| Day | Morning | Afternoon | Evening |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hoan Kiem Lake, Old Quarter | Hoa Lo, Women's Museum | Water puppets, street food |
| 2 | Temple of Literature, Fine Arts Museum | Quan Thanh Temple, Tran Quoc Pagoda | West Lake at sunset |
Day 1: the historic centre
Morning. Start early at Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple, then lose yourself in the Old Quarter, with a pho or a banh mi. If you like history, add the National Museum of History (ticket 40,000 VND, midday break 12:00 to 13:30 according to most guides).
Afternoon. Go to Hoa Lo Prison (50,000 VND), then the Vietnamese Women's Museum (40,000 VND), a few minutes away. Both museums are indoors and suit rainy days.
Evening. The water puppets, then dinner in the district. On weekend evenings the night market extends the evening.
Day 2: museums in the west and West Lake
Morning. Arrive at opening at the Temple of Literature (70,000 VND, normally open 8:00 to 17:00), then walk to the Fine Arts Museum (40,000 VND), about 1 km away. If you prefer ethnology, replace it with the Museum of Ethnology, west of the centre (40,000 VND, closed Mondays): allow half a day then.
Afternoon. By Grab, go to Quan Thanh Temple (10,000 VND), then Tran Quoc Pagoda (free), about 1.5 km away. If the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is open during your stay, do it on the morning of day 2 before the temple, following the opening days on its page.
End of day. Finish at West Lake: a walk or bike ride, then a coffee or dinner on the shore for the sunset. To stay on this side, see the Tay Ho district.
Price recap
| Stop | Ticket (checked October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Temple of Literature | 70,000 VND |
| Hoa Lo Prison | 50,000 VND |
| Women's, Fine Arts, History, Ethnology museums | 40,000 VND each |
| Quan Thanh Temple | 10,000 VND |
| Tran Quoc Pagoda, lakes | free |
Tickets are mostly paid in cash; several prices are not confirmed by an official website, see each page.
Going further
With a third day, go on an excursion: Ha Long Bay from Hanoi or Ninh Binh in a day. If you only have one day, see Hanoi in one day. For where to sleep, read where to stay in Hanoi.
FAQ
Are two days enough for Hanoi? Yes for the centre, the main museums and West Lake. For an excursion to Ha Long Bay or Ninh Binh, add at least one day.
Which area should I stay in? The Old Quarter is the most practical for a short stay but noisy; Tay Ho is calmer. See the dedicated guide.
Which day should I avoid? On Mondays several museums are closed or have uncertain hours (ethnology, sometimes women's, fine arts or history): check each page.
Do I need to book? Not for the temples and museums on this itinerary, which are paid on site. Book the water puppets and excursions.
