Top 10 Must-Visit Spots in Hanoi, Vietnam for a Perfect One Day Itinerary

🍎 Finally arrived at the last stop in Vietnam, Hanoi, for a stay of less than a day and a half.
🍎 Pics 2-4, the first stop was the pho shop where Obama had visited. I ate the same grilled meat pho as he did, which was very cheap. Unfortunately, I went early that day, there were few customers, and the second floor was not open, so I didn’t see the table where Obama ate.

🍎 Pic 5, the famous Pho Thin. I only chose this one because it was close by; according to recommendations, another one should be better. The uncle at the door had a bad attitude and bluntly told me “only one menu” when I paid at the entrance, meaning the shop only serves one dish! A bowl of pho costs 75,000, more expensive than what I found online.

I don’t know if it’s due to a price increase or something else. He also asked me, “Where are you from?” I don’t understand what my origin has to do with this bowl of pho! (His tone was not at all like he was just making small talk out of curiosity.)
🍎 Pics 6-7, since I’m here, I might as well try the famous egg coffee.

This is a small shop with a 4.8 rating on Google Maps. The main difference from others is that they serve the coffee and whipped egg liquid separately, providing an instruction on how to drink it. You taste the egg liquid first, then pour the coffee into it, which is quite ritualistic, but actually, there’s no special flavor.

Some people say the egg coffee can be a bit fishy, but I didn’t taste any fishiness. The shop is hidden in a passageway of a residential building, not very noticeable.
🍎 Pic 8, another popular baguette place, filled with beef and cilantro. Because I took it back to the hotel and it took some time, the texture was a bit affected.

It would probably be better if eaten right after being made.
🍎 Pic 9, passed by a small shop with a photo of the owner and a Westerner. The person looked very familiar, but I couldn’t remember who it was.
🍎 Pic 10, not sure what this place is, but it looked nice, so I took a picture. Below is the Hanoi train station.

🍎 Pic 11, coming out of Lotte Center in the evening, I took this street view from the pedestrian overpass next to it.
🍎 Pics 12-13, arrived at the famous Train Street at 8 PM. At this time, there were very few people on both sides of the tracks, only a few European and American tourists. The timing was just right.

Walking less than 100 meters from the street entrance, a train passed by at 8:10 PM, but maybe because there were few people, the atmosphere wasn’t lively, and it felt a bit boring.
🍎 Pics 14-15, when arriving in a new city, you have to experience the local public transportation. Bus No. 32, from Lotte Center to Train Street.

Local buses require you to buy tickets when you get on. The conductor does not have a fixed seat and may sit anywhere in the bus. They wear light blue shirts. They won’t rush you to buy a ticket but will wait until you’re seated and then come to your seat to collect money, using a machine to issue the ticket.

The fare ranges from 7,000 to 10,000… For bus No. 32, the fare is 10,000.
🍎 Pic 16: On my way back to the hotel from Train Street, I stumbled upon this scenic spot. I’m not entirely sure, but it might be the famous Hoan Kiem Lake.
🍎 Pic 17: The night bus from Da Nang to Hanoi in the early morning took us through the serene suburbs.

The rice fields by the roadside felt incredibly familiar, reminiscent of the southern landscapes in China.
🍎 Pic 18: Unable to find the highly recommended corn milk, I decided to grab a random one from the supermarket, and it turned out to be surprisingly delicious. Below is the passion fruit tea that many have raved about, and it costs just a little over 1 RMB.

🍎 January 22, 2025