Discover the best things to do in Hanoi with our expert guides. There is a never-ending list of activities to do in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam.
This captivating place has etched its way through history, beating everything that was thrown at it. Hanoi has retained the breath of the Indochinese armies, the French colonial era and also endures the Vietnam War.
Today, this amazing city has a wonderful mix of ancient and modern. It’s this wonderful mix, plus a great number of things to do in Hanoi, that makes visiting the city so enjoyable. In case you are considering where to go in Vietnam, make sure Hanoi is on your list!
Here are the top 25 best things to do in Hanoi, Vietnam.
1. Walk the streets of the old quarter
The Old Quarter is one of the two most notable neighborhoods in Hanoi. It is a business center and also a notable place among tourists. Discovering the old quarter of Hanoi, you must choose the option of resisting traffic like locals would and experiencing history on the go.
Filled with French colonial architecture, pagodas and Buddhist shrines, you will have to lose all sense of direction on its streets. The boulevards are named after businesses that were established over 1,000 years ago.
Most of these areas used to be craft shops, but now a ton of them have morphed into something commercial. Indeed, even now, you can in any case discover shops owned by people in the same family for a long time, selling unique Vietnamese handicrafts.
2. Take a walk around Hoan Kiem Lake
This lake takes its name (lake of the restored sword) from a legend. A story in ancient times which claimed the emperor sent from heaven Le Thai to a sword with supernatural properties. He used this sword to expel the Chinese from Vietnam. At the end of the war, a giant golden turtle took the sword and dove into the lake to return the sword to its heavenly owners, hence the name Restored Sword Lake.
In case you are not amused by the legends, don’t worry that the lake is unique for different things too. THE Hoan Kiem Lake is a mainstream among Hanoians as a place for social events for families, nature lovers and for young people to spend time with friends. If you want to experience it the same way as the locals, arrive at 6am and practice Tai Chi with them.
An ideal time to visit is Friday to Sunday as traffic is prohibited from 7 p.m. to midnight, making it an oasis of peace.
3. Visit Ngoc Son Temple
In case the lake itself isn’t enough to satisfy your interest, try visiting Ngoc Son Temple, a pagoda surrounded by Hoan Kiem Lake. It was built to commemorate the 13th-century Tran Hung Dao, a valiant military leader who fought against the Yuan Dynasty.
The island on which the pagoda is built is known as Jade Island and is accessible by the famous Rising Sun Bridge. The bridge is made of wood and colored red in the traditional Vietnamese way. The pagoda and the lake are probably the most famous places to visit in Hanoi. It’s one of those places where you just come to sit back, relax and enjoy the joyful calm.
Address: Dinh Tien Hoang, Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem
Hours of operation: Monday to Friday: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday: 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Entrance: 30,000 VND/person.
4. Shopping at Dong Xuan Market
Dong Xuan Market, established in the late 19th century, is located in a four-story communist-style building on the edge of the Old Quarter. Dong Xuan Market in Hanoi is recognized as the busiest market that provides a variety of wholesale products, ranging from foods such as candy, wine, even fresh seafood to clothes, shoes, bags, hats, etc.
At Dong Xuan Market, goods are classified according to the sales area, so it is very convenient for customers to find and buy goods.
In addition, if you are in Hanoi on the weekend, you will have the opportunity to visit Dong Xuan Night Market which is an open-air walking market, open from 7pm to 12:30am every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The market is organized on the streets of Hoan Kiem Lake, passing through Hang Ngang, Hang Dao and Hang Duong streets. The distance between the starting point and the arrival point is about 2 kilometers.
Address: Dong Xuan, Hoan Kiem
Opening hours: Daily: 6am – 6pm
5. St. Joseph Cathedral
St. Joseph Cathedral is a combination of Vietnamese and Western architecture. It was built about 120 years ago, after the French army conquered Hanoi.
The architecture of the cathedral obviously follows the rule of the Gothic style of the Paris Cathedral. The appearance of the cathedral, the doors, the stained glass windows and the religious paintings all follow the Western style. But the interior is decorated in Vietnamese style, with dominant colors of yellow and red.
