How many days do you need in Hanoi & Ha Long Bay? How to maximizing your trip?

Having a well-planned itinerary is one of the most crucial and challenging aspects of organizing any vacation.

Given the diversity of cultural and historical values, it is particularly more challenging to plan a trip to Hanoi and Halong Bay. You will find it difficult to decide what to do, where to travel, and how many days in Hanoi and Halong Bay?

But don’t worry, we’re here to assist you in resolving the problem!

Have a look at:

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Most travelers spend 4-6 days in Hanoi and Ha Long Bay combined

With over 15 years of experience in the tourism field and a group of guides with 10 years of experience, we will weigh the benefits and drawbacks of every one- to seven-day trip to make sure you enjoy Hanoi and Halong Bay to the fullest.

Let us assist you in determining the best duration to spend in Hanoi and Halong Bay!

>>> If you would like to have more information for each option, check out Hanoi Itinerary for more information before having the final decision. Or Contact us to get your own Itinerary

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How many days in Hanoi is enough?

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Hanoi Old Quarter

You may like to read:

One day in Hanoi

First of all, a day is not really enough time to see the entirety of the capital; however, with well-chosen destinations, you can still get a glimpse of the true Hanoi. The suggested itinerary for a day in Hanoi is as follows:

Morning: Have breakfast with “banh mi” – Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum – Temple of Literature.

Grab Banh Mi for breakfast in the Old Quarter before visiting Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum in Ba Dinh Square and nearby Lenin Park. When you need a break, try “Bun Bo Nam Bo” – Beef Noodle Salad for lunch. Then, have some delicious fresh coconut, which can be found anywhere in Hanoi!

Read more:

Pho-10-ly-quoc-su
The famous Pho that is already well-known all around the world

Afternoon: Lunch with Pho – Hanoi Old Quarter.

Spend the afternoon admiring Old French colonial architecture in Ba Dinh district as you walk to the next destination: Temple of Literature, the first university in Vietnam.

Evening: Have dinner with “bun cha” – Local beer in Hanoi Old Quarter

Spend the evening by West Lake, find a nice restaurant with lake view and have dinner there before having a beer.

Read more:

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French Old Quarter Hanoi

If you believe that a day in Hanoi is all you need, you will be missing out on a lot of fascinating places, and you won’t be able to fully experience local culture. Therefore, I do think a longer trip would be preferable! However, this itinerary works well for people who can only visit Hanoi for one day and have a limited amount of time for traveling.

>>> You still can have a FREE itinerary planning just for Your Own!

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2 Days in Hanoi

You also don’t have much time, so you’re wondering if there’s a better option for the number of days to stay in Hanoi. Two days in Hanoi is obviously not the ideal amount of time, but it’s still a decent option. The detailed 2-day itinerary in Hanoi is as follows:

Day 1: Similar to a 1-day itinerary, experience some of the best things to do in Hanoi

Day 2: Explore Hanoi’s architecture and traditional values.

  • Morning: Visit Hanoi French Quarter (including Hanoi Opera House and Hoa Lo Prison)
  • Afternoon: Lunch with “Bun Bo Nam Bo” – Vietnam National Museum of History – Thang Long Water Puppet Theater.
  • Evening: Dinner at “Cha Ca La Vong” Grilled Fish with dills. Have lemon tea around St. Joseph’s Church with local people.

First of all, with this itinerary, you can visit more destinations in Hanoi and especially watch traditional cultural shows in the Old Quarter.

2 days in Hanoi allows you to try more local dishes as well as enjoy Hanoi’s nightlife with local people more. You can also better understand the lives of Hanoi people when chatting with them in front of St. Joseph’s Cathedral.

>>> See more detail: 2 Days in Hanoi – What to do in 2 Days in Hanoi?

However, this itinerary will also need you to travel back and forth between locations, much like the one-day itinerary.

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Water puppet show is a fully realised art form enjoyed by young and old

3 Days in Hanoi

How many days in Hanoi is appropriate?

We highly recommend spending three days in the city to truly get a sense of it, and you also can visit some locations outside of Hanoi easily. This is the roadmap for you!

Option 1

This is more for you:

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Bat Trang Ceramic Village

Option 2

  • First Day: The fusion beauty of Hanoi ( French Quarter + Old Quarter)
  • Second Day: Out of Hanoi (Halong Bay or Ninh Binh)
  • Third Day: Ho Chi Minh Complex, Temple of Literature
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Enjoy Hanoi Street Food Tour at Night
  • This 3-day Hanoi itinerary is well designed for tourists who wish to see as much as they can, especially those who are cultural tourists looking for the values of various cultures.
  • Given the extended time and the reasonable schedule, I’m sure you won’t feel hurried if you follow this itinerary. Because this trip allows for longer stops at each location, it is better suited for families, especially those with children.
  • An additional benefit is that you can travel to locations outside of Hanoi, allowing you to experience the city’s other aspects or take a brief break from the bustling metropolis to take in the tranquility of the countryside.

