Things to do in Hanoi in one day

Hanoi is famous for temples, pagodas, sights, and historic sites. When visiting Hanoi, you may be confused what to eat, things to do in Hanoi. Read my article 43 Hanoi delicious dishes that are worth of money as a suggestion for food and the following information will help you experience Hanoi easier.

Must-see destination: A series of historic monuments like Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam (The Temple of Literature – Imperial Academy), One Pillar Pagoda, Tran Quoc Pagoda, imperial citadel of Thang Long. Some other famoust attractions such as Hoan Kiem Lake, Long Bien Bridge. Some museums like Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, Ho Chi Minh Museum, National Museum of Vietnamese History. Wandering around the Old Quarter to know more about Hanoiean’s life.

Time: Within a day or 2 – 3 days if you visit the suburb like Bat Trang village, Co Loa, Huong Pagoda, etc.

Means of transport: car, taxi, bus or motorbike

Schedule for one day tour in Hanoi

If you have only one day in Hanoi and it’s the first time you visit Hanoi, you’d better pay a visit to some remarkable attractions. If you come here for second time or you already visited famous places in Hanoi, you can choose some destination around Hanoi, which is also worth visiting.

Here is the popular schedule that you can follow or change to suit your taste.

8AM: Visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (it should be noted that Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is closed on Monday and Friday). If you go there on Monday and Friday, you can wander around, take photos and visit the One pilar pagoda. Note: When visiting Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, you have to register at the back gate in Ngoc Ha Street.

Opening hours:

In summer (from Apr 1st to Oct 2)

Weekdays: From 7:30am to 10:30am

Weekends and Holiday: 7:30am to 11:00am

In winter (From Nov 1st to Mar 31st the next year)

Weekdays: From 8:00am to 11:00am

Weekends and Holiday: 8:00am to 11:30am

10AM: Continue visiting Tran Quoc pagoda (The oldest Buddhist temple in Hanoi that is located on a small island near the southeastern shore of Hanoi’s West Lake. It’s about 2,5km from the Mausoleum to Tran Quoc Pagoda. You can also visit Tran Quoc Pagoda before the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum but remember the opening hours.

10:45am: Leave Tran Quoc Pagoda, you go straight to Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam (The Temple of Literature – Imperial Academy), then you can have lunch at Bun Cha Ca Sinh Tu restaurant (80 Nguyen Khuyen) or Pho 24 (61 Van Mieu Street) next to Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam. If you don’t mind going far to eat, you can find your favorite restaurant.

1:30pm: In the afternoon, you can go to Vietnam Museum of Ethnology which is about 8km from the city center. You can learn about culture of 54 officially recognized ethnic groups in Vietnam. You can know how people in different regions in Vietnam live. It’s also ranks forth in the list of Asia’s top 25 attractive museums in Asia according to Tripadvisor. Opening hours is 8:30am to 5:30pm Tuesday to Sunday

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