The Best Day Trips from Hanoi

The infamous Skull Island in Ninh Binh

If you want to spend much time exploring the traditional cultures and the natural landscapes in the North of Vietnam, these are the best day trips from Hanoi you should not miss. Besides, these beautiful places often attract numerous travelers to Vietnam every year. Get away from the hectic city scenes and contemplate the mesmerizing landscapes at these best day trips from Hanoi.

Map of Day Trips from Hanoi:

Hanoi Day Trip to Tam Coc - Ninh Binh

The beautiful season to see the natural wonders in Tam Coc is at the end of May and beginning of June. At around this time, the weather is perfect for a day trip from Hanoi, and the sun shines on ripened golden paddy fields. The peace and charm of the natural landscape will make you stunned with amazement.

Tam Coc is about 110 kilometers from Hanoi and located inside of Trang An Landscape Complex. You can get here by private means of transportation such as scooters or cars, or you can take the bus. Most local visitors and backpackers prefer a motorbike to a bus because it is more convenient with the timings. Tam Coc is close enough to Hanoi so that you can spend a day trip to explore, but if you want to spend a night here and visit some other landmarks on the next day, there are some good hostels and hotels for you to choose from. With many caves and mountains, this place is also known as the second Halong Bay of Vietnam. We recommend you take a boat and float down Ngo Dong River for two hours to be fully immersed in the breathtaking scenery.

Transportation to Tam Coc - Ninh Binh

Bus: The private bus costs about VND 150,000/ticket from Hanoi to Tam Coc. The ride is 1 hour 45 minutes each way. Get your ticket here.

Motorbike or scooter: Due to slower traffic, it will be a 3-hour trip from Hanoi to Tam Coc. You can check out some places renting a motorbike in Hanoi. Read more on our Vietnam travel information about driving in Vietnam.

Addresses for motorbike rentals in Hanoi:

52 - 27 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho District, Hanoi
289 Ngoc Thuy, Long Bien District, Hanoi
13 Ngo Huyen, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi

Hanoi Day Trip to Ba Vi National Park

This national park is in Ba Vi District, Hanoi and has a mass area of 114,600,000 square meters. If you are into exploring and taking adventurous trips to the wilderness, then this day trip from Hanoi is for you.

The reason why Ba Vi has become a famous landmark to many visitors not only in Vietnam but also from around the world is the calm and peaceful atmosphere in this mountainous area.

There are 3 massive mountains in the park: Dinh Vua, Tan Vien, and Ngoc Hoa. The Vietnamese myth about Son Tinh and Thuy Tinh are said to have happened in these areas in ancient time.

The entranceway leads to the inside park has a beautiful and romantic walk path with trees and stone light posts. You can enjoy a walk in the cactus garden, stroll down the path on the daisy hill, visit the waterfalls, and explore Ngoc Hoa Cave or the old trees on Tieu Dong Summit.

Ba Vi National Park is about 65 kilometers to the west of Hanoi. You can travel here by motorbike or bus.

Transportation to Ba Vi National Park

Bus: 2 buses take you to Xuan Khanh and then you can change to a motorbike or taxi to Ba Vi National Park, which is 5 kilometers from Xuan Khanh Station.

Bus Route 214: Yen Nghia Station - Xuan Khanh. Ticket price ranges from VND 3,000 to VND 12,000 per ticket
Bus Route 74: My Dinh Station - Xuan Khanh. VND 9,000/ticket.

Motorbike:
It would take about 2 hours to travel to the national park by driving a scooter or motorbike. If you intend to visit Ba Vi National Park in a day, it is more convenient to travel on Thang Long highway because it is the shortest way. You will also need to keep in mind that traffic could be complicated so make sure to have a map with you or a data plan to use Google maps. Read more about SIM cards and mobile data plan in Vietnam.

Entrance ticket: VND 60,000/ticket for adults
VND 30,000/ticket for the elderly or the disabled

Hanoi Day Trip to Trang An and Bai Dinh Temple

Trang An is a famous ecotourism destination in Ninh Binh. It has an amazing landscape created from mountain areas, caves, forests, valleys, and streams. Water surrounds the area, so the best way to travel around Trang An Landscape Complex is by boats or sampan. If you can't swim, you should rent a life jacket. The fee for rental would depend on the time of the year when you visit. You should avoid peak seasons like national holidays to save money and avoid the crowd. Usually, it is VND 150,000/person for 3 hours on the boat and you will visit 6 - 9 caves.