Address: 40 Nha Chung, Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem
Opening Hours: Monday – Saturday: 8am – 11am, 2pm – 8pm, Sunday: 7am – 11:30am, 3pm – 9pm
Admission: Free
6. Hanoi Opera House
The architecture of this opera house is inspired by the Palais Garnier in Paris. The Hanoi Opera House follows the European style. It has Italian marble floors, ceilings decorated with French murals and copper chandeliers.
It is recognized as one of Hanoi’s most famous architectural and cultural monuments. Nowadays, it has a strong cultural influence and is a center for artistic performances and concerts.
Address: 01 Trang Tien, Phan Chu Trinh
Hours of operation: Monday & Friday: 10:30 a.m. – 11 p.m.
Price range: from 300,000 VND/ticket
7. See a Water Puppet Show
It is an ancient art form dating back to the 11th century. When the rice fields were flooded, the farmers were amused by the catastrophic situation. They stood in the water and attached puppets to fishing rods and played them on the water surface.
Nowadays, shows are performed in a contemporary theater in a swimming pool as a stage for puppets. The puppets are controlled by eight puppeteers hidden behind a bamboo screen.
The shows are usually short sketches where they perform some Vietnamese legends such as the legend of the restored sword of King Le Thai To and the giant golden turtle. Live music plays an important role in the show with singers shouting words of encouragement to the puppets. This is something unique in Vietnamese culture, a highlight not to be missed!
Price : 100,000 VND/person.
8. The Vietnamese Women’s Museum
The stories focus on their role in society, the obstacles they overcame as society changed, and an abundance of information about daily life, such as marriage, motherhood, fashion, and rituals. that change lives. One of the most interesting exhibits focuses on the position women played in the Vietnam Wars.
The museum has posted lots of information about all of its exhibits in French and English. Historical relics that include Taoist books (among other impressive artifacts collected) provide deep insight into a better understanding of the women of Vietnam.
This magnificent modern museum offers a beautiful tribute to Vietnamese women throughout history. It is managed by the Vietnam Women’s Union. The stories featured in the museum focus on the role of women in society, the obstacles they overcame, and plenty of information about daily life such as rituals, marriage, motherhood, and clothing.
Address: 36 Ly Thuong Kiet, Hang Bai, Hoan Kiem
Hours of operation: Tuesday to Sunday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Entrance fees: 30,000 VND/person.
9. Visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
It is the resting place of President Ho Chi Minh, who read the Declaration of Independence and established the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945. The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum was inspired by the Lenin Mausoleum (in Moscow) but with a Vietnamese propensity. The exterior of the mausoleum is gray granite while the interior is black, gray and red polished stone. All materials used for construction were purchased throughout Vietnam.
Wildlife from different regions of Vietnam surrounds the mausoleum. Ho Chi Minh’s embalmed body is located in the central hall of the mausoleum, protected at all times by a military guard.
Address: 2 Hung Vuong, Dien Ban, Ba Dinh
Hours of operation: From April to October: Tuesday – Thursday 7:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m., Saturday and Sunday 7:30 a.m. – 11 a.m. Other months: Tuesday – Thursday 8 a.m. – 11 a.m., Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Price: 40,000 VND/person
10. Visit the One Pillar Pagoda
According to the tale, a hairless emperor dreamed that he met a kind of goddess named Avalokiteshvara who handed him a baby boy while he was sitting on a lotus flower. Emperor Ly Thai Tong wanted the pagoda to be built like the lotus flower and that is why it was built on a single pillar. The lotus flower also symbolizes enlightenment in Buddhism.
Nowadays, the wooden pagoda is supported by a concrete pillar replacing the original one. The original wooden pillar was destroyed by the French. The legend of the pagoda had made it one of the main attractions of Hanoi.
Address: Chua Mot Cot, Doi Can, Ba Dinh
Hours of operation: Every day except Monday and Friday afternoon: morning: 8 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.; afternoon: 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Entrance: free
11. Visit the Temple of Literature
The Temple of Literature is often considered one of the most visited tourist attractions. In 1070, it was built as a university and was dedicated to Confucius and scholars. Fortunately, the building is significantly preserved and is an excellent illustration of traditional Vietnamese architecture.
