Hanoi
From Muslim Bookings
Hanoi (Hà Nội) and the capital of Vietnam, and also its second largest city, is a fascinating blend of East and West, with Chinese influence from centuries of dominance, and French je ne sais quoi from its colonial past. It was largely unspoiled by the modern architecture of the 1970s and 80s, and is now undergoing a rapid transformation that makes it a rising star in Southeast Asia.
Contents
Halal Travel Guide
Invading forces from every direction agree: Hanoi makes a fine capital. It has held that title for more than a thousand years, through several invasions, occupations, restorations, and name changes. The Chinese conquered the imperial city of Đại La in 1408 and renamed it Tống Bình. Le Loi repelled the invaders in 1428 and applied the name of Lê Thái Tổ (黎太祖). For his efforts, he received the crown and a slew of legends about his heroic exploits, many centred around the Hoan Kiem Lake in the Old Quarter. The Nguyen Dynasty gave the city its modern name of Ha Noi in 1831, but they had transferred power to Hue by then. Hue remained the capital until 1887, when the French made Hanoi the capital of all Indochina. It changed hands again in 1954, when it was ceded to Ho Chi Minh and the Viet Minh after almost a decade of fighting, and it became the capital of Northern Vietnam. Upon reunification in 1975, it assumed that title for the entire country.
The first Asian-style universities in Vietnam were founded in Hanoi,and today, it is the leading centre of scientific study and research in the nation. Hanoi retains much of its older colonial charm, despite the battles that have raged over it. Conflict had the effect of making it largely oblivious of modern architecture, and as a result, few buildings in the downtown area are higher than five stories. The Old Quarter is second only to Hoi An for uninterrupted stretches of colonial and pre-colonial architecture, impeccably maintained on dense warrens of narrow, wonderfully atmospheric streets. It trades the commercial boom and sprawl of Ho Chi Minh City in the south for a more understated charm, worth enjoying for an extra day or two, and with countless transport options and travel agents, it makes a perfect base for exploration of the North. See also Indochina Wars.
As you walk along the street, you may find that people start talking to you. It is a cultural norm there to make conversation with strangers. They might ask you where you are from and other general questions. But if you are a man, be cautious if a comely young lady approaches you and initiates a conversation as she is likely after something. It may take a while to get used to such overt friendliness, however there are times when this could be useful, such as when you are lost or need help.
The Hanoi Tourism Board Centre, ☎ +84 4 926 3366, Dinh Tien Hoang, just north of Hoan Kiem Lake, can provide a fairly useful map (bewilderingly and the blow-up of the old town is missing) and other English-language advice, as well as limited free Internet.
There are self-help information booths around the Old Quarter, but their purpose mostly is give the impression that Vietnam "has arrived" technologically.
Hanoi.hotay01 - Ho Tay/West Lake, Hanoi
Climate
The Tet holiday (Lunar New Year) is in the spring. Flowers are most beautiful during this time of the year. The weather warms up, with occasional light rain during the week. Locals believe that these light rains bring prosperity and luck in the new year.
Summer, on the other hand, borders on intolerable. The heat alone would be alright, but it's coupled with oppressive humidity. At this time, visitors should be wary of mosquitoes as they abound. Hanoi has a perfect climate for the proliferation of insects.
There is something unique about Hanoi’s autumn. The weather is perfect, with less humidity in the air. The temperature drops, allowing people a chance to flaunt their sweaters and jackets. There is a species of tree, "cay hoa sua", which only flowers in autumn. The flower has a very distinct odour. If you visit Hanoi during the fall, ask local residents about this tree and where you might sniff its distinct aroma.
January is a drizzly month, and it may rain for one or two days or all week long.
Travel to Hanoi
By Plane
- Noi Bai International Airport IATA Flight Code: HAN / GPS 21.221111, 105.807222 35 kilometers north of the city. - Noi Bai International Airport NoiBaioutside - There are direct international Flights to all the major Southeast Asian cities, also to Doha, London, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Paris and Moscow. Nothing direct to North America: Seoul will usually be the most convenient interchange. International flights use Terminal 2, opened in 2015 and modern and spacious. Domestic flights, by Vietnam Airlines and by Vietjet, serve HCMC, Can Tho, Da Nang,Hue, Nha Trang, Vinh,and Phu Quoc island. There is a shuttle bus between the two terminals, or it can be walked in about 15-20 minutes.
International departure tax should be included in the price of your ticket, but check with the airline if it's not clear from your receipt. The tax (sometimes called "passenger service charge") is US$14 or the equivalent in Dong.
Vietnam Airlines downtown office is at 25 Tràng Thi (corner of Quang Trung), phone +84 4 934 9660.
From the airport
- Taxis: There are taxi stands just outside Arrivals; turn right from the domestic terminal, or left from international. The taxis are provided by various taxi companies, and all should run on the meter. Have the address you want to go to ready and written down - the chances of you speaking it in a way the driver will understand are slim. Maybe print out a map beforehand: since every street in Hanoi has clearly visible street signs at both ends, you should be able to discern which street you are in. A ride into the Old Quarter should cost between 300,000 and 350,000 Dong (Mai Linh taxi, July 2023) and come up somewhere around 27-28 kilometers in distance on the meter. The French Quarter or south side of Hoan Kiem lake might be a little more, but still under 400,000 Dong. Many taxis, including Taxigroup and ABC accept credit cards (ask first - show them the credit card).
You might also get offered a fixed price of US$20 by the driver, which works out as about a 25% premium - so not a terrible deal if you don't nice the hassle of haggling and don't have any Dong. Some drivers will ask something like 800,000 Dong, especially if they see 3-4 foreigners - just ignore them. Make sure that the meter starts shortly after the taxi moves off, and if you want to be sure the meter's not running fast and then from the international terminal it should have reached about 0.7 kilometers by the time you reach the airport toll booths (taxis don't pay the toll), and around 2 kilometers by the time you pass the domestic terminal (the distance will be displayed in kilometers, often along with the speed). A ride into the city should take about 30-40 minutes on the new highway depending on traffic.
- If you already have a hotel booked, you might ask the hotel to dispatch a driver. The nicer hotels will do this and put the fare on your room bill.
- Express buses to the downtown take around 45-60 minutes. /BusExpress86/ Bus 86 takes the expressway non-stop to the Tay Ho area, continuing limited stop to the Long Bien bus station, Opera House, Melia Hotel and Rail Station. Every 25 minutes, 30,000 Dong, from about 06:20 - 23:00. From the International terminal it departs from the arrivals level, second road, at pillar 2 (turn left having exited the terminal). From the Domestic Terminal it leaves from between the Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet terminals. Towards the airport, buses run 05:05-21:40 from a booth at the south end of the main train station.
- Public buses to the downtown take about 90 min. Bus 07 crosses the Thang Long Bridge and goes to the Daewoo Hotel in the west Hanoi (almost an hour on foot to the historical centre of Hanoi). Bus 17 crosses the Chuong Duong Bridge and goes close to the old quarter, to Long Bien (just a few blocks from Hoan Kiem Lake - the destination of most Muslim visitors). Prices are 9,000 Dong (Feb 2022). To catch Buses 7 or 17, go to the 1st floor of the terminal, go outside and walk past the taxis to what looks like a bus parking lot. This is the end stop of the routes. Follow the continuously incoming buses if you can't find it. Baggage is not permitted aboard the buses, so you may need to wait a few minutes to try your luck several times or give the conductor a small bribe, i.e., paying for the baggage as well. Don't listen to taxi drivers or shuttle bus operators who claim the stop for the public buses is a few kilometers away or that service has been terminated. Public buses operate from 05:00-22:00.
