How I Spent 3 Days in Hanoi, Vietnam [Things To Do, What To Eat]

Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, is steeped in history and culture. As the country’s capital for over a thousand years, it showcases a unique blend of influences, including ancient Chinese, French colonial, and traditional Vietnamese design.

Over the years, the city has become a major holiday destination for backpackers and tourists. It is developing rapidly and has something to offer everyone who visits, including an iconic street food and cafe scene with matching prices.

Although I had visited Vietnam in 2019, I could only see the southern part of the country. So when I had the opportunity to visit Hanoi as a stop on my Star Alliance Round the World award ticket, I was excited.

Here’s an in-depth look at how I spent 3 days in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Arriving in Hanoi, Vietnam

Hanoi is served by a single international airport, Noi Bai International Airport (HAN). However, there are no nonstop flights between Hanoi and any city in the U.S.

In fact, there is only 1 nonstop flight from anywhere in the U.S. to Vietnam: Tan Son Nhat International Airport (SNG) in Ho Chi Minh City to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) on Vietnam Airlines.

Hot Tip:

Learn how I crafted my itinerary to include Hanoi in my Star Alliance business class Round the World experience. You can also learn the best ways to fly to Vietnam with points and miles.

Where To Stay in Hanoi

Hanoi is a rather large city with numerous accommodations, ranging from budget hostels (where dormitory beds can cost as little as $1 per night) to nicer Western hotel brands.

Fortunately, the city’s main tourist attractions, night markets, and numerous street food stalls are in one distinct part of the city.

Old Quarter

Most people visiting Hanoi for the first time tend to stay in the city’s Old Quarter, thanks to its central location with many tourist attractions. The Old Quarter is widely regarded as the heart of the capital.

The area features a unique blend of imperial Vietnamese architecture, colonial buildings with French style, modern coffee shops, and hundreds of street food vendors.

The area is safe and walkable, and most of the city’s budget hotels and hostels are here. It also serves as the gathering point for most tours and excursions. However, it is worth noting that the area is quite loud and crowded, even at night.

I spent 2 of my 3 nights in the Old Town and thought it was the perfect place to stay for a first-time visitor.

Ba Dinh

Another popular location is Ba Dinh, just west of the Old Quarter and north of the Hanoi Railway Station.

The area is a little farther from the heart of tourist activity, with fewer ultrabudget accommodations. It is much quieter and serves as a good middle ground between the city’s hustle and bustle and some of its more relaxing areas.

West Lake

Hanoi’s West Lake area is a little farther from the city center but is where many luxury travelers and expats tend to stay. The location is much more peaceful and residential.

The West Lake area also boasts numerous nightlife and entertainment venues, including rooftop bars, lounges, and upscale nightclubs.

Bottom Line:

Unfortunately, the top Western brands that you’d typically book with points aren’t located in the areas I’d recommend. If you’re booking a non-chain hotel, consider using a travel portal like Amex Travel, Chase Travel, or Capital One Travel to offset your expenses by redeeming points or miles for your stay.

Day 1

Despite arriving late at night in Hanoi, I was up quite early on Day 1 because I had to make the most of my limited time in Hanoi, which was only 3 full days. I walked for most of my stay, with the occasional Grab taxi ride.

Tran Quoc Temple

I started the day by heading to Tran Quoc Temple, the oldest Buddhist temple in Hanoi. It was originally constructed in the sixth century during the reign of Emperor Ly Nam De.

The temple complex was relocated to its present-day site in the 17th century because of the collapse of the riverbank where it originally stood. Today, it is on a small islet of West Lake.

The defining feature of the temple complex is the 11-story, red-brick Tran Quoc Pagoda, which holds the ashes of monks from centuries ago. The pagoda features elements of traditional Vietnamese architecture with visible Chinese influences.

The temple complex comprises numerous shrines, altars, and buildings, many of which house important Buddha statues and other figures revered in Buddhism.

