6 Best Day Trips from Hanoi: Get Off the Beaten Path
Discover the most exciting day trips from Hanoi. Explore national parks and nature reserves, ancient villages, and more.
The rich history and culture of Hanoi make it a magnet for travelers in Vietnam. But it is also a gateway to some off-the-beaten-path experiences. Just a short drive away, ancient villages and lush parks and preserves are calling to you. When you’re ready to take a break from the hustle and bustle of Vietnam’s capital city, you will need to decide where to visit around Hanoi. To make it easy to plan your trip, here are some of the best day trips from Hanoi.
Source: Unsplash
Discover Kim Lan Pottery Village
Just outside of Hanoi, near Bat Trang and the Ecopark Township, a sky-blue ornamental gate leads you to Kim Lan pottery village on the Red River bank. This village is one of the cultural treasures of Hanoi that the majority of tourists have no idea even exists.
Stepping into this ancient village is experiencing a piece of living history. During the 13th and 14th centuries, Kim Lan became a prominent hub for crafting and exporting ceramic goods. From the 17th century onwards, the village abandoned pottery. But over the last few decades, residents have picked up the craft of their ancestors, again transforming the village into a haven for crafters.
Hundreds of households in Kim Lan now craft pottery and porcelain goods, many with their own kilns. When you visit the village, you will not only have a chance to watch artisans at work, but also learn about the long-standing story of pottery-making tradition passed through generations.
Since most tourists miss out on Kim Lan, the village has a peaceful air of focus and creativity. That makes one of the best day trips from Hanoi that very few people know about.
Explore Ninh Binh with E-Bikes
When it comes to where to visit around Hanoi, this is one of the most popular areas to explore, with attractions like the Trang An Scenic Complex and Tam Coc, known as “Ha Long Bay on Land”.
Some attractions in Ninh Binh are pretty crowded, but there are plenty of opportunities to discover hidden gems. Riding around the province on an e-bike lets you explore at your own pace, accessing some lesser-known destinations and avoiding the crowds.
Take an effortless ride along a short, easy route through the Tran Dynasty’s historic sites. The winding roads lead you through authentic villages and natural splendor. Next, take your e-bike west of Tam Coc to explore a dramatic landscape dominated by karst mountains. Some sections of the road along this route are paved. Others are dirt, but still safe to ride on. Along the way, you’ll see flood fields, lotus ponds, local graveyards, and serene temples. Every sight you discover along this route feels like unearthing a treasure.
Visit Duong Lam Ancient Village
About an hour and a half away from Hanoi is the Duong Lam ancient village. This is a working village that has still retained its authentic character.
Source: Vinwonders
Duong Lam’s history dates back 1,200 years. It was the first village in Vietnam to be declared a National Heritage village. Time may not have stood still here, but as you walk around the village and meet the friendly locals, you will discover many threads from the past woven into the present. The villagers here still follow ancient customs and traditions, and keep ancient arts like incense-making or fermented bean sauce alive.
Source:VOV
The past is also preserved here in the traditional dwellings featuring wood frames, laterite stone, and sloping rooftops.
Source: Local Vietnam
If you are lucky enough to visit while one of Duong Lam’s annual festivals is going on, you are in for a treat. The most famous is the Vietnamese Village Tet festival to welcome the Lunar New Year. During Tet, the village is decorated with colorful flowers and branches. There’s a special market, art performances, folk games, and even delicious cuisine that is traditionally served during this holiday. A special Tet event in 2024 attracted around 15,000 participants, each returning home with memories of the joyous occasion and the rich traditions of the Duong Lam villagers.
Source: Hanoi Times
Take a Hands-on Vietnamese Cooking Class by The Red River Delta
There is a great variety of cooking classes in Hanoi. Still, very few (or even none) offer a private cooking class in an Indochina-style homestay villa on the Red Riverbank, like Tấm Cuisine. What makes this class outstanding is also the cooking instructor, the talented Hanoi housewives who are known as the masters of the kitchen. They are experts at choosing the best ingredients from the market, balancing ingredients, flavors and dishes, and incorporating the yin and yang philosophy that is essential in Vietnamese cuisine.
