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Hanoi Travel Itinerary 2 Weeks From Mrs Sabrina's Perspective

Travel to Vietnam this time, my Hanoi itinerary for 2 weeks was more than just a trip, it was a journey of discovery, emotion, and connection. Hanoi, the vibrant capital of Vietnam, reveals itself slowly through its narrow streets, colorful markets, and warm smiles. Spending 2 weeks in Hanoi allowed me to experience its unique rhythm, where tradition and modernity blend in harmony. In this Hanoi travel itinerary 2 weeks, I share my favorite experiences and insights to help you plan your own adventure. From street food delights to peaceful lakes and timeless temples, you’ll find endless inspiration if you’re wondering what to do in Hanoi for two unforgettable weeks.

I. Why choose Hanoi travel itinerary 2 weeks?

Having visited Vietnam several times before, this time I wanted something deeper, more personal, more human. Together with my husband and two children, we decided to dedicate 2 weeks in Hanoi and its surroundings to truly understand this fascinating region.

We trusted Autour Asia - local travel agency in Vietnam known for its customized tours and deep local expertise. Their team created a Hanoi travel itinerary 2 weeks perfectly balanced between culture, nature, local crafts, and relaxation.

We didn’t just want to visit Hanoi, we wanted to live it. To feel its rhythm, meet its people, and share genuine family moments. Between age-old traditions and modern life, this experience became unforgettable.

II. What's the weather like in Hanoi in 2 weeks?

Our two-week trip in Hanoi took place in September, the transition between the rainy season and autumn. The weather was pleasantly warm, around 27-31°C (80-88°F), with occasional refreshing showers.

Mornings were wrapped in soft golden light over the lakes and narrow streets. Afternoons invited us into cozy cafés filled with the aroma of Vietnamese coffee. Evenings brought a gentle breeze, perfect for walks around Hoan Kiem lake.

Autour Asia had advised us well: pack light clothes, a rain jacket, and a hat for sunny days. These small tips made every moment enjoyable, even the rain added a touch of romance to our 2 weeks in Hanoi.

III. What to do in Hanoi in 2 weeks? Our detailed itinerary

Days 1-2: Discovering Hanoi - The beating heart of Vietnam

During the first few days of our 2-week Hanoi itinerary, we took the time to get to know the capital. Hanoi doesn’t reveal itself right away, it must be observed, listened to, and slowly embraced. In the mornings, we wandered through Hanoi Old Quarter in relative silence, before the city’s traffic came alive. The children laughed as they counted the scooters gliding by like perfectly choreographed waves.

We spent hours at the Temple of Literature, listening to guides recount the stories of Vietnam’s first university. I loved the serenity of the place such a striking contrast to the energy of the city center.

What to do in Hanoi in 2 weeks? Next, we let ourselves get lost in the narrow streets around Hoan Kiem Lake. An old man invited us to try his egg coffee creamy, warm, and as comforting as a childhood memory. Amid the symphony of honking horns and street vendors’ calls, we realized that Hanoi’s beauty doesn’t lie in its monuments, but in its everyday life.

During our Hanoi 2-week travel itinerary with Autour Asia, the children were mesmerized by a traditional water puppet show. They didn’t understand the words, yet their eyes followed the graceful movements of the puppets, the rhythm of the traditional music, and the gentle glow reflecting on the water. Vietnam revealed itself to them, no translation needed.

Days 3-5: Visiting Hanoi’s traditional villages

After experiencing the bustle of Hanoi, we wanted to see what lay just beyon, those villages that still preserve their traditional crafts and the slower rhythm of life before the noise.

In Duong Lam ancient village, about an hour’s drive from the city, we walked among red laterite houses where time seemed to stand still. An elderly woman opened her door to us, offered us green tea, and laughed as she watched our children taste her puffed rice.

During our two-week trip in Hanoi, we enjoyed a homemade lunch: simple dishes of stir-fried vegetables, crispy tofu, clear soup, and, most memorably, soy sauce, a local specialty of Duong Lam served in enamel bowls. Nothing fancy, but filled with a flavor of hospitality one never forgets.

What to do in Hanoi in 2 weeks? Another day, we explored Bat Trang pottery village, where potters’ hands are covered in clay, and Quang Phu Cau village, where thousands of incense sticks dry under the sun in brilliant red circles; and Chuong Village, where artisans still hand-weave traditional conical hats.

What to do in Hanoi in 2 weeks? Our children shaped their own small clay bowls clumsy but proud; they watched women weaving mats while softly humming, and I felt that this journey was becoming a lesson in respect: respect for the wisdom of ancient crafts.

Days 6-8: The Northern valleys - Mai Chau and Pu Luong

Leaving Hanoi for the mountains is like changing the rhythm of your breathing. In Mai Chau, the road winds through the hills before opening onto a valley carpeted with rice fields. We spent the night in a stilt house, the children under mosquito nets, mesmerized by the sounds of the night crickets, and the soft rain tapping on the bamboo roof.

During our Hanoi travel itinerary 2 weeks, we cycled slowly along dirt paths, passing buffaloes and village children who greeted us with laughter. A woman taught us how to weave; an old man showed us how to recognize ripe rice by its scent. In the evening, we shared a simple dinner: sticky rice, grilled chicken, and vegetables from the garden,... When the villagers began to dance in a circle, our children instinctively joined them.

A few hours farther, in Pu Luong, we discovered an almost secret Vietnam hills draped in rice terraces, crystal-clear rivers, and villages floating in the morning mist. The morning walk through the fields will stay forever in my memory. We didn’t speak; we simply breathed.

