Hanoi see and do guide

An independent selection of the best things to see and do in Hanoi. No paid placements, no advertorial.

Hanoi see and do guide

Introduction

| 01 Sep 2019
Last updated 01 Sep 2019

Hanoi is one of Asia’s most visually exciting cities. Its packed streets are also some of Asia's craziest. Watch your step as you negotiate the motorbikes and cars. Stop to look above and around the fray. Wander down alleys. You'll discover the real draw of Vietnam's capital - a frenetic clash of old and new that plays out along narrow lanes and tree lined boulevards peppered with fading temples and relics of French empire. Don't limit yourself to the Old Quarter - we reckon the streets of Ba Dinh District and the French Quarter are the best. Vietnam's capital is home to the country's best museums and some of its most important monuments too - Hanoi Citadel deserves special mention.

Our handpicked list of the best things to do in Hanoi was updated in August 2019.

Long Bien Bridge

A Hanoi icon in all senses, the Long Bien Bridge - formerly known as the Paul Doumer Bridge - was one of the greatest... Read more
Long Bien Bridge
Up the ramp from Hang Khoai in the Old Quarter

Train Street - Hanoi

Hanoi’s “Train Street” is a narrow stretch of railway line through the heart of the old town that's been an Instagram sensation... Read more

Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi

An early morning or late afternoon spent wandering around legendary Hoan Kiem Lake is a perfect way to start or end any Hanoi... Read more

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Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi
Central Hanoi

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Ba Dinh Square, Hanoi

Ba Dinh Square is where several of the Hanoi’s most historic sights are located - Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, Ho Chi Minh’s house... Read more

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Ba Dinh Square, Hanoi
Ba Dinh District Hanoi

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Walking Hanoi - Part 2 - Old Quarter to the French Quarter

This Hanoi walk takes us from the Catholic centre of the Old Quarter through the French colonial architecture of the precinct... Read more
Walking Hanoi - Part 2 - Old Quarter to the French Quarter
Start - St Josephs Cathedral Hanoi

Old Quarter, Hanoi

Hanoi’s Old Quarter is a warren of bustling lanes that have been the commercial heart of the capital for centuries. The 36... Read more

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Old Quarter, Hanoi
From the north end of Hoan Kiem Lake

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Ho Chi Minh Museum, Hanoi

There may be museums dedicated to Ho Chi Minh in cities and towns across the country, but this is the definitive effort, set in... Read more

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Ho Chi Minh Museum, Hanoi
19 Ngoc Ha, Ba Dinh, South of Ho Chi Minh
40,000VND

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Ho Chi Minh's house on stilts, Hanoi

The simple timber house on stilts, in a lovely garden setting, from which Ho Chi Minh ruled wartime North Vietnam prior to his... Read more

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Ho Chi Minh's house on stilts, Hanoi
Ba Dinh Square behind Ho Chi Minh
40,000VND

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Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, Hanoi

Ho Chi Minh's Mauloleum is the imposing Soviet style block in which President Ho Chi Minh’s embalmed corpse lies. Located at the... Read more

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Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, Hanoi
Ba Dinh Square, Hanoi. Enter at Southern end near Ho Chi Minh Museum.
Free of charge. No cameras or bags. Modest dress required.

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Military History Museum, Hanoi

The ultimate museum tribute to Vietnam’s twentieth century struggles against larger and better equipped enemies - the French... Read more

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Military History Museum, Hanoi
28A Dien Bien Phu St, Hanoi
20,000VND

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Museum of Vietnamese History, Hanoi

Vietnam’s best account of its thousands of years of history is set in one of Hanoi’s finest buildings. A refreshing break from... Read more

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Museum of Vietnamese History, Hanoi
1 Trang Tien St, Hanoi - in the French Quarter
20,000VND - more for cameras

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One Pillar Pagoda, Hanoi

One of Hanoi’s most revered sights, the One Pillar Pagoda dates back to Hanoi’s founding and is a commonly used symbol of the... Read more

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One Pillar Pagoda, Hanoi
Ba Dinh Square Hanoi, nearby the Ho Chi Minh Museum
Free

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Hoa Lo - Hanoi Hilton Prison, Hanoi

Most of the infamous Hoa Lo Prison, aka Hanoi Hilton, was demolished to make way for an office and apartment complex in the... Read more

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Hoa Lo - Hanoi Hilton Prison, Hanoi
1 Hoa Lo St, Hanoi, Vietnam
20,000VND

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Temple of Literature, Hanoi

Along with the One Pillar Pagoda, the Temple of Literature, dates back to Hanoi’s founding 1000 years ago. Vietnam’s first... Read more

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Temple of Literature, Hanoi
Quoc Tu Giam St, Hanoi
20,000VND

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Fine Arts Museum, Hanoi

Vietnamʼs most important collection of painting, sculpture, lacquer and other objects is set in a French colonial building not... Read more

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Fine Arts Museum, Hanoi
66 Nguyen Thai Hoc Str., Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi
40,000VND

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Museum of Ethnology, Hanoi

Hanoi's Museum of Ethnology explores Vietnam's 54 ethnic minority groups looking at costumes, rituals and traditions. A very... Read more

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Museum of Ethnology, Hanoi
Nguyen Van Huyen Rd, Cau Giay District, Hanoi

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West Lake area

Hanoi's West Lake area is home to the city's oldest temple - Quan Thanh Temple, as well as the Tran Quoc Pagoda. Opposite West... Read more

