TIME SPENT: 3 DAYS/ 2 NIGHTS
TIME OF VISIT: JANUARY 2024
BUDGET SPENT: £70 (2 nights hotel £42 + food/souvenirs)
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This was our first stop on our three-week Vietnam itinerary, and it quickly became one of our favorite places. Since we visited Vietnam in January— not the best season for Sapa —we decided to skip the far north and focus on Hanoi and Ha Long Bay instead. We stayed 3 days/ 2 nights in Hanoi and we spent the second day of our stay in HaLong Bay. You can read about our Halong Bay adventure here.
We took an early morning AirAsia flight from Bangkok, and with our trusty Decathlon backpacks, our Vietnam adventure officially began.
Our airport experience was smooth from start to finish. We got free entry and a 45-day stamp in our passports (UK and EU passports), then picked up our physical SIM cards at the booth right after passport control. It was cheap and easy, and the staff helped us set everything up. As we planned to stay in Vietnam for 3 weeks, we got a one month package but the packages for one week/ten days are of course cheaper. But we found that even the month package was very cheap, a lot cheaper than getting an E-sim. Getting a local SIM is a must for us when we travel — having internet makes booking taxis and getting around so much easier. After that, we withdrew some cash at the airport ATM as we usually do because our Starling and Revolut cards don’t charge any fees, so this is the cheapest way for us to get money out. Many hotels and vendors like to charge 3% when you pay by card.
In Vietnam it’s good to know: most ATMs charge a local fee of about 30,000–60,000 VND (~US $1.20–2.50) per withdrawal.
Also, many machines have a cap—often only 2–3 million VND (~US $85-130) per withdrawal at regular banks, though some higher-limit machines allow 5–10 million VND. We had to withdraw a few times in 3 weeks but not too often as we paid some of our hotels online. Because Vietcombank, VietinBank and similar banks have lots of ATMs in central tourist-areas like the Old Quarter and around airports, you should be able to find one very easily after arrival.
Even though the network is wide in cities, don’t assume you’ll find as many (or as many different banks) in more remote areas. We struggled in Mui Ne and there wasn’t much cash left to withdraw, but we managed to withdraw about £40.
Getting from Hanoi Airport to the City Centre
Upon landing at Hanoi’s Nội Bài Airport, we skipped the taxi queue and went straight to the bus stop just outside the arrivals hall. For convenience and comfort, we caught Express Bus 86 (white bus), which runs roughly every 30 minutes and costs 45,000 VND (about US $1.80). It’s clean, air-conditioned, and has plenty of space for luggage — perfect after an early flight. The ride into the city took about an hour and gave us a great first glimpse of Hanoi life through the window.
I’d downloaded offline Google Maps before the trip, so as we got closer to the Old Quarter, I was following our route on my phone. When we were near our hotel area, we simply pressed the stop button and hopped off. It was easy, cheap, and a nice, relaxed way to ease into the chaos of Hanoi traffic for the first time.
If you land late at night, it’s worth noting that buses run until around 10:30 p.m. — after that, you’ll need to grab a taxi or book a Grab instead.
Places we visited in Hanoi
The Old Quarter of Hanoi is a fantastic, buzzing place — every corner feels alive and worth exploring. When you research Hanoi, most itineraries seem to pack in endless museums, pagodas, and landmarks to see in just a few days. But we preferred to slow down. We wandered the streets, watched the locals go about their day, tried delicious street food, stumbled upon small museums and exhibitions, and just soaked it all in.
If you enjoy walking, the Old Quarter is perfect for you. There’s so much to see simply by moving from one spot to another. Pick a few key places to visit and let the streets in between surprise you. We absolutely loved photographing the rhythm of daily life and the endless little moments that make this city so unique.
We decided to stay in a small three-star hotel right in the heart of the Old Quarter called Diamond King Hotel and Restaurant, and we don’t regret our choice one bit. It’s a compact little hotel, but our room was surprisingly spacious and comfortable — perfect as a base for exploring the Old Quarter. Everything was right at our doorstep, from tiny local cafés to lively street corners. We paid £21/night for a double room which we though was really reasonable as our room was lovely and the location was fantastic.
Even though it’s close to the busy nightlife around Beer Street, it wasn’t too noisy at night, which was a pleasant surprise. The hotel manager was incredibly kind and helpful, giving us great food recommendations and helping us book our Hạ Long Bay day tour, which turned out to be absolutely fabulous. We reached the hotel in the morning and we could leave our bags at reception so we started exploring Hanoi straight away before checking into our room.
