The Perfect Hanoi Itinerary With Sapa and Ha Long Bay (2025) – Travel Guide for Vietnam’s Capital
Vietnam’s capital may be known more than anything for its chaotic and motorbike-filled streets but I have to say that Hanoi remains to be one of my favorite Southeast Asian capitals. There is something about the city that always puts it at the back of my mind as a destination I’d want to visit again and again, with a different Hanoi itinerary each time. It may be the excellent food or the fascinating history or simply the pulsating and distinctively Vietnamese energy. Whatever it is, each visit to Hanoi always leaves me with new finds and restaurants that I won’t hesitate recommending to friends.
For those looking to visit, I have come up with this suggested Hanoi itinerary. Depending on whether you intend to visit Ha Long Bay and Tam Coc, this itinerary is something you can execute in as little as 2 days if you’re coming here only for the weekend or up to 4 days if you intend to make it a short getaway.
the pulsating energy of hanoi
General Tip: In Hanoi, a common scam occurs with some taxi drivers at the airport where they claim the hotel you booked has closed. This is a trick to get you to stay in another hotel where they can get commission. To avoid this, you can ask your hotel to pre-book your transport or you can book one yourself here.
Heading to Central Vietnam? Check out this suggested itinerary for Hue, Hoi An and Da Nang
Day 1 – Old Hanoi
Hoan Kiem Lake
hoan kiem lake
Start your Hanoi itinerary by obtaining your bearings at the Lake of the Returned Sword (Hoan Kiem Lake), the focal point where touristic activities in Hanoi are concerned. How the lake came about is the stuff of legends. In the morning, you will find locals doing tai-chi at the park encircling the lake. There is a pagoda in the middle of the lake – an often photographed structure – as well as the Ngoc Son Temple in the northern side which you can cross over to via a red bridge. Opening hours: 8:00 to 18:00, daily / Admission: 30,000 dong (adult)
French Quarter
french quarter of hanoi
Afterwards, head east towards the French Quarter. You will find this area of Hanoi calmer, with plenty of small parks, charming turn-of-the-century hotels as well as buildings dating from the French period such as the post office. The neoclassical Hanoi Opera House in particular, is a fine example of the French influence. The building was modeled after the Palais Garnier in Paris.
Old Quarter
hanoi old quarter
By early afternoon, the cramped streets of the Old Quarter starts to buzz with life and that’s a great time to head there to see how local commerce is done. The area offers a beguiling mix of stores housed in old shophouses. The streets are named according to the types of shops found there – there is a street for jewelry (Hang Bac); a street for shoes (Hang Dau) and so on. You can easily spend the entire afternoon here, which is not a bad idea. Bach Ma Temple, said to be the oldest in Hanoi, is located here. Make sure to stop by Cha Ca La Vong (daily 11AM to 2PM, 5PM to 9:30PM) for lunch.
souvenirs along the old quarter of hanoi
For cheap souvenirs, head to Dong Xuan Market or head to Tired City for some cool and totally non-kitschy t-shirts, scarves, postcards and art prints made by local artists. They have a few outlets but the biggest one is in Hang Gai.
If shopping is not your thing, you can check out some really local experiences such as conical hat making, calligraphy, pottery and even coffee appreciation. For foodies, you can go on a 3-hour food tour of the Old Quarter where you get to visit various eateries specializing in different dishes.
egg coffee from loading t cafe
In the late afternoon, you can head out of the Old Quarter and head southwest to see the imposing St. Joseph’s Cathedral with its neo-gothic façade. Within its vicinity are a number of charming cafes. Loading T Cafe (daily 8AM to 6PM), set in a crumbling mansion, is particularly atmospheric for its vintage interiors as well as semi-open balcony that overlooks the street. Go for a cup of Hanoi’s famous egg coffee which is made with whisked egg white, condensed milk and a little bit of sugar for a truly frothy coffee experience!
Hanoi has no shortage of good food and despite 4 visits there, I can’t help but come to Madame Hien (daily, 11AM to 10:30PM) each time. The restaurant has received renewed popularity as Emmanuel Macron visited in 2025 but I have been coming here since 2011 when they were still in Pho Chan Cam. Their current address is at 48 Hang Be, in a colonial shophouse that used to be Green Tangerine, incidentally a restaurant that I also visited previously. In Madame Hien, the Caramelized Braised Pork in Claypot (Thit Kho Tau) is a must-order!