The Tran Quoc Temple is open daily from 7:30 to 11 a.m. and 1:30 to 5 p.m., and there is no admission fee.

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

Next, I walked for about 15 minutes to the Ba Dinh Square complex to see the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. This monument symbolizes Vietnam’s history and the country’s most important leader, Ho Chi Minh, whose tomb is inside.

Ho led Vietnam’s fight for independence and remains a deeply revered figure in the country as the father of modern Vietnam, with murals and statues of him throughout the country. The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum was built as his final resting place.

The mausoleum is typically open to the public on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings. There is no entrance fee.

Presidential Palace

Next, I walked to the Presidential Palace, the official residence of the President of Vietnam. The Presidential Palace is part of the Presidential Palace Historical Site, where Ho worked between 1954 and 1969. 

The Presidential Palace was built between 1900 and 1906 as the seat for the governor of French Indochina. It was designed by a French architect in a traditional European style.

Although it was intended to become Ho’s primary residence, he never lived there, saying it was too luxurious when people were homeless and starving nearby.

Although the Presidential Palace is closed to tourists, the massive grounds around it are open to visitors and feature gardens, fish ponds, and walking paths.

In the palace grounds, there is also a wooden stilt house where Ho lived, which reflected his modest way of life.

The Presidential Palace grounds are open daily between 8 and 11 a.m. and 1:30 and 4 p.m. However, they are closed on Monday and Friday afternoons. Foreign visitors must pay a ₫40,000 ($1.50) admission fee.

Ho Chi Minh Museum

Next, I headed to the Ho Chi Minh Museum, less than a 10-minute walk from the Presidential Palace.

Opened on September 2, 1990, on the 100th anniversary of his birth, the museum boasts over 170,000 pieces of history related to Ho’s life and revolutionary work. The museum’s inauguration ceremony was held at the exact place where Ho Chi Minh read the Vietnamese Declaration of Independence 45 years earlier.

The museum features 3 floors and has numerous exhibitions showcasing different time periods of Ho’s life.

Unfortunately, nearly every document and image was only in Vietnamese. Some were translated into English, but it felt like they were randomly chosen. It was as if they had started translating them for foreigners but stopped halfway through.

Still, given Vietnam’s complex and fascinating history, it was nice to see many photographs of his life.

The Ho Chi Minh Museum is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2 to 4:30 p.m. Foreign visitors must pay a ₫40,000 ($1.50) admission fee.

B-52 Victory Museum

To end the day, I went over to the B-52 Victory Museum, a historical and military museum, established to commemorate Vietnam’s defense against Operation Linebacker II, a 12-day series of U.S. Air Force airstrikes in December 1972 that was intended to force the North Vietnamese into peace talks.

The museum was opened in December 1997, exactly 25 years after the bombings, and commemorates North Vietnam’s defensive capabilities, especially against the B-52, which was the most advanced strategic bomber at the time.

The museum features 2 distinct exhibition areas, an indoor one and an outdoor one. The indoor exhibition area features a comprehensive view of the bombing campaign with numerous photos, videos, maps, weapons, and miniature models.

There is also an entire section dedicated to the U.S. military’s tactics and the destruction of specific targets, including public facilities.

Meanwhile, the outdoor area features numerous weapons, military equipment (like antiaircraft machine guns), missile control systems, and aircraft used by both sides, all on full display.

The B-52 Victory Museum is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 8 to 11 a.m. and 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. There is no admission fee.

Day 2

Temple of Literature

To start the second day, I headed to the Temple of Literature, commonly known as the Temple of Confucius. This massive temple complex was built and dedicated to worship the iconic Chinese philosopher Confucius.

The Temple of Literature was founded in 1070 by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong. Eventually, it became the first university of Vietnam, the Imperial Academy. The university was used to teach many scholars, aristocrats, and the sons of kings until Vietnam’s colonial period.

The Temple of Literature is massive, spanning over 50,000 square meters, and features numerous buildings separated by large courtyards. Many of the buildings have statues of famous philosophers.

