{"id":115308,"title":"Things to Do in Hanoi: 20 Top Activities, Day Trips & Ha Long Bay","modified":"2026-02-17T11:27:17+01:00","plain":"Hanoi is a city that runs at two speeds at the same time\n\n\n\nInside the city it\u2019s a tangle of motorbikes, street-food stalls and thousand-year-old temples squeezed into alleys barely wide enough for a cyclo. Yet just a few hours in any direction you\u2019re gazing at limestone pinnacles rising out of emerald water, terrace rice fields carved into mountain flanks or river caves you paddle through by hand. The range of activities here is hard to match anywhere else in Southeast Asia.\n\n\n\nThis guide covers 20 things to do in and around Hanoi, from bucket-list outings such as Ha Long Bay and Ninh Binh to in-town experiences like motorbike food tours and water-puppet shows. For a full overview of the city, see our comprehensive Hanoi travel guide.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHa Long Bay: the day trip everyone talks about\n\n\n\nHa Long Bay has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1994 and is the most popular excursion from Hanoi\u2014probably the first thing people mention when you say you\u2019re heading to northern Vietnam. Nearly 2,000 limestone karsts and islands jut out of the Gulf of Tonkin. It sounds unreal, and in person it is.\n\n\n\nBut here\u2019s what the brochures don\u2019t tell you: the main Ha Long Bay route is overcrowded. Boat traffic jams, engine noise, trash floating in the water. The postcard view exists, but you need to know which route and which operator to pick if you really want to enjoy it.\n\n\n\nDay trip vs. overnight cruise\n\n\n\nThe short answer: pick the overnight. Ha Long Bay is about 3.5 hours by road from Hanoi, which means a day trip is seven hours in transit for roughly four hours on the water. Most travellers who have done the there-and-back in one day describe the experience as \u201cexhausting\u201d and \u201cpoor value.\u201d You board around noon, cruise for a few hours and head back before sunset\u2014precisely when the bay becomes magical.\n\n\n\n\nAn overnight cruise (2 days, 1 night) is the sweet spot. You watch the sun set over the karsts, enjoy the evening quiet once the day-trippers have gone, and catch sunrise the next morning with mist hanging between the limestone towers.\nAs one traveller summed it up: \u201cthe magic happens at sunset and sunrise.\u201d A day trip gives you neither.\n\n\n\nTwo-night cruises exist, but the second day often involves transferring to a smaller boat while the main ship takes on new passengers.\nSome people love the extra time to unplug; others find the middle day boring. The two-night option makes sense if you want to visit Cat Ba Island or cycle to Viet Hai village, which isn\u2019t possible on a one-night itinerary. For most travellers, one night is enough.\n\n\n\nIf you genuinely can\u2019t spare two days, book a day trip with a \u201climousine van\u201d transfer rather than a standard tourist bus. The comfort difference over seven hours of road time is significant.\n\n\n\nWhich bay you actually visit matters\n\n\n\nThis is the part most first-timers miss. There are three bays, and where your cruise goes counts far more than what you pay.\n\n\n\nHa Long Bay proper is the most famous and the most crowded. Hundreds of boats, noise and increasingly dirty water. Many travellers come away disappointed.\n\n\n\nLan Ha Bay is just south of Ha Long Bay, with the same limestone scenery but far fewer boats and cleaner water. This is where most experienced travellers recommend going. Orchid Cruises, Peony Cruises and Mon Cheri all run routes in Lan Ha Bay.\n\n\n\nBai Tu Long Bay lies to the northeast of Ha Long Bay. Less developed, fewer tourists, a wilder feel. Indochina Junk runs highly rated trips here and is among the most recommended mid-range operators.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCruise operators by budget\n\n\n\nAt the top end, Stellar of the Seas and Orchid Cruises consistently come first. Expect \u20ac280 to \u20ac470 per person for a one-night cruise, with large cabins, balconies and pool access.\n\n\n\nMid-range options include Indochina Junk (Bai Tu Long Bay, upper mid-range), Peony Cruises and Doris Cruise, both on Lan Ha Bay. Budget: \u20ac140 to \u20ac230 per person.