Day 2 – Monumental Hanoi
Imperial Citadel
hanoi citadel
The Imperial Citadel of Thang Long (daily except Monday, 8AM to 5PM) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is open to the public. There isn’t much to see here these days so I would only rate it as an optional stop. But if you ever decide to make a visit, try to combine it with the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum as it’s within the same area.
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
ho chi minh mausoleum
Try to beat the queues and venture to Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum in the morning (weekdays are better). It’s free to enter. Do note that the venue is closed on Mondays and Fridays. Opening hours: 7:30 to 10:30 / Admission: Free
Presidential Palace and One Pillar Pagoda
presidential palace of hanoi
From here, it’s a short walk to the Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh’s Stilt House as well as the One-Pillar Pagoda. The latter’s exceptionally small size makes it one of the most iconic tourist attractions in Vietnam. As there is a good number of tourist attractions within the area, it’s often crowded here so try to avoid the weekend and public holidays if possible. Opening hours: 8:00 to 17:00, daily
Lunch at Quan An Ngon
quan an ngon
It would be midday by the time you finish, just in time to take a cab ride to Quan An Ngon (daily, 7AM to 9:30PM) for lunch. The venue takes you on a quick culinary tour of Vietnam. While it’s possible to order from the menu, there are stalls that allow you to have a peek at various dishes before you order. If you have a limited amount of time to spend in Vietnam, I’d recommend coming here to allow you to quickly sample the country’s varied specialties in one sitting.
Temple of Literature
temple of literature
From Quan an Ngon, it’s around a 10 minute walk to the Temple of Literature. The spread of Confucianism in Vietnam is perhaps never more apparent than here. During imperial times, only the most gifted scholars were able to study here and the venue offers a good peek of life in the imperial era. The sprawling complex is filled with courtyards, pavilions and ponds and showcases the extent of Chinese influence in Vietnam. Opening hours: 8:00 to 17:00, daily / Admission: 30,000 dong (adult)
Shopping and Cafes at Tay Ho
tran quoc pagoda
Spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the chic district of Tay Ho or West Lake, one of the up and coming neighborhoods of Hanoi filled with plenty of local designer boutiques, some of the city’s best international restaurants as well as hipster cafes. Aside from being Hanoi’s expat enclave, many dining and drinking establishments also choose to set up shop here due to the lakeside views. The Tran Quoc Pagoda which is found in a small peninsula jutting out from the narrow strip of land separating West Lake and Truc Bach Lake, makes for a picturesque sight early in the morning or towards sunset when the calm waters create a mirror reflection. Otherwise, for a great bird’s eye view of the twin lakes, Summit Lounge – the rooftop bar of the Pan Pacific Hanoi – is the place to go.
Sky High Views at Sky Lotte Observation Deck
sky lotte observation deck
For a bird’s eye view over Hanoi, you can head to Lotte Center for the Sky Lotte Observation Deck. At 65 floors up, you can spot some of the city’s landmarks from the viewing gallery. A highlight here is the Skywalk where visitors get to walk on the floor is made of glass. Best time to visit is around 5 to 6PM – it’s a great place to catch the sunset. You can get discounted tickets here.
Home-style Dinner at Tam Vi
tam vi
When the Michelin Guide did its inaugural awarding of Michelin stars in 2023, one of the first establishment to earn the accolade in Hanoi was Tam Vi (11AM to 2:30PM/5PM to 9:30PM) – a traditional restaurant serving home-style meals hidden in an alley off Nguyen Thai Hoc. Star dishes here include Crab Soup with Spinach, Vietnamese Ham with Periwinkle Snails as well as the Caramelized Pork with Egg. This is a worthwhile dinner venue as the cuisine is decidedly Northern Vietnamese and quite different from what you’ll get in Ho Chi Minh City or Da Nang. Reservations are recommended. I tried reserving for a same-day table and could only get a slot at 8PM.
Day 3 – Ha Long Bay & Other Excursions
Ha Long Bay (Day Trip or Overnight Option)
ha long bay
Most people who visit Hanoi also make their way to Ha Long Bay. While going to Ha Long Bay is practically a “yes” for most, the main decision you’d likely be facing is whether you should stay overnight in Ha Long Bay or just make it a day trip?
An overnight stay in Ha Long Bay will definitely enable you to visit more spots and you can climb the jagged peaks of some of the islands as well on a longer cruise to get a bird’s eye view of the bay (for example, in Titop Island). This is something you would not be able to do on a day trip though if you are really lacking in time, there’s little other choice.
If you decide to go for a day trip, you can expect a few hours’ cruise along the bay, a seafood lunch, some time for kayaking and exploring a cave called Thien Cung Cave. You can book the Ha Long Bay day tour here.