As a UNESCO World natural heritage site, the total area is approximately 20,000,000 square meters with many mysterious limestone caves inside ranges of mountains, wild valleys, lakes, lagoons, and mangroves. It is also the natural habitat of many kinds of exotic animals, so you will be surprised and amazed with new things you can discover here. Be sure to bring a camera. Because of its stunning beauty of nature, Trang An was chosen as one of the filming locations for the Hollywood blockbuster Kong: Skull Island.

Bai Dinh Temple is a Buddhist and Cultural Complex. Bai Dinh is the biggest pagoda in Vietnam, and it has the largest bronze Buddha status in Vietnam towering 10 meters and weighing 100 tons. It also has 500 La Han statues. The electric cart to Bai Dinh temple is VND 60,000 for two-way.

Transportation Trang An and Bai Dinh Temple

Bus: Apart from transportation provided by your tour operator, if you go on your own, you can go to Giap Bat or My Dinh bus stations to book a ticket to Ninh Binh Province. It takes about 2 hours or more, depending on the bus stops. Then, you can take a taxi or motorbike taxi to get to Trang An. From Ninh Binh City, you will have to travel about 7 kilometers to get to Trang An and another 7 kilometers to get to Bai Dinh Temple. Get your ticket here.

Motorbike: You will need to travel about 2.5 hours from Hanoi to arrive in Trang An. It is quite a long way for a day trip but it is worth with because of the magnificent view.

Hanoi Day Trip to the Golden Bell Temple and the Crescent Lake in Pho Hien

Pho Hien

If you are not only a traveler but also an explorer of ancient cultures and local traditions in Vietnam, Pho Hien in Hung Yen is a great attraction for you. It is about 60 kilometers from Hanoi. In the 17th century, this place used to be a busy harbor for the Netherlands and the English; it was only second to Thang Long (former name of Hanoi). Many early trades took place in this town, and today you can still find the trace of that commercial harbor of the past in some old architectures. This is also home to many beautiful temples, villages of traditional crafts and natural lakes.

Chuong Temple/Golden Bell Temple

Because there is a golden bell worshipped by the locals here, it is called the Bell Temple. A myth said that there was a massive flood happened in this town many years ago. Then, one day, everyone saw a golden bell flooding on a stream. Many people swam and tried to take it out of the flood, but they were not able to do that because it was cumbersome. The chief of the village prayed to God and surprisingly, the bell was easily taken by a group of 5 women and 5 men. Many people believed that God had given them a golden bell and built a temple to put the bell inside for praying.

Nowadays, you can come and explore the temple to learn about Vietnamese religious culture and how the Vietnamese people worship and devote to God. Along the hallways inside the temple, you will find many statues with different postures and facial expressions to represent different things. Make sure to check them out on your day trips from Hanoi.

Ho Ban Nguyet

Also known as the Cresent Lake, Ho Ban Nguyet is one of the most valuable historical monuments in Hien Town. Its shape is considered to be the most attractive form of lakes to represent the luxury, romance, and elegance in life. The lake is also a venue for many traditional boat racing or outdoor activities during special occasions of the Lunar calendar, which has become a symbolic icon of Hien Town. If you love to discover and study history, cultures, and customs, this is the place to satisfy your curiosity.

Transportation to Pho Hien

Bus: You can take a bus from Hanoi to Hung Yen. The journey will take 1.5 hours, and tickets cost between VDN 3,000 - 12,000.

Bus Route 208 or route 209: Giap Bat - Hung Yen
Bus Route 205: Luong Yen - Hung Yen

Motorbike or car: This takes 1.5 hours from the center of Hanoi to Hien Town.

Hanoi Day Trip to Thu Sy Fishing-Pot Weaving Village

Located 1.5 hours drive or 60 kilometers from Hanoi, Thu Sy in Hung Yen province is famous for the traditional craftsmanship of fishing pot weaving from bamboo. Passing down from generations, roughly 500 locals who take part in this manual work take around 20 minutes to create a finished pot and it can be sold for around VND 10,000. This could be a primary source of income for villagers.