\n\n\n\nBudget cruises start around \u20ac75 to \u20ac110. Oasis Bay Party Cruise is the famous backpacker option, focused on parties and socialising. If that\u2019s not your scene, it\u2019s not your boat.\n\n\n\n\nA frequent online warning: \u201cyou get what you pay for.\u201d The cheapest cruises often mean ageing boats, mediocre food and unexpected add-ons. If you\u2019re on a tight budget, the Cat Ba alternative below is a better investment than a bargain-basement cruise.\n\n\n\nThe Cat Ba Island alternative\n\n\n\nHere\u2019s the insider tip seasoned Vietnam travellers recommend: skip the overnight cruise from Hanoi entirely. Take a ferry to Cat Ba Island, spend two nights there, and do a full-day boat trip into Lan Ha Bay from the island.\n\n\n\nThe day trip from Cat Ba costs about \u20ac18 to \u20ac28 per person, kayaking and swimming included. Compare that with \u20ac140-plus for an overnight cruise from Hanoi. You lose the \u201cwake-up-on-the-water\u201d experience, but gain flexibility, savings and the chance to explore Cat Ba National Park, Hospital Cave and the island by motorbike.\n\n\n\n\nCat Ba Ventures is consistently the most recommended operator for day trips from the island.\n\n\n\nBooking tips\n\n\n\nDon\u2019t book through Viator or TripAdvisor without first checking the operator\u2019s direct price. Middleman margins can be steep. In Hanoi, Lily\u2019s Travel Agency in the Old Quarter and Blue Dragon Tours are regularly cited as reliable booking agents.\nBeware fake websites (our practical tips guide details common scams): several legitimate cruise companies have been cloned by scammers. If you find an online deal, double-check the URL or contact the operator via WhatsApp before paying.\n\n\n\nNinh Binh: \u201cthe inland Ha Long Bay\u201d\n\n\n\nIf Ha Long Bay is limestone karsts rising out of the sea, Ninh Binh has the same karsts emerging from rice fields and rivers. It\u2019s only two hours south of Hanoi (versus 3.5 for Ha Long Bay), it\u2019s cheaper, less commercialised, and some travellers claim the experience is actually better.\nThe comparison you\u2019ll hear again and again: \u201cthe inland Ha Long Bay.\u201d\n\n\n\nTrang An vs. Tam Coc\n\n\n\nBoth are row-boat rides through karst scenery, and this is where most visitors get confused.\n\n\n\nTrang An is the better option for most visitors. The Trang An Landscape Complex is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. The boat ride is longer, better organised, and takes you through caves and past temples. Route 3 in particular is the one to ask for, as it offers the best balance of cave sections and panoramas.\nThe area also retains some filming sets from King Kong: Skull Island, a fun bonus even if you haven\u2019t seen the movie. Tipping isn\u2019t expected and the rowers don\u2019t try to sell you anything mid-river.\n\n\n\nTam Coc has a window when it becomes the top choice: during the rice harvest in May and June, when the fields on either side of the river turn golden.\nOutside that season, Trang An wins. Tam Coc\u2019s rowers have a reputation for being pushy about tips and selling goods during the ride, which spoils the experience for some.\n\n\n\nMua Cave (Hang Mua)\n\n\n\nFive hundred steps to a viewpoint crowned by a dragon sculpture overlooking the entire Ninh Binh valley. It\u2019s the most photographed spot in the region, and it deserves it. The climb is steep but short\u2014about 20\u201325 minutes. Go early in the morning to avoid midday heat and crowds. The panoramic view of karsts and rice fields from the top is one of the best in northern Vietnam.\n\n\n\nDay trip or overnight?\n\n\n\nStaying overnight is preferable if you can. Day-trippers from Hanoi arrive around 10 am and leave around 4 pm. If you stay in Tam Coc village (not Ninh Binh city), you can visit Mua Cave and Trang An at sunrise or sunset with virtually no one around. The village has a relaxed, quiet vibe in the evening.\n\n\n\nFor a day trip, leave Hanoi before 7 am. Book a \u201climousine van\u201d via 12Go.asia (about \u20ac9) to avoid the tourist-bus experience, which usually includes compulsory souvenir-shop stops.\n\n\n\nCycling or riding a motorbike between sights is one of the best parts of visiting Ninh Binh. The roads are flat and the scenery along the way is half the appeal.