The temple is also a sacred place, as students come to pray for good luck in their exams and studies.

The Temple of Literature is open daily between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. There is a ₫70,000 ($2.65) entrance fee to enter the temple grounds.

Imperial Citadel of Thang Long

Next, I visited the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that served as the center of Vietnamese political and military power for over 1,000 years.

The citadel features numerous buildings and was built in the 11th century by the Ly Viet Dynasty on the site of a former Chinese fortress dating back to the seventh century.

The citadel boasts thousands of ancient relics depicting thousands of years of Vietnamese history. The citadel was largely destroyed when Hanoi served as the capital of French Indochina. In the 20th century, it served as the administrative capital of the North Vietnamese army.

The citadel grounds include many archaeological sites, military bunkers, ancient palaces, and the remnants of numerous French colonial buildings. 

The citadel is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors must pay a ₫100,000 ($3.80) admission fee to enter the citadel grounds.

Bac Son Monument

Next, I walked across the street to the Bac Son Monument, or the Memorial to the Revolutionary Martyrs. The war memorial was built in 1993 to commemorate the Vietnamese lives lost during the Vietnam War.

The memorial can only be seen from the street, as it is behind a fence. Armed soldiers stand guard at the corners of the fencing.

Hoa Lo Prison

I then headed to Hanoi’s notorious Hoa Lo Prison, a French colonial prison built for Vietnamese revolutionaries and political dissidents in French Indochina.

Later, it served a similar role for U.S. prisoners of war during the Vietnam War. Following the Paris Peace Accords, which ended the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, more than 500 American prisoners of war were returned to the U.S.

The prison features a model reconstruction of Cell Block D, the largest cell block for male prisoners at its height, and showcases the harsh conditions the prisoners endured. The room features bare concrete and rows of long tables that prisoners were shackled to by their feet.

Prisoners were given 15 minutes a day to move around, wash themselves, and use the single bucket latrine in the corner of the room. Initially, the cell had a maximum of 40 prisoners, but in many instances, up to 100 prisoners were in the room together.

The prison also features dungeons, or solitary confinement cells, to confine prisoners who broke the prison’s regulations. These dungeons were referred to as “hell of the hell,” as prisoners were put in stocks and had to eat and relieve themselves on the spot.

Many of these prisoners suffered from edema, and their bodies were covered with scabies, which was caused by the lack of light and air.

During the prison’s active years, conditions deteriorated significantly as the number of prisoners increased. The prison became a significant place for the Vietnamese resistance movement.

Hoa Lo Prison is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors must pay a ₫50,000 ($1.90) admission fee to enter.

Day 3

Ngoc Son Temple

I started the final day by visiting the Ngoc Son Temple, also known as Jade Mountain Temple, a famous spiritual site on Hoan Kiem Lake. The temple was built in 1841 during the reign of the Ly Dynasty to worship Van Xuong De Quan, the Taoist god of happiness, wealth, and prosperity.

The temple complex features several gates adorned with distinct stone carvings, each with a unique meaning. Many Vietnamese people come to the temple to pray for good fortune or to admire Hoan Kiem Lake.

Ngoc Son Temple is open between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. on weekdays and from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends. The temple has a ₫30,000 ($1.15) entrance fee.

Quan Thanh Temple

Next, I went to the Quan Thanh Temple, one of the most revered sites in Hanoi. The Quan Thanh Temple was built in the early 11th century during the early Ly Dynasty and was dedicated to Xuan Wu, a Taoist deity.

Although the temple was originally created to worship Taoist deities, it is also used for prayer to Buddhist gods.

The temple grounds feature a massive garden divided by several halls with various statues. The main statue is of Huyen Thien Tran Vu, which stands nearly 14 feet tall and weighs over 4 tons.

The halls also feature numerous carvings of sacred creatures from Vietnamese mythology.

Quan Thanh Temple is open daily between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. The temple has a ₫10,000 ($0.38) entrance fee.

