15 Day Guide to Vietnam – A Weekend in Hanoi

A weekend in Hanoi is a great way to start a 15 day trip of nonstop adventure through Vietnam! Follow our guide to discover one of Southeast Asia’s most intriguing capital cities…

Updated 2024.

“Vietnam is different from anywhere I have ever been, a contrast from laid-back neighbouring Laos – the people, food, landscape, culture, traffic, and language…”

A Weekend in Hanoi

Hanoi Old Quarter

Hanoi is lively, vibrant and noisy! Stepping out into the Old Quarter from our peaceful guesthouse is like walking into another world. Hanoi’s notorious scooters and overhead cables crisscross the busy roads, while pavement vendors sell the scene on emblematic t-shirts together with red Viet flags to wave on sticks.

The traditional 19^th century ‘tube’ houses have a tall narrow façade, originally designed to avoid high taxes. The front premises are typically used for trading, inside a succession of interconnected buildings lead back, each block with a multistory stairwell open to the roof which provides daylight and fresh air. The rooms overlook these tiny courtyards, cool and far removed from the mayhem outside.

Juan and I are staying at the Mylan Guest House for the weekend which is owned by four sisters… one is a dentist who practices from the front room, another is a doctor at the Hanoi ‘American Hospital’, the other two ladies share reception duties along with a niece who happily translates for visitors.

The Vietic language is most distinctive, as if written and spoken in sharp puffs – the words are short syllables pronounced in rapidly fired bursts… hà nội (Hanoi)! Despite all the fancy accents, it is easy to read on signs or maps because the alphabet is based on Latin script.

Mopeds whiz everywhere, the common form of transport…vehicles shoot across at intersections vying for luck, no traffic lights, no giving way or slowing down and, like many Asian countries, pedestrians just gauge the distance and boldly step out. Handcarts delivering all kinds of goods weave in and out, avoiding cyclists and those nimble footed ladies wearing Chinese straw hats – they carry fruits or sweet buns in a woven basket hanging either side of the pole across their shoulders. Can you imagine the scene?

Hanoi is famous for its street food – people sit on footstalls outside tiny canteens, slurping bowls of pho noodle broth. The traditional restaurants are packed with Vietnamese families deftly twisting rice noodles around their chopsticks – day-trippers and holidaymakers from other parts of the country out visiting the capital city. It is custom to eat little and often, healthy food with natural ingredients – vegetables, greens, chicken, pork or beef stir-fried with basil and coriander, served with spicy sauce and fried noodles.

Draught beer, tropical juice and Vietnamese coffee are the most popular drinks. Modern cafes offer a more European cuisine…it’s nice to have a change from oriental sometimes, like an omelet baguette at breakfast!

The Old Town is a real bazaar, full of small shops spilling out Vietnam souvenirs and knickknacks. An important occasion is evidently coming up… mothers and children are merrily waving national flags, their babies’ smiling faces hand-painted yellow and red.

At first it seems a bit unnerving, being large and pale and obviously ‘western’ in a country that was devastated by war only a few decades ago. I sincerely hope that we aren’t intruding on some kind of ‘Independence Day’ celebration. Everyone is amicable enough even though we don’t speak their language.

Wandering through old Hanoi the morning food market is packed with hundreds of stalls stretching through the backstreets. Housewives are buying ‘fresh’ meat or fish for their weekend meals, and vegetables from the street sellers. The exotic selection of fruits looks far more tempting.

Delving deeper into a warren of alleyways, illegal dog meat is still sold out of public sight even though the authorities are trying to ban it. Apart from this, Hanoi really is a wonderful experience, so don’t let it put you off. Evening is pretty hectic too, especially around the lively Hanoi night market where everyone seems to be eating crispy fried fish and haggling for bargains at the street stalls.

Look out for the ancient little Buddhist pagodas hidden away among the chaos and step inside for a few minutes of quiet reflection and peace. Bach Ma Temple (East) is decorated with engraved wooden columns and colourful statues in bold Chinese style.