The temple presents abundant literature, turtle steles as well as the Well of Heavenly Clarity. He contributes a lot to the education and literature of Vietnam. The most acclaimed prize for the most brilliant scholars was to have their names engraved on a stone stele atop a stone turtle. Today, students usually come to pray for their good grades.
Address: 58 Quoc Tu Giam, Van Mieu, Dong Da
Hours of operation: From November to March: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Other months: 7:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Entrance fee: 30,000 VND/person
12. Explore Hoa Lo Prison (The Hanoi Hilton)
Hoa Lo Prison, known as the “Hanoi Hilton”, will make you experience a range of emotions from disgust, sadness to outrage at how something like this could happen.
The museum shows and educates about the suffering of Vietnamese revolutionaries imprisoned under French occupation in the early 20th century. Everything you see in the museum is just a glimpse of the prison, as most of the prison complex was destroyed in the 1990s to make way for the Tower of Hanoi.
It’s strange to have a prison built in the city center. The idea of the French colonial administrators was to make an example for the Vietnamese fighters to achieve independence. Almost all exhibits show that the prison used the Vietnamese uprising against the French for independence. The museum is also the storage place for the most terrible relics, the French guillotine on Vietnamese rebels.
Address: 1 Hoa Lo, Tran Hung Dao, Hoan Kiem
Hours of operation: every day, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Entrance fees: 30,000 VND/person
13. The Vietnam Museum of Fine Arts
This magnificent museum, which was once the French Ministry of Information, contains some of the most remarkable arts throughout the ages, traditional applied art, folk art and Vietnamese ceramic art from the 11th to the 20th centuries .
This is the place to visit, truly appreciate and understand the whole history of Vietnamese fine arts. Fortunately, most exhibits have explanations in English.
Address: 66 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Ba Dinh
Hours of operation: every day, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Entrance fee: 40,000 VND/person
14. Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology acts as a guardian of the cultural diversity of different ethnic groups in Vietnam. Many of these communities collaborate with the museum. They collected works, participated in the process of preparing the exhibition with the aim of preserving cultural heritage and presenting it in a legitimate and authentic way.
The popularity of the Museum is mainly due to the contribution and participation of communities. Vietnam’s extensive collection of ethnic minorities features tribal art, artifacts, and objects used in daily life.
Address: Nguyen Van Huyen, Quan Hoa, Cau Giay
Hours of operation: Tuesday to Sunday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Entrance fees: 40,000 VND/person
15. Visit Thang Long Imperial Citadel
The Thang Long Imperial Citadel, which was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 2010, is an intriguing relic of Vietnamese history and represents its historical and cultural significance. Many artifacts and objects dating from the 6th to the 20th centuries were excavated in 2004, including foundations of ancient palaces, ancient roads, ponds and wells.
Out of these finds, archaeologists have also found bronze coins, ceramics and pottery from China and many locations in Asia, all of which indicate a strong trading relationship in the region. Visitors should head to the exhibition hall with interesting excavations and a simulation of the citadel itself.
A notable attraction of the Thang Long Imperial Citadel is the Hanoi Flag Tower, a renovated 40-meter-high stone fortress offering stunning views of Ba Dinh Square and downtown Hanoi.
Address: 9 Hoang Dieu, Dien Bien, Ba Dinh
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Entrance fee: 30,000 VND/person
16. Enjoy the peace and quiet at West Lake
West Lake is the largest lake in Hanoi. It measures 15km in circumference and is a very popular destination as it creates a pleasant change from the hectic pace of the old quarter.
You will have the opportunity to visit off-the-beaten-path temples or enjoy a refreshing cup of coffee or beer while admiring the lake.
You can cruise around the lake by bike and take a break at one of the roadside restaurants.
17. Admire the Tran Quoc Pagoda
It is the oldest pagoda in Hanoi dating back to the 6th century. It is located on an islet inside West Lake, but was originally located on the bank of the Red River, but due to the invasion of the river it was moved in the 17th century .