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nSapa: terrace rice fields and mountain trekking\n\n\n\nSapa is where northern Vietnam turns vertical. Rice terraces spill down mountainsides, ethnic-minority villages dot the slopes, and when the weather is clear the views are spectacular. When it\u2019s foggy, you see nothing. That\u2019s the gamble.\n\n\n\nIs Sapa worth it?\n\n\n\nOpinions are mixed. The town of Sapa itself has been slammed for over-development: construction sites, tourist shops, noise. But step five kilometres out, to villages like Ta Van and Lao Chai, and it\u2019s a different world. The terraced fields, morning mist over the valley, homestays with Hmong families\u2014those are the experiences people come to Sapa for, not the town.\n\n\n\n\nWeather is the other variable. From December to February, fog and cold can wipe out the panoramas completely. September to October (post-harvest, golden terraces) and March to May (green terraces, clearer skies) are the best times.\n\n\n\nHow to get there and how long to stay\n\n\n\nSapa is more than six hours from Hanoi by bus. There\u2019s also an overnight train to Lao Cai, then a one-hour road transfer to Sapa\u2014a trip that will remind train enthusiasts of European night routes, minus the comfort.\nA same-day return is unanimously panned by travellers who know the region: \u201cyou\u2019ll spend 12\u201314 hours on a bus for four hours in Sapa.\u201d The minimum is two nights, three days. If you can\u2019t spare that, go to Ninh Binh instead.\n\n\n\nTrekking operators\n\n\n\nSapa Sisters and Ethos are the two most recommended ethical trekking companies. Both employ Hmong guides, use off-the-beaten-path trails and offer homestays in local villages. A two-day trek with an overnight homestay generally costs \u20ac45 to \u20ac95 per person.\n\n\n\nThe Fansipan cable car, even if hiking isn\u2019t your thing at all, is worth the detour. At 3,143 m, Fansipan is the highest peak in Indochina, and the cable car carries you above the clouds when conditions are right.\nIt\u2019s pricey for Vietnam (about 700,000\u2013900,000 VND, or \u20ac26\u201333) but the views justify it.\n\n\n\nSapa vs. Ha Giang\n\n\n\nIf you can ride a motorbike and have three to four days, the Ha Giang loop is the alternative many seasoned Vietnam travellers prefer. More isolated, less developed, with more spectacular mountain passes.\nBut it requires either riding yourself\u2014and you\u2019ll need an International Driving Permit that can be swapped for a Vietnamese one\u2014or hiring a driver for the loop. If it\u2019s trekking on foot you\u2019re after, stick to Sapa.\n\n\n\nOther excursions and outings\n\n\n\nPerfume Pagoda\n\n\n\nA Buddhist pilgrimage site about 60 km southwest of Hanoi. The journey is part of the experience: you take a flat-bottomed boat along the Yen Stream through a valley ringed by limestone mountains, then climb (or take a cable car) up to grottoes and rock-cut shrines. The boat ride alone takes about an hour each way and is very tranquil.\n\n\n\nThe main pilgrimage season runs from February to April (after Tet), when the site is packed with Vietnamese worshippers.\nOutside that window it\u2019s far quieter. Allow a full day for this trip. It\u2019s not a quick outing, but the river-mountain-cave-temple combo is unique around Hanoi.\n\n\n\nMai Chau Valley\n\n\n\nAbout 3.5 hours southwest of Hanoi, Mai Chau is a valley of rice fields and stilt houses of the White Thai ethnic group. The concept is similar to Sapa\u2019s trekking and homestays but at lower elevation, with milder temperatures and much closer. If you don\u2019t have time for Sapa, Mai Chau is the accessible alternative for rice-field landscapes and minority-village encounters. Cycling through the valley is the main activity, and the terrain is flat enough for everyone.\n\n\n\nBat Trang pottery village\n\n\n\nJust 13 km from central Hanoi, Bat Trang has been producing pottery and ceramics for about 700 years. You can visit workshops, watch artisans at work and even try your hand at the wheel. It\u2019s at most a half-day trip and easily reached by bus (47A from Long Bien bus station) or Grab. If you\u2019re looking for authentic Vietnamese ceramics to take home, buying directly from the artisans here will be cheaper and better quality than any shop in the Old Quarter.\n\n\n\nWater-puppet show\n\n\n\nThe water-puppet show is one of those \u201cdo it at least once\u201d experiences. It\u2019s a millennia-old northern Vietnamese art where wooden puppets are worked over a pool of water by puppeteers hidden behind a screen. Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre, next to Hoan Kiem Lake, is the most renowned venue.\n\n\n\nHonest assessment: the show is a series of short folk vignettes, not a West End or Th\u00e9\u00e2tre du Ch\u00e2telet production. The pace is slow, the hall is dark and air-conditioned, and the mix of hypnotic traditional music and a cool room after a day walking Hanoi\u2019s streets has lulled more than one spectator to sleep.\nOne oft-quoted traveller review: \u201cthe best nap I took in Hanoi.\u201d\n\n\n\nThat said, the live traditional orchestra playing alongside the puppets is genuinely impressive, and the show lasts only about 50 minutes. At \u20ac5\u20136, it\u2019s cheap and short enough that even if it\u2019s not your cup of tea, you haven\u2019t lost much.\nBuy your tickets early in the day for the evening performance, as shows regularly sell out, especially on weekends. If Thang Long is full, Lotus Water Puppet Theater is a good alternative.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nMotorbike food tour\n\n\n\nIf I had to recommend just one activity in Hanoi, this might be it. A motorbike food tour takes you through alleys, over bridges and into neighbourhoods you would never find on foot or by taxi. You ride pillion behind your guide, with stops at five to eight local street-food stalls\u2014not the places with English menus and photos on the wall.\n\n\n\n\nHanoi Backstreet Tours is the operator that comes up most often in online discussions. They use vintage Minsk motorbikes, the guides know the city like the back of their hand, and tastings are included in the price. A typical evening tour lasts about four hours and costs \u20ac37 to \u20ac65 depending on group size and route.\n\n\n\nIf you\u2019re an experienced rider and want to drive yourself, Tigit Motorbikes is the go-to rental shop. No scams, transparent insurance and well-maintained bikes.\nBut riding in Hanoi traffic as a newcomer is genuinely dangerous\u2014far more chaotic than Roman or Neapolitan traffic for comparison. The flow of motorbikes follows an unwritten logic that takes time to learn. Starting as a passenger is the smart move.\n\n\n\nFor a food tour on foot rather than by motorbike, Tony Eats Hanoi and Street Eats Hanoi both get excellent recommendations. Tony\u2019s tours focus specifically on untouristed alleys and little-known dishes.\n\n\n\nCooking class\n\n\n\nThe best cooking classes in Hanoi start at the market, not in the kitchen. You meet your guide in a local market, wander among the stalls while they explain the ingredients, how to spot fresh produce and how Vietnamese cuisine differs from region to region. Then it\u2019s off to the kitchen to prepare three to four dishes and eat everything.\nIf you want to know which dishes to try before cooking, our Hanoi street-food guide lists the must-tastes. For the French, great lovers of gastronomy, it\u2019s an ideal way to understand Vietnamese cooking from the inside.\n\n\n\nRose Kitchen is the number-one recommendation online. The guides are described as funny, informative and genuinely passionate about food. Ella\u2019s Food Tour & Cooking Class is praised for its excellent English and deep cultural context around each dish. Apron Up is a good budget option in the Old Quarter.\n\n\n\nExpect \u20ac28 to \u20ac46 for a half-day class including the market visit. These classes are also perfect for solo travellers, as the group format makes meeting people easy.\n\n\n\nHoan Kiem Lake and the Old Quarter on foot\n\n\n\nHoan Kiem Lake is Hanoi\u2019s centre in every sense. The lake itself is small enough to circle in 20 minutes, but what happens around it changes dramatically depending on the time of day.\n\n\n\nEarly morning, the lake is the city\u2019s living room. Tai-chi groups line the banks from 5:30\u20136:00 am. Joggers loop the path. Elderly men play chess on benches. It\u2019s the most peaceful version of Hanoi you\u2019ll see, and it lasts until about 8 am, when traffic takes over.\n\n\n\nFrom Friday evening to Sunday night, the streets around the lake become pedestrian-only. No motorbikes, no cars. The space fills with street performers, food vendors, kids on roller skates and an atmosphere like a neighbourhood block party on a city scale. It\u2019s one of the best free experiences in Hanoi and the perfect time to wander the Old Quarter without fearing for your life at every crossing.