Hanoi 4-Day 3-Night Self-Guided Travel Itinerary

When mentioning the capital Hanoi, people often think of an ancient city, with thousands of years of history and culture; but coexisting is a dynamic, modern city with many interesting entertainment activities. The contrasting life here has made Hanoi more attractive than ever.

#teamKlook's Mr. Tú has shared some lovely insights about his 4-day 3-night self-guided trip to Hanoi. Refer to the detailed information below to plan an exciting and cost-effective trip.

Starting from Ho Chi Minh City, Tú caught an early flight to Hanoi. With just a 2-hour flight time, he saved a good amount of time to explore Hanoi. Tú arrived at Noi Bai airport at 8 in the morning, thanks to pre-booking the airport transfer service from Klook, he was quickly taken to the hotel for an early check-in, relaxation, and immediate enjoyment of a delicious breakfast.

Following travel tips for independent exploration of Hanoi from the Klook Vietnam Blog, Tú chose to stay at the Solaria Hotel - described as a 'Miniature Indochina in the heart of the Old Quarter'. Despite its modest size, the infrastructure and services here meet 4-star standards - and the cost is extremely affordable. The only downside is that in the evening, it's a bit challenging to catch a taxi from the hotel due to its proximity to the pedestrian street area.

Tú began his capital exploration journey at the Ho Chi Minh Complex, a complex including the Mausoleum, and the Presidential Palace to learn more about the country's history and politics. Then, he visited one of Hanoi's landmarks: One Pillar Pagoda – a temple placed on a single pillar, situated in the middle of a square-shaped pond and voted the most unique architectural temple in Asia.

After lunch, Tú visited the Temple of Literature – the first university in Vietnam. This is an ancient architectural complex, built on a large scale around the 11th century and has stood the test of time to this day. Tú had the opportunity to pass by the area of Confucius worship, the founder of Confucianism, and Chu Van An, the first principal of the school. In addition, the Temple of Literature is also where 82 stone stelae are placed to commemorate the names of scholars from various examination fields.

Then, he continued to visit Ngoc Son Temple, The Huc Bridge, Hoan Kiem Lake, with the Tortoise Tower venerably casting its reflection on the lake for hundreds of years. As the evening approached, he went to the West Lake area to find some enticing snacks around this area. Enjoying some snails and cinnamon ice cream while admiring the sunset at West Lake was really fascinating.

In particular, Tú combined visiting the above-mentioned places with a Hanoi photo shooting activity organized by Klook. This was truly a great experience, capturing images of the streets, alleys of Hanoi's Old Quarter, and the architectural beauty of each place through vivid shots. In the evening, Tú strolled around Hanoi's Old Quarter, continuing to explore local specialties such as: shrimp paste vermicelli, rolled pho, then stopped by to buy some souvenirs for friends.

On the second day of the journey, Tú participated in a tour exploring Hoa Lu and Tam Coc, the two most prominent destinations in Ninh Binh province.

Around 8 in the morning, the bus picked up Tú from the hotel and departed for Ninh Binh. After over 2 hours, the group arrived at Hoa Lu, beginning to visit the temples of the Dinh and Le dynasties, learning about the rich cultural history of Vietnam in the ancient times. At noon, they enjoyed a delicious Vietnamese buffet at Tam Coc, refueling for afternoon activities, and then took a boat trip to admire the charming landscapes of this area. Hang Cả, Hang Hai, Hang Ba or the natural beauty of Tam Coc are just part of the Trang An landscape, which was so captivating.

During this fascinating trip, Tú and the whole group also had the opportunity to ride bikes to admire the beautiful countryside scenery, with beautiful rice fields and majestic limestone mountains like a true local.

Around 4 in the afternoon, Tú boarded the bus to return to Hanoi, safely taken back to the hotel.

