Budget guide: 2 days in Hanoi, city of charm and chaos

Rhea Claire Madarang

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Budget guide: 2 days in Hanoi, city of charm and chaos
Hanoi: bottle-green lakes and ancient charming temples exist in this city where motorbikes reign. How can you explore this bustling but enchanting city in just 2 days and without breaking the bank?

When exploring Hanoi, you will likely find yourself enveloped by serenity as you walk along sparkling bottle-green lakes and enter ancient charming temples, many of them on the side or even on the middle of the lake.

Not far off, though, are roads thick with motorbikes zooming past buildings. Yes, motorbikes reign in Hanoi, and crossing the street is an art of survival.

CITY RUSH. The motorbike is the king of the road in Hanoi.

 

While Hanoi is known as the jump-off to famous UNESCO World Heritage Site Ha Long Bay, with its quiet charm and history amid the city bustle, it is worth a full trip. In fact, even two days is too short if you want to see all of the city’s beautiful sights. Two days is enough, though, to experience many of its more famous attractions. (READ: Touring Vietnam’s breathtaking Ha Long Bay)  

Your first day: Lakeside walk and cultural tour

Hoan Kiem Lake is one of the most popular and picturesque sights in Hanoi, with its tranquil, tree-lined waters. A pagoda sits on an islet in the middle of the lake, and the elegant red wooden Huc bridge – iconic and captured in many Hanoi photos – connects to a small temple, Ngoc Son.

And with many attractions, accommodations, cafes, and other establishments in its surrounding area, Hoan Kiem Lake is a convenient starting point for exploration.

LAKESIDE MORNINGS. Mornings are quietest and one of the best times to explore Hoan Kiem Lake.

Mornings are quietest here, so it is worth getting up early in the morning to see the mist rolling on the lake and also to see locals biking, doing tai chi and other exercises, or simply just walking or relaxing.

When Ngoc Son opens at 8 am, cross the red bridge and savor the quiet in the temple. Entrance fee to the temple is 30,000 Vietnamese dong (VND) (P1 is roughly 500 VND); entrance fees to Hanoi temples and museums generally do not exceed 40,000 VND, which is less than P100.

ALL-DAY BEAUTY. Hoan Kiem Lake, though, is beautiful any time of the day. Photo by Ros Flores

After going around the lake and the temple, you can walk or take a cyclo – similar to the Philippines’ pedicabs, but on three wheels – to historical structures on the west side of the lake like the European-style Hanoi Opera House and St. Joseph Cathedral, legacies of a French colonial past.

Negotiate with the cyclo driver before getting in. Rate usually starts at 100,000 VND for one hour.

TOURING ON THREE WHEELS. Cyclos are another way to go around neighboring attractions in Hanoi, especially around Hoan Kiem Lake. Photo by Ros Flores

PARIS-INSPIRED. Modeled after one of Paris’ opera houses, Hanoi Opera House is a venue for national and international performances.

CATHOLIC CHURCH. Amid Hanoi’s Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist temples, there also stands a Roman Catholic cathedral.  

Move to the north side of the lake to travel back in time at the Old Quarter, home to 36 streets with a 1,000-year-old history. Each street is named after the product for sale on that street, and some still sell the products they are named after. You can find a rainbow of silk, shiny paper art, herbal medicine, and more. 

While you can go around in a cyclo, it is best to walk and get lost around the Old Quarter’s meandering streets and alleys, some of them lined with bright yellow colonial-style houses. You will also likely stumble upon some small temples and pagodas during your walk.

ANCIENT STREETS. Colorful sights like this await those who explore the Old Quarter.

Two streets from the south end of the lake is the Vietnamese Women’s Museum, considered one of Hanoi’s best museums. You can go here first if you prefer to walk around Old Quarter in the afternoon, especially when the day is hot.

This museum portrays Vietnamese women from all walks of life, from indigenous women and working women like farmers and vendors, to political and revolutionary leaders who played a role in Vietnam’s fight for independence.

With five floors of exhibits, the museum also shows colorful traditional clothes, crafts, and artifacts used or made by women. Entrance fee is 30,000 VND.

WOMEN’S STORIES. Visit the Vietnamese Women’s Museum to see local women’s lives and stories.

If you finish early, there are more museums less than one kilometer away from the east side of the lake, like the National Museum of Vietnamese History and the Vietnam Museum of Revolution.

In the evening, watch the Thang Long Water Puppet Theater performance at the east side of the lake. Tickets are around 100,000 VND. Accompanied by live traditional Vietnamese music, colorful wooden puppets are made to dance and act out Vietnamese daily life and legends. 

WATER PUPPETS. Don’t miss the colorful and playful performances of the Thang Long Water Puppet Theater.

 

Day 2: More culture and history

For your second day, venture out farther from Hoan Kiem Lake. You can take a taxi (usually around 20,000-30,000 VND, as sights are just at most a little over 3 kilometers away. If you are traveling solo, you can also rent a bicycle (100,000 VND or below) or a motorbike (around 200,000 VND) for the day. Be warned, though, of the rush of motorbikes, especially on big roads, and the absence of fixed lanes. Care and confidence on the road are key. 

Start the day by heading west to Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, where the remains of national hero Ho Chi Minh are preserved. Dress modestly as shorts and tank tops are not allowed. The mausoleum closes before noon, so it is best to come early. Entrance is free.