- Shuttle-buses from the airport to Hanoi stop at the Vietnam Airlines Office on 1 Quang Trung (a bit south of the old quarter but conveniently stocked with taxis and motorbike drivers). Tickets are sold in the building in front of which the shuttle vanes park, or you can give the fare directly to the driver. The cost is USD2 or 40,000 Dong for Foreign Muslims (insurance reason), and 35,000 Dong for Vietnamese (which includes ethnic Vietnamese from overseas),which rate is indicated on the sticker fixed to the bus's body. The driver will potentially give you trouble if you have additional bags, but if you push, you will get the same USD2 rate. They also try the 'typhoon in Ha Long Bay' scam whereby they take you to a street where you cannot see the hotel name and tell you that the Ha Long Bay guests are still in the hotel they will take you to their other hotel for the same price. This place is a complete dive facing the highway. You should also beware the drivers trying to offer you a ride to your hotel for USD8, claiming the Old Quarter is 5 km from the office - it is much cheaper to go to the Vietnam Airlines office and switch to a taxi (or walk, it's a maximum of 2 km to anywhere in the Old Quarter). The taxi will not cost more than the USD7 price differential and if it does, you should refuse to pay as the driver has somehow cheated you. The shuttle buses are also available to get to airport hourly.
Travel by Train
Trains from Nanning in China run to Gia Lam Station GPS 21.052, 105.879 (say zah-lam), 5 kilometers northeast of Hanoi downtown and main station. The southbound train departs from Nanning Main Station - all announcements and signage here and on train are in Mandarin Chinese, but look out for the number of the train, T8701. It departs nightly just after 18:00 and arrives at 05:30 - that's over 12 hours later as there's a one-hour time switch at the border crossing. The northbound train (badged as MR1 to the border and then T8702) leaves Hanoi at 21:20 to reach Nanning at 10:10. Both ways take four hours to the border and then a tedious two hours on each side for exit & entry and then another four hours to destination. A ticket for a soft sleeper berth (4-berth compartment) costs ¥215 per person. The train lodging is basic, with no catering, and the only stops along the way are the two border stations. E-visas, if you need one, are not accepted at this border crossing. You'll have to take the standard Vietnam 15-day visa waiver, of which Day One will be bust before it even starts: the southbound train lumbers into Vietnam shortly after midnight and then the time goes back an hour and you're stamped into the nation around 23:45. Similarly, on such a waiver make sure you're on the northbound train by Day 14, as it will be Day 15 before you exit Vietnam.
Twice a week, a direct sleeper carriage runs from Beijing. As Train Z5, it departs Beijing West around 15:40 on Thursdays and Sundays, taking 24 hours via Guilin to Nanning Main Station. There it's coupled onto the Friday or Monday T8701 overnight train to Hanoi. Going north, it's attached to the Tuesday and Friday train from Hanoi,continuing (as Train Z6) from Nanning next day to reach Beijing by 10:00 Thursday and Sunday. Of course you can travel this route any day by changing in Nanning.
A taxi between Gia Lam and downtown should not exceed 70,000 Dong. If you decide to hike it (since you've arrived at 5.30 am and lack alternative amusements), you may only cross the river by the northern (Long Bien) bridge.
All other trains use the main* Hanoi train station GPS 21.024, 105.841 (Ga Hang Co, 120 Le Duan, ☎ +84 4 825 3949), for daily services from cities in the south including Hue and Nha Trang. The Reunification Express goes all the way to Ho Chi Minh City ("Saigon"), although there is very little 'express' about it. There are ten trains a day to HCMC taking 31-38 hours, but five of them are slow and are overtaken by faster trains - only use them for destinations north of Da Nang.
There are also train services to the northwest (including Lao Cai, from which you reach Sapa. To board trains bound for these destinations, you have to enter the train station compound through the "backdoor" at Tran Quy Cap station. Just tell your driver which destination your train is heading to. Be mindful of any "helpful" stranger who offers to carry your luggage. He probably has a sum more than the cost of the ticket in mind for the help.
Tickets for all destinations are sold in the main station, though there are two counter halls, north and south, serving the respective destinations.
There is a queuing system in place to buy tickets at Hanoi Station which involves obtaining a numbered docket and waiting to be called up to one of the ticket counters. In training, however the process is chaotic and many local residents disregard the system altogether, often pushing their way to the counters to be served. If you are travelling to Nanning, China, ask a staff member where to go, as not all counters can sell these tickets.
Buy your ticket via eHalal Travel Groups as early as feasible, especially since sleeper tickets can be sold out several days in advance. If you can't get a ticket anymore, try a travel agent who still might have stock. You may also try your luck in the station just before boarding time: agents still holding tickets will be eager to sell as the departure draws near. Nevertheless, travel agencies in Hanoi are known for their bad business trainings. Some of them will try to overcharge you up to 300%, so it is better go to the train station by yourself and find out about the prices before you agree on any deal.
Travel on a Bus
Public buses serving southern destinations (e.g., Ninh Binh, 2 hr, 70,000 dong) leave from Giap Bat bus station. To get from the Giap Bat bus station to the old quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake, leave aside all the hassle of taxi and motorbike drivers and take public Bus 8 towards Đông Mỹ (7,000 Dong, pay on the bus). To find it head towards the primary street inside Giap Bat station, you will see signs with numbers indicating the stops of different bus lines.
Most of the "open-tour" bus itineraries either begin or end in Hanoi,with Hue the next (or previous) stop (12-14 hr, USD8–9), and from there to Hoi An, Nha Trang, Dalat, Mui Ne, Ho Chi Minh City, and other cities in Vietnam, depending on the bus company. Most seem to stop at their office which could be right next to the old neighborhood and most backpacker hotels. Check when booking ticket.
Many of the same companies also sell tickets to Vientiane and Savannakhet in Laos (USD16–18). Do some research before you buy a ticket as rattle-trap scam buses abound on this route.
See Ho Chi Minh City to Shanghai overland if you're interested in crossing over to China by bus or train.
Get Around
Walk
This is the best way to traverse the maze of little streets in the old quarter and Hoan Kiem lakeside (which is traffic-free at weekends). From there it's a 1.5-km stroll to the Ho Chi Minh complex, 2 kilometers to West Lake; follow usual local rules on traffic safety.
Of the two bridges across the Red River and the southern (Churong Durong) is for vehicles only and has no sidewalk. The northern (Long Bien) is for trains, bikes & motorbikes and pedestrians. It's an impressive old structure, almost 2 kilometers long, also serving a river island of small plantations.
Best way to travel in Hanoi by a Taxi
Taxis ie proper cars, are small 4-seaters or larger 7-seaters. (Motorbike & cyclo taxis, described below, are notorious for scams.) Within the city, three companies are generally reliable: CP Taxi and Hanoi Taxi are actually two brands of Taxi Group, in white cars, and Mai Linh are in green cars. Taxi NoiBai specialise in airport transfers. Your hotel will call a reliable firm, and leave them in no doubt where they are supposed to be taking you.
If you prefer a flat fare, use the app GrabTaxi, which will display the agreed price and taxi details, you pay the driver cash. Otherwise, use the meter, flag-fall will be 20,000 Dong for the first two km. Tips are not expected but naturally appreciated.
Good-spirited haggling, and a bit of language confusion, are all part of the experience. Common scams are more serious: these include crooked meters, roundabout routes, and outright robbery. And even the nicest driver somehow never has change for your big bill: always hoard small bills.
By motorbike taxi
Motorbike taxis can be found on virtually every corner, especially in the Old Quarter: don't look for them and they'll accost you, so show only faint interest at first. The driver has a second helmet for you. You must haggle and firmly fix a fare in advance: the app GrabTaxi will always be cheaper than haggling. Always write down the fare (with all the zeroes) and get an unequivocal "okay" from the driver. A ten min ride (say from Hoan Kiem lake to Ho Chi Minh's tomb) should not exceed 20,000 dong; US $ are often accepted.