\n\n\n\nNgoc Son Temple sits on a small islet in the middle of the lake, connected by the red The Huc Bridge. It\u2019s worth a visit, more for the setting than for the temple itself.\n\n\n\nTrain Street\n\n\n\nHanoi\u2019s Train Street is a narrow residential alley where a railway line runs right between the houses, with barely a metre to spare on either side. When a train approaches, residents pull in their chairs and laundry, and the train crawls through while everyone presses against the walls.\n\n\n\nCurrent situation: Train Street is officially \u201cclosed\u201d by police for safety reasons. In practice, it\u2019s accessible via a workaround. You can\u2019t pass the police barrier on your own, but if you wait nearby, a caf\u00e9 owner located behind the barrier will invite you into their place. You buy a drink, sit in front of the caf\u00e9 and watch the train pass. Gone are the days of free wandering on the tracks like a few years ago.\n\n\n\n\nThe trick: don\u2019t chat with the police at the barrier. Just hang back, make eye contact with the locals behind them and wait for the invitation. Coffee 74 and Railway Cafe are two places whose owners actively fetch visitors.\n\n\n\nTrain times vary, but there are generally two to four passes per day on the popular stretch. Ask your caf\u00e9 for the schedule. The whole experience takes 30\u201360 minutes including waiting time.\n\n\n\nLong Bien Bridge at sunrise\n\n\n\nLong Bien Bridge is a century-old steel cantilever bridge spanning the Red River, designed by French engineering firm Dayd\u00e9 & Pill\u00e9 and completed in 1903 under French Indochina. Its metal silhouette recalls the same-era structures you find in France. It was bombed multiple times during the war and rebuilt each time, and the patchwork of original French ironwork and Vietnamese repairs is visible as you walk across.\n\n\n\n\nThe reason to come at sunrise is the market activity. Vendors with baskets of fresh produce cross the bridge on foot and by motorbike, heading to markets on either side of the river. The light over the Red River at dawn is worth the early wake-up. It\u2019s free, takes about an hour and gives you a slice of daily Hanoi life that the Old Quarter tourist circuit doesn\u2019t provide.\n\n\n\nWest Lake (Tay Ho) cycling loop\n\n\n\nWest Lake is Hanoi\u2019s largest lake, and cycling the 17-kilometre loop around it is one of the best ways to spend a morning. The route takes you through residential neighbourhoods, past pagodas, lakeside caf\u00e9s and parts of the city that look nothing like the Old Quarter chaos.\n\n\n\nTran Quoc Pagoda, on a small peninsula jutting into the lake, is one of Vietnam\u2019s oldest pagodas (built in the 6th century). It\u2019s a natural stop on the cycling loop. The area around the lake also houses some of Hanoi\u2019s best international restaurants and caf\u00e9s if you want to pair the ride with brunch. It\u2019s also one of the best neighbourhoods to stay in Hanoi.\n\n\n\nYou can rent bikes from most hotels and hostels, or arrange one through Grab. Early morning (before 8 am) is ideal, as the lakeside road gets busy later in the day.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCyclo ride in the Old Quarter\n\n\n\nA cyclo is a three-wheeled pedal rickshaw with you seated in front while the driver pedals behind. It\u2019s slow, puts you at eye level with street life, and is one of the oldest ways to experience Hanoi. The Old Quarter\u2019s 36 streets, each historically named after the goods once sold there (Silk Street, Silver Street, Paper Street), make up the classic cyclo route.\n\n\n\n\nNegotiate the price before you get in. A fair rate is 100,000\u2013150,000 VND (\u20ac4\u20136) for a 30- to 45-minute ride around the Old Quarter. Some drivers will try to charge much more, especially near Hoan Kiem Lake. If you\u2019re quoted 300,000 VND or more, walk away and try another driver.\n\n\n\nThe ride itself is less about destinations than the experience: moving through Hanoi at the pace the city was built for. You\u2019ll notice more details from a cyclo in 30 minutes than from a taxi in an hour.