How to Spend Two Days in Hanoi, Vietnam

Planning a trip to Vietnam? This travel guide will help you plan two days worth of activities in the lively city of Hanoi.

Hanoi 2 Day Travel Guide

Vietnam’s capital city Hanoi is a culturally rich city center known for motorbikes, street food, and referred to as the “city of lakes.” Here you can get a glimpse into authentic Vietnamese culture and its French colonial past and relics of war. The heartbeat of this lively city is palpable.

Hanoi is likely the first stop on your Vietnamese itinerary if you fly into Noi Bai International Airport. It is easy to spend a few days here visiting museums, markets, and religious temples. Hanoi is also a gateway to explore the iconic Halong Bay and the northern Vietnam countryside such as Sapa and Ninh Binh.

The Old Quarter

Old Quarter is a charming neighborhood in the heart of Hanoi. It is an ideal place to base yourself for a few days to have convenient access to all the main attractions in Hanoi. There’s no shortage of hotels, restaurants, and hidden gems.

Old Quarter Hanoi has it all, scenic lakes, tranquil temples and pagodas, and hidden gems. This area is easy to explore on foot, so prepare to get your steps in wandering through the narrow streets and exploring Hanoi’s authentic culture.

The Old Quarter is known to be quite congested because it is a highly touristy area. Be prepared for crowds and heavy motorbike traffic. 

Things to do in Hanoi:

Walk around Hoan Kiem Lake

This is the go to spot for a morning walk where you can get coffee at a cafe and have a great view of the Ngoc Son Temple on the lake. If you go early in the morning you will likely see locals performing Tai Chi, morning stretches, and other forms of exercise. It’s a vibe.

Visit Temples

Hanoi boasts hundreds of temples and pagodas. Here are a few that are easy to visit in the Old Quarter.

Tran Quoc Pagoda

This idyllic pagoda sits on West lake and is a 1,500 year old Buddhist temple. You can enter for free daily 8am to 4pm but you must dress modestly as it is a religious site. 

Ngoc Son Temple

This temple is on a small island on Hoan Kiem lake. To visit the temple you will walk through an impressive entrance gate and cross a bridge to get to the island. It’s open daily from 8am to 6 pm. 

Learn about War History at Hoa Lo Prison Museum

This former prison turned museum is famously known as the “Hanoi Hilton” and housed US prisoners of war during the Vietnam War. However, in Vietnam it is referred to as the “American War.” This is an important cultural and historical site and worth visiting for a few hours.

There is an option to purchase an audio guide to listen to as you explore the museum, but in my opinion it’s not necessary because the information is well presented in English, Vietnamese, and French writing on all the displays. The prison is open daily from 8am to 5pm and ticket price = 30,000 VND (less than $1.50 USD). 

Walk along Train Street

After enough walking you will likely find yourself by the train tracks and the beloved area known as “train street.” This place became popular and well known as a unique place to see how people live and work right alongside the train tracks, actually just a few feet away from them. If you time it right, you can witness a close encounter of a train passing. I guess you could say life has evolved on the tracks. 

During a short stroll down the tracks I witnessed normal everyday activities, people sweeping, hand washing clothes in buckets, hanging clothes to dry, kids playing and curiously staring at me, and even a chicken being slaughtered. Not exactly normal for me, but normal for the locals living here which made it feel like an intimate look into their everyday life. 

There are some major concerns of over-tourism and safety issues along the tracks and around train street. Please be respectful and responsible if you visit this area! People live and work here and you will be essentially walking through their backyards. Be mindful of your surroundings and prioritize safety over a selfie. 

Shop in the Markets

I always recommend strolling through the markets when you are in a new country, you never know what you might find! There are small shops lining the streets in the Old Quarter and there is also a lively weekend night market. If prices are not marked, you can negotiate and practice your haggling skills. 

There’s no shortage of knock off items copying many well known brands, replica propaganda war posters, and the iconic “non la” Vietnamese conical hat. 

I personally loved the silk robes, you will find them in all different colors and floral patterns. This is a great idea for a gift or souvenir because they won’t weigh down your luggage.

Try Vietnamese Coffee

I live for exploring local cafes while traveling. I loved the traditional Vietnamese coffee, it’s served with sweetened condensed milk. Another option is the popular Vietnamese egg coffee, it has a really creamy foam top. You can’t leave Vietnam without trying both!

Cafes are plentiful in the Old Quarter area around Hoan Kiem Lake. Don’t you dare go to Starbucks while in Hanoi! There are a few must try cafes that give off speakeasy unassuming vibes. You could easily walk by them everyday without noticing the signs, which makes these places an exciting discovery for coffee lovers.

Cafe Dinh

Looks are deceiving in this 2nd floor hideaway cafe, it is a hidden gem situated right off Hoan Kiem Lake. Cafe Dinh is said to be the home of the original egg coffee. The historical decor and the tiny tables and stools are all so classically Vietnamese, it is easy to see why this place is a favorite for egg coffee.

Cafe Pho Co

This cafe is worth the effort to find. It is a picture worthy cafe with rooftop views over Hoan Kiem Lake. To access the cafe, you must first walk through a silk shop following the signs to the back where you will find the cafe and stairs leading you to the atrium and rooftop. The peaceful cafe setting is a nice contrast to the bustling city.

Walk on Long Bien bridge

This bridge sustained several bombings during the war and is somewhat a historical site. The fact that it is still standing is very impressive.

You can walk along the small pedestrian path and enjoy views of the river and banana orchards below. Be careful, you will be in close quarters with the motorbikes and the bridge is rusty, make sure to watch your step. 

Hire a Cyclo

You will see these three wheeled bicycle taxis all over the Old Quarter. If your legs are tired from walking, this is a fun way to get around. Unlike traditional rickshaws, the passengers sit in the front and the driver is in the back so you will have unobstructed views on your ride.

You can arrange for point A to point B transportation or even an organized one hour tour. Don’t forget to negotiate the price before the ride. 

Eat Street Food

We cannot talk about Hanoi without the topic of street food! There’s nothing like the cultural experience of sitting roadside on a toddler sized stool and hovering around the cook station while your meal is being prepared right in front of you.

Trying street food and slurping noodles with the locals is a must do experience in Vietnam. I don’t particularly enjoy the sound of slurping noodles, but “when in Rome” or Vietnam in this case, it happens. 😉 

The language barrier and lack of a food menu can be challenging. If you are an adventurous eater, this might not bother you. I mostly stuck to what I know, pho, spring rolls, and banh mi and it did not disappoint. If you didn’t eat street pho, did you even go to Vietnam?!

Try Bia Hoi beer on beer street

The intersection of Ta Hien and Luong Ngoc Quyen is known as beer corner and the area has expanded into beer street. The sidewalks are packed with small plastic tables and miniature sized stools. It is lively, eccentric, and top notch for people watching. This is THE place to be for cheap beer, socializing, and entertainment. 

Two days in Hanoi is just enough to scratch the surface, but you can cover a lot of ground if you hit the ground running. I hope you enjoy wandering, eating, and shopping your way through Hanoi. There’s exciting experiences awaiting if you are a curious and adventurous traveler.

Check out my blog, 15 Helpful Travel Tips for Vietnam for more information to help plan your trip!

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