This itinerary is for those visiting Hanoi for the first time and wanting to experience the most distinctive features of the capital city.
Visiting Hanoi in autumn is one of the unforgettable experiences for many tourists. Autumn in Hanoi, from around mid-September to November, is cool and pleasant, with average temperatures below 30 degrees Celsius, sunny and dry. Autumn is also the time when many characteristic dishes are available, such as young rice flakes (cốm), fried mudskippers (chả rươi), and ripe starfruit (sấu chín).
Day 1
Morning
A perfect start to your Hanoi trip is having breakfast and coffee by Hoan Kiem Lake and in the Old Quarter. You should wake up as early as possible to enjoy the fresh air before the streets get 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. Other options include Pho Suong in Trung Yen alley, Pho Tu Lun (Au Trieu), Pho Ly Quoc Su, and Pho Lam (Hang Vai). These are all familiar addresses for locals and tourists alike.
A cup of coffee around the Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake is the next experience. You can choose Dinh Cafe on the small attic floor on Dinh Tien Hoang Street, Giang Cafe or Lam Cafe on Nguyen Huu Huan Street, or newer cafes like Pho Cho Cafe at Hang Be Market, Loading T on Chan Cam Street, or other cafes with panoramic lake views. Recommended drinks to try at these places are traditional black/brown coffee and egg coffee. If you have time, you should also visit Trang Tien Ice Cream to try one of their snacks.
>> See also: Coffee shops that attract customers from far away
Egg coffee at Giang. Photo: Hieu Luong
If you're strolling around Hoan Kiem Lake on a weekend, head to the Water Puppet Theatre on Dinh Tien Hoang Street to see the show at 9:30 AM every Sunday. There are also evening performances, from 4 PM to 9 PM.
If you enjoy history, visit places like Hoa Lo Prison, the Museum of the Revolution, the Museum of History, and the Military History Museum. If you appreciate architecture, stop by landmarks such as O Quan Chuong Gate, the Grand Opera House, the Grand Cathedral, Thang Long Imperial Citadel, One Pillar Pagoda, Long Bien Bridge, the Government Guest House, and the State Bank of Vietnam...
These places are all within a 1-2 km radius of Hoan Kiem Lake, making them easily accessible. If you don't visit all of them in the morning, save it for the afternoon. Visitors can walk or use public transportation such as buses, taxis, or motorbike taxis.
Noon
While you're in the Old Quarter, enjoy lunch with another Hanoi specialty: bun cha. Bun cha consists of rice noodles, grilled pork patties (minced or whole) cooked over charcoal, served with a sweet, sour, salty, and spicy fish sauce, fresh vegetables, and pickled cucumbers. This is a signature dish of Northern Vietnam, one of the unique features of Hanoi's cuisine. Some recommended places around the city center include: Bun Cha Hang Quat, Bun Cha Dac Kim, and Bun Cha Huong Lien (Obama).
Bun cha (grilled pork with vermicelli) on Hang Quat Street. Photo: Xuan Phuong
A serving of bun cha at Dac Kim is very generous, so you need to be careful not to waste any food. Bun cha at Hang Quat and Huong Lien is crowded at lunchtime.
Evening
If you haven't experienced the atmosphere of Hanoi's Western Quarter, spend an evening partying in the Ta Hien - Luong Ngoc Quyen area, also known as the "international intersection" or "the street that never sleeps".
Ta Hien is peaceful and quiet during the day, but vibrant and bustling from late afternoon until late at night. The snacks in Ta Hien are simply street food like fried fermented pork rolls, cheese sticks, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and roasted quail, enjoyed with cold beers or bottles. But what makes Ta Hien appealing to tourists is its consistently cheerful atmosphere. You can sit in small groups along the street or go into the bars to listen to music and dance. Prices in Ta Hien are average.
The Ta Hien - Luong Ngoc Quyen street area is crowded with young people coming to have fun in the evening. Photo: Giang Huy
If you visit Hanoi on a weekend, you can stroll around the Hoan Kiem Lake pedestrian street and Dong Xuan night market before stopping at Ta Hien Street.
>> See also: Suggestions for things to do and have fun on the Hoan Kiem Lake pedestrian street
Day 2
Morning
You should spend time at West Lake, which covers an area of 5.2 square kilometers and is adjacent to Thanh Nien Street and Truc Bach Lake. It's a popular relaxation area with many delicious restaurants and recreational 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 shops renting bicycles for 40,000 to 50,000 VND for two hours. Alternatively, you can rent a SUP or kayak for 200,000 to 250,000 VND for two hours.
A bicycle rental shop on Trích Sài street. Photo: Tâm Anh
Snail noodle soup is a great breakfast suggestion in the West Lake area. Hanoi's snail noodle soup combines simple, easy-to-eat ingredients. You'll experience the rich, chewy flavor of the snail meat and the refreshing sourness of the broth. Two recommended snail noodle soup restaurants are: Ba Ngoai's Snail Noodle Soup (To Ngoc Van Street) and Co Hue's Snail Noodle Soup (Dang Dung Street). At Ba Ngoai's, you can also try cold snail noodle soup.
Noon
Visiting Tay Ho Temple is another suggestion. This is a temple dedicated to 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 holds festivals on two main holidays: the 3rd day of the 3rd lunar month and the 13th day of the 8th lunar month. On non-festival days, Tay Ho Temple is a space for you to relax, enjoy the scenery, and find peace. Here, you'll find a different side of Hanoi from the bustling, noisy city.
Shrimp cakes are a signature dish of the West Lake area. Photo: Thanh Mai
For lunch, enjoy shrimp cakes around the West Lake area. There are many restaurants such as Nham Thin, Phuong Dung, and Thanh Mai, with the most popular dish being shrimp cakes along with steamed snails with lime leaves or steamed snails with Chinese herbs. A satisfying meal for one person costs around 200,000 to 300,000 VND.
Evening
Taking photos and watching the sunset at West Lake will give you an unforgettable experience. You can arrive around 4 PM, take a pedal boat ride on Truc Bach Lake, then walk across Thanh Nien Street to watch the sunset over West Lake. There are two types of pedal boats on Truc Bach Lake: large ones for families costing 200,000 VND per hour, and smaller ones for two people costing 100,000 VND per hour. The starting point is on Lac Chinh Street. Note that you should wear a life jacket, follow safety rules, and maintain general hygiene.
Sunset over West Lake, viewed from Thanh Nien Street. Photo: Le Bich
For dinner, if you still want to enjoy Hanoi's specialties, you can visit Ngu Xa food street, where the most typical dish is pho cuon (rolled pho). This dish consists of thin rice noodle sheets wrapped around beef and various fresh vegetables, dipped in sweet and sour fish sauce. Some famous pho cuon stalls include Hung Ben, Huong Mai, and Huong Lien.
If you want to try something different, consider Western-style cuisine. The area around West Lake, with streets like Xuan Dieu, To Ngoc Van, and Dang Thai Mai, is ideal for finding a cozy and quiet restaurant for a European meal such as French or Italian, or South American styles like Argentinian or Brazilian. Some suggested restaurants include: Los Fuegos - Argentinian Steak and Grill, El Gaucho Argentinian Steakhouse, Cugini, Paolo & Chi Italian Restaurant...
Some alternative suggestions: Shopping at shopping malls like Trang Tien Plaza, Vincom Ba Trieu; taking a double-decker bus to admire the streets and tourist attractions, listening to music at tea rooms...
Tam Anh
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