\n\n\n\nThang Long Imperial Citadel\n\n\n\nThe Imperial Citadel is a UNESCO World Heritage site in central Hanoi, remnants of a political centre that served successive Vietnamese dynasties for over a thousand years. It\u2019s less visually spectacular than Hue\u2019s Imperial City, but the archaeological layers here are deep, with excavations revealing foundations dating back to the 7th century.\n\n\n\nKey sights are the Flag Tower (Cot Co), one of Hanoi\u2019s symbols, and the underground military bunker where North-Vietnamese generals planned operations during the war. The bunker, with its maps and communication equipment still in place, is the most gripping part of the visit.\n\n\n\nAllow one to two hours. Admission is 30,000 VND (about \u20ac1.10). It\u2019s a good complement to the Old Quarter and to our Hanoi heritage guide for understanding Hanoi\u2019s historical layers beyond the French colonial period.\n\n\n\nHidden gems most visitors miss\n\n\n\nB-52 Lake (Huu Tiep Lake)\n\n\n\nA small residential lake in a quiet neighbourhood where the wreckage of an American B-52 bomber still lies in the water exactly where it crashed in 1972. Local families live in the houses around the lake, children play on the bank, and a Cold-War aircraft fragment pokes out of the water among lotus flowers.\nThere\u2019s no museum, ticket booth or signage beyond a small plaque. It\u2019s one of Hanoi\u2019s most surreal sights and takes 10 minutes to see.\n\n\n\nTruc Bach Lake\n\n\n\nSmaller and quieter than Hoan Kiem or West Lake, Truc Bach is where locals come for Pho Cuon (rolled pho, a Hanoi speciality) at the cluster of restaurants on the east bank. There\u2019s also a small memorial marking where John McCain\u2019s plane was shot down in 1967 and where he parachuted into the lake.\nThe mix of great food and a crowd-free atmosphere makes it a far better lunch spot than any restaurant in the Old Quarter tourist zone.\n\n\n\nVietnamese Women\u2019s Museum\n\n\n\nConsistently rated as Hanoi\u2019s best museum by travellers, ahead of the Ho Chi Minh Museum and the Museum of Ethnology. The exhibits cover the role of women in Vietnamese society, war and daily life across ethnic groups. It\u2019s well designed, with English and French translations throughout, and the visit takes about 1.5 hours. Located near Hoan Kiem Lake.\n\n\n\nPhung Hung mural street\n\n\n\nA short street near the Old Quarter covered in large-scale murals depicting Hanoi life through different eras. It\u2019s often missed by tourists who stick to the main shopping streets. The murals are collaborative works by Vietnamese and Korean artists and are genuinely well done. Five minutes\u2019 walk, free, and ideal for photos.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nEgg coffee and caf\u00e9 culture\n\n\n\nEgg coffee (ca phe trung) is a unique Hanoi speciality: a thick, sweet layer of whipped egg yolk and condensed milk sitting atop a strong Vietnamese coffee. It\u2019s more a dessert than a drink\u2014a coffee tiramisu in a cup.\n\n\n\nCafe Giang is the original, opened in 1946 by the man credited with inventing egg coffee. For all caf\u00e9 and street-food addresses, see our Hanoi food guide. It\u2019s tucked down a narrow alley near the Old Quarter, the sort of place you\u2019d walk past 20 times without noticing the entrance. The coffee is excellent and costs about 35,000 VND (\u20ac1.30).\nNote Coffee is another popular spot, plastered floor to ceiling with visitor post-its, which is fun in a kitschy way.\n\n\n\nHanoi\u2019s caf\u00e9 scene in general is one of the best in Southeast Asia. Tiny venues hide in lanes, built on rooftops and tucked behind unmarked doors. Part of the joy is simply wandering and ducking into whatever catches your eye.\n\n\n\nShopping: silk, bespoke tailoring and handicrafts\n\n\n\nHanoi isn\u2019t Hoi An when it comes to fast bespoke tailoring, but the tailors here arguably produce higher-quality work. Hoi An\u2019s 24-hour turnaround can be quick but sometimes sloppy. Hanoi tailors usually need three to five days and the craftsmanship tends to be finer. Van Hung Tailor and Gentleman Bespoke are both frequently recommended.\n\n\n\nFor silk, Hang Gai Street (\u201cSilk Street\u201d) in the Old Quarter is the traditional shopping area. Prices are negotiable and you should expect to pay 30\u201350 % less than the first price quoted. For higher-quality fixed-price goods, Tan My Design is a reputable shop.