The frenetic energy of Hanoi can be intoxicating, but it can also be exhausting. I’ve lived in Vietnam for over a decade and I love the country’s trademark brand of lovable chaos, but even I need to get out of the big cities every now and then.
The same is probably even truer for tourists visiting Hanoi who aren’t used to the heavy air pollution and the turbulent sea of motorbikes that feels like a constant. Every now and then, a day trip from Hanoi is a necessity.
In this guide, I’ll recount my favorite Hanoi day trips, all within a 2.5-hour drive of Hanoi’s Old Town. Each one offers a totally different slice of northern Vietnamese life, from misty mountains and lush forests to quaint villages and foodie Meccas.
1. Ninh Binh, an ecological wonder
I believe Ninh Binh to be one of three quintessential north Vietnam destinations (the others are Ha Giang and Cat Ba). You sometimes hear it called “Ha Long Bay on Land,” because the majestic, almost alien-looking limestone karts that rise above the lush green landscape all over Ninh Binh are similar to those in Ha Long.
In my opinion, though, the lakes and ancient temples dotting Ninh Binh are just so much nicer than the waters of Ha Long Bay, thanks mainly to the extremely lush greenery that acts as a backdrop.
How to get there:
There is a train directly from Hanoi Station to Ninh Binh. The trip takes 2.5 hours, which is normally a little long for me to recommend as a day trip, but it’s a different story when you can just sit back and enjoy the scenery from the train’s picture windows during the trip.
The trains from Hanoi to Ninh Binh leave twice during the morning, at 6:00 a.m. and 8:55 a.m. every day.
Be sure to book in advance, as the schedule may change occasionally, and seats can sell out well in advance. I love the train in Vietnam and wrote an in-depth guide to train travel in which you can read about seating classes and more.
You can also take a bus, which isn’t as pretty or comfortable but which takes about 30 minutes less and costs roughly the same. The best place to book tickets is 12GO.
Check transport to Ninh Binh
Best activities there:
- Trang An Boat Tour: This 2.5-hour boat ride down Trang An’s river is a must. Aboard a wooden row boat, you’ll float by karst cliffs, lotus ponds, pagodas, and wildlife like frogs, goats, and birds. You’ll also glide through a few underwater caves, some of them so small you can brush the ceiling. The women who pilot the boats don’t speak English, so it’s a self-guided experience. Tickets at the entrance cost $10. Note that the tours offer 3 routes; I recommend route 1.
- Go Caving: Ninh Binh and the surrounding area have some amazing caves. Mua Cave and Galaxy Grotto are my favorites – you can read about Indie Traveller’s experience in this complete guide to Tam Coc. There are lots of other caves too, though, and you can either explore them yourself or get lower prices on guided tours near the cave entrances.
- Explore Hoa Luu: Hoa Luu, just next to Ninh Binh, was the ancient capital of Vietnam and has a lot of regal palaces and crumbling pagodas. The setting on the crystal green river adds to its mystique.
- Ascend Bich Dong Pagoda: This iconic pagoda is one of the coolest religious sites I’ve been to in Vietnam, which is really saying something. The entrance bridge is built over a gorgeous pond, and the pagoda is built into a mountain with a path twisting through rocky caverns.
- Eat Some Goat: Ninh Binh is famous for thịt dê – mountain goat meat. And it lives up to the hype – it’s one of the best Northern Vietnamese dishes I’ve ever had.
Local tip: When you’re in Ninh Binh, rent a scooter for transportation or take motorbike taxis rather than cars. The scenery is beautiful, but passing through without a wall of glass in front of you bumps it up to “stunning.”
This full-day Ninh Binh tour from Hanoi hits most of the best sites and is a good option for those who want to buy an all-inclusive package rather than organise the trip themselves.
book ninh binh day tour via viator
2. Tam Dao Hill Station
The northern highlands of Vietnam are an iconic part of the country, and Tam Dao gives you a good taste of that mountain environment at a distance from Hanoi that’s feasible for a day trip – just about 2 hours by road.
The crisp mountain air, panoramic hundred-kilometre views, and cosy alpine atmosphere are a fantastic escape from fast-paced urban life.
Tam Dao Lake, or simply the Hill Station Lake, a man-made lake at the foot of Tam Dao Mountain (MarleenBruwer/iStock)
How to get there: Riding a motorbike is by far the best way to get to Tam Dao, because the shifting air quality on your skin and the incredible roadside views are just as amazing as the destination itself.
Driving yourself is ideal, but be warned: the road up the mountain has switchbacks that make it best for intermediate-level riders.
If you don’t want to drive, you should rent a car from the city. Phong Nha Locals Travel private cars from Hanoi to Tam Dao start at $60.
Best activities there:
- Explore the Streets: It’s rare that you get to explore charming Vietnamese small town streets on foot without being assaulted by humid weather, so take advantage of the opportunity. Plus, Tam Dao has amazing views almost everywhere since it’s built on the side of a mountain.
