🥇 HANOI - Travel Guide, Tips + Interesting Places

12 min readSep 16, 2015

Vibrant city with perfect kitchen - enchant you with the culinary charms.

Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam, with approximately 7 million inhabitants. It’s also second largest city of Vietnam and the best springboard for visiting places of northern Vietnam, because there is currently located. Popular sites such as Ha Long, Sapa, Bac Ha and Ha Giang. From Hanoi train rides every day direction Sapa and Ha Giang, endstation is Lao Cai city, which lies approximately 10 km from the border with China. From there you can go west direction Sapa and Ha Giang to the east. Trains from Hanoi also managed the provinces of Lang Son and Ninh Binh and further to the south of Vietnam.

The history of Hanoi is extremely rich and has survived to this day.

Formerly from 1010 Hanoi was known as Thang Long, in 1831 this city was renamed to Hanoi. 1883 was the capital of the French protectorate (Tonkin). Capital of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam has happened in the years 1954–1976 and the capital of the united Socialist Republic of Vietnam happened in 1976. Large areas of Hanoi were built during the French occupation. This was reflected in French architecture, which can be seen here.

The main commercial center is Old Quarter with the famous Hoan Kiem Lake.

Visit the Old Quarter you can not miss, right here you can feel the atmosphere of Hanoi, unwind with a stroll around the lake and you’ll find the perfect restaurants with local cuisine. Almost always you will see the daily life of Vietnamese lively, tai chi, dancing, playing badminton or crawl. Skateboards and roller skates are also not an exception. In the Old Quarter are plenty of shops with different goods from food to clothing. Hanoi is also a cultural center of Vietnam.

Old quarter has a wide range of accommodations for the travelers.

There are a lot of tourist accommodation of different categories. Most of them are very decent and very good starting point for future visits to Hanoi, the best place for eating. Prices are low andstart from 150 000 Dong. Look at the following menu and book accommodation now. Agoda in Hanoi offers a very wide range of quality accommodation with very good prices.

The renowned place for nightlife and sitting with beer and food is Bia Hoi junction in the Old quarter. Hundreds of plastic chairs, beer for 1 USD and the local specialties in the local atmosphere are unforgettable. Hanoi is good for walking, there are no hills, but you have to watch out for motorcycles.

Hanoi is a wonderful place for a demonstration of French colonial architecture.

Paradoxically against the communist regime there are a lot of luxury shops world’s leading manufacturers of various goods. There are great differences in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city, the behavior of the population, a weak night life, slower construction of new buildings, the economically strongest city is now Ho Chi Minh (Saigon). Hanoi is quieter, more intimate then Ho Chi Min. In Hanoi is effort to maintain the original character of the city. But also in Hanoi new buildings are growing and the city is slowly upgraded.

Definitely you need to visit the Hanoi historical monuments.

In the western part of Hoan Kiem lake in Hanoi you will find the most interesting monuments, that you can see here. Hanoi Cathedral, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Museum, One Pillar Pagoda, Temple of Literature, Thang Long Royal Citadel, and Tran Quoc pagoda, Quan Su palace (a short walk from here is the main train station). All places are not far away from each other, is worth a visit and you can explore them on foot.

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum - the place where is the embalmed body of Ho Chi Minh.

If you want to relax from the bustle of motorbikes, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is ideal place. It is a short walk from the center of Ba Dinh square. The area around the mausoleum is closed for traffic. Construction of granite mausoleum was completed in 1975 and this is the building where is the embalmed body of Ho Chi Minh. Body lies in a glass sarcophagus and it is illuminated by spotlights. In the mausoleum is forbidden to take pictures and you must keep calm, everything is overseen by guards. On the Ba Dinh Square on September 2nd August 1945, Ho Chi Minh announced the independence of Vietnam. About 300m from this place is great Ho Chi Minh museum and One Pillar Pagoda.

Vietnam Museum of Ethnology - Cultural Heritage 54 ethnic minorities.

One of the most important museums of Vietnam is Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi. The museum preserves the cultural heritage of 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam. Artifacts, objects, habits, dwelling, clothes, photos and more can be found in this museum. Vietnam Museum of Ethnology has 2 exhibitions — outside, where you can see old houses and buildings of the inhabitants, and internal, where are the remaining matter. For all the year a lot of travelers and residents are going in this museum. The best idea is to visit some of the villages directly with minority residents in the north of Vietnam.

Temple of Literature is one of the most important landmarks in Hanoi.