>>> Read more: How To Spend 3 Days in Hanoi: The PERFECT Hanoi Itinerary for 3DAYS

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Sunset in Mua Cave

4 Days in Hanoi

This is more for you:

Option 1: 4 days with 3 destinations: Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Halong Bay

  • First Day: Charming central Hanoi ( Old Quarter + Hanoi Street Food Tour )
  • Second Day: Hidden Gem Ninh Binh ( Bai Dinh Pagoda + Trang An Landscape Complex)
  • Third Day: Natural Wonder Halong Bay (Stone Dog Islet + Burning Incense Islet + Ba Hang fishing village)
  • Last Day: Hanoi (French Quarter)
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Boat Trip at Trang An Ninh Binh

Option 2: 4 days with 2 destinations: Hanoi – Ninh Binh

  • Day 1 + 2: Historic and Cultural Hanoi
  • Third Day: Hidden Gem Ninh Binh
  • Last Day: Cuisine Hanoi

>>> Read more: What to do in Hanoi for 4 Days – Best Itinerary 4 Days 3 Nights in Hanoi

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Sunset in Mua Cave Ninh Binh

Itinerary Hanoi – Halong Bay

  • Day 1: Charming Central Hanoi
  • Second Day: Halong Bay ( Hon Gai Harbour + Bai Tu Long Bay – Thien Canh Son Cave)
  • Day 3: Vung Vieng Fishing Village – Hon Gai Harbour
  • Day 4: Cuisine Hanoi
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Amazing Halong Bay
  • With this amount of time, you will have an opportunity to see and experience life in other places outside of Hanoi and even visit Halong Bay. Visiting two destinations in four days is fine; however, three destinations in this time frame are a little hurried.
  • This trip is suitable for many types of travelers: from singles to couples and families with children. However, the cost will be much higher if you want to try a cruise trip in Halong Bay.

5 Days in Hanoi

You may choose to spend 5 days in Hanoi if you are wondering how many days you should stay there. Similar to the 4-day itinerary, the 5-day Hanoi itinerary has several options with 2 or 3 destinations

Option1: 5 days with 2 destinations

  • First Day: Explore the Old Quarter
  • Second Day: Hanoi City Tour
  • Third Day: Hanoi – Halong Bay Overnight on Cruise
  • Fourth Day: Halong Bay – Hanoi
  • Last Day: Food Tour with local tour guides in Hanoi

>>> More about: Hanoi Itinerary 5 DAYS – The BEST Itinerary for 5 Days 4 Nights in Hanoi

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Halong Bay Sunset

Option 2: 5 days with 3 destinations

Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Sapa – Hanoi.

  • Day 1: Museum of Ethnology
  • Second Day: Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Night Train to Sapa
  • Day Three: Lao Cai – Mong Sen – Ta Phin
  • Day Four: Cat Cat Village – Heaven Gate – Hanoi
  • Last Day: Hanoi

Have a look at:

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Sapa is full of intriguing places to see and things to do

ITINERARY with SAPA

Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Halong – Hanoi

  • First Day: Hanoi City Tour
  • Second Day: Hanoi – Hoa Lu Tam Coc Ninh Binh
  • Third Day: Hanoi – Halong Overnight Cruise
  • Fourth Day: Halong – Hanoi
  • Fifth Day: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum.

>>> For more itinerary, you can check All BEST SAPA TOURS from 2 to 4 Days

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Hanoi – Sapa – Halong

  • First Day: Hanoi City Tour
  • Second Day: Hanoi – Sapa – Cat Cat
  • Third Day: Sapa Trekking – Ham Rong – Hanoi
  • Fourth Day: Hanoi – Halong Bay
  • Last Day:: Halong – Hanoi departure

You may choose to spend 5 days in Hanoi if you are wondering how many days you should stay there. Similar to the 4-day itinerary, the 5-day Hanoi itinerary has several options with 2 or 3 destinations

trekking-at-cat-cat-village-sapa
Sapa Trekking – An experience like none other!