It is one of Hanoi’s most photographed attractions due to the lush wildlife around the pagoda.
Address: Thanh Nien, Yen Phu, Tay Ho
Hours of operation: every day, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Entrance: free
18. The Long Bien Bridge
Built from 1899 to 1902, the Long Bien Bridge was designed by Parisian architects. It is the first steel bridge over the iconic Red River and is one of the focal points of Hanoi.
It played an important strategic role during the Vietnam War and is a historically important point in the city. You should try to visit the bridge in the evening when it is lit up. There is a pedestrian path that takes you across the bridge and street carts that sell lots of delicious snacks.
19. Make your own pottery at Bat Trang Village
Known as a traditional village in Hanoi, Bat Trang is an attraction for locals and tourists. It is about 10 km from the city center. In stores in Bat Trang, you will find ceramic products presented in different shapes, patterns and colors with different choices, ranging from household appliances such as pots, plates, cups to decorations, religious items, jewelry, etc. . Generally, they are produced by the family. companies and at reasonable prices.
You can sign up for one of the ceramic workshops and create your own handmade ceramic product.
Don’t worry, you will be guided through the process by the merchant. After being created, your own ceramic product (mug, pot and bowls are the easiest to make) takes an hour to dry and you can then decorate it with the colors available.
20. Try local cuisine
You can’t search for things to do in Hanoi without thinking about what kind of food to try in Hanoi.
Vietnamese cuisine is based on a delicate balance of salty, sweet, sour and spicy flavors. It’s almost impossible to walk around Hanoi without noticing the smell of food from the street vendor’s stall. Pho, bun cha, bun rieu cua are some of the must-try dishes when you are in Hanoi. If you have a sweet tooth, try the fried bananas, dessert soup or caramel pudding.
Tasting new cuisine is not just a dish in itself, it is also a part of cultural heritage.
21. Drink Bia Hoi with the locals
Yes, Bia Hoi. If you are a beer lover, you will enjoy Vietnamese beer culture. Let’s start with the fact that Vietnam is the perfect place for a pub crawl. Bia Hoi is a snapshot of Vietnam’s beer scene.
Bia Hoi is known as a street beer. It’s a daily habit from 4 p.m., locals (and tourists) sit on plastic furniture on street corners and drink homemade beer. It is considered the freshest beer because it is made without preservatives.
So, if you are wondering what the cheapest and freshest beer in the world tastes like, don’t miss your chance! There is only one place tourists can head to: the corner of Ta Hien – Luong Ngoc Quyen Street, known as “Beer Corner” in the old quarter which attracts many tourists and locals.
22. Try egg coffee
Many people may not realize that Hanoi is famous for its egg coffee, which may sound strange but tastes amazing. Worth trying even if you are a big coffee lover or not. The coffee tastes similar to something like egg yolks are beaten with condensed milk until thick and fluffy, then poured over a shot of traditional Vietnamese coffee and leaves you with a sweet but powerful caffeine.
One of the best places in town to try is Giang Cafe, which has been serving this signature drink for years.
23. Find a rooftop bar
Heavy traffic in Hanoi can be overwhelming even for locals accustomed to the fast pace of the city. The city becomes even livelier at night, filled with neon colors and street lights. Whether you’re looking for a romantic ambiance or going out with friends, the best way to enjoy Hanoi’s enchanting night view is from above.
Hanoi has a lot of rooftop bars, and most of them offer the same type of ambiance. Imagine a lounge with modern music in the background, incredible cocktails and panoramic views of Hanoi. Having a drink at a rooftop cafe and looking at Hanoi from above is one of the best experiences.
24. Join a cooking class
If you followed our previous suggestion which is “Try local dishes”, you would already be fascinated by authentic Vietnamese cuisine. The good news is that Vietnamese cooking is very simple.
You don’t need to be a chef to make your favorite Vietnamese dishes, but you do need tips to make them as authentic and flavorful as the real thing. There are many different courses, you can learn about vegetarian dishes, seafood, pho and bun cha. Many of these cooking classes even offer a tour of the local market, which will also allow you to show off your negotiating skills.
We have an article on best cooking classes in Hanoi.
