Hanoi.

Where we sleep

1. Day 1 · Tue 31 Aug

   Lake and lanes

   A gentle first day: a lap of Hoan Kiem Lake and its turtle legends, then into the Old Quarter once the afternoon heat eases.

   • Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple2 h

     The lake in the middle of Hanoi, whose name means “returned sword”, after a legend of a golden turtle taking back a magic sword. A red wooden bridge leads to Ngoc Son Temple on a small island.

     What to see

     • The red bridge to Ngoc Son Temple
     • The Turtle Tower on its tiny island
     • Families strolling round the lake

     Time

     Two hours with the temple.

     Tip

     Walk the lake in the late afternoon, when the heat eases. Carry a light poncho, as a shower can arrive without warning.

     To eat

     Cốm, young green rice flakes wrapped in lotus leaf, a Hanoi speciality of the early autumn.

     Photos
   • The Old Quarter2 h 30

     A tangle of narrow streets north of the lake, historically named after the trade that was sold in each, such as silk, tin or paper. Motorbikes and street stalls fill them all day.

     What to see

     • The trade streets and their shop signs
     • Old “tube houses”, narrow and deep
     • The evening street life

     Time

     Two to three hours, with dinner.

     Tip

     Crossing the street here means walking steadily and not stopping: the motorbikes steer round you. Hold small hands tight.

     To eat

     Bún chả, grilled pork with rice noodles and herbs, and cà phê trứng, egg coffee, for the grown-ups.

     Photos
2. Day 2 · Wed 1 Sept

   Scholars and steeples

   The Temple of Literature in the morning, before the rain usually arrives, then St Joseph’s Cathedral and a street snack in the old lanes nearby.

   • Temple of Literature1 h 30

     A Confucian temple founded in 1070, whose courtyards held Vietnam’s first national university from 1076. Its gardens are shady and quiet.

     What to see

     • The gate and the courtyards in a row
     • The stone steles on the backs of turtles
     • The Khue Van Pavilion

     Time

     An hour and a half.

     Tip

     Cover shoulders and knees, as in any temple, and go early: it gets hot and the rain often comes in the afternoon.

     To eat

     Chè, sweet dessert soups with beans and coconut milk, to cool off afterwards.

     Photos
   • St Joseph’s Cathedral1 h

     A neo-Gothic church from 1886, with two towers and dark stone, in the French colonial part of the old city. It is a working church.

     What to see

     • The two towers of the facade
     • The square in front
     • The stained glass inside, when open

     Time

     An hour, with the surrounding streets.

     Tip

     Visits depend on Mass times, so look from outside if the doors are closed. Dress modestly and keep your voice down.

     To eat

     Bánh mì, a crisp baguette with pâté, herbs and pickles, from a stand on a nearby street.

     Photos
3. Day 3 · Thu 2 Sept

   National Day

   It’s 2 September, and Ba Dinh Square is where it all started in 1945. We go in the morning to the square and the complex around it, then to Tran Quoc Pagoda on West Lake. If the city stages fireworks, we find a spot by a lake after dinner.

   • Ba Dinh Square and the Ho Chi Minh complex2 h 30

     The big square where, on 2 September 1945, Ho Chi Minh read the declaration of independence. The mausoleum on its west side, the One Pillar Pagoda and Ho Chi Minh’s stilt house are all within a few hundred metres.

     What to see

     • The square and the mausoleum
     • The One Pillar Pagoda, built in 1049 and rebuilt in 1955
     • The stilt house where Ho Chi Minh lived from 1958

     Time

     Two and a half hours with the queue.

     Tip

     The mausoleum opens only in the morning, and it closes for about two months a year, so confirm the dates with the management board. Shoulders and knees must be covered, and phones and cameras stay outside. Expect extra crowds and some road closures on 2 September.

     To eat

     Bánh cuốn, steamed rice-flour rolls with pork and mushroom, a Hanoi breakfast.

   • Tran Quoc Pagoda1 h 30

     A Buddhist pagoda on a small peninsula in West Lake, said to be the oldest in Hanoi. A red-brick tower rises over the courtyard.

     What to see

     • The red-brick tower
     • The bodhi tree in the courtyard
     • The lake from the causeway

     Time

     An hour and a half.

     Tip

     It is a place of worship, so dress modestly. If a storm builds over the lake, shelter in the covered halls.

     To eat

     Bánh tôm Hồ Tây, crispy shrimp fritters, a West Lake speciality.

     Photos
4. Day 4 · Fri 3 Sept

   Houses and pots

   A roof for the showers at the Museum of Ethnology, with traditional houses in the garden, then a ride out to Bat Trang to shape a small clay pot of our own.

   • Vietnam Museum of Ethnology2 h 30

     A museum on the 54 ethnic groups of Vietnam, with an open-air garden of traditional houses. It is closed on Mondays, which doesn’t affect us.

     What to see

     • The indoor galleries of costumes and tools
     • The traditional houses in the garden
     • The stilt houses of the highlands

     Time

     Two and a half hours.

     Tip

     The houses are outdoors, so do the garden first if the sky is clear and the galleries when it rains. Kids tend to love climbing into the houses.

     To eat

     Phở, the Hanoi breakfast noodle soup, on the way back.

     Photos
   • Bat Trang Ceramic Village3 h

     A pottery village on the banks of the Red River, south-east of the city, with a tradition of ceramics going back centuries. Shops and workshops line its lanes.

     What to see

     • The ceramic shops and kilns
     • The workshops where visitors can shape a pot
     • The village lanes

     Time

     Three hours including the ride.

     Tip

     Pots made in a workshop have to be fired, so ask whether they can be posted or collected. Small hands can be messy: bring wipes.

     To eat

     Nem rán, crispy fried spring rolls, from a village stall.

5. Day 5 · Sat 4 Sept

   One last bridge

   A slow walk on the old iron bridge over the Red River before we head home.

   • Long Bien Bridge1 h 30

     A steel railway bridge over the Red River built by the French and opened in the early 1900s. It still carries trains, with narrow lanes for bikes and pedestrians beside the tracks.

     What to see

     • The steel arches
     • The river and its sandbanks
     • The Old Quarter skyline behind

     Time

     An hour and a half on foot.

     Tip

     The footpath is narrow and uneven, and slippery when it rains. Keep children close and stay away from the rails.

     To eat

     Nước mía, freshly pressed sugarcane juice, sold from carts near the bridge.

     Photos

Typical weather for these dates, not a forecast: the average of 2016–2025, with data from Open-Meteo.com (ERA5). The chance of rain is an estimate.