MAUSOLEUM FOR A HERO. Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is a grand structure housing the remains of Vietnam’s national hero.

After the mausoleum visit, walk to the neighboring Ho Chi Minh Museum (entrance fee at 25,000 VND) to see more of the rich life of the former president and also the story of the revolution through artifacts and narratives.

LIFE OF A HERO. The neighboring Ho Chi Minh museum depicts the national hero’s life and the Vietnamese revolution. On the photo is a reproduction of Coc Bo Cave, Ho Chi Minh’s headquarters.

A little over a kilometer away is the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, Hanoi’s UNESCO World Heritage site. The center of political power during the 11th century and a military base until 2010, Thang Long still has surviving structures like its flag tower and gate wall, which you can appreciate amid the citadel’s manicured gardens. Entrance is 30,000 VND.

IMPERIAL CITADEL. The historical ruins and manicured gardens of this UNESCO World Heritage Site are worth a visit. File photo by Luong Thai Linh/EPA

If you have more time, head northwest to Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldest pagoda in Hanoi, with a history of 1,500 years. The bright red pagoda stands out and contrasts beautifully with the green waters of the surrounding West Lake.  Entrance is free.  

OLDEST PAGODA. Tran Quoc’s bright red pagoda is the oldest in Hanoi.  

Your last stop for the afternoon is the Temple of Literature, a temple dedicated to historical philosopher and teacher Confucius, and aptly Vietnam’s first national university. The place has an understated beauty with the verdant greens of its courtyards and lake and the vivid red of its halls and other structures. Entrance fee is 30,000 VND.

COLOR AND HISTORY. The Temple of Literature, with its vivid reds and greens, houses Vietnam’s oldest national university.

Afterwards, you can head back to Hoan Kiem Lake to explore it this time in the evening. From afar, the red bridge and the trees glow, reflecting beautifully on the water. Get closer or walk across the red bridge and take in the city lights as you enjoy your last night in Hanoi.

AN EVENING AT THE LAKE. Hoan Kiem Lake’s red Huc bridge looks beautiful and romantic when lit up at night. Photo by Ros Flores

Tour tip: If you want to get free guided tours, contact Hanoi Kids, a volunteer organization of students practicing their English. You only need to pay for their transportation.

How to get to Hanoi: Cebu Pacific Air has direct flights to Hanoi. During seat sales, round-trip tickets can go as low as P4,000+. Flights arrive and leave past midnight, giving you at least two full days in Hanoi if you follow the itinerary above.

Philippine Airlines also has flights to Ho Chi Minh but you will have to take the train, bus, or a local flight to Hanoi.

Where to stay: The Old Quarter area or the area surrounding Hoan Kiem Lake abounds with hotels and hostels. This area is roughly an hour or less from the airport. To get there, take a taxi (330,000 VND, which is around P700) or bus (only US$ 5 or roughly 100,000 VND, but you will have to walk or take a motorbike after getting off).  Some hotels also offer free pickup from the airport.

Hostel dorm beds can be as cheap as 100,000 VND (around P200), while there are cheap rooms good for two for 400,000 VND (around P800). 

Where to eat: You won’t go hungry in Hanoi as food – from street food to open-air food stalls to restaurants – is nearly everywhere, and especially near tourist attractions.  Try classic Hanoi fare like pho (a kind of Vietnamese rice noodle soup), banh mi (French-inspired baguette sandwich), fried spring rolls, and Vietnamese iced coffee sweetened with condensed milk.  Food is quite affordable in Hanoi, with full meals as low as 40,000 to 60,000 VND (around P80-P120), and light meals or snacks like pho and banh mi as low as 20,000 VND (P40 or more). Drinks like the Vietnamese iced coffee and beer are usually 20,000 VND and can even be lower.

HANOI DINING. From street food to restaurants, delicious and affordable food is easy to find in Hanoi.

Other travel tips:

While busy roads with motorcycles whizzing by can be daunting to cross, walk resolutely. Motorbike drivers will acknowledge your pace and avoid you. 

Some street vendors can get aggressive in Hanoi. Say no firmly. Do not accept “free” products or services as they will most likely overcharge you for them. 

Sample budget for one person (assuming 2 people in the trip)

Round trip airfare

P4,400

Travel tax

P1,620
Estimated taxi fare (divided by 2 people) from and to airport, and going around)

900,000/2 = 450,000 VND (around P900)

Cyclo tour (divided by 2 people)

100,000/2 = 50,000 VND (around P100)

Hotel room for two nights (divided by 2 people)

800,000/2 = 400,000 VND (around P800)

Entrance fees to attractions indicated in itinerary

245,000 VND (around P500)

Food (3 meals a day + 1 snack, assuming 80,000 VND budget per meal)

640,000 VND (around P1300)

TOTAL

P9,620

– Rappler.com

Claire Madarang is a writer, traveler, and seeker who believes in traveling light, particularly in the inner journey. She is also a researcher and documenter. Her work and wanderlust takes her to adventures like backpacking for 7 weeks and exploring remote islands and bustling cities alike. Follow her adventures, travel tips, and epiphanies at Traveling Light. 

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Rhea Claire Madarang

Claire Madarang is a traveler, writer, biodiversity communications practitioner, and facilitator of nature play activities. Follow her adventures, travel tips, and reflections on her blog Traveling Light and on her Instagram