Hanoi 1-day itinerary

Start with a bowl of phở bò (beef phở) at Phở Gia Truyền on Bát Đàn Street (₫50,000) — a legendary stall running since the 1950s with zero decor and extraordinary broth. Then walk to Hoàn Kiếm Lake — Hanoi's spiritual centre. The red Thê Húc Bridge leads to Ngọc Sơn Temple (₫30,000) on a tiny island. Circle the lake as locals exercise, then plunge into the Old Quarter's 36 streets, each named after the goods historically traded there.

Walk or taxi to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Complex — the embalmed body of Uncle Ho lies in a granite mausoleum (free, closed Mon & Fri, no cameras). The surrounding complex includes the Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh's Stilt House (₫40,000) — a modest wooden house where he lived and worked — and the One Pillar Pagoda. The Temple of Literature (₫30,000) nearby is Vietnam's first university, founded in 1070.

Head to Bia Hơi Corner (junction of Tạ Hiện and Lương Ngọc Quyến) — Hanoi's legendary street drinking spot where tiny plastic stools, fresh draft beer (₫7,000), and grilled food create an unforgettable atmosphere. Then catch the Thăng Long Water Puppet Theatre show (₫150,000, 50 minutes) — a thousand-year-old Vietnamese art form with carved wooden puppets performing on water to live traditional music.