Red River Delta, northern Vietnam · Vietnam
A thousand-year-old capital of lakes, temples, French colonial boulevards and an Old Quarter where every street still sells its own trade, and the food is superb.
Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg · CC BY 4.0
Hanoi became the capital in 1010, when the emperor Ly Thai To moved the court here and named it Thang Long, the Ascending Dragon. It has been the centre of northern Vietnam ever since, through Chinese rule, the great dynasties, French colonial administration from the 1880s and the wars of the 20th century. It became the capital of a reunified Vietnam in 1976.
Its centre is compact and atmospheric. Around Hoan Kiem Lake, locals do tai chi and jog at dawn and stroll in the evening. North of the lake, the Old Quarter is a tangle of narrow streets that historically belonged to guilds, and many are still named for the goods they sell: silk, silver, paper, tin. To the south and west are the tree-lined avenues, villas and opera house of the French Quarter, and the temples and mausoleum of the Ba Dinh district.
Hanoi is loud, crowded and dominated by motorbikes, but it is one of the great food cities in Asia and a place where daily life takes place on the street. Its plastic stools, steaming pots, coffee shops and pavement beer corners are the main attractions.
Why visit
Hanoi is the best place in Vietnam to understand the country's culture and eat its northern cooking.
Pho, bun cha, cha ca, banh cuon and egg coffee were all born or perfected here.
Narrow shophouses, temples, markets and workshops, with life lived on the pavement.
The Temple of Literature, Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum and the Hoa Lo Prison museum cover a thousand years.
Hoan Kiem and West Lake give the city breathing space, and French-era boulevards add elegance.
Ha Long Bay, Ninh Binh and Sapa are all reachable from here.
Main attractions
Most sights are in the compact centre, and many can be seen on foot.
The heart of the city, a small lake named for a legend of a golden turtle returning a magic sword. The red Huc Bridge leads to Ngoc Son Temple on an island.
Tip Walk around the lake at dawn or in the evening, and on weekends when nearby streets are closed to traffic.
A maze of streets north of the lake, formerly organised by trade, with tube houses, temples, markets and street food. Hang Ma, Hang Bac and Hang Gai are among the best known.
Tip Explore on foot, and be prepared for motorbikes on the pavements.
Founded in 1070 as a Confucian temple and in 1076 as Vietnam's first national university, with peaceful courtyards, stone tablets on turtles' backs and traditional roofs.
Tip Go in the morning, when it is quiet.
The granite mausoleum where the revolutionary leader lies, beside Ba Dinh Square, with the One Pillar Pagoda, the stilt house and the museum nearby. The mausoleum closes for annual maintenance, and has a strict dress code.
Tip Check opening days, dress modestly and expect silence and security checks.
A French colonial prison, later used to hold American pilots during the war, now a museum with an emphasis on the colonial period.
Tip Allow about 90 minutes.
A neo-Gothic cathedral from 1886, with the Opera House and the colonial buildings to the south of the lake.
Tip Have a coffee on the cathedral's street.
Things to do
Hanoi is for wandering, eating and dipping into small museums.
A guide will lead you through the best stalls for pho, bun cha, banh cuon and sweets.
Tip Book on your first evening.
A Hanoi invention from the 1940s: coffee topped with whisked egg yolk and sugar, like a warm liquid tiramisu.
Tip Try it at Cafe Giang.
A charming performance of traditional puppets on a pool, with live music.
Tip Book the evening show in advance.
Cheap, fresh draught beer drunk on plastic stools at street corners such as Ta Hien.
Tip Go early in the evening.
A good museum on Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups, with a garden of traditional houses.
Tip Take a Grab taxi.
An old iron bridge over the Red River built by the French, with views and a look at everyday life.
Tip Go at sunrise.
Local food
Hanoi is the home of pho, and its cooking is simple, delicate and focused on broth and herbs.
The northern version of the noodle soup has a clear broth, spring onions and few extras.
Where to try it Street stalls, especially at breakfast.
Grilled pork and noodles in a dipping broth, a lunchtime dish that became famous after a 2016 dinner with a visiting US president.
Where to try it Lunchtime restaurants in the Old Quarter.
Turmeric-marinated fish cooked with dill and spring onions at the table, and served with noodles and peanuts.
Where to try it Cha Ca street in the Old Quarter.
Thin steamed rice pancakes filled with pork and mushroom.
Where to try it Breakfast shops.
A frothy, sweet coffee topped with whipped egg yolk.
Where to try it Cafés near the lake.
Fried spring rolls and bia hoi, the classic snacks.
Where to try it Street corners in the Old Quarter.
Accommodation
Stay in the Old Quarter for atmosphere, and the French Quarter for space and comfort.
Transport
Hanoi is the main entry point for northern Vietnam.
Walk in the centre, and use Grab for longer trips.
When to go
Hanoi has four seasons: cool and damp winters, hot and humid summers and pleasant spring and autumn.
Warm and often drizzly, with mild temperatures.
Hot and very humid, with heavy rain and occasional typhoons.
Clear, golden weather with mild temperatures.
Cool, grey and damp, sometimes cold enough to need a jacket.
Worth planning around: July and August, and the days around Tet, when many businesses close.
Itinerary
The Old Quarter and the lake, the historic sights, and a slower day for culture.
Streets and food.
Temples and Ho Chi Minh.
A slower day.
Travel tips
Hanoi is easy once you learn the rhythm.
FAQ
Two or three days. Add more if you plan day trips.
Yes, generally. Watch for bag snatching, and be careful with traffic.
September to November and March to April.
Cafés along the tracks have been popular, but access has been restricted several times for safety, so check whether it is currently open.
It is the most atmospheric, but noisy. The French Quarter is quieter.
Pho for breakfast, bun cha for lunch and egg coffee in the afternoon.
Keep exploring
Places that pair well with Hanoi, whether you have a few spare days or are building a longer route.
Quang Ninh, north-east Vietnam, Vietnam
A UNESCO-listed seascape of limestone islands and hidden lagoons in the Gulf of Tonkin, explored by overnight cruise, kayak and cave, with quieter Lan Ha and Bai Tu Long bays nearby.
Don't miss Waking on deck to mist lifting from the karst islands.
Explore Destination — Ha Long BaySouthern Red River Delta, northern Vietnam, Vietnam
A landscape of karst hills, rivers, caves and paddies two hours south of Hanoi, with the boat trips of Trang An and Tam Coc, the Hang Mua viewpoint, Hoa Lu ancient capital and Bai Dinh pagoda.
Don't miss A rowing boat gliding through a cave beneath the cliffs at Trang An, with water buffalo grazing beside the river.
Explore Destination — Ninh BinhHoang Lien Son mountains, north-west Vietnam, Vietnam
A former French hill station at 1,500 metres, gateway to the terraced valleys of the Hoang Lien Son range, Hmong and Red Dao villages, homestays and Fansipan, Indochina's highest peak.
Don't miss Trekking through the Muong Hoa Valley when the terraces turn gold in September.
Explore Destination — SapaPerfume River, central Vietnam, Vietnam
The former imperial capital on the Perfume River, with the Imperial City, the tombs of the Nguyen emperors, Thien Mu Pagoda and a distinctive royal cuisine.
Don't miss The Meridian Gate of the Imperial City, and the calm of a royal tomb reflected in its lotus pond.
Explore Destination — HueRead next
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