Hey everyone!
I am planning a 4-day trip to Hanoi in mid-November with a few of my friends and would like to seek some advice and opinion regarding our and plans.
As of today or the past week, how is the state of Hanoi and popular neighbouring day trip locations such as Ha Long Bay and Ninh Binh? Are the effects and after-effects of the typhoon still present? Will it still be safe to visit in mid-November, and will any activities be off-limits?
Is the Hanoi weekend night market worth visiting? Any particular shops to look out for, and can it be "completed" in one night?
Would three full days be sufficient to take in the main sights? Here are some of the places we plan to visit:
West Lake area: Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, Tran Quoc pagoda, Quan Thanh temple, Thang Long citadel, military museum
Old Quarter area: Train street, temple of literature, Hoa Lo prison relic, Ngoc Son temple, Hoan Kiem lake
I am also planning to do a day trip to Ninh Binh (unfortunately not staying overnight due to time constraints). There, I plan to do the Trang An boat tour and the Hang Mua cave hike.
What are the best transport options from Hanoi to Ninh Binh? (we are not staying in a hotel so getting the hotel staff's assistance might not be an option)
I understand that there are multiple options for the boat tour; can someone explain what they are, and which one is generally considered the best?
Can one get to the start of the Hang Mua cave hike if he/she can't cycle? What other options are there?
If we only plan to do these two activities, what would be an advisable time to reach Ninh Binh?
Which of these two sites will make for nicer sunset photographs?
Where can we buy nice and unique souvenirs (magnets, handmade goods, etc) in Hanoi and Ninh Binh?
Thank you all for reading! I am really looking forward to your responses and the trip 🙂
