The Best Things to Do in Hanoi, Vietnam

When my friend Emilie and I visited Vietnam for three weeks in 2016, everyone told us that Hanoi was busy and dirty. Hanoi was one of the last cities we were going to visit, so we were preparing for the worst.

But Hanoi turned out to be a pleasant surprise! Sure, it’s a big city and definitely busy with some rough edges. But it also has such a cool vibe to it and was one of my favourite cities in Vietnam.

It’s not as cute as Hoi An or as scenic as Phu Quoc, but Hanoi definitely has its own charm. If you’re looking to explore a big city or escape the heat in Northern Vietnam, it’s a great choice.

Below I’m sharing the top things to do in Hanoi to make the most of your time in Vietnam’s capital.

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Explore the Old Quarter of Hanoi

Even in the heart of the Old Quarter, where most tourists flock, Hanoi manages to retain a sense of authenticity. The buildings are legitimately old and the businesses are patronized by locals, not just tourists.

You’ll definitely want to spend some time exploring the streets of the Old Quarter. I loved that there were such distinct streets and neighbourhoods, almost as if each street had its own theme.

For example, our hotel was located on “Toys Street” where every other shop sold toys. To get there from the airport, we drove down Clothes Street. And to get to our favourite restaurant, we had to walk down Shoe Street and Home Improvement Avenue.

Most of the shops and restaurants in the Old Quarter expand onto the sidewalk and into the street. While this makes them more enticing, it also means you’re often walking in the street dodging cars, buses and motorbikes.

If you haven’t learned how to cross a street in Vietnam yet, you’ll learn fast in Hanoi!

PS: The secret is to walk at a steady pace. By sticking to a steady pace, the cars/buses/bikes will be able to anticipate where you’ll be and avoid hitting you.

If you’re nervous, find a local who is also crossing and buddy up with them.

Eat delicious Vietnamese food

One thing you’ll do everywhere in Vietnam – but especially in Hanoi – is eat really amazing food. We had some of the best meals of our trip in Hanoi!

My friend Emilie is vegan and used the app Happy Cow to find lots of veg-friendly restaurants all throughout the country.

Vietnam is a great place to go if you’re vegetarian or vegan as many restaurants cater to these diets. You can even do a vegan food tour in Hanoi!

We found a delicious restaurant that specialized in bánh xèo, which is like a Vietnamese fried crepe. You got to assemble it yourself putting in whatever you wanted, which was a ton of fun!

We also found a yummy bún chả (grilled pork and rice noodle) restaurant with really tasty noodles. It seemed to be a place that local street food tours were hitting, so we felt very proud of our pick.

Right around the corner from our hotel was a pastry shop that sold delicious chocolate buns. There was also an amazing smoothie place that we stumbled upon on our way back to our hotel one night, just as we were saying we could really go for a smoothie!

You also won’t want to miss Vietnamese coffee while in Hanoi. I’m someone who loves my coffee sweet, so I was very happy with the local style of serving it.

There’s an endless number of cafes in Hanoi, all serving delicious coffee, including the infamous egg coffee. If you’re a coffee addict, consider taking a coffee making workshop to learn more.

Visit Hoa Lo Prison

Hoa Lo Prison was opened in 1896 by French colonists to hold Vietnamese political prisoners.

It was then used during the Vietnam War to hold US prisoners of war, most notably John McCain, and later to hold more Vietnamese political prisoners. During the Vietnam War, US POWs referred to the prison as the “Hanoi Hilton.”

Today, Hoa Lo Prison’s main gatehouse is a museum where you can learn more about the prison’s history and history of war in Vietnam. It was very interesting to walk through the prison, see the recreated rooms and the old artifacts.

Emilie and I noticed that the original use of the prison – French colonists holding Vietnamese prisoners – was depicted as extremely bleak and cruel. By contrast, it’s secondary use – North Vietnamese holding American POWs – was shown as quite cheery.

For example, there was an extensive exhibit on the many torture devices used on Vietnamese prisoners. In contrast, there was a video showing American prisoners decorating a Christmas tree and playing basketball.

Did conditions change that much from the French colonial era to the Vietnam War? Did the French and the Northern Vietnamese have very different styles of running their prisons and keeping prisoners?

Maybe. To be honest, I don’t know enough about Vietnamese history to say for sure. But the sense I got in the museum was that they didn’t want to highlight wrongdoing at the hands of the Vietnamese.

Stroll around Hoàn Kiếm Lake

In the heart of the Old Quarter lies Hoàn Kiếm Lake, a 12 hectare piece of nature in the middle of a bustling city centre.

