Hanoi + Ha Long Bay — 5 days

The soul of northern Vietnam. Day-by-day itinerary: Hanoi; Hanoi Culture; Ha Long Bay; Tai Chi & Return.

Day-by-day itinerary

Day 1 — Hanoi

• 07:00 — Arrival at Noi Bai HAN
• 09:00 — Bus 86 or taxi → city centre
• 12:00 — Hotel in the Old Quarter — Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
• Walk to the Old Quarter — Hoan Kiem, Hanoi → Hoan Kiem
• 14:00 — The Old Quarter's 36 streets — Hoan Kiem
• 16:00 — Hoan Kiem Lake & Ngoc Son Temple — Hoan Kiem
• Walk to Bát Đàn — Hoan Kiem → Bát Đàn
• 19:00 — Phở bò at a traditional Hanoi eatery — Bát Đàn
• Walk to Ta Hien — Bát Đàn → Ta Hien
• 21:00 — Bia Hơi at Bia Corner — Ta Hien

Day 2 — Hanoi Culture

• 08:00 — Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (outside) — Ba Dinh
• 09:15 — Grab motorbike to the Temple of Literature — Ba Dinh → Văn Miếu
• 09:30 — Temple of Literature — Ba Dinh
• 11:30 — Grab to the restaurant — Văn Miếu → Bún Chả Hương Liên
• 12:00 — Bún chả at the 'Obama' restaurant — Bún Chả Hương Liên
• 13:30 — Grab to the Museum of Ethnology — Hai Bà Trưng → Cầu Giấy
• 14:00 — Vietnam Museum of Ethnology — Cầu Giấy
• 18:15 — Grab back to the Old Quarter — Cầu Giấy → Old Quarter
• 19:00 — Water puppet show — Thăng Long

Day 3 — Ha Long Bay

• 07:30 — Bus from Hanoi → Ha Long
• 12:00 — Board a traditional junk — Ha Long Bay
• 13:30 — Hang Sửng Sốt (Surprise Cave) — Ha Long Bay
• 16:00 — Kayaking among the karst islets — Ha Long Bay
• 19:00 — Seafood dinner on board
• 21:00 — Sunset & a night on the bay

Day 4 — Tai Chi & Return

• 06:30 — Tai chi at sunrise on deck
• 09:00 — Cửa Vạn floating village — Ha Long Bay
• 13:00 — Back to Hanoi
• 19:00 — Bún bò Nam Bộ — Hanoi

Day 5 — Departure

• 08:00 — Morning stroll around Hoan Kiem
• 10:00 — Egg coffee at a historic Hanoi café — Hang Gai
• 13:00 — Taxi to Noi Bai airport
• 17:00 — Return flight