Quick answer: For a 4-day trip to Hanoi, budget about EUR 40 per day (mid-range). Best time: October–November or March–April (mild, dry). Visa: E-visa (90 days) available online for most passports.
Hanoi is best absorbed slowly — street food, old quarter mornings, and a Ninh Binh day trip. This plan balances the chaos of the Old Quarter with calmer lakeside and countryside days.
Best timeOctober–November or March–April (mild, dry)
Budget / day~EUR 40
Suggested length4 days
VisaE-visa (90 days) available online for most passports.
4-day Hanoi itinerary
- Day 1Old Quarter on foot
egg coffee, Hoan Kiem lake loop, water puppets.
- Day 2Temple of Literature, train street, Long Bien bridge at sunset
- Day 3Day trip Ninh Binh
Trang An boat, Mua Cave viewpoint.
- Day 4Ho Chi Minh complex, West Lake, bun cha lunch
Where to stay: neighborhoods that make sense
- Old Quarterthe chaotic 36 ancient streets around Hoan Kiem Lake, stay here for street food at your doorstep
- French Quarterwide colonial boulevards, the Opera House and quieter upscale hotels just south of the lake
- Tay Ho (West Lake)leafy lakeside cafes and expat calm, good if the Old Quarter noise is too much
- Ba DinhHo Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Temple of Literature and government quarter, visit rather than stay
What to eat in Hanoi
- Pho bo at Pho Gia Truyen, 49 Bat Danthe benchmark beef pho, about 1.80 EUR, morning queues move fast
- Bun cha at Bun Cha Huong Liengrilled pork with noodles at the spot Obama ate, about 2 EUR
- Banh mi at Banh Mi 25crusty pate-filled baguette for about 1.20 EUR
- Egg coffee at Cafe Giangwhipped yolk over dark coffee, invented here, about 1.20 EUR
- Bia hoi at the Ta Hien cornerfresh draft beer on plastic stools for about 0.40 EUR a glass
Mistakes most first-timers make
- Freezing mid-street while crossingwalk slowly and steadily and the scooters flow around you; sudden stops cause accidents
- Hailing random street taxismeters get rigged; use Grab where a cross-town ride costs 1-3 EUR
- Only eating in tourist restaurantsthe best food is at single-dish street stalls; busy stalls with locals are the safe ones
- Changing money at the airportrates are poor; use gold shops on Ha Trung street or ATMs in town instead
Worth leaving the city for
- Ninh Binh and Tam Coc (2 hours by bus or train)rowboat rides through rice-paddy karst scenery, the best single day out
- Ha Long Bay (2.5 hours by shuttle)doable in a day but an overnight cruise does it justice
- Bat Trang ceramic village (40 minutes)centuries-old pottery workshops where you can throw your own bowl
Getting around
From Noi Bai Airport take Bus 86 to the Old Quarter (about 1.50 EUR, 45 minutes) or a Grab car for 10-12 EUR. In town walk the Old Quarter and use Grab bikes or cars, with most rides costing 1-3 EUR.
Why this plan won't send you to a closed café
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