- Visit Heaven’s Gate Viewpoint: The walk up old stone steps to this viewpoint feels like an Indiana Jones movie set, and the spacious viewing platform is maybe the most scenic spot in Tam Dao.
- Eat Mountain Rice: There are a lot of makeshift eateries around the hilly Tam Đảo town centre that serve cơm lam, rice that’s actually cooked inside a stick of bamboo to absorb some of its flavor. Eat it with meat and vegetables for a simple yet delicious meal that’s a staple of Vietnamese mountain towns.
- Hike to Silver Waterfall: This walk starts at the town centre and winds through the forest lands for about 25 minutes before depositing you at a tall, scenic waterfall. The forest surroundings and the sound of the flowing stream are what most travellers want out of a Hanoi day trip.
- Go Trekking: Day trippers up for a strenuous activity will enjoy hiking the area’s famous trails. I’d recommend this guided Tam Đảo trekking tour to ensure you take a good route.
Local tip: Try to arrange a late departure, since the mists that tend to fall upon the town near sunset are very cool. You can also check out this private tour to Tam Dao that leaves from Hanoi.
3. Ba Vi National Park
Like Tam Dao, Ba Vi is a great showcase of one of Northern Vietnam’s most distinctive landscape types, but at a distance from Hanoi that’s appropriate for a day trip. In this case, it shows off the lush, subtropical, often misty forests that are only found in the North.
A nice way to experience Ba Vì National Park is on this 9-hour eco-tour, trekking old-growth forests and tea plantations, visiting French ruins and hilltop temples, with round-trip transport from Hanoi included.
book the eco tour on getyourguide 
(Image via GetYourGuide)
How to get there: Ba Vì National Park lies about 60 km west of Hanoi’s Old Quarter and takes roughly two hours to reach by road. There’s no direct public transportation into the park, so most visitors come by motorbike or private car.
Drive yourself by motorbike if possible. The ride along Thang Long Boulevard is smooth and scenic. The last 15 minutes of the drive are a bit steeper and curvier, but it’s definitely manageable for beginners as long as they drive slowly.
If you don’t want to drive, you can use the Grab ride-hailing app to get a motorbike taxi there for about $10 or a car for twice that.
Best activities there:
- Go trekking: Ba Vi has three famous mountains to hike up (Vua, Tan Vien, and Ngoc Hoa). Their trails wind through evergreen bamboo groves, mossy waterfalls, and babbling streams, and all three peaks have great views. Tan Vien and Vua peaks have temples on top to explore.
- Traverse the French church ruins: One of the park’s most atmospheric sights, a moss-covered stone church left over from the French colonial era that’s now wrapped in vines and fog. Nearby, you’ll also find remnants of old French villas and roads.
- Visit the cactus garden: Near the main entrance to the park is a garden with over 1,000 cactus species in a large glass dome.
- Try samples at Ba Vi dairy farm: Just outside the park is a working dairy farm famous for its fresh milk, yoghurt, and ice cream. You can taste local milk products, and there’s a small café with countryside views. It’s much fresher and cheaper than the packaged stuff in Hanoi.
Local tip: The park closes surprisingly early, at 5:00 p.m. Try to get an early start, especially because the park’s morning mists are beautiful and tend to dissipate at 9-10 a.m.
4. Duong Lam Ancient Village
Duong Lam is a practically perfect snapshot of a pastoral Asian village. It’s got amazing stonework, small alleys, quaint houses, and lovely hanging plants everywhere you look, and it all has a strongly East Asian feel. Actual farmers still live in most of the houses, so it feels authentic and not like a tourist trap.
(duongminhtien/iStock) 
(DalatScout/iStock)
How to get there: Like most of these day trips, driving a motorbike to Duong Lam is a great experience in itself. The 50 km to Duong Lam from Hanoi Old Quarter is mostly wide and flat, and the last few km are dirt roads that are still pretty easy to ride.
The scenery on the first half of the drive is fairly standard urban sprawl, but the latter half passes by rice paddies, villages, and banyan trees.
As always, ride hailing via Grab is an option, too – expect to pay $35/one way for a car or $20 for a bike.
Best activities there:
- Stroll the ancient lanes: The hand-hewn brick gates, weathered walls, and Chinese-Vietnamese symbology everywhere make it feel like strolling through a period piece.
- Visit Mông Phụ Communal House: The symbolic heart of the village, this communal house is covered in ancient red bricks and elaborate wooden carvings on traditional altars.
- Explore the King temples: Two national heroes, Phung Hung and Ngo Quyen, were both born in Duong Lam and have temples dedicated to them nearby.
- Have lunch in an old house: Some locals open their homes for simple home-cooked meals. The food out here tastes way fresher than what you’ll get in Hanoi, and there’s nothing like home cooking. If you’re lucky, you can try a local speciality like chè lam (sticky rice and ginger candy) or tương Đường Lâm (fermented soybean paste) for dessert.