In the evening, Tú seized the chance to have a bowl of bún thang to warm up the stomach before heading to the spa right in the Old Quarter area for a massage and health care after a day of outdoor activities. The staff here are very attentive and enthusiastic, ensuring the most comfortable and relaxed experience.

Having arrived in Hanoi, one cannot miss out on Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO-recognized World Natural Heritage. Therefore, Tú immediately signed up for a Ha Long Bay cruise tour on the Hana Premium cruise ship, and luckily got a discount from Klook.

Around 9 in the morning, the shuttle bus picked up Tú from the hotel to go to Quang Ninh, and after 3 hours, they arrived at Tuần Châu port. From the luxurious cruise ship, they admired the magnificent natural landscapes here as they passed through Surprising Cave, Luon Cave, and Titop Island.

Among the three caves, Tú was most impressed by Surprising Cave. True to its name: this cave possesses a surreal beauty that leaves one amazed upon gazing. The cave ceiling is covered with a layer of glittering, shimmering stalactites, surrounded by stone statues of various shapes. At the highest point of the cave, there is a crystal-clear water lake, making the picturesque scenery even more charming.

Afterward, Tú only needed to pay an additional fee of 40,000 VND to participate in kayaking activities around the bay. This was a truly impressive experience, unlike any other throughout this journey. Around 5 in the afternoon, Tú returned to Tuần Châu port, and after taking the bus back to Hanoi. At 9 in the evening, Tú arrived back at the hotel, resting after a truly memorable day of exploration.

Tú decided to spend the last day of the journey exploring the outskirts of Hanoi and learning more about the daily life of the people in the Red River Delta region.

Especially, in Klook's tour, there is also an activity of exploring by military Jeep from the 1960s Soviet Union. Passing through small villages and farms, Tú had the opportunity to immerse himself in the rural life rhythm, and admire the charming tranquility of the Northern countryside. The feeling of sitting on the Jeep, inhaling the fresh fragrance of flowers and grass, is truly 'chill'!

After finishing the Hanoi countryside tour, Tú returned to the city center and checked in at the Lotte Observation Deck, located on the 65th floor of Lotte Center. A visit to Hanoi would definitely be incomplete without visiting this interesting spot. Thanks to pre-booking from Klook, there was no need to queue or wait for anything.

By a high-speed elevator, in less than 1 minute, Tú was taken up to the observation deck on the 65th floor. From such a dizzying height, Tú captured the entire capital city of Hanoi impressively, feeling like walking on clouds at the Sky Walk, and taking hundreds of Instagram-style photos at Love Photo.

Lotte Observation Deck also has a restaurant so Tú had dinner here for convenience. Afterward, back to the hotel for check-out procedures and straight to Noi Bai to fly back to Ho Chi Minh City.

So Tú has finished sharing his 4-day, 3-night Hanoi travel itinerary. The 4-day, 3-night Hanoi travel itinerary is not short, but Tú still feels it's not enough to fully explore Hanoi and its surrounding areas. He will return to Hanoi on a beautiful day to delve deeper into the nature, culture, and history here, to further love the homeland of Vietnam - especially dedicating a whole day to 'eating clean' street food of beloved Hanoi.

Whether you adore a serene Hanoi or a capital city brimming with lights and music. No matter which aspect of Hanoi you're into, #teamKlook mustn't miss out on the 4-day, 3-night self-guided trip to Hanoi. It's a fantastic opportunity to gain fresh insights into history, national culture, and create unforgettable entertainment moments.

Pre-book sightseeing tours or tickets to attractions to save both costs and queueing time. Don't forget to hunt for exclusive discounts for #teamKlook and check out the list of hotels in Hanoi to find a cozy accommodation.

And don't forget to visit Klook Vietnam for more insights into solo travel experiences in Hanoi - Sapa, interesting spots near Hanoi, fun activities to explore in Hanoi, and super discounts when booking tickets to Hanoi right away!

Will you embark on a 4-day, 3-night self-guided trip to Hanoi?