Find a hotel to stay on your day trips from Hanoi:

Hanoi Day Trip to Tam Dao

Another place that you should spend your day trips from Hanoi to discover is Tam Dao. The French found Tam Dao at the end of the 19th century. The natural area was then replaced by an exclusive resort with 200 restaurants, hotels, sports grounds, pools, and clubs. However, unfortunately, the resort could not remain until today like many other architectures built by the French in Vietnam. Many trees cover Tam Dao Town that produces fresh air, cool temperatures, and a peaceful vibe. The weather in this area is similar to that in Dalat and Sapa with the average temperature of about 18-degree Celsius all year round. Therefore, you could easily experience all four seasons in a day as if you were traveling to Dalat or Sapa.

Where should you visit when visiting Tam Dao?

Ba Chua Thuong Ngan Temple

 

Ba Chua Thuong Ngan Temple is in the middle of Thien Thi’s mountainside. From the foot of the mountain, you will have to climb a 200-stone-step staircase to reach the temple. The beautiful temple welcomes a lot of visitors to Tam Dao throughout the year. Instead of climbing to the broadcast tower at the top of Thien Thi Mountain to experience seeing Tam Dao from above, visiting the temple to discover and enjoy the landscape from here is another option for you.

Thac Bac Waterfall

From the center of the town, take a right turn and follow a small path going down a valley and you will find a beautiful waterfall hidden deep inside the mountain. The way to the waterfall is a little bit tricky because there are many steep stone steps, but it is not too long. The exhilarating landscape could bring you a tranquil mind and worth all of that difficulty and endurance finding your way in. If you love nature, put this on your bucket list for a day trips from Hanoi and enjoy the sound of water falling from heights and sound of winds traveling through the forest.

Old Stone Cathedral



This Cathedral was built in 1906 and rebuilt in 1937 and finished with Gothic architecture that is 26 meters in length and 11 meters in width. After the French - Vietnamese war, most French-built structures, especially mansions, in Tam Dao areas collapsed. It was not until recently that the ancient stone church received preservation and reinforcement.

Transportation to Tam Dao:

Tam Dao is about 80 kilometers from Hanoi, so you can travel there by scooters, private transfer, taxi, or bus.

Bus: This is a safer and cheaper alternative for many Vietnamese visitors, but they will need to take three buses from Hanoi.

Starting with bus route 7 (Cau Giay - Noi Bai International Airport), get off at Me Linh Plaza to take the Vinh Phuc bus route 1 (Me Linh Plaza - Hop Thinh Gas Station), get off at Vinh Yen station. Finally, take Vinh Phuc bus route 7 (Vinh Yen - Tay Thien), get off at 2B Highway and catch a taxi or motorbike taxi to Tam Dao Town.

Motorbikes or scooter:
You have to spend about 1.5 hours to get to Tam Coc from Hanoi by motorbikes. The route is a bit complicated so make sure to use a map before hitting the road.

From Hanoi, follow the way leading to Thang Long bridge and just go forward until you meet a crossroad (Bac Thang Long Hanoi street and AH 14), then turn left to Hanoi - Lao Cai highway. After 25 kilometers, you would see a roundabout at Vinh Phuc area, turn right and follow 2B Highway. The roundabout is about 20 kilometers from Tam Dao resort.

Hanoi Day Trip to Halong Bay

Located 4 hours from Hanoi, visiting Halong Bay takes a full day. Learn more about the best time to visit, things to do, and foods to try on our comprehensive Halong Bay Travel Guide.

Get your Hanoi - Halong Bay tickets.

Hanoi Day Trip to the Perfume Pagoda

This day trip is about a 1.5 hours drive or 65 kilometers South of Hanoi. Read more on the Perfume Pagoda, which is one of those amazing Vietnam Pagodas you have to see. 

Find bus tickets online for your day trips from Hanoi:

Summary of The Best Day Trips from Hanoi

A trip to Hanoi offers you a mix of ancient towns and the cosmopolitan, but stepping out to the countryside you will see not only other traditional and historic sites but also the beautiful landscape of nature. Mountains and rivers, jungle and paddies, temples and churches, you will get to see another side of Vietnam besides the crowd and rush in the city. These places are within a day trip from Hanoi, and you can easily travel to these locations in an hour or two by motorbikes or bus.

Plan your day trips from Hanoi with the help of this Vietnam Travel Guide, pack your bag, and get ready for some fantastic and memorable time!

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If your trip includes a visit to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), be sure to check out our highly-rated private Ho Chi Minh tours.