On our first day in Hanoi, Emilie and I decided to go for a stroll along the lake. We came upon a bright red bridge (whose English name translates to Perch of the Morning Sunlight) which connected to a little island with a temple.

We opted not to pay the fee required to walk across the bridge and visit the Temple of the Jade Mountain. It seemed enough to just take in its beauty from the other side of the bridge.

We did find a beautiful gate and pagoda that we got to explore. And while we were there, a little daycare group walked by. All of the kids were walking in a row and holding onto each other’s shirts so they wouldn’t get lost. It was too cute!

Check out the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum & One Pillar Pagoda

One of Hanoi’s most famous sites is the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, which is the final resting place of President Ho Chi Minh.

(Don’t get confused: The big city in the south of Vietnam is called Ho Chi Minh City, though commonly referred to as Saigon. This Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is located in Hanoi though, not in HCMC.)

The mausoleum is located in Ba Dinh Square, which is the place where Ho Chi Minh read from the Declaration of Independence which established Vietnam as its own democratic republic in 1945.

The mausoleum was supposed to be inspired by Lenin’s Mausoleum in Moscow, with some Vietnamese style added in. Unfortunately, the end result is not so pretty. In fact, CNN once ranked it the 6th ugliest building in the world (2012).

I don’t know if I’d say it’s ugly, but it was underwhelming. While it is usually open to the public, it was closed on the day we visited. You couldn’t even go near the building. Guards would blow a whistle anytime someone got too close.

Right around the corner from the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is One Pillar Pagoda, a Buddhist temple originally completed in 1049.

But once again, we were pretty let down. The actually temple was tiny! It looked like a little treehouse on a very thick pillar.

I’m sure it was impressive in 1049 and has a storied history through the years. But I was expecting a massive temple supported on a single, slim pillar. That was not what we got.

Despite both the pagoda and mausoleum letting us down, I’m glad we did take the time to check out Hanoi’s more famous monuments. And now that I’ve set your expectations, hopefully you can enjoy them more than I did!

Enjoy a day at the spa

Like many Southeast Asian countries, Vietnam is well known for their affordable massages and spa services. On our 2016 trip, we were constantly seeing signs promising $6 manicures and finally decided to treat ourselves in Hanoi.

We “splurged” on a really nice spa where we paid a whole $15 CAD ($11 USD) for an hour-long pedicure. It was pure bliss!

I wish we had stuck around even longer – adding on a facial or a massage – so we could enjoy the heavenly spa even longer.

When my husband and I visited Chiang Mai a few years later, we definitely took advantage of the affordable spa services!

Take a trip to Halong Bay

One of the most popular things to do in Hanoi is go on a trip to Halong Bay.

While you can do this as a day trip, I highly encourage you to stay for 1-2 nights so you can really make the most of your time on the water and get away from the crowds.

Emilie and I headed out to Halong Bay on a small group tour from Hanoi. We had an incredible time seeing the limestone cliffs, exploring caves and islands, and relaxing on the boat.

Check out our Halong Bay cruise experience here!

These days, many people find Halong Bay too crowded, over-touristed and polluted.

Instead, you can visit nearby Lan Ha Bay or Bai Tu Long Bay which are slightly more off the beaten path. This tour, which combines Lan Ha and Halong Bay, looks excellent!

You may also want to do a trip to Sapa from Hanoi. Sapa is known for its rich culture and beautiful rice terraces. I haven’t been to Sapa yet but it’s definitely on my bucket list!

Other things to do in Hanoi

We didn’t get around to everything, so here are a few more options to round out your Hanoi itinerary.

Wrapping up the best things to do in Hanoi, Vietnam

After spending a few days in Hanoi and then in Halong Bay, Emilie and I bid farewell to mainland Vietnam. She headed home to Canada and I kept my Vietnam travels going on Phu Quoc Island.

Looking back, I think Hanoi really is one of the coolest big cities I’ve been to in Southeast Asia. It feels authentic, with a rich and bustling culture you get swept up into.

It’s not as cute as Hoi An nor as cosmopolitan as Tokyo or Singapore.

But Hanoi definitely has its own vibe and holds its own. The food is incredible, the Old Quarter is scenic and it’s a great base for exploring nearby places like Halong Bay, Sapa, the Ha Giang Loop and Ninh Binh.

There are enough things to do in Hanoi to last you a few days. But more than that, it feels like a place where you could spend a few weeks, eating and enjoying your time in the city.

The next time I go to Vietnam, I’m definitely revisiting Hanoi. I can’t wait to bring my husband back!

I’d love to know: Is Hanoi on your must-visit list?

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