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3 Days in Northern Vietnam: Hanoi, Ninh Binh and Ha Long Bay (with Tour Prices Compared)
A short first trip based in Hanoi's Old Quarter, the plan people keep asking about: one day in the city with a guided street food night, one day trip to Ninh Binh's rice fields and limestone peaks, and one day on the water in Ha Long Bay. Both day trips pick you up in Hanoi, so you can stay in one hotel all three nights. Every paid stop is a tour we compared across booking sites, and the gaps are free time.
Day 1: Hanoi's Old Quarter and a street food night
- Morning: free. Walk around Hoan Kiem Lake and into the Old Quarter's narrow streets. The Temple of Literature is a short taxi ride away (small entry fee; price and hours not checked, unverified).
- Afternoon: free, or see the city by motorbike. If you'd like a local to drive you around, Vietnamtravelers' food and sightseeing motorbike tour was cheapest on GetYourGuide, from $52 (5.0 from 251). Hanoi Backstreet Tours' vintage motorbike tour on Viator was from $55.00 with 7,212 reviews (5.0) and includes Old Quarter hotel pickup, food, drinks, a helmet and a rain poncho. You ride on the back, so you don't need a license. Klook has a similar vintage Minsk tour. It's about 4 hours and includes food, so pick this or the food walk below, not both.
- Evening: street food walk with Train Street. Crossing Vietnam Tour's guided food tour was cheapest on GetYourGuide, from $18 (4.9 from 8,407), against $20.50 for the same company's walk on Viator (5.0 from 1,044). Viator's listing includes five dishes and one drink at Train Street, but not hotel pickup. Ha Food Tours' small-group street food tour on Viator was from $28.00 with 5,506 reviews (5.0), and Klook has a similar Old Quarter food tour.
Day 2: Ninh Binh: Hoa Lu, a Trang An boat ride and Mua Cave
- All day: Ninh Binh from Hanoi. Indochina Today's day trip was cheapest on GetYourGuide, from $47 (4.8 from 11,367). It's about 12 hours with the drive. On Viator, Cozy Vietnam Travel's Hoa Lu, Trang An and Mua Cave day was from $48.00 (4.9 from 2,361) and includes entrance fees, a buffet lunch and the guide. Klook has a similar Ninh Binh day.
- Cheaper option: Easytours24h's Ninh Binh day with a boat and bike ride on Viator was from $38.00 (4.9 from 5,198). It goes to Tam Coc rather than Trang An for the boat ride, judging by its title.
- Evening: free. You'll be back late and tired; a bowl of pho near your hotel is plenty.
Day 3: Ha Long Bay in a day
- All day: Ha Long Bay cruise. Indochina Today's day cruise was cheapest on Viator, from $38.40 (4.9 from 1,500), just under $39 for the same company's day cruise on GetYourGuide (4.8 from 14,448). Viator's listing includes the bay entrance fees, kayaking or a bamboo boat, a set-menu lunch, Ti Top Island and pickup in Hanoi's Old Quarter; drinks are extra. It also says big buses can't enter most of the Old Quarter at rush hour, so you may be asked to walk to a meeting point. Klook has a similar Sunlight Grand day cruise.
- Upgrade: stay the night on the bay (makes this a 4-day trip). Ha Long Bay Lux Cruises' 2-day Ha Long and Lan Ha Bay balcony cruise on GetYourGuide was from $126 (4.8 from 6,172), against $160.00 for the same company's cruise on Viator, whose listing doesn't include the bus from Hanoi. Cozy Bay's all-inclusive overnight cruise on Viator was from $124.00 (4.8 from 2,476), and Klook sells a similar 2-day Aspira cruise.
- Evening: free. Back in Hanoi late; if you skipped the food walk on day 1, the Old Quarter's night food stalls are close to most hotels.
Rough cost per person
| Item | Cheapest site | From |
|---|---|---|
| Hanoi street food walk with Train Street | GetYourGuide | $18 |
| Ninh Binh day: Hoa Lu, Trang An and Mua Cave | GetYourGuide | $47 |
| Ha Long Bay day cruise | Viator | $38.40 |
| Total, paid tours | about $103 |
That's $18 + $47 + $38.40 = $103.40 in "from" prices (US dollars), before taxes, fees, meals outside the tours, drinks, tips, hotel and airport transfers. Taking the $38 Ninh Binh day instead brings it to about $94. Swapping the food walk for the motorbike tour adds $34. Swapping the Ha Long day cruise for the overnight balcony cruise adds $87.60 and a day.
Skip if…
- Skip doing both day trips back to back if you hate long bus days; each is about 12 hours. Pick the one that appeals most and spend the other day in Hanoi.
- Skip the motorbike tour if you're nervous on two wheels; the walking food tour covers the Old Quarter on foot for a lot less.
- Skip the overnight cruise if you're traveling solo on a budget; Viator's listing for the balcony cruise mentions a single supplement and a peak-season surcharge from October 1 to April 30.
- Skip the Ha Giang Loop on a 3-day trip. The cheapest loop we found, ZGO's 3-day easy-rider loop on Viator (from $136.00), takes three days on its own.
A note on the season: cooler in the north
November to February is the cooler, drier time of year in northern Vietnam, and Hanoi can feel chilly and damp in December and January, so bring a light jacket and layers (general guide, unverified). Winter can also bring mist or haze on Ha Long Bay, which softens the views (unverified). If you're traveling over Lunar New Year (Tet) in February 2027, expect surcharges: Viator's Ninh Binh day lists one for February 5–8, 2027, and the Ha Long day cruise charges US$10 extra over the holiday. Free cancellation is common: every Viator listing in our comparison gives a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours ahead. Check each GetYourGuide and Klook listing for its own terms.
See every price, rating and site side by side, including Saigon, Hoi An and Da Nang, in the full Vietnam this winter tours comparison.