North Vietnam Free Independent Trip Day 1｜Hanoi Hoan Kiem Lake × Ngoc Son Temple × St. Joseph's Cathedral × First Experience of Water Puppet Show

Spend your first day leisurely exploring Hanoi's Old Quarter, from French colonial architecture to traditional Vietnamese art, visiting classic attractions around Hoan Kiem Lake all in one day. Introduction This day officially launches our North Vietnam adventure! On the evening of 9/20, I boarded a VIP sleeper bus to Hanoi once again. I had specially arranged with the hotel beforehand to keep a room available so I could rest for a bit after arriving in the early morning. This small gesture was truly important—after a long journey, being able to shower and get some sleep makes your mental state completely different. Meanwhile, my family took a Starlux Airlines early morning flight and landed right on time in Hanoi at 10:25. Since we had already arranged it with the travel agency in advance, our driver set off from Hoan Kiem Lake at 10:00 to come pick me up, and together we went to the airport to meet them. It's about a 40-minute drive from Hoan Kiem Lake to the airport, and since we avoided the morning rush hour, there was no traffic at all — we even had time to grab a drink and wait a little after arriving. At 11:30, the family collected their luggage and walked out of the airport terminal, officially kicking off this North Vietnam family trip. Today's Itinerary Arrival at the hotel and lunch: Banh Mi Long Hoi We arrived at the hotel at 12:30 PM. After settling our luggage, I immediately took my family to Banh Mi Long Hoi, located right next to the hotel, to experience one of Vietnam's traditional dishes — French bread, known as Banh Mi.

This restaurant truly didn't disappoint! The whole family unanimously praised the meal as 'absolutely delicious,' and it gave Vietnam an excellent first impression right away. Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple After enjoying our meal and resting a bit, we started strolling around the Hoan Kiem Lake area. Our first stop was Ngoc Son Temple by the lake, one of Hanoi's most iconic historical landmarks. The temple mainly showcases the 'Legend of Hoan Kiem Lake' and a precious sacred turtle specimen, with an entrance fee of 50,000 Vietnamese Dong. Some group members had visited before and didn't go in again, but honestly, it doesn't matter if you skip it—the exterior views are equally captivating. Those who didn't enter the temple took a pleasant walk along the lakeside, watching many Vietnamese people dressed in traditional áo dài taking photos, soaking in the leisurely and delightful atmosphere by the water.

Kem Trang Tien: The Traditional Taste of 1958 Our second stop takes us to Kem Trang Tien Ice Cream, a time-honored shop that first opened its doors back in 1958 and holds a special place in the childhood memories of Hanoi locals. The most highly recommended flavor is Green Rice Ice Cream (Kem cốm), which tastes light and fragrant without being overly sweet — it's one of the must-try desserts when visiting Hanoi.

Third stop: we continue walking to the west side of Hoan Kiem Lake to St. Joseph’s Cathedral. Built in 1888, this French Gothic-style cathedral is one of Hanoi’s most iconic colonial buildings, magnificent and solemn in appearance. Right across from the cathedral is the famous Cong Café, the Vietnamese chain coffee shop that caused a sensation when it opened in Taiwan. The family ordered a coconut milk smoothie coffee and white coffee (Cà phê sữa trắng), and everyone loved them! Plus the prices are only about half of what they are in Taiwan.

Train Street and a Small Regret For our last stop, we took a stroll to Train Street, where we originally planned to wait for the 5 PM train to pass by. However, given our tight schedule and the need to rush back for the 5:20 water puppet show, we had to skip it. Looking back afterward, our itinerary that day was somewhat rushed. It probably would have been more ideal to visit Train Street in the evening after returning from Ninh Binh.

Water Puppet Show: Vietnamese Traditional Art After 12 years, I watched the Hanoi Water Puppet Show again. This time I bought tickets on Klook, choosing middle-row seats with audio guide. The ticket price was around 286 Taiwan dollars. At first, I couldn't find the ticket exchange location, and the ticket counter staff directed me to a small counter next to them. The staff member was even playing a mobile game on the side (haha).

Water puppetry is a traditional folk performance art of Vietnam that has been passed down for thousands of years, with puppeteers manipulating the puppets on water using bamboo poles and ropes. The audio guide is not real-time translation but rather a brief summary of the plot; this time, as my Vietnamese had improved, I could mostly understand the story. Even though my family members don't understand Vietnamese, they all thought the performance was adorable and entertaining—it's definitely a classic Hanoi experience worth trying.

Dinner: L'essence De Cuisine Dinner was arranged at L'essence De Cuisine, a new restaurant I discovered this year. This restaurant presents Vietnamese cuisine with French standards—whether in terms of ambiance, service, or food quality, everything is quite satisfying. The average cost per person is about 340,000 Vietnamese Dong (approximately 400 Taiwan dollars), offering excellent value for money!

Relaxing Evening: Hanoi Old Quarter Spa After dinner, the family couldn't wait to try out a Vietnamese-style massage. On the recommendation of our travel agency, we headed to Hanoi Old Quarter Spa. I chose the "deep tissue massage," which actually felt pretty similar to a regular Vietnamese massage, but the price was reasonable—one hour of massage including tip came to 460,000 VND (about NT$550).

Summary: A perfectly balanced first day I was originally worried that just wandering around Hoan Kiem Lake might get boring, but the itinerary turned out to be full yet relaxed. From a stroll by the lake to ice cream, a church, coffee, an evening show, and finally finishing off with a massage. Before I knew it, we were out exploring until almost 11pm — this kind of pace was just right, making it a perfect warm-up for the first day of a self-guided trip to Hanoi! Next post →Northern Vietnam Free Travel Day 2 | From Hanoi to Sapa × Visiting Cat Cat Village × Overlooking the Beautiful Terraced Rice Fields 🔗 Further Reading | Northern Vietnam Free Travel Series 【Travel Diary】 Northern Vietnam Free Travel Day 1 | Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi × Ngoc Son Temple × St. Joseph's Cathedral × First Experience of the Water Puppet Show North Vietnam Self-Guided Tour Day 2 | Departing from Hanoi to Sapa × Visiting Cat Cat Village × Overlooking Stunning Terraced Rice Fields North Vietnam Self-Guided Tour Day 3 | Climbing Fansipan, the Roof of Vietnam × Challenging the Rong May Glass Bridge Above the Clouds North Vietnam Self-Guided Tour Day 4 | Sapa Trekking × Mountain Forests and Terraced Fields × Visiting Ethnic Minority Villages North Vietnam Self-Guided Tour Day 5 | Passing Through Yao Ethnic Villages × Bamboo Forest Trails × Hidden Waterfall Secret Spots Northern Vietnam Backpacking Day 6 | Crossing the Yao-Miao Ethnic Protected Area, Farewells in the Mist Northern Vietnam Backpacking Day 7 | One-Day Ninh Binh Adventure: Trang An Boat Cruise × Mua Cave Trekking × Thung Nham Bird Sanctuary [Complete Northern Vietnam Travel Guide Summary] Hanoi Complete Travel Guide | Must-Visit Attractions × Itinerary Planning × Extended Northern Vietnam Exploration (2025 Updated) Vietnam Sapa Travel Guide | Northern Vietnam Rice Terraces and Ethnic Minority Culture Hidden Gems Ha Long Bay Travel Guide: One-Day Itinerary, Best Season, and Classic Attractions Vietnam's Ha Long Bay World Cultural Heritage Site: Best Time to Visit and a Recommended Three-Day Itinerary