Top tours in Hanoi
Skip-the-line tickets, walking tours and food crawls — the Hanoi experiences travellers actually rate.
Browse on GetYourGuide
Currency
VND ₫
Plug
Type A/C/F
Best season
Nov–Apr
Language
Vietnamese
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Accommodation bases
Food
Hanoi Old Quarter walk + bun cha lunch
Hanoi4hNorthern Vietnam
36 streets, each historically named after a guild. Bun cha at Huong Lien.
This is one to do hungry and unhurried. Cash helps at smaller counters, English menus aren't guaranteed, and the best stalls tend to sell out long before closing time.
About 4 hours is realistic with photos, breaks, and a sit-down somewhere nearby. Easy to slot beside one other activity. Based in Hanoi (Northern Vietnam). Map it before you leave the hotel so you arrive from the right side of the entrance.
Food
Hanoi street-food walking tour
Hanoi3hNorthern Vietnam
Pho, banh mi, egg coffee, cha ca — six stops in one alley.
This is one to do hungry and unhurried. Cash helps at smaller counters, English menus aren't guaranteed, and the best stalls tend to sell out long before closing time.
About 3 hours is realistic with photos, breaks, and a sit-down somewhere nearby. Easy to slot beside one other activity. Based in Hanoi (Northern Vietnam). Map it before you leave the hotel so you arrive from the right side of the entrance.
Food
Egg coffee class at Cafe Giang
Hanoi1hNorthern Vietnam
Where egg coffee was invented in 1946. Learn to whip the yolk topping.
This is one to do hungry and unhurried. Cash helps at smaller counters, English menus aren't guaranteed, and the best stalls tend to sell out long before closing time.
Quick at around 1 hour — pair it with something close by to make the trip across town worthwhile. Based in Hanoi (Northern Vietnam). Map it before you leave the hotel so you arrive from the right side of the entrance.
Adventure
Train Street coffee
Hanoi1hNorthern Vietnam
Café right on the active tracks. Train at 7pm and 7am.
Book through a reputable operator, double-check insurance covers the activity, and don't underestimate how tired you'll be after — schedule something easy the following morning.
Quick at around 1 hour — pair it with something close by to make the trip across town worthwhile. Based in Hanoi (Northern Vietnam). Map it before you leave the hotel so you arrive from the right side of the entrance.
Adventure
Sapa rice-terrace trek (2 days)
Sapa2dNorthern Vietnam
Overnight homestay with a Hmong family. Best Sept–Nov.
Book through a reputable operator, double-check insurance covers the activity, and don't underestimate how tired you'll be after — schedule something easy the following morning.
Plan on roughly 2 days here — it's a destination in its own right, not a half-day side trip. Based in Sapa (Northern Vietnam). Map it before you leave the hotel so you arrive from the right side of the entrance.
Adventure
Ha Giang Loop motorbike (3 days)
Ha Giang3dNorthern Vietnam
Limestone karst motorbike loop; hire an Easy Rider if you don't ride.
Book through a reputable operator, double-check insurance covers the activity, and don't underestimate how tired you'll be after — schedule something easy the following morning.
Plan on roughly 3 days here — it's a destination in its own right, not a half-day side trip. Based in Ha Giang (Northern Vietnam). Map it before you leave the hotel so you arrive from the right side of the entrance.
Culture
Temple of Literature + Hoan Kiem walk
Hanoi3hNorthern Vietnam
Vietnam's first university; lake walk at dawn with locals doing tai-chi.
Expect a slower-paced stop where the value is in the story — bring a guide app or a paper map, and budget time to actually read the plaques rather than rush from photo to photo.
About 3 hours is realistic with photos, breaks, and a sit-down somewhere nearby. Easy to slot beside one other activity. Based in Hanoi (Northern Vietnam). Map it before you leave the hotel so you arrive from the right side of the entrance.
Culture
Thang Long water puppet show
Hanoi1hNorthern Vietnam
1000-year-old folk art performed in a knee-deep pool with live orchestra.
Expect a slower-paced stop where the value is in the story — bring a guide app or a paper map, and budget time to actually read the plaques rather than rush from photo to photo.
Quick at around 1 hour — pair it with something close by to make the trip across town worthwhile. Based in Hanoi (Northern Vietnam). Map it before you leave the hotel so you arrive from the right side of the entrance.
Nature
Ha Long Bay overnight cruise
Ha Long Bay1dNorthern Vietnam
Pick a small-boat operator. Bai Tu Long is quieter than Ha Long itself.
Weather rewrites this one fast — check the forecast the morning you go, layer up, and carry more water than you think you'll need. Early starts dodge both crowds and afternoon heat.
Plan on roughly 1 day here — it's a destination in its own right, not a half-day side trip. Based in Ha Long Bay (Northern Vietnam). Map it before you leave the hotel so you arrive from the right side of the entrance.
Nature
Ninh Binh: Tam Coc + Trang An boat
Ninh Binh8hNorthern Vietnam
'Halong on land' — karst limestone over rice paddies. Day-trippable from Hanoi.
Weather rewrites this one fast — check the forecast the morning you go, layer up, and carry more water than you think you'll need. Early starts dodge both crowds and afternoon heat.
Block out around 8 hours including transit. It eats most of a day, so don't try to pair it with another anchor stop. Based in Ninh Binh (Northern Vietnam). Map it before you leave the hotel so you arrive from the right side of the entrance.
Curated multi-country trips that include Vietnam
Best time to visit
When to go to Vietnam
Peak: Jan, Feb, Mar, Oct, Nov, Dec
The country runs three climates simultaneously, but November to April broadly works north-to-south. Hanoi is crisp in winter; Hoi An's central coast is reliable February–May; the south stays warm year-round. Avoid the May–September monsoon if you want dry beach time.
Jan25°perfect
Feb27°perfect
Mar30°warm
Apr32°warm
May33°wet
Jun33°wet
Jul33°wettest
Aug33°wet
Sep31°drying
Oct29°mellow
Nov27°perfect
Dec25°perfect
IdealShoulderAvoid
Right now (Jun)
Avoid — average 33°C, expect wet.
Booking lead time
Halong Bay overnight cruises: 2 weeks in dry season, same-day in monsoon (cheaper, fewer boats).
Bookable experiences
Tours & tickets in Vietnam
Curated searches on GetYourGuide — free cancellation up to 24 hours on most bookings. Affiliate links; we may earn a small commission at no cost to you.
Day trips from Ho Chi Minh City
Half- and full-day excursions you can book the night before — useful when the weather decides for you.
Browse on GetYourGuideSkip-the-line tickets in Vietnam
Pre-booked entries for Vietnam's most-visited landmarks. Worth it any week, essential in summer.
Browse on GetYourGuideAbout Vietnam
Updated Apr 2026
A quick overview
Vietnam is long and thin, and the classic trip runs the length of it: Hanoi in the north, Hoi An in the middle, Ho Chi Minh City in the south, with worthwhile detours to Halong Bay and the Mekong Delta. Each region feels almost like a different country — different food, different climate, different attitude.
The currency comes in millions; ATM withdrawals make you feel briefly wealthy. Crossing the road in Hanoi is its own art form.
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