St. Joseph’s Cathedral

Next, I headed to St. Joseph’s Cathedral, also called the Grand Cathedral of Hanoi. This late-19th-century Gothic Revival church serves as the principal place of worship for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hanoi.

The church was built in the 1880s during the French colonial period and is the oldest church in Hanoi. It was created in a style resembling the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.

The church became very popular during the French colonial period, when Catholicism was widely spread throughout the region. It eventually became the center of Catholicism in Northern Vietnam.

After the French colonists left Northern Vietnam in 1954, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam’s government closed the cathedral. It remained closed until Christmas 1990, when it was opened for Catholic worshippers.

The cathedral is open to the public for free every day except Sundays, when it is closed for mass from 8 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 5 p.m. 

Trang Tien Plaza

Next, I started walking toward a museum but stumbled upon Trang Tien Plaza, a massive, high-end shopping mall with over 200 luxury fashion brands. The mall also featured a variety of fine dining options and a cinema.

Trang Tien Plaza is open weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and weekends from 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Vietnam National Museum of History

Next, I visited the Vietnam National Museum of History. The museum was built between 1926 and 1932 by French architect Ernest Hébrard, who sought to blend Vietnamese and French architectural styles.

The museum features over 200,000 exhibits that showcase Vietnam’s history, spanning from prehistoric times to the founding of modern Vietnam.

The museum features numerous historically significant collections, such as tools from the Stone Age and jewelry from imperial Vietnam.

Unfortunately, not everything was translated into English, making it hard to know what I was looking at.

The Vietnam National Museum of History is open daily from 8 a.m. to noon and 1:30 to 5 p.m. There is a ₫40,000 ($1.50) admission fee.

Hanoi Train Street

To conclude my final day in Hanoi, I visited Hanoi Train Street, a spot that has gained increasing popularity on social media over the years. Hanoi Train Street is a narrow street with train tracks a few inches away from local homes, restaurants, and coffee shops.

I visited Hanoi 1990s, a popular coffee shop in the heart of Hanoi Train Street. I ordered a delicious traditional Vietnamese coffee. The staff at the coffee shop was welcoming and a joy to be around.

The trains pass several times per day on the single railroad track. While it may not seem all that interesting, it is exhilarating when a train passes just a few inches before you. Of course, conveying the feeling in a picture is much harder than in a video.

Hot Tip:

The train schedule varies and may change without notice. To ensure you have a seat with a view, arrive at least an hour before the train is scheduled to pass through.

Dining in Vietnam

Hanoi is a world-famous food city and a street food paradise. As you’d expect in the capital, the cuisine is influenced by traditions from all over the country.

Vietnamese cuisine heavily emphasizes rice flour, herbs, and fantastic bread (thanks to its history with the French).

Pho Bo

Pho, Vietnam’s national dish, consists of rice noodles in a clear beef or chicken broth topped with herbs. The dish is said to have originated just south of Hanoi.

I had several bowls of pho in Hanoi, with my favorite being at Hanoi Delights in the Old Quarter.

Bun Cha

Bun cha is grilled pork served in a bowl of diluted fish sauce with garlic and chili, alongside cold rice noodles and additions like coriander and lettuce.

Banh Mi

Banh mi is a French-influenced baguette sandwich filled with pork (or chicken in some cases), eggs, pickled veggies, and herbs. The Banh Mi Station is a renowned restaurant in the Old Quarter, boasting arguably the best banh mi in the city.

Final Thoughts

Although it was my first time visiting Hanoi, Vietnam, I absolutely loved the city and plan to return soon. It has an incredible history, beautiful architecture, wonderful people, and a delicious street food scene. It truly is an underrated destination.

Unfortunately, you cannot fly nonstop between the U.S. and Hanoi. However, many airlines offer a one-stop journey from the U.S. to Southeast Asia (such as Hong Kong (HKG), Taipei (TPE), Manila (MNL), or Singapore (SIN)) before reaching Vietnam.