3 Days in Hanoi: An Easy Itinerary with Day Trips
A 3-day Hanoi itinerary: the city's history on day 1, Ninh Binh on day 2 and Ha Long Bay, craft villages or a motorbike tour on day 3, with timings, closing days and tips.
By AmGo Travel4 min read
Three days in Hanoi is the sweet spot for most first trips to northern Vietnam: one day for the city itself, one for the rice fields and caves of Ninh Binh, and one for Ha Long Bay or the craft villages outside town. This 3-day Hanoi itinerary is the one the AmGo Travel team in Hanoi's Old Quarter suggests to travellers every week, with the timings from our own tours.
Before you start: where to stay and which days
Stay in the Old Quarter. All the tours below pick up there, and it is the easiest base for walking and eating in the evenings.
Check the day of the week. The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is closed on Mondays and Fridays (and for maintenance from about mid-June to mid-August), and the Museum of Ethnology is closed on Mondays. Put your city day on a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday or Sunday if you want to go inside the mausoleum.
Keep the long day away from your flight. A Ha Long Bay day trip gets you back to the Old Quarter at about 21:00–21:30, so do not plan it for the day you fly out.
Day 1: Hanoi's history in one day
Start at Tran Quoc Pagoda on West Lake, Hanoi's oldest pagoda, then cross to Ba Dinh Square and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the One Pillar Pagoda and the stilt house where Ho Chi Minh lived. After the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology and lunch, visit the Temple of Literature, founded in 1070 and home of Vietnam's first university, and finish at Hoa Lo Prison, the "Hanoi Hilton".
The AmGo Travel full-day city tour covers these sights with hotel pick-up at 8:00–8:30 and drops you back around 16:15–16:30, which leaves the evening free. Spend it in the Old Quarter: a walk around Hoan Kiem Lake, a water puppet show and street food for dinner. For more ideas, see our list of things to do in Hanoi.
Day 2: Ninh Binh day trip
Ninh Binh is the classic day trip south of Hanoi, and the one most travellers remember. A full day covers three sights:
- Hoa Lu, Vietnam's capital in the 10th century, with the temples of the Dinh and Le kings among the limestone hills.
- Trang An, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where a rowing boat takes you along the water and through caves such as Sang, Toi, Ba Giot and Nau Ruou.
- Mua Cave, where more than 500 steps climb Ngoa Long Mountain to a view over the rice fields and the Ngo Dong River.
Wear good shoes for the steps and bring a hat. Pick-up and drop-off are in the Old Quarter, with lunch at Trang An Eco Restaurant on the way. If you are torn between the two boat trips, our guide to Trang An vs Tam Coc explains the difference.
Day 3: Ha Long Bay, or a slower day near Hanoi
Option A: Ha Long Bay day cruise. The drive to the coast takes about 2.5 hours on the expressway. On board you have lunch among the islands, then kayak or take a bamboo boat through Luon Cave, walk through Sung Sot Cave, climb or swim at Ti Top Island and finish with a sunset party on deck. It is a long day (pick-up 7:45–8:45, back about 21:00–21:30), but it is the easiest way to see the bay without an overnight cruise. Read Ha Long Bay day trip from Hanoi to decide whether it suits you.
Option B: craft villages. If two long drives in a row sound like too much, spend the day in three craft villages near Hanoi: try lacquer at Ha Thai, paint your own conical hat in Chuong village and have lunch at a local home, then see the red incense drying in Quang Phu Cau. Meeting point is the Opera House at 7:45–8:15.
Option C: Hanoi by motorbike. Take the 3.5-hour motorbike or bicycle tour at 7:30 or 13:30 (Long Bien Bridge, Banana Island, West Lake, B52 Lake and Train Street), and keep the rest of the day for shopping or a last coffee before your flight.
Your 3-day Hanoi itinerary with AmGo Travel
- Day 1: full-day Hanoi city tour, Old Quarter in the evening.
- Day 2: Hoa Lu, Trang An and Mua Cave in Ninh Binh.
- Day 3: Ha Long Bay day cruise, the craft villages, or Hanoi by motorbike.
If you have a fourth day, swap the Ha Long day trip for an overnight cruise, or add Sapa. Our Hanoi destination page lists every tour that starts from the city.
FAQ
Is 3 days in Hanoi enough? For the city and two day trips, yes. You will see the main sights, Ninh Binh and either Ha Long Bay or the countryside near Hanoi. Sapa or an overnight cruise needs more time.
Ninh Binh or Ha Long Bay, if I only have time for one? Ninh Binh is closer (about two hours each way) and mixes history, boats and a viewpoint. Ha Long Bay is the bigger name but a longer day. Many travellers do both, as in this plan.
Can I do Ninh Binh and Ha Long Bay on back-to-back days? Yes, but both start early. If you prefer an easier pace, put the city day between them.
Where can I book these tours? With AmGo Travel, a Vietnamese team of trip planners and guides whose office is at 61 Hang Ga, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi. Book at amgotravel.com or message us on WhatsApp.
Send AmGo Travel your dates and we will help you put the three days in the right order.
