bien Bridge
Designed by Gustave Eiffel, the bridge survived multiple bombings during the American War but repaired by the Vietnamese because this bridge is the one that connects the Long Bien and Hoan Kiem districts and, this bridge is a necessary path to take for anyone going to Hai Phong city from Hanoi.
Under this bridge, live some of the city’s less privileged which is a different sight to what you would see in the city centre. If you’re lucky, you might also spot couples taking wedding photos right here. Plus, the rusty warm colours of the steel beams make it a great location for sunset in Hanoi.
5:00 PM
Egg Coffee (Cà Phê Trứng)
Would you ever leave Hanoi without a cup of dense expresso covered in fluffy, thick cream made with egg yolk and sugar? This particular style of coffee originated due to insufficient dairy supplies during wartime. For decades, coffee lovers from all across the globe flock to the city for a taste of the unique, locals’ beloved coffee.
If you have reservations about trying the Vietnamese egg coffee, we can ensure that it tastes nowhere near raw eggs! You won’t even know they used eggs in it.
Price: 45,000đ
Address
Old Town Garden Café/Cafe Pho Co (hidden behind a silk tailor)
11 Hàng Gai, Hàng Trống, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội 10000, Vietnam
Google Maps
7:00 PM
Boiled Snails in Lemongrass (Ốc Nóng)
My best dining experience yet.
Vietnamese love their snails and shellfish – it is THE essential dish that has to be present on their nights out (and of course with bia hơi). By now, you probably are used to ultra-low plastic stools and tables that are lined up along the roads. This is the ambience you need to be in when eating snails in Vietnam.
What could be more shocking than to eat so close to the floor is probably the only cutlery you are given to eat the snails. It is literally a thin piece of metal with 3 sharp ends that is served to you poked in a halved calamansi.
Use that unfamiliar tool to pick out the flesh in the shell. Dip it in the bowl of sauce before it goes into your mouth. That’s it.
The herbs boiled together with the snails perfectly get rid of the fishy smell and the sauce that is highly customisable using garlic, chilli or MORE lemongrass gives it a subtle sweetness and a pleasant aroma. The perfect dish to wind down and end your time in the charming city.
Price: 70,000đ
Address:
Quán Ốc Nóng Hà Trang
1 Đinh Liệt, Hàng Đào, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, Vietnam
Google Maps
Airport Transfer by Public Bus (from Noi Bai International Airport)
When you exit Noi Bai International Airport, cross the road and go left, you will see a pillar labelled #2 with a signage that says Bus 86.
The bus express 86 is a bright orange bus. You can pay the bus conductor 30.000đ per person in cash when boarding and let him know where you are going so he will advise you on the nearest stop to alight.
Alternatively, you could call a GrabCar which would amount to about 260,000 to 300,000đ to reach the Old Quarter.
Getting Around by Grab
Most people should have heard of the tech giant in Southeast Asia, a company who often localise their approach to street-hailing. In Vietnam, where 95% of the registered vehicles are motorcycles, GrabBike is almost a guaranteed success.
I use GrabBike every time to get around the city. A one-way journey of about 10-15 minutes would cost around 15,000đ.
Save to Pinterest!