These are the places we enjoyed the most during the 2 days we stayed in Hanoi:
Hoàn Kiếm Lake and Ngọc Sơn Pagoda – The peaceful heart of Hanoi. We loved having a little stroll around the lake, it is so peaceful and magical especially just before sunset or early in the morning. The red bridge leading to Ngọc Sơn Pagoda feels iconic — even in the middle of the city’s chaos, the lake brings a sense of calm.
Ô Quan Chưởng Gate – The last surviving ancient city gate of Hanoi, built in the 18th century. It once formed part of the old city wall, it is near our favourite market (Don Xuan) and it is just very interesting to see.
Train Street – A narrow residential alley with a railway running right through it. We didn’t see the train itself (the schedule is quite limited), but it was still worth visiting for the atmosphere — tiny cafés along the tracks, colourful houses, and the sense of daily life happening right on the rails. We just took a couple of pictures and hang around the area but if you want to walk on the tracks you will have to buy a drink at one of the many restaurants along the tracks, as soon as you start walking on the tracks you get approached by many waiters so you’ll just have to choose one.
Tạ Hiện Street (Beer Street) and the Surrounding Streets at Night – As the sun sets, the Old Quarter transforms. Plastic stools spill onto the pavement, people gather for beer and grilled street food, and the whole area buzzes with laughter and light. It’s chaotic, friendly, and the best place to soak up Hanoi’s nightlife. We are not big nightlife people and it is not really our vibe so we have not sat down for a drink but it is still interesting to see.
Đồng Xuân Market – A huge covered market and one of the oldest in the city. It’s packed with stalls selling everything from clothes and fabric to spices, snacks, and souvenirs. A lively place to people-watch and get a glimpse of local trade in action. We absolutely loved wandering around this market, we loved seeing the fruit and veg, live animals, fabrics and spices, it was brilliant.
22 Hàng Buồm Art Centre – A small but interesting cultural space showcasing contemporary Vietnamese art and photography. It’s tucked inside a traditional building, offering a nice balance of modern creativity and Hanoi’s old-world charm. We absolutely loved this place and the building is very nice.
The Streets of 36 Trades – The Old Quarter is famous for its “36 streets,” each once dedicated to a specific trade — silver, silk, bamboo, paper, and more. Even today, you’ll find clusters of shops selling the same things: locksmiths on one street, lighting shops on another. It gives the neighbourhood its unique rhythm and makes wandering around endlessly fascinating.
Where we ate in Hanoi
Ốc Mọng Hà Trang (Snails & Seafood) – This is something we stumbled upon while wandering the streets, the tiny plastic chairs on the pavement were full of locals and the snails and clams smelled delicious so we decided to sit and wow the food was amazing. We particularly loved the lemongrass clams and their fresh Tra Quất tea, made with kumquat juice, a must try in Vietnam.
Phở Sướng – A proper Hanoi phở experience tucked in a small alley of the Old Quarter. This was recommended by our lovely hotel manager. The broth is rich but light, the beef melts in your mouth, and the whole place buzzes with local life. We loved the brisket and bone marrow Pho, definitely the best one we had in Vietnam and in our life. The place is small and pretty basic, giving you a very authentic Hanoi experience.
Chou Steak – This is a clean modern restaurant serving juicy steaks and Western-style sides, we loved the steak very much and very reasonable prices.
Phở Ông Vui – Classic Vietnamese pho we had for breakfast, nice vibe and very nice pho. This pho was fresher and lighter but we preferred the hearty one from Pho Suong.
Bánh Mì Long Hội – This was our first stop after arriving from the airport. It’s like a fast food but with delicious local flavours. You order downstairs and then there are a lot of seating on the floors above. A cool restaurant with colorful murals and you can sit by the window and enjoy watching the busy street go by.
Vi Anh Coffee – A lovely café with beautiful decor, cute tiles, and just a very cool vibe. We loved the egg coffee here. It wasn’t crowded it was just perfect.
Bánh Mì 25 – Probably the most famous bánh mì shop in the Old Quarter — simple, fresh, and always buzzing with locals and travellers, we had to queue for some time but it was worthwhile.
Final thoughts on Hanoi
Hanoi was overall one of the places we loved the most during our three-week trip through Vietnam. The energy, the food, the people — it’s one of those cities that just stays with you. If you’re short on time and trying to decide where to go, make sure you don’t skip this wonderful city.
By arriving first thing in the morning and then taking a night bus to our next destination (Da Nang), we really made the most of our two nights in Hanoi. It felt like the perfect amount of time — enough to explore the Old Quarter at a relaxed pace, enjoy plenty of local food, and still fit in a full day trip to Hạ Long Bay. Hanoi completely lived up to the hype: lively, chaotic, charming, and full of flavour.
If you’d like to read more about our day in Hạ Long Bay, click here.
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