By cyclo
Negotiate first or avoid using the cyclos services. They can demand 200,000 Dong for a short ride of less than 100 m (330 ft). At the end of the journey, a few men will come over to translate, and they will pretend to help and later insist that you pay the demanded amount.
Motorbike rental
Motorcycles can be rented for around USD9–7 a day, and can be arranged by most hotels. This is good for making lots of trips around the city for individuals or duos, but be careful: Hanoi traffic is difficult place to sharpen u.com momotorbike skills. Park on the pavement with other bikes, and be sure to lock the front wheel. Locals will help arrange the bikes near their stores. Many shops that have bike attendants will give you a ticket in exchange for parking your bike. This may or may not come with a fee typically ranging from 2,000-5,000 Dong. The ticket will either have your license plate number written on it, or the ticket itself will be numbered, with that number subsequently chalked somewhere on your bike. In such cases, where you've been given a ticket and the attendants may ask that you not lock the steering column or front wheel of your bike so that they can rearrange the bikes as clients come and go.
By electric vehicle
'Green' electric vehicles now operate 3 fixed routes around the Old Quarter taking tourists past the main market, a couple of 'legacy houses', St. Joseph's Gothic Church and the opera house. The tours start and finish at the northern end of Hoàn Kiếm Lake and cost 200,000 Dong for 35 minutes or 300,000 for an hour.
Travel on a Bus
Scam-free, affordable but a bit difficult to comprehend at first the buses in Hanoi are relatively fast and surprisingly comfortable. Pick up a map with printed bus lines at the Trang Tien street (the book street by the Opera house) and spend a few minutes to identify the over 60 bus lines, find your bus stop, wait for the bus, pay 7,000 Dong (as of October 2022) and off you go. If you are unfamiliar with the city, make sure to inform the mostly helpful conductor where you want to get off. Or, use your phone's GPS and Google Maps - it works well with most bus lines, just keep in mind that traffic jams make schedules unreliable.
By car
Hanoi's traffic is extremely chaotic, with seemingly perpetual traffic jams, and a large number of almost suicidal motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians. Vietnamese drivers are among the most aggressive in the world, and lanes are effectively non-existent. As such, driving yourself around is not recommended, and you should leave your transportation needs in the hands of professionals.
By metro
The city's long overdue, over-budget metro is due to start running in April 2019. But it won't be of much relevance to tourists: from the main train station the red line runs to western burbs and the blue line to southwest burbs, neither line passing close to sights or hotels. The line to the airport is still being dreamed about.
What to See
Museums
- Vietnam Military History Museum - Bảo Tàng Quân Đội | Dien Bien Phu Street 21.032, 105.8401 Opening Hours: Tuesday - Thursday Saturday Sunday 08:00-11:30 and 13:00-16:30 30,000 Dong, additional 20,000 Dong to take pictures (rarely enforced) Vietnam Military History Museum 48785 Vietnam's military history extends back some two millennia, and this museum covers it in four buildings. Item descriptions on museum exhibits are in Vietnamese, French, and English. On display outside are the ubiquitous MiG-21 jet fighter, T-54 tank, and many bombs and articles captured in the Indochina and Vietnam wars. The flag tower is also on the museum site.
- Fine Arts Museum - Bảo Tàng Mỹ Thuật - 66 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street 21.0306, 105.837 opposite Temple of Literature ☎ +84 24 3733 2131 Opening Hours: Daily 08:30-17:00 Adult 40,000 Dong Vietnam National Museum of Fine Arts - Vietnam National Museum of Fine Arts, Hanoi,Vietnam - 20131030-03 Only party-approved art is shown here there is no information in English and not much in Vietnamese. But it is an interesting museum, on three floors of a colonial building, with another 3 galleries in the west wing. Pieces include soldiers on boats depicted on prehistoric bronze drums, Buddhist art, and revolutionary art of the 20th century wars. Also some interesting silk paintings.
- Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum 21.036667, 105.834722 Opening Hours: Tuesday - Thursday Saturday Sunday 08:00-11:30 Free Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum - Ho chi minh mausoleum The city down south may have his name, but only Hanoi has the man himself, entombed in distinctly Moscow#Main sites|Lenin-esque fashion. Against his wishes, but that's how it goes. No talking, revealing clothing (shorts should be knee length and no exposed shoulders), or other signs of disrespect allowed while viewing; photos are allowed only from outside, in the grand Ba Dinh Plaza. Purses are allowed into the tomb, but expect them to be searched by several bored soldiers along the way. Left luggage is handled in a complicated scheme: there is an office near the street for large bags, with separate windows for Vietnamese and foreigners, and a further office for cameras, which will be transported to a third office right outside the exit of the mausoleum. Items checked in at the first office, however, will stay there. The mausoleum is closed for a couple months around the end of the year, when the body is taken abroad for maintenance. It is closed in the afternoons for maintenance.
- One-Pillar Pagoda 21.035745, 105.833428 tucked away between the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Museum One Pillar Pagoda One Pillar Pagoda Hanoi Vietnam Visitors find this either charming and lovely or utterly pointless, depending on how many eHalal Tour Groups are crammed into the small grounds at the time of their visit. It has a long history attached to it. Regarded as one of Vietnam's iconic temples, it was built by Emperor Lý Thái Tông. The emperor was childless and dreamt that he met the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, who handed him a baby son while seated on a lotus flower. He then married a local girl that he had met and she bore him a son. The emperor constructed the temple in gratitude for this in 1049 having been told by a monk to build the temple, by erecting a pillar in the middle of a lotus pond, similar to the one he saw in the dream. Before the pagoda was opened, prayers were held for the longevity of the monarch. The temple is built of wood on a single stone pillar 1.25 m in diameter, and it is designed to resemble a lotus blossom, which is a Buddhist symbol of purity, since a lotus blossoms in a muddy pond. In 1954 the French Union forces destroyed the pagoda before withdrawing from Vietnam after the First Indochina War, it was rebuilt afterwards.
- Ho Chi Minh Museum 19 Ngoc Ha St, Ba Dinh 21.035693, 105.832624 ☎ +84 4 846-3572 Opening Hours: Daily 08:00-11:30, and Tuesday - Thursday Saturday Sunday 14:00-16:00 40,000 Dong Ho Chi Minh Museum - Ho Chi Minh museum, Hanoi 2 55897 This gleaming white museum and its gloriously ham-handed iconography is the perfect chaser to the solemnity of the mausoleum. The building, completed in 1990, is intended to evoke a white lotus. Some photos and old letters are on display on the second floor, but the main exhibition space is on the third floor. It includes cars crashing through walls to represent the chaos of post-war American capitalism, soldiers charging around with electric plugs, a cave hideout re-imagined as the inside of Ho Chi Minh's brain, and several other postmodern confections integrated with the detailed main story of the man's life and his country's struggle. There are plenty of photographs, prison documents and newspaper cuttings tracing his life along the way. The tour ends with a burnt bridge signifying the separation of Vietnam, followed by a reconstructed bridge showing the unification of Vietnam after the war. One of the more informative museums in Vietnam. Free guides are available in English, French, Chinese and Russian. The displays are labelled in English and French.
- Ho Chi Minh's Vestige in the Presidential Palace Area 1 Bach Thao, Ba Dinh 21.037901, 105.833547 ☎ +84 4 0804 4529 Opening Hours: Summer 07:30-11:00, 14:00-16:00; Winter 08:00-11:00, 13:30-16:00, closed Monday Friday afternoons 40,000 Dong Presidential Palace Historical Site - Ho Chi Minh House 1463237026 5317a7aaed The exit from the mausoleum takes you right into the grounds of the, uh, vestige, where Ho Chi Minh lived and worked from 1954 until his death in 1969. The nicely landscaped complex includes two of Ho Chi Minh's houses, kept shiny and "as he left them" by the authorities, as well as a garage with two of Ho's "used cars" and a carp-filled pond. You also get to see Ho Chi Minh's work room and politburo meeting room The presidential palace is nearby, but it's not always open to visitors. Pamphlets are available in English, Chinese, French and Korean. Guided Tours in Hanoi by ehalal.io (email for prices) are usually available if you wait.