\n\n\n\nBat Trang ceramics (from the village mentioned earlier) are also sold in Old Quarter shops, but with a two- to three-times markup. If you go to Bat Trang, buy on the spot.\n\n\n\nSpa and massage\n\n\n\nVietnamese massage is different from Thai massage. It\u2019s less about extreme stretching and more about pressure-point work combined with herbal treatments. A 60-minute massage in Hanoi costs 200,000\u2013400,000 VND (\u20ac8\u201315), comparable to Bangkok but with a different technique.\n\n\n\nLa Siesta Spa and SF Spa in the Old Quarter are both well-rated and convenient. For something more upscale, the spas at the Sofitel Legend Metropole\u2014a French colonial-era palace\u2014and the JW Marriott are top-tier but at international-hotel prices.\n\n\n\nAn herbal bath at one of Hanoi\u2019s traditional wellness shops is worth trying if you\u2019re looking for something you won\u2019t easily find elsewhere. You soak in a wooden tub filled with a blend of local herbs and medicinal plants.\nIt\u2019s a northern-Vietnam tradition and a real contrast to the standard spa menu.\n\n\n\nPlanning your activities\n\n\n\nWith so many options, the question becomes sequencing. Here\u2019s how I suggest thinking about it based on how many days you have.\n\n\n\nIf you have 3\u20134 days total: spend two days in Hanoi (motorbike food tour, Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake, water-puppet show, egg coffee) and one to two days on an overnight Ha Long Bay cruise. That covers the essentials.\n\n\n\nIf you have 5\u20137 days: add Ninh Binh (one to two days) and use the remaining time in Hanoi for a cooking class, Train Street, the West Lake cycling loop and hidden gems. Skip Sapa unless you\u2019re ready to give it three full days.\n\n\n\nIf you have 8 days or more: Sapa becomes realistic. Plan three days for Sapa, two for Ha Long Bay, one to two for Ninh Binh, and the rest in Hanoi.\n\n\n\nThe most common mistake is trying to squeeze Ha Long Bay, Ninh Binh and Sapa into a one-week trip. You\u2019ll spend more time on buses than enjoying the destinations. Pick two and do them well.\n\n\n\nFor practical info on transport, costs, SIM cards and scams to avoid, see our practical tips guide. If you\u2019re also exploring other parts of Southeast Asia, I\u2019ve written similar guides to things to do in Bangkok, what to do in Phuket and activities in Bali.\n\n\n\nWhere to book\n\n\n\nFor Ha Long Bay cruises, book through a reliable Hanoi-based agency like Lily\u2019s Travel Agency or Blue Dragon Tours in the Old Quarter, or contact the cruise operator directly via its official site or WhatsApp. Avoid third-party booking sites that add margins.\n\n\n\nFor Sapa treks, book with Sapa Sisters or Ethos directly via their websites. For Ninh Binh, you can arrange transport independently via 12Go.asia and hire a local guide once you arrive in Tam Coc, or book a package through your hotel.\n\n\n\nFor in-city activities (food tours, cooking classes, motorbike tours), book directly with the operators mentioned in this guide. Hanoi Backstreet Tours, Rose Kitchen and Tony Eats Hanoi all have their own booking systems and reply quickly.\n\n\n\nGeneral rule: if you\u2019re staying in a hotel or hostel in the Old Quarter, the front desk can arrange most of these excursions. Prices will be slightly higher than booking direct, but the convenience and safety net of having your accommodation handle the logistics can be worth the small premium.\nEspecially for longer trips like Ha Long Bay or Sapa where coordinating transport is important.\n\n\n\nHanoi has enough to fill several weeks between in-city activities and outings a few hours away. For a complete picture of what awaits, start with our comprehensive Hanoi travel guide.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115308","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=115308"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115308\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":115477,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115308\/revisions\/115477"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/115310"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=115308"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=115308"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=115308"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}