48 HOURS IN HANOI

Only got 2 days in Hanoi? No worries – here’s how to make every hour count, starting with Day 1!

MORNING – Pho, coffee & a little culture

Rise and shine early to catch Hanoi before the streets wake up. Head to Hoan Kiem Lake & the Old Quarter for the ultimate breakfast combo.

Pho time! Try:

Pho Thin Bo Ho – a nearly 70-year-old legend

Pho Suong (Trung Yen Alley)

Pho Tu Lun (Au Trieu St)

Lam Pho Bo (Hang Vai St)

Pho Ly Quoc Su – multiple branches around town

Then, coffee o’clock:

Cafe Dinh — cozy 2nd-floor spot on Dinh Tien Hoang St

Cafe Giang or Cafe Lam on Nguyen Huu Huan St

Loading T Cafe (Chan Cam St)

History buffs: Hoa Lo Prison, Vietnam Museum of Revolution, National Museum of History, Military History Museum

Architecture lovers: Quan Chuong City Gate, Hanoi Opera House, St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Thang Long Imperial Citadel, One-Pillar Pagoda, Long Bien Bridge, The Tonkin Palace

All within 2km of Hoan Kiem Lake — easy to walk or hop on a bus/taxi/xe om Can’t fit it all in? Save some for the afternoon!

NOON — Bun Cha break

Still in the Old Quarter? Time for another Hanoi classic: Bun Cha — grilled pork over charcoal, served with rice noodles, herbs, pickles & that irresistible sweet-sour fish sauce

Bun Cha Hang Quat

Bun Cha Dac Kim (heads up – servings are huge, don’t over-order!)

Bun Cha Huong Lien – yes, the one Obama ate at

AFTERNOON & NIGHT — Ta Hien, the street that never sleeps

Ready for Hanoi after dark? Spend your evening around Ta Hien – Luong Ngoc Quyen, aka the “international junction”

Weekend trip? Bonus round: stroll the Hoan Kiem walking street + Dong Xuan night market before ending the night at Ta Hien

Follow us for Day 2 of the itinerary – trust us, it gets even better!