- National Museum of Vietnamese History - Bảo tàng Cách mạng Việt Nam - No 1 Trang Tien Street and 216 Tran Quang Khai Street 21.0253, 105.8589 Opening Hours: Daily 08:00-12:00 and 13:30-17:00, except first Monday of month 40,000 Dong for both Actually two museums: one covers Vietnam from prehistoric times to 1945 the other covers 1945 to present. This museum gives a very informed and detailed account of the Vietnamese struggle against first the French (starting in 1858—on the first floor) and then against the US, ending on 30 April 1975 (on the ground floor). It is housed in a colonial French building which was completed in 1932. The building, designed by the architect Ernest Hébrard is considered as a successful blend between the colonial French architecture and traditional Vietnamese architecture, called Indochina architecture. He created double-walls and balconies for a natural ventilation system and protection from sunshine.
- Vietnamese Women's Museum - Bảo Tàng Phụ nữ Việt Nam - 36 Ly Thuong Kiet St, Hoan Kiem District 21.023463, 105.851619 Central Hanoi,1 kilometers South of Hoan Kiem Lake ☎ +84 4 3825 9938 +84 4 3825 9129 Opening Hours: Daily 08:00-17:00 30,000 Dong Vietnamese Women’s Museum - Vietnamese Women's Museum, Women's Fashion section 743287 This often overlooked museum has benefited from an extensive renovation of its permanent exhibitions. The modernised interior is well laid out with information in Vietnamese, English and French, and contains a huge amount of information on the fearsome female heroines of Vietnamese history. There are also exhibitions on the rituals and traditions surrounding women in family, as well as a beautifully presented collection of intricate hand-made ethnic costumes. A highlight is the regularly updated special exhibitions on a diverse range of subjects, from contemporary issues such as single mothers and street vendors to traditional medicine and Mother Goddess worship. English language tours are available on request.
Further out
- Museum of Ethnology - Bao Tang Dan Toc Hoc Vietnam - Nguyen Van Huyen St, Cau Giay District 21.0406, 105.799 Bus 14 from Hoan Kiem Lake - ask the conductor when to stop, and take a 500 m walk towards the museum (backtrack a little from the bus stop, and when you see a large street perpendicular to the street that you dropped off, take that street and walk down the street until you see the Museum of Ethnology to your left). Bus 38 goes from right outside the Temple of Literature to the street the museum is on Opening Hours: Tuesday - Sunday 08:30-17:30 40,000 Dong for Foreign Muslims, extra 50,000 Dong for photography. Vietnam Museum of Ethnology - Dan toc hoc 1 48345 Exhibitions cover mainly the culture and ritual trainings of the various ethnic groups in the whole of Vietnam. One of the key attractions of the museum is the open-air exhibition, which has houses of some ethnic groups, which even comes with inhabitants in costumes. The museum features actual explanations of the exhibits in Vietnamese, French and English. There is an excellent café on the premises.
- Hanoi Museum - Bảo tàng Hà Nội | Pham Hung St, Cau Giay District 21.011, 105.786 Opening Hours: Tuesday - Sunday 08:00-11:30 & 13:30-17:00 Free Local natural and human history down the ages.
- Air Force Museum - Bảo Tàng Không Quân | Truong Chinh Street 20.9998, 105.83 Southwest of downtown - There's a UH-1 helicopter, Soviet-built MiG fighters, a huge Mi-6 helicopter and other aircraft. Unfortunately they've been exposed to the elements for some time and local children climb over them.
Parks
- Hoan Kiem Lake 21.028889, 105.8525 - Park is free; 30,000 Dong admission to the island temple (玉山祠). Hoàn Kiếm Lake - Hoan Kiem 51254 A pleasant park in the centre of town, an easy walk from anywhere in the Old Quarter. It's the local residents' favorite leisure spot, and a great place to watch people practising tai chi in the morning or to sit and read in the afternoon. At weekends the park becomes even more popular as the normally busy road around it is pedestrianised, and instead filled with children driving electric cars or riding hoverboards. Hoan Kiem means "returned sword", and the name comes from a legend in which King Le Loi was given a magical sword by the gods, which he used to drive out the invading Chinese. Later, while boating on the lake, he encountered a giant turtle, which grabbed the sword and carried it down to its depths, returning it to the gods from whom it had come. (You can see a version of the legend at the Water Puppet Theatre.) The giant soft-shell turtles, whom Vietnamese biologists assigned to a separate species, Rafetus leloii, resided in the lake until the early 21st century. One of them, who died in 1968, has been preserved by the wonders of taxidermy, and can be viewed in a glass box (sarcophagus?) in a pavilion adjacent to Ngoc Son Temple on the island in the lake.
- Ly Thai To Statue & Park 21.0257, 105.8531 Southeast corner of lake - The park faces Hoan Kiem lake with a beautiful view of the busy Hang Bai Street and the serenity of the willows on the bank of the lake. Many local residents view this mini-park as their favourite place because it is a symbol of the integration of modernity and tradition. One might encounter a group of youths practising hip-hop, break dancing, or playing foot-badminton, while at the same time seeing a three-generation family enjoying a walk in the park.
- Ho Tay - West Lake | 21.055, 105.82 Northwest of the city - West Lake (Hanoi) - West Lake (Hanoi) Mostly a residential hub of the well-to-do. Hotel Intercontinental and Hanoi Sheraton are on this lake front.
- Lenin Statue & Park 21.0317, 105.8394 Dien Bien Phu St, across from the Army Museum - You can always feel the diversity and liveliness of Hanoi there. In the morning there are low-energy aerobics class for elders and aerobics class for the young in the morning. During the day, one can enjoy the tranquility in the park since everybody is either at work or in school. In the afternoon, it becomes a playground for children, students, soccer teams, and badminton players.
Temples
- Bach Ma Temple 76 Hang Buom St, Hoan Kiem District 21.035752, 105.851032 - Den_Bach_Ma 841667 Time: the 12th to the 13th day of the second lunar month. Objects of worship: Bach Ma God (the symbol of the sun god), Long Do God ("the god who defends the east"), confer a title of "Thang Long Capital of Nation royal tutelary god". Xuan Nguu presenting rite.
- Ngoc Son Temple - 玉山寺 | 21.0307, 105.852 - 20,000 Dong Temple of the Jade Mountain Tháp Bút ở Hồ Gươm Located on a small island in the Hoan Kiem Lake, connected with the mainland by a bridge. With small but attractive grounds and the temple displays on Vietnamese history and, more memorably, displays on the giant turtles, including a mummified specimen (who died in 1968). The two on-site gift shops vend a variety of souvenirs, many of them turtle-themed.
- Temple of Literature - Văn Miếu / 文庙 | Quoc Tuesday Giam Street 21.0291, 105.8361A few blocks south of the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum Opening Hours: Daily 08:00-18:00 Adult 30,000 Dong The Temple was founded in 1070 and became the nation's first university six years later. The overall design is somewhat similar to the "original" Confucian Temple in Qufu, with 5 courtyards. Most of the architecture is named with titles indicating reverence to literature and language itself. The showpiece of the complex is the third courtyard with eighty-odd stone tablets, each mounted on the back of a tortoise (known as bixi in Chinese), inscribed with the names of graduates. Another courtyard is full of gift shops, which also sell stamps, coins, and books. A reduced-size replica of the famous giant softshell turtle (the original being at the Ngoc Son Temple at the Lake of the Returned Sword) can be seen in one of the pavilions as well; it was made by Vietnamese artisans out of ceramic, and gold-plated. The fourth courtyard contains a temple and statues devoted to Confucius and his four disciples. The fifth and last courtyard, which was recently built, contains a mini-museum showcasing information on Emperor Lý Thánh Tông and his successors who built and renovated the temple. You may find a Vietnamese band playing local instrumental music in front of this museum. There are explanatory wall-hangings in English and French all along the way, and you don't need a guide.