6 Days in Hanoi

There are 3 main choices for 6 days in Hanoi following:

  • First option: Hanoi (2 days) – Halong (2 days) – Sapa (2 days).
  • Option 2: Hanoi (3 days) – Ninh Binh (1 day) – Halong (2 days)
  • Option 3: Hanoi (2 days) – Ninh Binh (1 day) – Halong Bay (1 day) – Sapa (2 days).
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Halong, Sapa, Ninh Binh
  • The main tourist attractions in Hanoi can be seen in a day or two, so visitors can spend their remaining days traveling outside of the city.
  • These itineraries will help you make the most of the trip in Hanoi’s main locations and other great locations in Northern Vietnam.
  • As far as how many days you need in Hanoi, I think five days is a pretty good estimate. But since there are a lot more places to visit, this trip needs to be planned carefully.
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Kayaking in Lan Ha bay

7 Days in Hanoi

  • First Day: Explore Hanoi Old Quarter or French Quarter
  • 2 & Day 3: Explore Sapa – the incredible mountainous area
  • Day 4 & Day 5: Discover Halong Bay
  • Day 6 & Day 7: Back to Hanoi to further discover the city
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Sunset in Halong Bay
  • 7 days will give you more time to travel and explore the North without any rush. With our assistance, you don’t have to worry about making the wrong decisions.
  • The 7-day itinerary in Hanoi is our longest recommendation designed for travelers who want to save time of planning the trip but are unsure of how long to spend in Hanoi.
  • With the help of our aforementioned recommendations, we hope you will be able to decide which length of time is ideal for you and leave Hanoi with many wonderful memories!

How long to spend in Halong Bay

Time is limited but there are a lot of fascinating things to explore, so visitors often wonder how long to spend at each destination on the trip.

Similarly, there is also a question for Halong Bay, as “How many days should I stay in Ha Long?”

Having led thousands of foreign visitors to Halong Bay over the years, we would like to share our suggestion on how long each kind of visitor should spend there to get the most out of their trip!

Let’s refer to the followings:

Have a look at:

ha-long-cruise's-lengh
Halong bay length of cruise

1 day in Halong bay

  • Recommended 1-day trip is tours with 6 hours on the cruise instead of 4.
  • Day trips are suitable for tourists who have limited time but still want to visit Halong Bay
  • Day trips are available at reasonable prices
  • Quite a rush – either eight hours, four hours, or six hours spent at the bay and beach.

For tourists who have little time but still want to visit this well-known bay, a 1-day itinerary gives you just enough time to admire its exquisite beauty and experience some unique activities at the bay. It is advised to stay overnight in order to thoroughly explore and experience Halong, though.

This is more for you:

2 Days 1 Night in Halong Bay

This is the most popular choice of tourists when coming here. With a 2-day cruise on Halong Bay, you will have enough time to visit the most prominent attractions of the bay and spend one night on board.

Not just seeing, you can truly take in one of the most breathtaking bays in the world. You cannot experience many amazing things if you only take a day trip, like Tai Chi in the morning, visiting Sung Sot cave, Ti Top Island, Luon cave, etc.

kayaking-at-dark-cave
Explore Luon Cave Halong Bay by Kayak

Two days and one night ought to be sufficient. In addition, there are numerous cruise options available to you, ranging from budget to luxury.

For every traveler visiting Vietnam, an overnight cruise on Halong Bay is a must-try thing to do. Thus, let’s think about an overnight excursion if your travel schedule allows for it.

This is more for you:

>>> Let’s visit our website for different types of cruises available for every budget, from backpackers to luxury. Check out for the best deals on Halong Bay’s 2-day cruise.

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2-Day Itinerary Hanoi to Halong Bay

Day 1

  • Leave Hanoi early and get on the shuttle bus to Halong Bay. Arrive at lunchtime and board the all-inclusive Halong Bay cruise.
  • Have lunch on board before visiting one of bay’s famous caves by kayak, then stop at a local floating village, where you’ll spend a few hours exploring there. Afterward, visit the beach on the deserted island and return to the boat for dinner.
  • Have dinner on the cruise ship. Participate in squid fishing, then back to the cabin for overnight stay.
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Overnight on cruise is one of best choice to explore Halong Bay

Day 2

  • Wake up early and practice Tai Chi on the deck. After breakfast, kayak to explore another mysterious cave.
  • Return to the boat for lunch while it takes you back to the harbor.
  • Get on the shuttle bus back to Hanoi. Once in Hanoi, save your luggage and have a shower at the hotel before exploring the Old Quarter at night again.
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Halong Bay Route Map

3 Days and 2 Nights in Halong Bay

  • This itinerary will be both insightful and incredibly relaxing but you should carefully consider your itinerary options. It is advised to book a cruise with three stars or more which ensures your relaxing vacation will be smooth and worry-free.
  • A 3-day, 2-night cruise on Halong Bay is the perfect choice for travelers looking for the ultimate experience on Halong Bay. The added day and night lets you do additional activities at a more comfortable pace.
  • If your trip will last longer than seven days, you should think about traveling from north to south.

>>> Have a look at: How To Spend 3 Days in Halong Bay: The PERFECT Halong Bay 3Days Itinerary

That is all the information required to respond to the question “How many days to spend in Halong Bay and Hanoi?”. Have you figured out your answer yet?

Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions; we are always happy to help!

>>> Contact us via Hotline/What’s app: + 84 977 192 564

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