One of the oldest and most important monuments in Hanoi is Temple of Literature (Van Mieu). You can get there, from the city center it is about 10 minutes by taxi from Hoan Kiem Lake, when you are walking it is one an hour. The temple was founded in 1070 by the emperor Ly Thanh Tong, and is dedicated for the Chinese philosopher Confucius. About six years later was founded university, where the children from the royal family were taught, also selected students and the aristocracy visited this university. Then they worked as teachers and propagandists of Confucian teachings.

This long temple complex is divided into the 5 courtyard walls. The great walls also prevents ambient noise of passing motorbikes, there is relative calm and this is very good place for relaxing in Hanoi. Admission is only 10,000 dong. Temple of Literature has been repaired several times and is maintained and still retains original character.

Temple of Literature (Van Mieu) — one of the most important monuments in Hanoi

The Lake of the Returned Sword in the heart of Hanoi shrouded in legend.

In the center of Hanoi is the famous Hoan Kiem Lake (Lake of the Returned Sword). A lot of tourists and even locals come here to play sports, take pictures or just to relax. It is good to walk here in the evening, this place has own atmosphere. The history of this lake is connected with the turtle, according to legend, the turtl lived here in the 15th century and gave the magical sword for king Le Loi. The King won the battle for independence and defeated the Chinese Ming dynasty.

The sword was returned to the tortoise, she has this sword always with you. There were plenty of turtles in the lake, but they were caught and exterminated, and today here lives only one rare turtle. On the lake is available on Temple of the Jade mountain (Ngoc Son) and Turtle Tower (Tháp rua). The Jade Mountain Temple held on certain days of cultural music performances with traditional Vietnamese musical instruments.

Water Puppet Theatre - very frequented attraction in Hanoi.

In Hanoi, a well-known tourist attraction, which can be visited in the center of town near Hoan Kiam lake. This attraction originally came from Vietnamese villages where the theater with puppets in the water was played. It became very popular and the theater was founded in 1969 in Hanoi. The first game with puppets and people was played in 1990 in Hanoi Thang Long Theatre.

Water Puppet Theatre are mostly games of farmers (simple village life, growing the rice, raising the buffalo …) and gimped by historical legends. The puppets are made from wood of fig trees and the high is almost 90 cm. Traditional Vietnamese music and narration in the Vietnamese language. Water Puppet Theater in Hanoi certainly worth a visit.

MORE PHOTOS FROM HANOI

WHAT TO WATCH IN HANOI:

As the capital city of Hanoi is huge with more than 6 million inhabitants, it occurs here too petty crime and tricks for tourists. So be very careful.

• watch your belongings — do not to expose your cameras and other electronics, somebody can steel this for example from motorbike drivers
• beware of taxi driver — the meter is important, keep small bills, taxis recommended: Mai Linh or Taxi Group
• differences in the prices in the restaurants for foreigners
• be very careful when moving in the street — traffic chaos
• copying shops and travel agencies — hotels and tourist agencies under the same name

HOW TO GET FROM NOI BAI AIRPORT TO HANOI:

TAXI:

— recommended taxi companies from Viet Thanh (white car, a blue sign „Airport taxi„) and Noi Bai (white car with yellow line and the sign is „Noi Bai taxi„) — the price for taxi is 15–20 USD for car

BUSES:

— public buses — No.7 ends at the station Kim Ma, No. 17 ends at the Long Bien Station (buses run from 5 to 22 o´clock. Every 15 minutes, the bus station is by the exit on the right side, the price is 0,30 USD) — minibuses of Vietnam Airlines (the end station is at the Vietnam Airlines office in the street Quang Trung in the south of Hoan Kiem Lake, 1 ride costs 2 USD, when you are going to another hotel it costs 4 USD)

PLACES TO SHOP IN HANOI:

Hanoi is a huge city, where you can buy almost anything and anywhere. But mainly in the heart of the Old Quarter near the Hoan Kiem Lake. You can buy the things you need. From the cheap goods to designer and luxury brands.

Weekend night market:
• Hang Dao street to Dong Xuan Market in the Old Quarter
• you can buy here almost everything
• Friday — Sunday from 19.00 pm

Dong Xuan market:
• the northern part of the Old Quarter, the biggest market in Hanoi
• buy mainly clothes, accessories, fabrics
• open daily from 7.00 am to the evening

Trang Tien Plaza:
• southern part of Hoan Kiem Lake
• mainly focused on designer and luxury foreign goods
• open from 11.00 am to 20.00 pm

Hang Da Shopping Center:
• Hang Da street
• clothing, shoes, fashion accessories, bags …
• open from 10.00 am to 18.00 pm

Trang Tien Plaza — shopping mall in Hanoi

The buddhist complex Thien Tru (Chua Huong - Perfume pagoda)

If you are staying in Hanoi for a few days, you can go to one of the most famous Buddhist sites — Thien Tru (Chua Huong). It is located about 70 km to the south from Hanoi city in the Huong Son mountain range. It’s the buddhist complex of palaces and the caves. The most sacred place is a large cave (Chua Huong) and Perfume pagoda, you can go to the cave by cable car or you can walk.