Commonly known as ‘the ‘Spirit of the White Horse’ its origins stretch right back a millennium to the era of the Ly Dynasty (1010), being elaborately rebuilt some eight centuries later. Together with Quán Thánh (North), Voi Phuc (West) and Kiem Lien (South) these are the sacred temples built in the four wind directions which are said to protect the city.

Hanoi was once a walled citadel and part of the original thick walls are still standing alongside the old Doan Mon City Gate. Outside, the Red River dikes and ring-roads reach out to the eastern horizon of downtown skyscrapers.

Turn west towards Ba Đình District if you want to visit the massive Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, one of Vietnam’s top tourist sites. Nearby places of interest include the One-Pillar Pagoda, Thang Long Citadel and the National Assembly.

Hoàn Kiếm District

Hoan Kiem Lake is at the heart of the Old Quarter, and only a five minute walk from our guesthouse. It’s a picturesque setting and as serene as it gets in this vivid city. MacDonald’s (free Wi-Fi), pizzerias, classy restaurants, international eateries, cocktail bars and trendy pubs are all located around this vicinity.

Footpaths trail through the gardens beside the water’s edge where an iconic red wooden bridge spans ‘Sword Lake’ to the Confucian ‘Temple of Jade Mountain’ (admittance fee charged). A row of black-haired models in oriental costumes are sitting on rickshaw carriages drawn up on the lakeside road ready for a photo shoot.

The bronze statue of King Lý Thái is another historical landmark, a symbol of liberty watching the decades fly past in a large plaza just off the boulevard. The architecture in this area reflects the stylish influence of French Colonial days, period buildings house embassies and museums.

The Grand Opera House (1911) stands near the lake’s southern perimeter, a contrast to pre-gothic St. Joseph’s Cathedral (1886) hidden between tree lined avenues just a few blocks away.

A few streets west of the Cathedral, ‘Train Street Hanoi’ is the place where Hanoi railway track narrowly passes between two rows of houses, and street sellers grab their goods out of the way when the train comes along. Until recently anyone could go along to film the scene, but due to the potential danger tourists are no longer allowed in. Intruigued? See the exclusive video at the end of this post.

Travelling long-term (in contrast to a holiday) means we have to be careful about entrance fees to keep within our budget, so I choose unique experiences in each place – in Hanoi, Juan and I watch a ‘Water Puppet Show’ at the Lotus Theatre. It is quite on spec, coming here by chance late afternoon when a performance is due to begin. The theatre is lovely, wooden tiers stretching up backwards, lush red velvet seats enveloping the stage which is filled with a pool of water.

Either side, there are three musicians dressed traditionally, each playing an ancient instrument. The backdrops are elegant, the lighting superb, picking out the wood-carved puppets playing their rural life scenes…little boats and fishermen rod-catching iridescent fish, damsels dancing in rice fields, dragons with fiery breaths, fireworks sparkling on the water. It is absolutely magical (yes, it’s a tourist show and no, it is not in English, this is Vietnamese culture and, for us, a unique experience).

And the weekend has only just begun! Saturday night and the esplanades around lakeside are closed to traffic. It becomes an impromptu stage for street artistes, anyone and everyone of all ages come along…to sing, or dance, do stand-up comedy, storytelling, board games, remote controlled cars, and a many other things, groups of people gather around eagerly, to watch or join in the fun. Teenage girls are practicing a cheerleader routine, all dressed up in yellow and red.

There’s an immense screen and professional audio equipment being set up in front of the Opera House, big banners announcing an event. Juan remembers there’s an Asian Cup final coming up, the under 21’s football championship, and for the first time ever the Vietnam boys are playing.

It finally dawns on us the significance of all those red and yellow waving flags! The whole country is totally euphoric… we’re travelling from Hanoi up north tomorrow, so no doubt we’ll see it screened at our next destination, Cat Ba in breathtaking Halong Bay.