Source: DCT Responsible Travel
The cooking classes start with a visit to a local market, where you’ll learn how to pick sustainable, delicious local ingredients. As you learn how to prepare traditional dishes, you’ll be able to enjoy working in a beautiful kitchen with a view of the Red River Delta.
The hosts are very welcoming and will make you feel like family as they answer your questions about Vietnamese cooking and teach you advanced techniques. The whole experience is tailored to each guest. They can accommodate your skill level as well as any special dietary requirements.
Source: tamcuisine.vn
What will you be cooking and eating at Tam Cuisine? Any authentic Hanoi dish would do. From popular ones like Pho or Nem (Fried Spring Rolls) to traditional home meals, get ready to indulge in authentic Hanoi cuisine in this beautiful French villa. The seasonal menu can change depending on when you visit, so two visits to Tam Cuisine in different seasons can feature very different experiences.
Source: tamcuisine.vn
Whether you are a practised chef yourself or you are a complete novice to cooking, by the time you leave, you’ll be ready to prepare these tasty dishes when you return home from your trip.
Source: tamcuisine.vn
Trek Cuc Phuong National Park
Source: Local Vietnam
No list of off-the-beaten-path day trips from Hanoi would be complete without paying a visit to Cuc Phuong National Park. In this lush natural sanctuary, you’ll be able to relax in a botanical garden, hike or cycle through dense rainforest to the musical calls of over 300 species of tropical birds, explore ancient archaeological sites in mysterious limestone caves, and get to know the friendly locals in ethnic villages.
Source: HVG travel Vietnam
Although the park is world-famous and quite popular, there are plenty of secluded spots where you can leave the tourists behind and immerse yourself in the wonders of nature.
Source: GetYourGuide
Wildlife lovers should also pay a visit to the Endangered Primate Resource Center (more on that shortly), as well as the Turtle Conservation Center and the Carnivore and Pangolin Conservation Center. You can visit any of the 43 identified biodiversity hotspots in the park for a chance to spot birds, amphibians, reptiles, primates, and insects.
Source: Vietnam Travel
As the drive between the park and Hanoi can take several hours in each direction, you may want to stay overnight at the park guesthouse or one of the village homestays to immerse yourself longer in the experience.
Source: Cuc Phuong National Park
Try and visit between November and February so you can avoid peak heat and rain. But there is a treat for those who come in April and May, when butterflies breed in the park by the millions. Everywhere you look, you’ll be mesmerized by the fluttering of countless wings signaling nature’s promise of renewal.
Source: WANEE Vietnam
Meet Endangered Primates: The Treasure of Van Long Nature Reserve
Source: VinWonders
During your visit to Vietnam, make sure you do not miss out on the rare chance to see a remarkable dark bluish grey primate you can’t see anywhere else. These adorable critters sport white fuzz on the sides of their faces and distinctive white sections of fur around their hips resembling trousers. This is Delacour’s langur, an endangered species that nearly went extinct, and which resides only in Vietnam.
Source: Ecoguidevietnam.com
In fact, it was believed that Delacour’s langurs might have died out completely until German wildlife enthusiast Tilo Nadler quit his job, moved to Vietnam, and rediscovered them after many hard treks deep into the rainforest. He founded the Endangered Primate Rescue Center in Cuc Phuong National Park to rescue these vulnerable langurs and other primates in need.
Source: Vietnam.vn
While in the Van Long Nature Reserve, you can head out on a boat ride for a chance to spot the langurs. There are around 250 individuals living in the reserve. Marvel at the limestone mountains and lush foliage as you use binoculars to scan your surroundings. You’ll have the best chances in early morning or late afternoon, especially during the cooler, drier months from November through April. With a bit of luck, you may get to see these beautiful primates at home in the wild.
Source: Golden Holiday Travel
