2 day itinerary

Hanoi is a perfect starting point for popular Vietnam destinations. One of them is Halong Bay and the surprising region of Ninh Binh, but, contrary to what many people imagine, this destination also deserves attention from the visitor. The capital of this country has good tourist attractions, but only this makes it special, its life on the streets, restaurants, stalls selling food and many shops are a beautiful setting to see and live.

Most attractions are concentrated in the Old Quarter (or very close to it), a perfect region to be explored on foot. There are vibrant streets and alleys, full of commerce. But one thing that must be mentioned is the large number of motorcycles on the roads – and the pollution caused by them. True chaos and sure fun! At first it seems scary, but after 2 days the visitor gets used to it and even has fun.

Traffic signs even exist, but in general, they are not respected. The tip for those who will live this experience is to cross without fear of being happy! Make eye contact with the bikers and move on. Never go back! Motorcycles rarely stop for pedestrians, they just dodge them. A pure emotion this life of crossing the street in Hanoi!

On the streets of Hanoi, everything is sold: clothes, shoes, accessories and typical souvenirs. Bargaining is quite common.

-> Discover our complete itinerary in Vietnam .

-> See also our itinerary in Halong Bay .

Do Brazilians need a visa for Vietnam?

Yes! The tourist can apply at consulates / embassies within the country they have or can apply directly at the airport of arrival in Vietnam. If you live in Brazil look for the Embassy in Brasilia , if you live in Australia – Sydney, as we live, look for the Consulate that is in Edgecliff, and if you are in a backpack in Asia and need to enter the country look for the embassy / consulate in the country who is or applies the visa at the entrance of the country (at the airport or at the border, if you are entering by land / sea (for this situation by land / sea look for more information so that there are no problems).

Electronic visa for Vietnam

It is possible to apply for and obtain an entry visa, to be picked up upon arrival at an international airport, through the outsourced services of accredited travel agencies. In this case, the visa must be applied for electronically: once the site is contacted, the form must be completed (children under the age of 14 may appear on the parents’ form, but must bring 2 photos); the service fee is paid and the form is printed.

After the visa is processed, the “Approval Letter” will be sent to the applicant. The letter of approval and form, as well as 2 photos (2x4cm) must be presented at the counter – “Landing Visa Counter” -, at the arrival airport; and visa costs paid.

Visa costs (regardless of the fee charged by the agency) range from $ 19.00 to $ 55.00, depending on the period of stay and single or multiple entry. The best known agencies are: visa-vietnam.vn ( info@visa-vietnam.vn ) tels: 84-903119200 and 84- 932652585; and / or vietnam-visa.com 84- 437925078 and 84-946583583.

The Embassy of Brazil in Hanoi is not responsible for any problems eventually encountered in contracting services with the agencies, which are mentioned for the sole purpose of facilitating travel arrangements for the Brazilian citizen ( Source ).

Sea and land borders   

The electronic visa granting system is only available at the two international airports, where an appropriate counter is located. Entrances to Vietnam by boat, train, bus or private vehicle are not covered by this system ( Source ).

See here all the countries that Brazilians need a visa.

After presenting this almost crazy capital and its peculiarities, let’s go on our two-day itinerary.

# 1 day: Hanoi City Tour

Our first day was marked by a lot of walking and recognition of the city.

We arrived at the hostel – Hanoi Culture Hostel – that we booked in the Old Quarter, central region, at 8 am.

We request an entry earlier than the “normal” check in time. We drank coffee from the hotel, and by 9 am we were already in the room preparing to go out and kick a lot around the city.

At 10 am we were already walking through the Old Quarter towards Hoan Kiem Lake. Our first stop was in this part of the city. It is around this point that the city vibrates and there are many restaurants, shops and tourist attractions. This location marks the division between the Old Quarter and French Quarter.

There we could find some of the most famous points of interest in this city:

• Ngoc Son Temple
• Water Puppet Theater
• Tortoise Tower (located in the middle of the lake)
• Huc Bridge

We drove across the lake, entered the Ngoc Son Temple (value: VND 30,000 pp), took many pictures and headed towards the French Quarter. We then walked towards two points of interest in the city: Opera House in Hanoi and the History Museum.