Days 9-10: Sa Pa and the ethnic communities of North Vietnam

As part of our Hanoi 2-week itinerary, when the night train slowed down in the morning mist of Sapa, it felt as if we were entering another world. The mountains rose through the pale light, the terraced rice fields climbed like steps toward the sky, and the Hmong women, dressed in their intricately embroidered garments, looked as though they had stepped straight out of a dream.

We hiked the trails of Lao Chai Ta Van, guided by a young woman from the village. The children learned a few words in Hmong and tasted wild fruits picked along the way. What to do in Hanoi 2 weeks trip? At noon, a family welcomed us to share a simple yet generous meal: fragrant rice, fresh herbs, and green tea. The smiling father showed us how to crush indigo leaves to dye fabric. He laughed as our clumsy fingers turned blue.

Travel to Vietnam this time, what I felt there was the power of silence, the wind whispering through bamboo, the distant cry of a bird, the soft sound of our steps on damp earth. Everything seemed to slow down, to become more real.

Day 11-14: Ninh Binh and Halong Bay - Return to Hanoi. End of trip

After the mountains, the plains greeted us with golden light. In Ninh Binh - often called "Halong bay inland", we boarded a small wooden sampan rowed by a woman using her feet. She glided between limestone peaks and flooded rice fields, as the morning sunlight cast silky reflections across the water. We passed beneath low caves, holding our breath, the children whispering in awe at the magic of the place.

We climbed the Mua Cave, the effort was real, but the reward… immense. From the top, the valley stretched endlessly, serene and radiant. That evening at the lodge, we enjoyed a simple, joyful dinner: grilled fish, fresh vegetables, cold beer for the parents, fruit juice for the children. It was one of the most peaceful nights of the journey.

The final stop of our Hanoi 2-week itinerary was the Halong Bay. After so many roads and rice fields, the sea awaited us. We boarded a small wooden junk boat, cozy and welcoming. The bay unfolded slowly, revealing hundreds of limestone karsts rising from emerald waters. We kayaked through a quiet cove, swam between the rocks, and explored a cave sculpted by time.

Dinner was served on the deck under the soft glow of lanterns. The sky darkened gently, the children fell asleep with their heads resting in our arms. And I thought perhaps this is what perfection in travel feels like: a suspended moment, when everyone is there, happy, calm, simply present.

IV. What to eat and where to stay in 2-week in Hanoi?

What we appreciated most during our 2 weeks in Hanoi was how Autour Asia carefully chose places that each told a story about the country. Every accommodation felt like a continuation of our journey, a new page in our travel diary.

What to do in Hanoi in two weeks? We tasted the city’s must-try dishes: pho, bun cha, nem ran, and other must-try food in Hanoi served in lively alleys where every aroma and every smile seemed to belong to the scenery itself. As we moved along winding roads, Vietnam revealed a wilder, more authentic side.

Throughout our Hanoi 2-week trip, between the mountains of Mai Chau, Pu Luong, and Sapa, our nights in wooden eco-lodges on stilts offered complete tranquility: the song of insects, the cool morning air, the mist clinging to the rice fields. We woke to birdsong, and the children would run barefoot through the fields at dawn.

In the evenings, around the fire, locals sang traditional songs and shared rượu cần - a rice wine sipped through long bamboo straws. Every meal was a celebration: bamboo-grilled chicken, sticky rice, sautéed vegetables, ginger soup,.. honest, vibrant flavors that reflected the warmth of the people who welcomed us.

Finally, to close our journey, Halong Bay received us like a waking dream. The night aboard our wooden junk boat, rocked by the whisper of the wind and the gentle lapping of waves, was perhaps the most beautiful of all. Under the lantern light, we enjoyed a candlelit dinner: steamed fish, grilled shrimp, fresh squid… Everything felt unreal, suspended between sea and sky.

From one place to another, Autour Asia allowed us to discover two weeks in Hanoi and beyond not as mere visitors, but as welcomed guests. Each stop had its own soul, each meal its own story together, they wove the memory of a deeply human journey, filled with harmony and tenderness.

V. 2 Weeks in Hanoi - What should you keep in mind?

If you’re planning a Hanoi travel itinerary 2 weeks, here are a few of our personal tips for a truly successful journey:

• Keep a gentle pace: alternate busy sightseeing days with moments of rest in your 2 weeks in Hanoi.
• Stay in the city center for the first three days to explore Hanoi’s main attractions on foot.
• Dedicate a full day to visiting the craft villages cultural gems that are often overlooked.
• September in Vietnam is a great time to visit, but always keep an umbrella handy! Check more about Vietnam weather by month
• Travel light: laundry services are available in most hotels, so there’s no need to overpack.
• Don’t fear the rain: in September, the short showers are part of the charm, they wash away the dust and make the light even more beautiful.
• Embrace the unexpected: in Hanoi, the most memorable moments are often unplanned, a conversation, a smile, the scent of food drifting through the air.

And above all, trust a local agency like Autour Asia. They know the best places, the ideal timing, and adapt every detail to each family’s rhythm and wishes.

Our 2 weeks in Hanoi were so much more than an itinerary, it was a cultural immersion, a family adventure, and an authentic experience in the heart of the Land of the Dragon. Each day brought new emotions, from living traditions to breathtaking landscapes and genuine encounters. The Hanoi weather was mild and pleasant, making every discovery even more enjoyable. From bustling markets to peaceful villages, everything radiated simplicity and beauty. This Hanoi travel itinerary 2 weeks left us with unforgettable memories and the deep feeling that this city is not just a place to visit, but a place to live, to feel, and to carry within your heart long after you’ve left.