If you decide to go for an overnight cruise, you can expect the same highlights from the day tour plus around 2 more caves, a nice view point from Titop Island, an additional dinner and breakfast plus a likely cooking class.
Tam Coc / Hoa Lu
If you have already been to Hanoi before and are looking for a different day trip option, a journey through the river valleys of Tam Coc / Hoa Lu is also worthwhile. The landscape is lush and the experience is quite fun as you ride a small bamboo boat down the river surrounded by limestone rock formations. Aside from the boat ride, a typical day tour includes climbing up Mua Cave for a scenic view of the river, surrounding rice fields and mountains.
Perfume Pagoda
A third option for excursions originating from Hanoi is the Perfume Pagoda. Situated some 60km away from Hanoi, the Perfume Pagoda is one of the country’s most important religious sites. To get here from Hanoi, travelers will need to take a roughly 70 minute car ride to a village followed by a 45 minute or so boat ride down the Yen River to a temple complex. From here, a path leads to another temple as well as a cable car station.
perfume pagoda
perfume pagoda
Visitors can either take the cable car or hike up to the Perfume Pagoda itself which is situated in a cave. The entrance to the cave is rather dramatic – it is said to resemble a dragon’s mouth and is decorated with Chinese text.
A typical Perfume Pagoda day tour includes round trip transport from Hanoi, a guide and lunch but not the cable car ticket as it is up to the visitor’s discretion whether they’d want to hike or take the cable car. You can book this tour here.
Day 4 to 5
Heading Over to Sapa
A ride to Sapa takes at least 6 hours when you go by train or by bus. Trains are a bit longer and take about 8 hours. Do note that trains mostly depart in the night, at around 10 or 10:40pm and terminate in Lao Cai which is still an hour away from Sapa itself. For my own journey to Sapa, I opted to go by bus as I did not want to depart late at night. I went with a sleeper bus company that had hourly departures from Hanoi. The buses were comfortable enough, with seats that could fully recline 180 degrees. The bus company also had a minivan transfer service that transported guests to their respective hotels after arriving in Sapa.
sapa lake
Sitting at around 1,600 meters above sea level, Sapa is markedly cooler than Hanoi no matter which month you go. Those visiting from November to early-March are treated to a temperate climate with temperatures dropping to single digits at night. Sapa has always been a tourist town, even during the days of the French colonists who established it as a hill station.
Today, Sapa is perhaps overrun with tourism in the center and the honking noises in the streets certainly don’t help to dispel that idea. However, walk a few blocks from the center and it’s not hard to see why millions come here every year. Scenic rice terraces, valleys populated by the local Hmong folk as well as Vietnam’s tallest peak – Fansipan – all serve to quickly quell any potential second thoughts about coming here.
The town center is compact and has a few noteworthy sights. The stillness of Sa Pa Lake allows for pretty photos of the surrounding buildings with near-mirror reflections on the water. The rustic Sa Pa Stone Church is a popular gathering spot for local tours while the exterior of the nearby Sunworld Plaza Sapa is perhaps the most popular photo-taking spot in town.
Fansipan
In the past, going up to Fansipan required 2 days of trekking through dense jungle as well as staying over in humble village huts for the night. This is until a private developer built a cable car that goes near the peak, reducing the 2-day trip to a mere 30 minutes. This means that today, Fansipan is probably the 3rd easiest Southeast Asian nation’s tallest peak to climb, behind Thailand’s Doi Inthanon which is reachable by car and Singapore’s Bukit Timah Hill which stands 163.6 meters high.
near the summit of fansipan
A trip to Fansipan is easy enough to DIY without having to go through a join-in tour. To get there, one has to first get to Sapa Cable Car Station – accessible via Grab or an impossibly scenic monorail ride. From there, the cable car itself takes 30 minutes to reach near the summit and is spectacular—passing over terraced rice fields, misty valleys, and rugged mountain ridges that feel almost otherworldly. where it is still 600 steps to the top. From there, one has the option to climb the 600 steps which becomes more difficult due to the high altitude or to take a tram up.
The summit area is surprisingly atmospheric, dotted with pagodas, statues, and ornate temples rising above the clouds. On clear days, the views are endless; on foggy days, the shifting mist creates a dramatic, almost mystical mood that’s uniquely Fansipan. Give yourself time to wander the grounds—you’ll find plenty of photo spots, peaceful corners, and sudden glimpses of the valley far below. Even if you’re not an experienced hiker, the well-maintained paths make it accessible for most travelers, with the option to take the funicular for the final ascent if you want to save energy.