St Joseph's Cathedral, Hanoi

Hanoi’s main Catholic cathedral, the beautifully faded St Joseph’s, sits at the head of one the city’s most attractive streets. Read more

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St Joseph's Cathedral, Hanoi
40 Nha Chung St, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi

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Ba Da Pagoda, Hanoi

Ba Da Pagoda is a delightful and historic pagoda on Nha Tho St a short walk from St Joseph’s Cathedral. Read more

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Ba Da Pagoda, Hanoi
3 Nhà Thờ, Hoan Kiem Hanoi

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Bach Ma Temple, Hanoi

11th century Bach Ma Temple is Hanoi’s oldest place of worship and is easily visited while strolling through the Old Quarter.... Read more

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Bach Ma Temple, Hanoi
76 Hang Buom St, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi - in the Old Quarter
Free

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Hanoi Museum, Hanoi

You’ll need to have a lot of time, patience and enthusiasm to make the journey out of town to Hanoi’s newest museum. Impressive... Read more

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Hanoi Museum, Hanoi
Pham Hung Street, Từ Liêm, Hanoi

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Halong Bay day trip

The day trip to Halong Bay is the most popular day trip from Hanoi - for good reason. The World Heritage listed bay is Vietnam’s... Read more

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Halong Bay day trip
3 hours east of Hanoi

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Hoa Lu and Tam Coc day trip

In classic tourist parlance, brochures describe the mystical Hoa Lu and Tam Coc  landscape as “Halong Bay on land” on account of... Read more

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Hoa Lu and Tam Coc day trip
Ninh Binh Province - around 2 hours from Hanoi

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Water Puppets, Thang Long Theatre

Water Puppetry is a lively and fun Vietnamese story telling form that dates back centuries. It originates from northern... Read more

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Water Puppets, Thang Long Theatre
57b Dinh Tien Hoang St., Hanoi - opposite Hoan Kiem Lake near Ngoc Son Temple
+84 4 39364335
80,000VND - extra for cameras.

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Bat Trang Pottery Village

More for those with a serious interest in purchasing pottery than for an experience of a traditional craft village.  There’s... Read more

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Bat Trang Pottery Village
16kms south east of Hanoi

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Van Phuc Silk Village

Another traditional craft village that is lacking in any real atmosphere of tradition, Van Phuc is for those with a deep... Read more

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Van Phuc Silk Village
10kms south west of Hanoi

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Hanoi Citadel, Hanoi

World Heritage listed Hanoi Citadel, also known as the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, is one of Vietnam’s most important... Read more

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Hanoi Citadel, Hanoi
Enter from Hoang Dieu St, Hanoi, nearby the Cot Co Tower.
30,000VND

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Museum of Vietnamese Revolution, Hanoi

If you’ve been travelling in Vietnam a while, you’ll recognise the pattern here - a huge collection of photos peppered with some... Read more

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Museum of Vietnamese Revolution, Hanoi
25 Tong Dan St, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi (there's another entrance on the opposite side)
Free

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Vietnamese Women's Museum, Hanoi

The newly renovated Women’s Museum is one of Hanoi’s best in terms of contemporary curation and story telling. This is less... Read more

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Vietnamese Women's Museum, Hanoi
36 Ly Thuong Kiet St, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi

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Perfume Pagoda, Ha Tay

The Perfume Pagoda is a complex of pagodas located in limestone mountains 60 kilometres from Hanoi. It's a popular day trip from... Read more

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Perfume Pagoda, Ha Tay
Ha Tay province around 60kms from Hanoi

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Thay and Tay Phuong Pagodas, Ha Tay

These two mountainside pagodas can be visited in a pleasant half day from Hanoi. Read more

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Thay and Tay Phuong Pagodas, Ha Tay
Ha Tay province around 30kms from Hanoi

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Ca Tru traditional music performance, Hanoi

Ca Tru is an ancient northern Vietnamese vocal music tradition performed Tuesday to Sunday nights in one of two old quarter... Read more

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Ca Tru traditional music performance, Hanoi
42 Hang Bac St Hoan Kiem District Hanoi
200,000VND

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Street Food tours, Hanoi

If all those Hanoi outdoor eateries of low tables, plastic stools and unrecognisable culinary concoctions, spark your curiosity,... Read more

Co Loa Citadel, Hanoi

Co Loa Citadel dates back to the 3rd century BC and ties in with some crucial milestones in the past 2 millenia of Vietnamese... Read more

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Co Loa Citadel, Hanoi
Co Loa, 16kms from Hanoi

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Duong Lam Village, outside Hanoi

Duong Lam is a surprisingly picturesque traditional village about 50kms from Hanoi. It's an enjoyable half day trip and the... Read more

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Duong Lam Village, outside Hanoi
Duong Lam, Son Tay - 50kms from Hanoi
20,000VND

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Walking Hanoi - Part 1 - weekends around the Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake

If you’re in Hanoi over a weekend and you enjoy walking, you’re in for a special treat. A large section of the Old Quarter, Hoan... Read more

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Walking Hanoi - Part 1 - weekends around the Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake
Around Hoan Kiem Lake

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Walking Hanoi - Part 3 - Old Quarter to Ba Dinh Square

This self-guided Hanoi walking tour by Rusty Compass takes us along the edge of the Old Quarter, past stunning colonial villas... Read more

Catholic Churches of Ninh Binh and Nam Dinh

The provinces of Ninh Binh and Nam Dinh around 2 hours by road south of Hanoi, are where Catholicism first took root in Vietnam... Read more