Miscellaneous
- Hanoi Citadel 21.037407, 105.840428 - Hanoi Citadel - Dien_Kinh_Thien_001 Built as a residence for the Vietnamese king and the fortress was mostly destroyed by the French, used as a military headquarters during the Vietnam War and nowadays it is described on the UNESCO World Heritage list as "Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long - Hanoi".
- St. Joseph's Gothic Church Nha Tho, Hoàn Kiếm District 21.0286, 105.849 - St. Joseph's Gothic Church, Hanoi Statue of our Lady, St. Joseph's Gothic Church, Hanoi A late 19th-century Gothic Revival church that serves as the cathedral of the RC Archdiocese of Hanoi. Built in 1886 and the exterior is gaunt and grey, but within is light and peaceful. Mass is held several times a day, and for Sunday evening mass at 18:00 the crowds are huge: the service is broadcast to those outside who can't get in.
- Presidential Palace 2 Hùng Vương, Ngọc Hồ, Ba Đình 21.039286, 105.834586 - Presidential Palace, Hanoi Presidential Palace of Vietnam Completed in 1906 as the residence of the French Governor-General of Indochina. It became the official residence of the President of Northern Vietnam following independence in 1954, and later of the President of Vietnam following reunification in 1975. Ho Chi Minh was said to have refused to live in the palace for symbolic reasons, though he used it to receive state guests. The building itself is not open to the public, but you can view it from the outside and take photographs.
Wartime sites
- B-52 Lake - Huu Tiep Lake | Ngoc Ha Precinct, Ba Dinh District 21.037947, 105.826996 - Until 19 Dec 1972, this was just a small brackish pond just off Hoang Hoa Tham St, about 1 kilometers west of the mausoleum. On that day, in a twisted retelling of the Hoan Kiem legend, Vietnamese anti-aircraft missiles blasted the enemy's eight-engine, 100-ton aircraft and sent it to the shallow bottom of the lake, where it remains today.
- Downed Aircraft Memorial 21.046856, 105.836830Along Thanh Nien Street on Truc Bach Lake - A stone plaque commemorating the shooting down of a US Navy (not "USAF" as depicted) aircraft in 1967. Read the Vietnamese script and you can pick out the name of John McCain and the late U.S. senator, one of the airmen.
- Hoa Lo Prison - Hanoi Hilton | 1 Hoa Lo, Hoan Kiem 21.025278, 105.846389 Opening Hours: 08:30-12:00, 14:00-16:30 (Mondays and Fridays 8-12) 30,000 Dong Hỏa Lò Prison - HanoiHilton 359941 This prison was built by the French at the turn of the 20th century, in classical French prison design. This is where the French imprisoned and executed Vietnamese freedom fighters. It is now a museum since two thirds of the prison was torn down to make way for the Hanoi Towers and the museum exhibits the plight of the jailed political revolutionaries and their plight under the French colonial government and the struggle of the Vietnamese people against imperialism in chilling detail. The prison was commonly called the "Hanoi Hilton" during the Vietnam War as it held US POWs. Little emphasis is given to this period however, and to some the exhibits may seem to be propaganda, such as showing photos only of prisoners being treated well and playing basketball and playing chess. The museum claims to have John McCain's flight suit from when his plane was shot down. Most of the exhibits are self-explanatory in English and a guide may not be required. You can still get one for 25,000 Dong.
What to do in Hanoi
- Backstreet Academy - 11A Nam Trang, Truc Bach ☎ +84 979 545 707 Opening Hours: 08:00-18:00 An alternative tour experiences platform and they enable local residents to offer authentic and unique activities to tourists such as silk weaving, wood carving workshops, paper stencilling, traditional music instruments and even a course where you can make your own traditional paper masks or leather products with local craftsmen. A social enterprise and they work with many underprivileged people who either serve as hosts or facilitators/guides. A great way to interact with local people and take in the culture.
Cinemas
- August Movie Theater - Rap Thang 8 | On Hang Bai St, 5 min away from Trang Tien Plaza and the commercial area, such as Pho Hue, Hai Ba Trung and Trang Tien Street - 35,000-60,000 dong
- CGV Cinemas (formerly Megastar) | 191 Ba Trieu On the 6th floor of the Vincom City Towers - 70,000-115,000 Dong for 2D movies depending on day and time. 90,000-230,000 Dong for 3D movies The movies are relatively new, perhaps one or two months later than in the US. The movies are not dubbed although there are subtitles so both non-Vietnamese speakers and local residents can enjoy them.
Cooking classes
- EZ Cooking Class daynauan.vn 49 Lane, 49 Huynh Thuc Khang Street
- EDUMA 94 Lane, 49 Lo Duc Street
- Hanoi Cooking Centre - 44 Chau Long Street close to Truc Bac lake ☎ +84 4 3715 0088 - Cooking school, retail outlet and beautiful courtyard cafe with an excellent menu of Asian and Western favourites. Hands-on cooking classes and short courses in a relaxed atmosphere.
- Hidden Hanoi - 137 Nghi Tam Road (aka Duong An Duong Vuong), Tay Ho On the bund road in the Tay Ho District USD80 per person Hidden Hanoi runs walking tours and cooking classes. There are many options including the 1 hours walking tour of the local market, followed by the 3 hours cooking class. Cooking class menus change daily, there are other walking tours available. They also run language classes, there is a dance school in the same building.
- Vietnam Culinary School | - Fully equipped facilities to learn Vietnamese cooking. A typical day will commence with a visit to the morning market accompanied by an instructor to select ingredients for your cooking lesson. The class will be followed by a meal in a restaurant sampling your own cooking as well as traditional Vietnamese dishes.
- Học Viện Ẩm Thực - 60 Tran Nhan Tong
Gym
- No Name 88 Hang Buom Street 30,000 Dong per visit If you want to do some mild weight training on a budget. Locals apparently pay 130,000 dong/month. Be aware, however, that the gym is in very poor condition. The floor is hazardous and no one will spot you while benching so ensure your last rep you are able to place the bar back or go with a friend. The front of the gym is full of scooters and the rear wall has pictures of Uncle Ho exercising. Drinks are 10,000 Dong.
Pampering
- SF Salon and Spa | 30 Cua Dong, Hoan Kiem ☎ +84 4 926 2032 - Nice, not too expensive spa with a range of services, including massages, manicures/pedicures, facials. They will pay for your one-way taxi fare to the spa. Friendly staff.
Rock climbing
- VietClimb - So 40 Ngo 76 An Duong ☎ +84 9 1454 8903 Opening Hours: Daily except Monday, 14:00-22:00 200 m² climbing surface, a 50 m² café & terrace to chill out, and a climbing pro-shop. Also a great place for finding out where to climb immediately outside of Hanoi.
Theatre
- Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre - 57 Dinh Tien Hoang StAcross from Hoan Kiem Lake ☎ +84 4 824 9494 +84 4 824 5117 60,000 and 100,000 Dong. Camera passes are an extra 20,000 Dong Musicians accompany folk legends from Vietnamese history, told with wooden men, women, and dragons, dancing and splashing on the face of the water. The narratives are sung in Vietnamese, but lyrics are available in several languages. Or just ignore the dialogue and narration and focus on the special effects. There are several performances throughout the day. Don't worry about getting wet, but the seats are very small, and visitors with above-average height will have to squirm a bit.