Tip: For those wishing to avoid the crowds in Fansipan, an early departure by 8AM (7:30AM on weekends) is recommended. Otherwise, afternoon departures after lunch time are also surprisingly free from crowds. However, do note that there’s a greater possibility of fog or rain setting in in the afternoon.
Most visitors spend around 3–4 hours for the round trip, including cable car rides and exploring the summit. It can take longer during weekends or school holidays due to long queues forming in each station. Because the temperature at the top can be significantly colder and windier than Sapa town, it’s a good idea to bring a jacket, even during warmer months. Whether you’re chasing breathtaking views or simply want to stand on the highest point in the region without a strenuous trek, Fansipan is a perfect addition to any Sapa itinerary.
Cat Cat Village
Cat Cat Village is one of the most popular places to visit in Sapa, especially for travelers looking for a short and easy day trip. Located just 2 km from Sapa Town, this charming Black H’Mong village is ideal for visitors who want to enjoy Sapa’s scenery without committing to a long hike. The paved path leading to Cat Cat Village takes you past terraced rice fields, local craft workshops, and traditional wooden houses—making it one of the most photogenic spots in any Sapa itinerary.
One of the top highlights of Cat Cat Village is the Cat Cat Waterfall, a picturesque stream surrounded by lush greenery and rustic bridges perfect for photography. Travelers can also see demonstrations of traditional weaving, fabric dyeing, and handicraft making, which are central to H’Mong culture. With convenient facilities such as cafés, rest stops, and viewing decks, Cat Cat Village is an accessible and rewarding stop for anyone planning things to do in Sapa.
While Cat Cat Village’s photo qualities and rustic charms are undeniable, it is also very touristy with most of the infrastructure there built just to cater to tourists. Most visitors seem to be aware of it but come anyway because since it makes for an easy trip from Sapa. I took a 10-minute Grab ride from town to the village entrance. It’s an easy destination for beginners and a perfect warm-up before deeper treks to Ta Van or Lao Chai.
Ta Van Village
After Cat Cat Village, I went with a join-in tour for a walking trek to the villages of Lao Chai and Ta Van. After Fansipan, this is often said to be one of the most rewarding experiences in the region. The trek offers a gentle escape into the everyday rhythms of northern Vietnam’s hill tribes. The trail winds through terraced rice fields, bamboo forests,and small local settlements, with the emerald-green landscape unfolding in every direction. Along the way, you’ll meet members of the H’Mong and Dzay ethnic groups, whose culture and traditions shape the character of the valley.
Reaching Ta Van, travelers are welcomed by wooden stilt houses, quiet streams, and the unmistakable scent of wood fires. It’s a place where time slows down—perfect for resting, chatting with locals, or simply enjoying the mountain views. Whether done as a day trek or an overnight homestay, the Ta Van journey offers a deeper, more intimate side of Sapa that you’ll miss if you stick to town.
Travel Tips for Hanoi
- In this age of uncertainty, you might wish to get travel insurance. If you reside in Singapore, check out FWD, one of the cheapest travel insurance. I typically buy from them as their claims process is relatively easy and fast. I typically receive my payout for claims within days thru PayNow.
- Do note that Hanoi has a pronounced winter season from November to February. A jacket would come in handy. If you visit during these months, there’s a possibility you might not even see any sunshine. On the other hand, July and August is a very humid time in Hanoi. Even if it just says 30 to 32 degrees celsius in the thermometer, you’ll sweat buckets.
- You can pay in USD in some places including shops, restaurants and other tourist-oriented establishments. This does not apply to the small eateries or groceries. Most hotels will be able to change USD to Vietnamese Dong at competitive rates.
- For those who constantly need to be online, you can purchase local sim cards upon arrival at the airport.
Where to Stay in Hanoi
I’ve been to Hanoi twice and a hotel I can personally recommend is the La Sinfonia del Rey Hotel which conveniently overlooks Hoan Kiem Lake. Rooms are incredibly sleek and I found the clouds painted on the room’s ceilings to be quite relaxing. For a slightly cheaper option, you can check out La Mejor Hotel located in the Old Quarter. Alternatively, you can use this aggregator HERE to compare for the best prices for hotels in Hanoi with just one look.
Getting Around: GRAB is a cheap, safe and reliable way to get from point to point within Hanoi. Most trips between the various city attractions should not cost more than $5.
Entry Requirements: Certain nationalities may require a visa to enter Vietnam. It’s better to check beforehand. For visa services, you can try Vietnam Visa.
