Hanoi in 3 days

1,000-year-old streets, lake-side egg coffee, and the most atmospheric capital in Southeast Asia. Best time to visit: October-April. Average daily budget: $30 to $70 USD.

Day 1, Get oriented

Base: Old Quarter, 1,000-year-old maze of 36 streets. Markets, street food, your hotel base.

Morning: Old Quarter food crawl. Pho 10 (breakfast), bun cha at Bun Cha Huong Lien (Obama ate here), egg coffee at Cafe Giang.

Afternoon: Explore Old Quarter, 1,000-year-old maze of 36 streets. Markets, street food, your hotel base.

Evening: Halong Bay overnight cruise. Book a small boat (max 16 cabins). Avoid day trips - they're rushed and bad value.

Eat: Pho bo at Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su

Day 2, Go deeper

Base: French Quarter, Colonial boulevards, the Opera House, upscale cafés and the Metropole hotel.

Morning: Hoan Kiem Lake at dawn. Locals doing tai chi, the Turtle Tower in mist, $1 lake-side coffee.

Afternoon: Explore French Quarter, Colonial boulevards, the Opera House, upscale cafés and the Metropole hotel.

Evening: Overnight cruise in Ha Long Bay. The limestone-karst seascape is a few hours away and best done as an overnight boat trip. Kayak through caves, sleep on the water, and pick a smaller operator to avoid the floating traffic jam.

Eat: Bun cha at Bun Cha Dac Kim

Day 3, Hidden side

Base: Hoan Kiem Lake, The city's living room. Tai chi at dawn, weekend night markets, lake-side egg coffee.

Morning: Train Street (carefully). Train passes inches from cafés twice a day. Sit, drink coffee, watch the chaos.

Afternoon: Explore Hoan Kiem Lake, The city's living room. Tai chi at dawn, weekend night markets, lake-side egg coffee.

Evening: Egg coffee in the Old Quarter. Hanoi's signature drink, whipped egg yolk over strong coffee, like drinking tiramisu. Find a tucked-away café down an alley, sit on a tiny stool, and watch the motorbike chaos.

Eat: Banh mi at Banh Mi 25

Hidden gems

Ngo Hang Cot - the bamboo street, almost no tourists.
Chùa Trấn Quốc - 1,500-year-old pagoda on West Lake.
Ninh Binh day trip - 'Halong Bay on land' with karst peaks and rice paddies.
Ca phe trung (egg coffee) at Cafe Giang - invented here in 1946.

Getting around

Walk the Old Quarter - it's the only way to absorb it. Use Grab (motorbike or car) for longer hops, both are cheap. Crossing streets is an art: walk slowly, consistently, and the bikes will flow around you.

Safety

Very safe for tourists. Petty scams (taxi meters, bag snatching from motorbikes) are the main risk. Solo travellers, including women, are common. Hold your phone tightly when walking near the road.

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