- Hong Ha Theatre - Vietnam Tuong Theatre | 51 Duong Thanh Street (Inside Old Quarter) Walk: from northern tip of Hoan Kiem Lake go along Hang gai street to the West about 500m then turn right at Duong Thanh street and the theater is on the right at number 51. By bus: take bus 01 stop at bus stop 30 Duong Thanh then walk about 30m toward the north. ☎ +84 984545228 Opening Hours: Monday Thursday 18:00-19:00 150,000 Dong Hát tuồng (Hanoi: [háːt tûəŋ]) or hát bội (Saigon: [háːk ɓôjˀ]) is a form of Vietnamese theatre. Hát tuồng is often referred to as classical "Vietnamese opera" influenced by Chinese opera which combines acting, singing, and dancing. Tuồng employs the use of stock characters who are recognizable from their make-up and costumes, which are typically very elaborate and extravagant.Usually, a character's personalities can be revealed through three features: the color of the face and the eyebrows, and the beard.
In this 1 hour show and the artists will perform most interesting, unique and typical recitals from famous Tuongs (which typically last 1-2 hours). The show starts at 18:00 but from 17:30 the theater is open so the guests can interact with the artists, observe the performance preparation and try to sing, dance, play drum with the artists and enjoy traditional royal tea. The english leaflets will be provided for every guest which will introduce the content of each recital throughout the show. - Cong Nhan Theater - Tuesday Phu (Four Palaces Show) | 42 Trang Tien street From the Opera House walk down Trang Tien street 1 block and the Theater is on the right. From southern side of Hoan kiem lake, walk toward Trang tien street for 2 block and the theater is on the left ☎ +84 90 219 5650 (VI), +84 90 703 3553 (EN) Opening Hours: Thursday Saturday 18:00-18:45, 19:30-20:15 USD8.49-12.95 "Four Palaces” refers to the belief in the worship of Four Mother Goddesses, including Mother Goddess of Heaven, Mother Goddess of Forest, Mother Goddess of Water and Mother Goddess of Earth. The late 19th and early 20th centuries were the most flourishing periods of Mother Goddess religion in Viet folklore. There are times when Mother Goddess religion is considered as a manifestation of superstition and thus prohibited. However the rituals of “Tứ Phủ” (Four Palaces), known by several other names, for instance, Tứ Phủ Công Đồng or Four Palaces Council, hát văn, chầu thánh, etc., still have a remarkable presence and strong reflection in Viet folk arts for several reasons:
1. Four Palaces is considered as a medium of lively communication of humans with Gods or Saints, divine beings who are familiar to Vietnamese both spiritually and in real life. The communications are organized as rituals by psychics or mediums who play roles of middlemen connecting people to divines. As such, it connected with Vietnamese in general.
2. Four Palaces is a lively form of art which collected many materials of folk arts, for example, hát chầu văn or chầu thánh (a traditional folk art which combines trance singing and dancing) and rites (ceremonies) as well as music with drum, flute and folk instruments; ritual dancing, rites of hầu đồng (hiển thánh) or ritual dress of sorceresses, etc.
You can buy ticket online via website
- Hanoi Cheo Theatre - Show "Long Thanh Dien Xuong" - 15 Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street It's opposite the East gate of the Thong Nhat Park. ☎ +84 4 3943 7361 Opening Hours: Thursday 17:30-18:30 150,000 Dong Chèo (Vietnamese: [cɛ̂w) is a form of generally satirical musical theatre, often encompassing dance, traditionally performed by Vietnamese locals in Northern Vietnam. It is usually performed outdoors by semi-amateur touring groups, stereotypically in a village square or the courtyard of a public building, although it is today increasingly also performed indoors and by professional performers. Chèo stage art is one of the great cultural legacy of the Vietnamese folk treasure. Chèo has been a popular art form of the Vietnamese people for many generations and has fostered the national spirit through its lyrical content. Show Long Thanh Dien Xuong introduces to the visitors different types of folk arts/performances which used to be common in the history, when Hanoi was the royal capital of Viet Kingdom: cheo, ca tru, chau van, xam, water puppet.
Shopping in Hanoi
Many places accept US dollars, and cash is king. Most shops quote much higher prices for tourists (including Vietnamese people from other regions) than for local residents, and the belief that Muslims are rich and hence should pay more than local residents is firmly entrenched in the local culture. As such, most vendors will insist that as a tourist, you pay the tourist price and will refuse to let you bargain the price down to the local price even if you know what it is. If you have a trusted local friend, you can save a fair bit of money by getting your friend to buy the item you want in your absence.
ATMs
ATMs are common but the vast majority have a transaction limit of 2 million Dong. They charge varying fees and a single ATM can charge different fees for different cards - once you've found a affordable one you'd be advised to stick with it.
Exceptions to the low transaction limit include the local Techcombank and Military Bank, and the international (and rarer) ANZ (ATMs), HSBC (ATMs) and Citibank, with higher transaction limits of 5,000,000-7,000,000 Dong for MasterCard and Visa. You should expect to pay an ATM fee of around 40,000 Dong, but reported fees range from 0 to 150,000 Dong (both for HSBC). HSBC ATMS in the Old Quarter have limits of 8,000,000 Dong with a 150,000 Dong fee, which is still more economical than making multiple withdrawls (April 2022).
The airport, top end hotels such as the Melia, Sheraton and Sofitel Metropole, and expat-oriented shopping centres such as Hanoi Towers and the Syrena Centre in Tay Ho are a good place to find international ATMs. Google Maps is also reasonably accurate.
Books and maps
- Bookworm Hanoi - 44 Chau Long (Hanoi Cooking Center) ☎ +84 43 715 3711, +84 912 561800 - New and used books.
- Small Vietnamese bookstores (nhà sách) line Phố Đinh Lễ St, just south of the large post office east of Hoan Kiem Lake. Most of them stock a variety of bilingual dictionaries, but hardly any books in English. Among them, as of 2025, Nhà Sách Lam seemed to have the best selection of maps (both Hanoi City and Vietnam regional).
- Most of the numerous souvenir shops inside the Temple of Literature (see under #Museums|Museums; admission fee needs to be paid to get in) also carry a selection of books about Vietnam in English and other foreign languages (French, (Spanish), (Japanese)...), as well as culture- and history-oriented books in Vietnamese. Not a good place to shop for dictionaries or maps, though.
Markets
- Cho Hom - The equivalent meaning in English would be "Noon Market" but the translation is not close| Pho Hue - A huge range of goods, and famous for the fabric market on the second floor. There are many kiosks selling different types of fabrics ranging from cheap, affordable to best quality with a high price. When shopping, take your time and never rush into buying anything. Sellers often quote a very high initial price that you can bargain down considerably.
- Dong Xuan | Famous for being the market for wholesalers. They have school supplies, stuffed animals, clothing. It is quite an experience to spend some time in the market observing the sellers and buyers.
- Hang Da - A 6-storey building to house the market is under construction. All the kiosks are in the neighbouring area, either on Phung Hung (second-hand clothing), Duong Thanh, or Ly Nam De Streets. Sell a huge range of goods including pets, groceries, prepared foods and fabrics. Reports have stated for a couple of years that it is now mostly empty.
- Night Market | Opening Hours: 19:00- This market gathers on a walking street in the old quarter. Has anything from pirated DVDs to traditional ornaments. Prices are Bargaining|negotiable, but watch out for the "foreigner pricing" which is fairly common.
How to find a Supermarket with Halal food in Hanoi
Although most grocery shopping still happens in street markets (see above), supermarkets and convenience stores are becoming more common. As well as local mid-level and luxury brands, many supermarkets stock imported products such as California pistachios and almonds, European Cheese, Chocolates and fruit cocktail, Korean kim chi, or Japanese seaweed Snacks. Consumer staples, such as fresh produce or tofu may be considerably more expensive than in traditional markets.
