Daytime
Enter by day at Dong Xuan or Hang Ma; walk one direction through Hang Dao / Hang Bac / the memorial house — no lane backtracking. Do not drag luggage into narrow alleys; keep silk on one Hang Gai corridor. West Lake and the mausoleum are not add-ons to this day list.
Night
Night is separate: one bia hơi round or the weekend night market — pick one. Train Street only if open and managed; trackside seating often closes and rules change — stay off rails, do not chase trains. Do not bolt Beer Street / Train Street onto a Ba Dinh morning.