Useful Information for Hanoi / Vietnam

Walk around Hanoi old town at your own pace to enjoy the atmosphere and free sites! Go on an organized walking tour if you prefer being with a group or a professional excursion to visit the main tourist attractions.

Getting to Hanoi

Hanoi can be reached overland by bus from Laos and China. There are domestic flights to Hanoi International airport from major Vietnam cities, and direct international or connecting flights from anywhere in the world.

Accommodation in Hanoi

Budget guesthouses are fine for the weekend – we stayed at the Mylan Guest House which was clean and tidy, very central and cheap. We had our own bathroom, and the place has suites with adjoining sitting rooms too. I usually use Booking.com to find accommodation.

If you come over on a package holiday you’ll get a choice of classy 4 and 5 star hotels. Better still, purchase your own international flights and book a personalized full tour of Vietnam with a reputable Hanoi travel agency – they can recommend the best accommodation and arrange transport throughout the country to tie in with your plans, saving your precious time and money.

Solo travellers and backpackers should check out the best hostels in Hanoi, budget-friendly places to stay in the heart of the old city centre.

Money in Vietnam

Currency: Vietnamese Dong.

ATMs: Juan’s card was only accepted in Vietnam at HSBC banks (Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh), it wouldn’t work at any Vietnamese bank. We also had problems withdrawing money from an ATM in Hanoi (money didn’t come out – had to wait 48 hours for the branch to confirm that the transaction hadn’t gone through).

Always take at least 2 international bank cards with you on your travels and carry enough cash to pay for your daily food, accommodation, transport and any eventualities.

Visas for Vietnam

Visas and travelling within your time frame.

Currently in 2024, several nationalities are allowed entry to Vietman on a 45-day visa waiver (currently including British and Spanish citizens. Other nationalities should check with their embassy).

Previously, I had to travel on a strict 15-day visa waiver which meant a tight schedule to see North, Central and South Vietnam (which is essential if you want to experience the very different parts of the country, and only sensible if you are flying thousands of miles for a 2 week visit!).

15 days is barely enough to enjoy all that Vietnam has to offer. Three or four weeks is a probably a better time-frame to see the whole country. And if you have longer to travel, the 45-day limit gives you the freedom to explore the mainland from north to south and the chance to fly on to Phu Quoc Island too. Alternatively, you can apply for a regular tourist visa or e-visa before coming over if you want to stay for a longer period.

For information on Vietnam entry requirements for UK citizens CLICK HERE…

Weather in Vietnam

North, Central and South Vietnam have distinct monsoonal weather conditions, according to the time of year, due to proximity with the South China Sea – take this into consideration when planning your trip.

Hanoi Travel Agencies

The Church Travels has a smart little office just near Hanoi Cathedral. This travel agency was highly recommended, and the service and attention really lived up to expectations. I had already mapped out an itinerary taking in the towns we wanted (and had time) to see, and worked out some budget accommodation, so Gnoc just arranged all the transport for us, suggesting the best alternatives. She can also arrange full made-to-measure tours which is tremendously convenient.

Weather conditions are damp and chilly in the north at this time of year (February), so we regretfully dismiss a trek through Sapa rice fields, the Halong Bay Cruise, or cycling around Tam Coc. Our arrangements include a coach to Cat Ba (Halong Bay), coach to Ninh Bình to catch the overnight train to Hue, coach to Hoi An, and flight to Ho Chi Minh city.

Related Posts: If you can spare the time, combine your trip to Vietnam with a visit to a country in the same region, such as LAOS, Cambodia or THAILAND, MALAYSIA or even the Philippines…

Photos of Hanoi Old Town

TRAIN STREET HANOI VIETNAM – A CLOSE ENCOUNTER

*Video courtesy Jane Demspter-Smith of To Travel Too

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