Vinmart is a fast growing chain of convenience stores and by far the most common brand in Hanoi,offering a selection of fresh products (including the "clean" Vineco range with less pesticides) as well as the staples you'd expect at similar stores worldwide. L's Place has a few branches, including one just south of the Hoa Loa prison on Ly Thuong Kiet and focuses on the expat market.
Aeon Fivimart is a large supermarket with a central branch east of Hoan Kiem Lake (27A Ly Thai To, at Tran Nguyen Han). The similarly named but separately owned Aeon Citimart is in Hanoi Towers on the site of the former Hoa Loa prison. Meanwhile the huge but further afield Lotte Mart, located in the basement of the Lotte tower (a high-rise building at the junction of Kim Ma and Sanh Lieu, a few blocks south of the West Lake - the word "Lotte" on the tower makes it easy to find), may be one of the best of the breed, with a good bakery and cafeteria section. Open 08:00-22:00.
If you've a particular desire to spend two or three times the usual price on a selection of boutique imported Western goods (French Comte Cheese, Iberico ham, British ale), Annam have a store in the Syrena Centre on Xuan Dieu in Tay Ho.
Money changers
Money changers found in most guest houses and banks give bad rates. Jewellery shops consistently offer a better rate and the best ones are located along Ha Trung Road (5-min walk from Hoan Kiem Lake) and Hang Bac. Just walk into the shop and ask them if they change money. Ask 5 or more shops to see which one gives the best rate. Don't exchange money from the black market people on the streets.
Miscellaneous
Contact lens solution is common in Vietnam, and many pharmacies don't stock it. The pharmacy at the junction of Trang Tien and Dinh Tien Hoang (southeast corner of Hoan Kiem Lake) may have some in stock.
Halal Food & Restaurants
Halal restaurants are available
Coffee
- Highlands Coffee - Opposite KFC - 45,000 Dong On the 3rd floor in a ship-shaped 5-storey building overlooking Hoan Kiem Lake and Vietnam's "Piccadilly Circus". Great spot to relax in scenic location where you can watch all the traffic and pedestrians go about their business below you along their outside balcony or stay inside their comfy air-conditioned interior. They also serve food and soft-drinks.
- Cong Caphe - Several locations across the city, although the most central is probably the one at 54 Ma May. Serves various coffees, Chocolates and teas including their speciality coconut Coffee smoothie (around 45,000 dong). Popular with a young and relatively hip but well off crowd, and open late.
Muslim Friendly Hotels
See common scams; they're more prevalent at the budget end of the market, but no more in Hanoi than in other cities.
- An Hung Hotel Hanoi
- Angel Palace Hotel Hanoi
- Anise Hotel Hanoi
- Aranya Hotel Hanoi
- Ariva MS Salute Hotel Hanoi
- Art Hotel Hanoi
- Asian Ruby Hanoi Hotel
- Astoria Hotel Hanoi
- Authentic Hanoi Boutique Hotel
- Boss Hotel Hanoi
- Bro & Sis Hotel 2 Hanoi
- Brothers Hotel Hanoi
- Calypso Grand Hotel
- Church Boutique Hang Gai Hotel Hanoi
- Church Boutique Hotel Hang Ca Hanoi
- Church Boutique Hotel Nha Tho Hanoi
- Conifer Boutique Hotel Hanoi
- Crowne Plaza West Hanoi
- Dong Thanh Hotel Hanoi
- Duy Anh Hotel Hanoi
- Eastin Easy Gtc Hanoi Hotel
- Emerald Hotel Hanoi
- Essence Hotel Hanoi
- Eternity Hotel Hanoi
- Finnegans Hotel Hanoi
- Fraser Suites Hanoi
- Gia Thinh Hotel Hanoi
- Gold Star Hotel Hanoi
- Golden Legend Hotel
- Golden Sun Lakeview Hotel Hanoi
- Golden Wings 2 Hotel Hanoi
- Halong Aurora Cruises Hotel Hanoi
- Hanoi Amanda Hotel
- Hanoi Asia Hotel
- Hanoi Asia Star Hotel
- Hanoi Bao Khanh Hotel
- Hanoi Boutique Hotel 1
- Hanoi Boutique Hotel 2
- Hanoi Capital Hotel
- Hanoi Ciao Hotel
- Hanoi Cozy Hotel 2
- Hanoi Daewoo Hotel
- Hanoi Dolphin Hotel
- Hanoi Eclipse Hotel
- Hanoi Elegance Diamond Hotel
- Hanoi Elegance Ruby Hotel
- Hanoi Elegance Sapphire Hotel
- Hanoi Emotion Hotel
- Hanoi First Choice Hotel
- Hanoi Fortune Hotel
- Hanoi Gecko 3 Hotel
- Hanoi Grand View Hotel
- Hanoi Happy Hotel
- Hanoi Harmony Hotel
- Hanoi Holiday Diamond Hotel
- Hanoi Hotel
- Hanoi Imperial Hotel
- Hanoi Lakeview Hotel
- Hanoi Lucky Hotel 2
- Hanoi Luxor Hotel
- Hanoi Luxury Hotel
- Hanoi Mikes Hotel
- Hanoi Old Quarter Hotel
- Hanoi Paradise 2 Hotel
- Hanoi Paradise Hotel
- Hanoi Plaza Hotel
- Hanoi Posh Hotel
- Hanoi Royal Orchid Hotel
- Hanoi Royal Palace Hotel
- Hanoi Royal View Hotel
- Hanoi Silver Hotel
- Hanoi Sky Hotel
- Hanoi Spark Hotel
- Hanoi Tirant Hotel
- Hanoi Titanic Hotel
- Hanoi Topaz Hotel
- Hanoi Vega Hotel
- Hanoi View 2 Hotel
- Hanoi View Hotel
- Hilton Garden Inn Hanoi
- Hilton Hanoi Opera hotel
- Ho Guom Hotel Hanoi
- Hoabinh Palace Hotel Hanoi
- Holiday Gold Hotel Hanoi
- Homey Hotel Hanoi
- Hong Ngoc Dynastie Hotel
- Hotel De L'opera Hanoi
- Hotel Pullman Hanoi
- Indochina 1 Hotel Hanoi
- Indochina Boutique Hotel
- Indochina Legend Hotel Hanoi
- Indochina Queen II Hotel Hanoi
- InterContinental Hotel Westlake Hanoi
- King Ly Hotel Hanoi
- La Dolce Vita Hotel Hanoi
- Lucky 1 Hotel Hanoi
- Lucky 2 Hotel Hanoi
- Lucky 3 Hotel Hanoi
- Mai Hotel Hanoi
- Maidza Hotel Hanoi
- Maison D'Hanoi Hanova Hotel
- May De Ville Legend Hotel Old Quarter
- May De Ville Old Quarter Hotel Hanoi
- Medallion Hanoi Hotel
- Melia Hotel Hanoi
- Mercure Hanoi La Gare Hotel
- Moevenpick Hotel Hanoi
- Moonshine Palace Hotel Hanoi
- Morning Star Hotel Hanoi
- Nam Hai 1 Hotel Hanoi
- Nam Ngu Hanoi Hotel
- New Vision Hotel Hanoi
- Nikko Hotel Hanoi
- Ocean Hotel II Hanoi
- Pacific Hotel Hanoi
- Phuc Loi Hotel Hanoi
- Prince II Hotel Hanoi
- Quoc Hoa Hotel Hanoi
- Residence Queen Ann Hanoi
- Rising Dragon Hotel Hanoi
- Royal 1 Hotel Hanoi
- Royal 2 Hotel Hanoi
- Royal Gate Hotel Hanoi
- Santa Hanoi Hotel
- Serenade Hotel Hanoi
- Sheraton Hanoi Hotel
- Silver Boutique Hotel Hanoi
- Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi Hotel
- Sofitel Plaza Hanoi
- Somerset Grand Hanoi
- Somerset Hoa Binh Hanoi
- Somerset West Lake Hanoi
- Splendid Jupiter Hotel Hanoi
- Splendid Star Grand Hotel Hanoi
- Star View Hotel Hanoi
- Sunset West Lake Hotel Hanoi
- Sunshine 1 Hotel Hanoi
- Sunshine 3 Hotel Hanoi
- Sunshine Plaza Hotel
- Sunshine Suites Hotel Hanoi
- Sunway Hotel Hanoi
- Symphony Hotel Hanoi
- Thaison Palace Hotel Hanoi
- The Hanoi Club Hotel & Lake Palais Residences
- The Jasmine Hotel Hanoi
- The Landmark Hotel Hanoi
- Trung Nam Hai Hotel
- Viet Hotel Hanoi
- Wildlotus Hotel Hanoi
Stay Safe
Walking the streets of Hanoi is not for the faint of heart. As is the case everywhere in Vietnam, traffic in Hanoi is dominated by an incredible number of motorbikes. The simple act of walking can be intimidating for visitors, especially in the narrow streets around the Old Quarter.
