48 hours in Hanoi, Vietnam

Hanoi – one of the world’s most incredible cities, perched in north Vietnam, ready and waiting for you to explore! If you’re traveling and have 48 hours to burn here, we’ve put together the ultimate itinerary of the weird and the wonderful!

Here’s where to start…

Watch out for Hanoi’s Train Street

Twice a day a speeding train passes only inches from the homes of this residential neighborhood in Hanoi. If you’re there around 3p.m. and 7p.m the locals clear the tracks, bring their drying clothes in and hide in close-by doorways, just feet from the tracks as the train whizzes by. If you’re there outside of these times, the tracks are used like a regular street in Hanoi’s bustling, maze-like Old Quarter.

Showing off my handstand skills in the middle of the neighborhood /train tracks 😉 . . Missing my #crossfit day 💙 . . . #sheisnotlost #travelgirl #travelinggirl #travelgirls #girlswhotravel #girlslovetravel #thenyccouple #vietnam #hanoi #hanoivietnam #travelvietnam #explorevietnam #crossfitgirl #handstand #handstandlove #handstandaddict #stillgotit #girlswhocrossfit #fitness #functionalfitness #hanoitrainstreet #traintracks #travellife #travelhanoi #hanoitrip #hanoistyle #girlstravelling #girltraveler #rtw

A post shared by It’s Short. Live it💜 (@amanda_rochellee) on Feb 20, 2018 at 4:54pm PST

Drink an egg coffee (yes, egg.)

Created in Hanoi in 1946, egg coffee is the invention of Nguyen Van Giang. During the French war, the milk shortage meant that on his shift bartending at the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hotel, Giang whisked egg into his client’s coffee as a substitute. Giang’s concoction became such a hit that he opened Café Giang – where his son still serves the legendary egg coffee!

#coffeetime #eggcoffee #hanoi #Vietnam #vatkan #here

A post shared by vat kan (@vatkan) on Jun 10, 2018 at 5:37pm PDT

Be tricked by the trompe l’œil murals…

One of the most Instagrammable features of Hanoi, these life-sized painted illusions let pedestrians blend in with street art! The murals begin at 27 Phùng Hưng, Hàng Mã, Hoàn Kiếm and continue all the way along the road until it reaches Hàng Cót.

Phung Hung street is like a border between Western and Hang street (the old Street for Ke Cho and Thang Long people). Overtime the western style houses were slowly transformed and disappeared. There are very few that still remain. The artwork illustrates the door frames of House No. 63 Phung Hung street in different layers of time. After nearly a century with a lot of changes, it shows what will be left of the house. . . . The doors in this artwork are slightly open to provide people an opportunity to discover the hidden side of history behind those doors. . . . This is a street in Hanoi, Vietnam where important scenes/landmarks have been painted on the wall. . . . I don’t remember the name of the street but I do know that it’s one worth seeing- any local could guide you to it . . . House No. 63 . . . #houseno63 #hanoi #vietnam #streetart #streetartasia #streetartvietnam #streetarthanoi #streetartphoto #streetart_daily #streetartglobe #insiderart #insidertravel #travelvietnam #lonelyplanetasia #natgeoasia #natgeovietnam #travelphotography . . . @hanoicapital @vietnam_travel6 @streetartglobe @streetart_daily @natgeoasia @lonelyplanet @vietnamcharm @everydayvietnam @discovervietnam @explorevietnam_ @ig_vietnam @streetartasia . . . #travel #traveler #vietnamdestinations #ig_vietnam #explorevietnam #discovervietnam #vietnamholiday #wanderlust #everydayvietnam #vietnamcharm #greatescape

A post shared by Trishala (@jainuinelydifferent) on Jun 6, 2018 at 11:11pm PDT

Pay respects at the B-52 wreckage

Head to the Ba Dinh district of Hanoi to find this powerful reminder of the Vietnam War. In the centre of this residential district lies a shot down B-52 bomber, in the middle of Huu Tiep Lake. The plane came down during the “Christmas Bombings” of 1972 killing 1,318 civilians. It’s a sobering monument, but worth seeing as a reminder of the not-so distant history of this place.

#huutieplake #hanoi #vietnam

A post shared by Young Jin Lim (@youngjlim) on Aug 3, 2018 at 8:11am PDT

Explore the Hanoi Zoological Museum

Definitely more interesting than it sounds… this museum is hidden away in the Hanoi University grounds. With three rooms filled with weird and wonderful taxidermy, a huge elephant skeleton lets visitors know that they’ve arrived!

Meet my not-so-little friend Dumbo. He has an eating problem but he’s working on it. #bảotàngđộngvậtkhoasinhhọc

A post shared by Hoà Nguyễn (@machiatoos) on Jul 23, 2015 at 1:54am PDT

All of our interns are guaranteed a place in Hanoi on our Course & Internship programme to Vietnam… take a look here!