The trip to the Perfume Pagoda and hike to the cave takes whole day.

You need to get the boat to the complex and these boats offer beautiful scenery of the area Huong Son. Once a year (February-March) there is a festival, thousands of the foreign and local visitors are coming here with the boats. You can purchase this trip in Hanoi for about 25 USD. Not far from the Perfume Pagoda is a restaurant where you can buy hot food.

MORE PHOTOS FROM THIEN TRU (Perfume pagoda)

Buddhist complex Thien Tru (Chua Huong — Perfume Pagoda)

Bat Trang - the well known village for the production and sale of ceramics.

Do you want to buy any of Hanoi’s famous hand-made object or porcelain? You can try to go to famous ancient Bat Trang village, which is very well known for the production and sale of unique porcelain and ceramics. Production has been going on for centuries and it is dated to the distant history of Hanoi. History of this village is already 1000 years ago when it was a small village with a few disciples and artisans of ceramic art. Gradually, however, it has grown to the center of production and export of ceramics in northern Vietnam.

The history of Bat Trang village is dated already 1000 years ago.

Porcelain and ceramics, which is manufactured here is not only known throughout Vietnam but also it is exported to foreign countries. Bat Trang village is visited by hundreds of people and tourists throughout the week. You can try your own hands, such as ceramic production runs. Bat Trang is located about 10 km from the center of Hanoi, in the southwestern part, take a look on map. If you would like to see also manufacture of silk, you can visit Van Phuc village. In Van Phuc village is also possible to buy some of the very nice silk.

Bat Trang village famous for a production of well known ceramics — Hanoi ( (photo: www.wikipedia.org)

Eating in the streets of Hanoi (Hanoi street food).

When moving in Hanoi you will see the constant presence of street vendors with food. Hanoi is popular place for street food and the locals are eating on the street everyday and all day event. Most of the population meets the streets with hundreds of small tables and chairs especially in the evening. Hundreds minirestaurants, stalls, small mobile shops on wheels, women with hanging baskets and fruit, varied, tasty and healthy meals, all you’ll see in Hanoi.

You can buy also and visit „Street food tour“ in Hanoi.

This way of eating is also for many people the only source of livelihood. Prices for purchased food on the street are very low, but at the historic sites may be a little bit higher. The best place to try local cuisine in Hanoi is Old Quarter. The most common dishes that you can try are Pho soup, rice in several ways (Com Tam, Xoi), Bahn Mi sandwiches, rice noodles (Bun), Rolls (Banh Cuon), salads (Goi) and other dishes. If you want learn more about vietnamese cuisine and try very unusual dishes try „Street food tour“.

Eating on the street in Hanoi — Hanoi street food (photo: istolethetv)

Transport and how to move in Hanoi:

Many public buses operate in Hanoi and there is a huge network of bus lines going to anywhere in the city. You need to buy tickets from the driver. However, this network is complicated and confusing, not very comfortable when traffic is overload. Look at the bus map of Hanoi, when you understand this — so congratulations.

It is better to move on foot in Hanoi, I think 2 days maximum enough to explore main tourist attractions in the center. But be very careful, moving in the city center is very dangerous. Another good option is to use an alternative taxi Grab, prices are very low compared to conventional taxi.

🥇 Before you go to other places in Vietnam for example by train, it is better to buy an online ticket on Baolau or 12go.asia. More information about Baolau and 12go.asia in the article transportation in Vietnam.

Weather in Hanoi:

Weather in Hanoi is divided into two periods. Hanoi has a hot summer with rainfall and dry winter:

• rainy season (from January to September)
• dry season (from October to April)

SPRING: it is humid, from February to April, the best time to visit, blooming trees and flowers, temperature 15–25 °C
SUMMER: it is hot, from May to August, a lot of precipitation, thunderstorms during the day but also in the evening, average temperature 32 °C
FALL: considered the best period from September to late November, the warm sun and cool breeze, the temperature 25 °C
WINTER: from December to late February, the average temperature is 17 °C, but in the mountainous area may fall below 10 °C