There is no such thing as one-directional traffic in Vietnam. When you leave the curb, look not only left and right, but to the front and back. Even up and down would not be amiss. Take each step deliberately but resolutely. Patiently allow the motorbikes to pass. Don't rush. Do not make any erratic movements. This way the drivers are aware of you, and can anticipate your vector (along with all of the other motorbikes). It may look chaotic, but be patient and pay attention when you're crossing any street, large or small, and you will be fine.
Pickpockets
You've read warnings about pick pockets a hundred times, but in all of Asia, it's rarely as true as for Hanoi's busy and narrow Old Quarter or the Dong Xuan Night Market. The crowd and the loads of visitors and the distraction of heavy traffic and the narrow confines guarantee opportunities for thieves. And the general belief that visitors have too much money creates a moral climate in which thieves abound. Even if you're attentive, you'll get some pockets of your backpack opened, maybe even twice daily. Expect female pickpockets. Don't let them surround you. Approaching you with "Hello, I'm a student" seems to be a quite popular pick-up line for them, so be forewarned.
Internet & Phones
Telephone
- Hanoi code: 4. Note the "3" that has been added in front of all local numbers. Examples:
- Old dialling style: 1234567 (from within the city) or 04 1234567 (inter-provincial) or +84 4 123456 (from overseas)
- New dialling style: 3 1234567 (from within the city) or 04 3 1234567 (inter-provincial) or +84 4 3 123456 (from overseas)
Internet
There are plenty of Internet cafés all over the city. Most are used by Vietnamese teens playing online dance or battle games. Rates vary, but can be as low as 3,000 dong/hr. Some of the better cafés, particularly in the Old Quarter, have computers that are Skype-capable for international phone calls. The cafes that charge you for using the Internet usually provide desktop computers. There are also cafes where they have free wireless. All you have to do is order something from their menus and use their Wi-Fi for as long as you want. The Wi-Fi cafes are concentrated around Hoan Kiem Lake.
Cope in Hanoi
Embassies & Consulates in Hanoi
China - 46 Hoang Dieu Road ☎ +84 4 3845-3736
Egypt - 63 To Ngoc Van St, Tay Ho ☎ +84 4 3829-4999 +844 38294997 Opening Hours: 09:00-16:00
India | 58-60, Tran Hung Dao ☎ +84 4 253409 +84 4 252310
Indonesia - 50 Ngo Quyen Street ☎ +84 4 825 3353 +84 4
Malaysia | 43-45 Dien Bien Phu ☎ +84 4 3734 3849
Pakistan | Villa 44/2, Van Bao Street, Van Phuc Diplomatic Compound ☎ +84 4 375-62251 +84 4-37562253 Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 0900-1700
Russia - 191 La Thanh Street ☎ +84 4 833-6991 - Visa application for Foreigners on long-term visa only (3 months+)
Singapore - 41-43 Tran Phu Street ☎ +84 4 3848-9168
Thailand - 63-65 Hoang Dieu Street ☎ +84 4 382-35092 +84-4-382-35088
Immigration office
- Immigration Department 40A Hang Bai ☎ +84 4 826-6200 - For visa extensions.
News & References
Travel Next
If you are the adventurous type or simply bored temporarily of the city atmosphere then consider a circuit through the northern countryside. A round trip will take you to a lot of charming villages and through hills and valleys with charming views. Main roads are generally in good condition and you can easily do a couple of hundred kilometers a day. The villages and provinces are generally safe at night, and you get to see a lot of Vietnamese culture such as various tribespeople. While bus services are available (albeit not always reliable), a recommended alternative is to rent a bike or vehicle and make the trip on your own. Motorbikes in decent quality can be rented for as little as USD8 a day, and many places have suggestions for routes.
- Ha Long Bay's spectacular ocean karst topography is the most popular side-trip from Hanoi.
- The Sapa mountain region, home to ethnic minorities, gorgeous mountain scenery, and trekking paths connecting many tiny mountain villages is the second most popular trip. It is accessible by bus or train to Lao Cai and then onward by shuttle van or hired motorbike.
- Perfume Pagoda | Not easily reachable by public transport. Tours are available anywhere in Hanoi. - Tour from USD15 including transport, lunch, and admission An ancient Buddhist pilgrimage site about 60 km southwest of Hanoi. A full-day excursion that involves a boat trip to the main site, where you will hike (30-45 min) or take a cable vehicle up a mountain. Near the top is a large limestone cave containing Buddhist shrines and statues. There are various other temples and grottoes along the way.
- Bat Trang, a village famous for its pottery, 9 km southeast of Hanoi. It is accessible by taking Bus 47, which originates at Long Bien. Just hop on (the bus will be clearly labelled with the number 47 and the text "Long Bien - Bat Trang"; bus fare is ~5,000 Dong one-way. Take it to the last stop, which is directly opposite the pottery market (haggle for lower prices, and insist on paying in dong). Head back up the street to the factories to the products being made.
- Cao Bang, featuring the beautiful Ban Gioc Waterfall, is five hours away by bus, near the Chinese border.
- Cuc Phuong National Park, is the largest national park in Vietnam and an easy day-trip from Hanoi.
- Co Loa is the oldest ancient capital in the region; a little-visited site slightly northeast of Hanoi.
- Tam Coc/Hoa Lu in Ninh Binh Province, is a day trip is combining legacy tourism and natural landscape tourism. Hoa Lu is the site of the first capital of Vietnam in the 10th century, and was home to two kings, Dinh Bo Linh (Dinh Tien Hoang) and Le Hoan. There are now two shrines dedicated to these two kings. About 30 min away from Hoa Lu is Tam Coc [three grottoes, commonly called Ha Long Bay on land. It features karst landforms surrounded by paddy fields, and is accessed by little wooden boats. Boats are for hire at USD7.50/trip, which takes about one hour. This is an excellent alternative to Ha Long Bay for those who have short attention spans, as the boat trip takes a mere hour versus Ha Long Bay tourist boats which take 5 hours. One minor annoyance involves peddlers on boats hawking their wares, and your boat rower trying to sell you embroidery. A trip can be booked in Hanoi for about USD20.
- Laos, long haul buses to Laos leave from Hanoi daily and can be booked at any travel agent. Buses to Vientiane, USD70, 24 hours; Luang Prabang, USD80-45, 27-30 hours; Vang Vieng, USD77 plus USD8 to transfer to a Lao bus at a junction, 27-30 hours. You will be on the same bus as Luang Prabang, but changes buses at a small town in Lao. Going directly to Vang Vieng is a good choice for Muslim travellers looking to skip Vientiane, and just go to Luang Prabang and then onto Thailand. Buses to Southern Laos are available as well. All buses are double-bed sleeper buses.
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