17 Essentials; what to see and do in Hanoi in 2 or 3 days (Vietnam)

Located in the north of Vietnam, Hanoi It is the capital of the country and one of the two most populated cities along with Ho Chi Ming, the old one Saigon.

Most travel to vietnam, where you will surely be attracted by the incredible appeal of the Halong Bay, include a visit to this busy city in which the sound of vehicle horns composes its soundtrack.

After our recent trip in which we also traveled to Cambodia to see them Angkor templesAs well as Laos. y Bali, we are going to tell you the best things to see and do in Hanoi during your visit to this historic city in Vietnam.

Surely our suggestions will help you discover the attractions of the somewhat chaotic Vietnamese capital, which you can get a first taste of by watching the attached video.

The best things to see and do when visiting Hanoi

There are several options when it comes to visit hanoi.

Being a city that is undoubtedly chaotic, if you do not want to rent a motorcycle, we recommend visiting the city signing up for organized excursions They come to pick you up at the hotel and after finishing they return you to the hotel.

As is our case, in addition to the excursion, you may be one of those who likes to sign up for some guided city tour of Hanoi with the company of a guide in Spanish, Since it is such a different culture and a country with so much history, it is the best way to immerse yourself in its environment and culture.

But if, on the other hand, you prefer to get to know the city on your own, here we leave you all the information. information you need to know to move easily around the city.

When are you going to travel to hanoi, you have to know that there are two very marked areas around which to make the most important visits.

The first area is what makes up the country's historical heritage, which extends next to the enormous Ho Tay Lake.

They are a group of buildings around which there is both the Ho Chi Ming Mausoleum such as Presidential palace, where a war museum, in addition to the house and gardens where the Vietnamese leader lived and took refuge from the bombings.

The other area is where the social life of the city has developed, the old neighborhood and its surroundings, where you can see french colonial buildings.

1 – Ho Chi Ming Mausoleum in Hanoi

The first thing to say is that the ideal is to hire a tour to see the mausoleum and all its surroundings.

This way you can enjoy a visit like this much more, during which they tell us the curiosities that marked the history of the place and that make up this complex.

La recent history of hanoi It is marked by the famous Vietnam War and the final liberation after the fight led by the aforementioned Ho Chi Ming.

The importance of this person was so great that upon his death a very special place was reserved for him within the historic center.

Admission to the mausoleum is free, but it is advisable to go very early since the doors close at 12 in the morning; As a consequence, huge queues form given the devotion that people have for him throughout the country.

To enter the mausoleum where he is embalmed Ho Chi Ming You pass in silence in lines of two people and, of course, taking photos is prohibited.

You can't stop when you enter the mausoleum, so it takes you much longer to queue to enter than to see its mausoleum. mummified body.

2 – Hanoi Presidential Palace

El Royal Palace It is a building french colonial which has been for many years Royal residence of the successive empires that reigned in the area.

With its façade painted in a very striking yellow color, it is currently a reception site for authorities from other countries who visit the city.

This building is surrounded by Botanical Garden where the residence of Ho Chi Ming.

To enter its gardens and visit the surroundings you have to pay an entrance fee; In fact, it is the only place that charges you for a visit.

3 – Ho Chi Ming House in Hanoi

El vietnamese leader did not want to live in the aforementioned Royal residence, which seemed too big for him alone, since he was single.

For this reason he decided to live in the surrounding gardens, in a wooden house that can now be visited.

He also had a few more houses where he could meet with the leaders who visited him.

Next to it and hidden inside a small hill. was located bomb shelter, a stay without which history would probably have changed.

Given his personality, his entire residence and rooms in which he lived his life are really very austere.

4 – War Museum in Hanoi

To know the history of the Vietnam WarYou definitely have to visit this museum.

It is a huge building in which you can find different rooms with the most diverse objects, such as manuscripts, newspapers, helmets, bullets and all kinds of relics you can imagine related to a war.

5 – Single Pillar Pagoda in Hanoi

Before finishing your tour of the mausoleum area, you must make a short visit to a very peculiar pagoda.

It is not common to visit a single pillar pagoda, but here we can do it.

It is a very small pagoda located on top of a mini lake, really very curious.

6 – Hanoi Old Quarter

When we visit a city, what one always asks is: where is the old neighborhood?

It is usually the best way to know what a city was like years ago and how it has been built and adapted over the years.

In this case, these chaotic streets are the nerve center of the economy and Hanoi life, a large network of noisy streets swallowed by motorcycles and their endless beeps.

To understand the city, you have to know some things about how these houses were built.

Most of the houses in Hanoi They are occupied by entire families. They are narrow three-story buildings, in which they use their ground floor to establish a business.

Therefore, entire families live above their workplaces.

This means that you are entering a clothing store and at the door you find several people sitting in tiny chairs who are eating.

Without a doubt, something very curious and characteristic of Hanoi.

Given the apparent chaos that its streets transmit to you, there is actually quite a bit of order; As they say, an ordered disorder.

The more you walk through them, the more you realize that the stores are distributed by trades; in fact, there are a street dedicated to each profession. 

In any case, if a soundtrack had to be given to the city that reflected the life in Hanoi, it would be the horns of motorcycles and cars.

