5 Days in Hanoi
🍜 Complete Itinerary & Cost Guide
5 days in Hanoi lets you go beyond the highlights — take day trips, revisit favourites, and enjoy slow mornings. Here's a realistic day-by-day plan plus what it costs.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
This plan covers the essentials without burnout. Adjust based on opening hours, weather, and your stamina. Most days are 4–6 hours of activity with long meals and downtime built in.
Settle into your hotel, grab a light lunch, then ease into Hanoi with Old Quarter walking tour. Don't overbook day one — jet lag is real.
Hoan Kiem Lake + Ngoc Son Temple. Pair it with a sit-down lunch nearby and an evening walk through a different neighbourhood.
Train Street coffee (check operating hours). Take the morning slow and use the afternoon to explore a quieter district away from the tourist core.
Temple of Literature. Pair with a long lunch — Best pho is at Pho Gia Truyen on Bat Dan St — cash, queue, no English menu.
Hit one final must-see (Temple of Literature), pick up souvenirs, and leave time for a relaxed lunch before your flight or onward train.
What does 5 days in Hanoi cost?
Estimates below are per person, including accommodation, food, local transport, and ~1 paid activity per day. Flights to Hanoi are not included — they vary wildly by origin.
Hanoi survival tips
Use Grab for everything — taxis routinely scam tourists. Walking is the best way in the Old Quarter.
Best pho is at Pho Gia Truyen on Bat Dan St — cash, queue, no English menu.
Cyclo (rickshaw) drivers quote $5 then charge $50. Refuse anything not metered Grab.
When to go
October, November, December are the best months for Hanoi — the climate is at its best and crowds haven't peaked. Avoid June–August (40°C + humidity).