Hanoi

Hanoi, Northern Vietnam

Vietnam’s capital has been a city for over a thousand years, and it wears that age lightly: French villas next to shophouses, a lake in the middle of the old town, and a street-food culture that changes every few hundred metres.

Highlights

  • The Old Quarter, 36 streets each once given over to a single trade, best seen on foot in the early morning or after dark
  • Hoan Kiem Lake, Ngoc Son Temple and the red Huc Bridge in the centre of the city
  • Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Presidential Palace grounds and the One Pillar Pagoda in Ba Dinh Square
  • The Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first university, founded in 1070
  • Tran Quoc Pagoda on West Lake, and the water puppet theatre near Hoan Kiem Lake

Best time to visit

Autumn (September to November) and spring (March to April) are the most comfortable. Winter is cool and often grey; June to August is hot and humid with afternoon rain.

Getting there

Noi Bai International Airport is about 45 minutes from the centre. Hanoi is the starting point for Ha Long Bay (about 2.5 hours by road), Ninh Binh (about 1.5–2 hours) and the night buses and trains to Sapa and Ha Giang.

How long to stay

Two to three days.

Where to stay

Most travellers stay in the Old Quarter or around Hoan Kiem Lake, where the sights, restaurants and the night market are within walking distance. The French Quarter nearby is quieter and has the grand old hotels; West Lake is calmer still, about 15 minutes from the centre.

What to eat

Pho, bun cha (grilled pork with rice noodles), banh cuon, cha ca (turmeric fish with dill) and bun rieu. Finish with egg coffee, a Hanoi invention from the 1940s, or a glass of bia hoi on a street corner.

Good to know

  • Getting around: ride-hailing apps (Grab, Be), taxis, electric buses and cyclos in the Old Quarter.
  • Autumn and spring are the pleasant seasons; winter is cool and grey, summer hot with afternoon rain.

Combine with

Ha Long Bay · Ninh Binh · Sapa · Mai Chau

Tours that visit Hanoi

See HYNA tours in Hanoi

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