A few more meters walking, taking pictures and enjoying the crazy traffic in the city, and it was time for our lunch. We walked a few more blocks looking for where to eat and discovered a restaurant inside the French Quarter.

After an hour there, we continue walking towards the complex where is another point of interest:  Temple of Literature .

This was one of the places we most enjoyed on that day of walking tour. The Literature Museum is a very peculiar space full of surprises. The cost to access it is VND 30,000 per person.

This site was built in 1070 in honor of the Chinese philosopher Confucio and housed the first university in Vietnam.

After this visit, we continue towards the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex.

We walked for about 20 minutes and arrived at the most crowded part of the tour (except, of course, the Old Quartes and its Hoan Kiem Lake). There the traveler will come across imposing and well-organized constructions.

Located in the center of Ba Dinh Square, the site houses the body of communist leader Ho Chi Minh, who played an important role in the history of Vietnam.

Before going through this monument, we went inside the complex to take some pictures and see the Ho Chi Minh Museum. This museum tells the story of the life of the communist leader. The museum describes the life of Ho Chi Minh through artifacts, books and gifts. We chose not to enter, but we took many pictures of the gardens and surroundings.

After the visit to the site, we continue on foot to the Old Quarter. It took us about 30 minutes walking to our hostel.

At approximately 17h our walking tour through Hanoi and some of the main points of this city was finished.

After a well-deserved foot rest, we went out again at night to visit the Night Market and explore the streets of the Old Quarter. The Hanoi Night Market (starts at Hoan Kiem Lake and ends at Gam Câu Street) is the face of the city. If you are in this capital for a weekend (Friday, Saturday or Sunday – it only happens on weekends), go and visit it!

Lots of confusion, stalls with many items for sale, ranging from electronics, clothes to local auctions. In addition you will also find stalls with typical food and local restaurants.

After walking around the market, we sat down at a local restaurant and enjoyed Vietnamese cuisine. We have two local beers and take the opportunity to taste a “rice noodle soup”, typical of the country.

Between 9pm and 10pm we close our day’s itinerary! We went to rest because the day was intense and the previous night was heavy on our trip.

# 2 day: Full Day Tour to Hoa Lu – Tam Coc (Ninh Binh region)

We left Hanoi at 8 am in a tour van to the Ninh Binh region. The schedule for the fourth day of Vietnam and the second in Hanoi was in Hoa Lue the first capital of this country (ancient capital) ( check all our itinerary and understand better  – during our stay in Hanoi we stayed two days and one night in Halong Bay, check out the post ). It takes approximately 3 to 4 hours to reach this location.

The first stop was made in Hoa Lu to visit the Temples built in the former Imperial Palace of the Dinh and Le Dynasties. Temples today are dedicated to the worship of the Dinh and Le kings.

After this visit, we proceed to lunch in Tam Coc. We sat in a restaurant like a bun and stayed there for almost 1 hour.

The next stage of the tour was the most interesting in my opinion, the Ngo Dong river tour. In this place we follow in a small boat and we travel for approximately 1.5 hours the river. Sampan boats are conducted by hand and foot.

The last stage was a bike ride through the local streets and fields.

At 4pm we were already back and concentrating for the return to Hanoi. At approximately 4:30 pm we were already on the road. On the return trip it took us 4 hours to arrive at the hotel.

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Some curiosities about the place:

• This location served as a film set for the movie Kong – Skull Island
• Hoa Lue was the first capital of Vietnam (Ninh Binh region)
• Tam Coc – It means Tree Ca

• Site Oficial do Turismo no Vietnã
• Hoi An Cyclo Tour
• Cham Island Diving
• Cham Island Snorkeling & Tour
• Family Cooking Tour – Hoi An
• Heaven & Earth Bicycle Tour Hoi An
• Hoian Diving Center Hoi An
• Hoi An Cooking-Eco Tour
• Bay Mau Eco Cooking Tour Hoi An
• Hoi An Village Experience
• Yellow City Food Tours Hoi An 
• Electric Scooter Tours Hoi An
• Agência de Turismo Ho Chi Minh
• Agência de Turismo Ho Chi Minh 2
• Saigon Skydeck
• Passeio de Barco em Ho Chi Minh
• Sightseeing Tours Vietnã 
• Tours Voluntários em Hanoi