Local tip: Arrive after 3 p.m., when most of the crowds are gone and locals begin cycling home from work. I’d recommend organising your own trip to Duong Lam without a tour. I’ve taken two highly-rated tours there (years apart), and both failed to capture the culturally immersive experience that walking around the town myself did.
5. Nam Dinh, the Birthplace of Phở
Phở is basically the national symbol of Vietnam to most tourists, and Nam Dinh is where it all began. The city doesn’t have much tourist infrastructure, so it will probably be better-suited for the more adventurous day-trippers out there, but it has a strong culinary identity, elegant French colonial buildings, and a relaxed, working-class character that makes it a great alternative to the usual tourist trail.
Textile making in Co Chat, Nam Dịnh — one of Vietnam’s long-standing silk villages
How to get there: Nam Dinh is another stop on Vietnam’s North-South railroad, so the 1hr45min train ride is definitely the best way to get there. Seats cost $11 and morning trains leave at 6:00 a.m.and 8:55 a.m. Again, you can check out my guide to train travel in Vietnam for more info on how ticketing works.
Best activities there:
- Eat: Phở is, of course, the main attraction, with Pho Xiu Cham being my top recommendation for the food. But there are a lot of other great Nam Dinh specialties that I’m honestly didn’t rise to icon status alongside phở. Bún đũa (meat soup with thick rice noodles), fresh xíu páo (Chinese-style crumbly pork pies), and canh cá rô đồng Hải Hậu (a local fish stew) are a few hidden gems for foodies.
- Go cathedral-hopping: Nam Dinh has one of the largest Catholic communities in Vietnam, so it also has some very impressive churches and cathedrals. The main Tan Dinh Cathedral is huge and insanely ornate both outside and inside, and there are a dozen or so other amazing places of worship spread over the town.
Local tip: Make sure to order “phở bò” (beef phở) in a local stall rather than a touristy restaurant to taste it the way locals do. Nam Định’s phở has a lighter, sweeter broth than Hanoi’s and typically uses hand-cut rice noodles.
Again, Nam Dinh has next to no tourist infrastructure, so is difficult to navigate for all but the most adventurous travellers. In most cases, I’d recommend booking this Nam Dinh day tour from Hanoi.
6. Perfume Pagoda Complex
The Perfume Pagoda is a vast complex of temples built into a limestone mountain range and accessible only by boat, and it’s one of northern Vietnam’s most famous pilgrimage sites. Many of the pilgrims who go there are devout Buddhists, but others are families or farmers praying for good fortune and prosperity.
Outside of festival season (February-April), Perfume Pagoda is a peaceful, spiritual escape surrounded by karst peaks and quiet waterways.
Gateway to the Perfume Pagoda complex (mauriziobiso_1/DepositPhotos)
How to get there:
Perfume Pagoda is 60 km southwest of Hanoi, and public transport for the two-hour drive isn’t convenient. Like Nam Dinh, the first half of the drive is highway but the second half is really nice. Driving by motorbike is recommended if possible, and you should take a Grab Car or Grab Bike if not.
Once you’re there, you’ll have to board a rowboat piloted by a local. You’ll take the boat up the Yen Stream for about 45 minutes through gorgeous river scenery – reed-lined lotus ponds, shrines, temples, and jagged karst cliffs.
If you ask me, it’s the best part of the trip. From there, you can hike up to the main cave pagoda. It takes about an hour and is pretty strenuous, especially if you’re there at midday, so you can take a cable car up instead. The view from the cable car is great, too.
Best activities there:
- Explore the caves: Huong Tich cave is the headliner and the one you’ll be ushered to first (for good reason; the incense smoke, Buddha statues, and rock formations create an intoxicating atmosphere). But there are some other really cool caves too, with my favorite being Long Van. It’s nowhere near as big as Huong Tich, but it has a more peaceful atmosphere because of it. Make sure to explore every nook and cranny.
- Eat: At the wharf where you get off the boat, there are lots of vendors selling local specialties. thịt dê (mountain goat meat), rau rừng (mountain vegetables), and mía đá are must-tries.
Local tip: Make sure to order “phở bò” (beef phở) in a local stall rather than a touristy restaurant to taste it the way locals do. Nam Định’s phở has a lighter, sweeter broth than Hanoi’s and typically uses hand-cut rice noodles.
Again, Nam Dinh has next to no tourist infrastructure so is difficult to navigate for all but the most adventurous travellers. In most cases, I’d recommend booking this Nam Dinh day tour from Hanoi.
Which Hanoi day trip is right for you?
Of course, it’d be best if you could accomplish four or five of these over the course of 10-20 days. If you only have time for one or two, though, I’d recommend:
- Ninh Binh overall
- Tam Dao for those who love mountain towns
- Ba Vi for nature lovers
- Duong Lam for cultural immersion travellers
- Nam Dinh for foodies
- Perfume Pagoda for spiritual culture buffs
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