When driving a vehicle, instead of using the turn signals, they use the horn to warn that they are going to make a maneuver, so you don't stop hearing beeps day and night.

7 – Dong Xuan Market in Hanoi

If before we talked about the soundtrack of the city, now we are going to tell you where to find the most characteristic smells.

El Dong Xuan market It is, without a doubt, the largest in the city and there is nothing you can't find there.

And if you don't find it in there, it will be safe in one of the surrounding streets.

Walking through its streets is to see all types of foods, spices, preserves, dry and dehydrated foods and fruits imaginable.

Especially for the most daring. It is a place that you should not miss.

8 – Hanoi Temple of Literature

This temple of knowledge was the first vietnam university, which in principle was built only for kings and prominent people in society.

It is a set of magnificently preserved buildings and temples. Its origin is around the beginning of the 11th century, and it was built in honor of Confucius.

Currently you can visit the entire complex with its temples, where some of the most outstanding students of the time in subjects such as medicine were trained.

In fact, at the entrance to the campus you can find sculptures of turtles, one for each student. cum laude graduated there during the more than 700 years that the university was operational.

9 – Hoan Kiem Lake in the center of Hanoi

Right in the heart of Hanoi, between the old town and the French quarter, is this large lake.

It is the ideal place to walk and get away from the enormous hustle and bustle of the crowded streets of the city.

Also, when you walk around the lake, you can see the different group activities carried out by the inhabitants of Hanoi, who get together to stretch or play sports.

Without a doubt, one of the most curious images of Asia.

10 – Tran Quoc Pen Pagoda in Hanoi

Maybe the most beautiful pagoda in hanoi Its the Tran Quoc Pen.

It is located on the northern edge of the city next to enormous Ho Tay Lake.

It is a pagoda several meters high that most tourists are unaware of and that is very worth knowing.

11 – Hanoi French Colonial Quarter

Many years ago the majority of the territory of the southeast asia It was dominated by France.

This was reflected in many aspects of the country's culture, including architecture, with remodeled and carefully maintained white buildings.

Furthermore, in the old colonial neighborhood Some of the most expensive hotels in the city are concentrated around the spectacular opera building.

12 – Longest mosaic in the world in Hanoi

How curiosity, along with red river and along more than 6 kilometers you can see a very special mosaic.

Is largest ceramic mosaic in the world recognized with a Guinness record.

In this gigantic mural, all kinds of scenes about daily and historical life in Vietnam are represented, as well as references to other countries in the world.

13 – Train that crosses the center of Hanoi

Maybe one of the Hanoi curiosities is old train line which is still in operation, which is why it crosses the city through narrow streets.

Along the path left by the tracks, all kinds of buildings have been built such as shops or houses where you have to cross the tracks to enter.

It is the classic photo that all travelers look for.

14 – Tips for eating on the streets of Hanoi

It is undoubtedly an authentic experience to leave the hotel and enter the old town to look for dinner.

All the streets are full of small family restaurants where you don't see a single sign with signs in any language other than Vietnamese.

It is well worth integrating into the culture by eating in the same restaurants where the local citizens eat, even with the same customs such as chopsticks, or sitting in the mini-chairs that fill the terraces.

When choosing, it is difficult to advise because food is usually chosen by sight; a little rice and several dishes to mix and accompany among those that catch your attention the most.

I would repeat that experience again and again, you have to reserve some dinners in those streets as an almost obligatory visit.

We know from experience that if you eat in these countries in places with many people you do not usually have poisoning problems.

Despite the poor storage conditions, food rotation is usually constant, so the food is fresh.

Be careful, another thing is the drink, we do not recommend drinking drinks already opened or with ice, high risk.

And to guide you on the price, each dinner for two people used to cost us about four euros each, very cheap.

Tours and Excursions from Hanoi

Hanoi is maybe the most important city in Vietnam, but there are many options to visit areas within walking distance that are essential to get to know this magical country.

15 – Halong Bay excursion from Hanoi

If you are thinking travel to vietnam I'm sure you've made a note of this visit.

It is undoubtedly a wonder of nature, so impressive that it is usually common to tour it in silence listening only to the sound of the boat engine and the sea.

This bay transmits tranquility and relaxation while you admire its amazing rock formations.

There are several types of excursions to Halong Bay depending on the days you are going to spend there.

Here you have information about the Halong Bay excursion, with tips for your visit to this beautiful natural enclave, for which we dedicated two days with one night sleeping on the boat.

16 – Visit of Tam Coc in the city of Ninh Binh

When we think Vietnam , images of nature and huge fields of rice fields usually come to mind, and this is precisely what you are going to see in the Tam Coc visit.

This region has certain similarities with the Halong bay since the rugged landscapes crossed by the river are quite similar.

There are several excursions that you can sign up for that sail the Ngo Don Riverg in traditional boats.

Without a doubt a unique experience.

 17 - Excursion a Mai Chau from Hanoi

But if you want to know a really authentic and unknown part of the country, you can take an excursion to visit Mai Chau.

It is a population of Thai origin in what can be considered a deep rural area of ​​vietnam.

There are several ethnic groups that inhabit this area, each with its different nuances according to the origin of each of these peoples.