In a nutshell
- Hanoi sits in the north of Vietnam, making it usually the last or second-to-last stop on a road trip route through Vietnam — though it can just as easily be your starting point.
- The city is authentic, chaotic, and simply an experience unlike anywhere else in the country.
- Hanoi has tons of cool attractions, and you should definitely build in a day trip to Ha Long Bay or Ninh Binh. Plan on spending 3 to 5 days in and around the city.
- We’ll show you which 10 things to do in Hanoi are truly worth your time — plus our honest tips for sightseeing and excursions.
Our Top Hanoi Highlights on a Map
Most of the things to do in Hanoi are located in the Old Quarter. You can easily walk everywhere. We’ve marked the must-sees on a map so you can get a quick overview.
Hanoi's Old Quarter
What do you need to know? Hanoi’s Old Quarter is a maze of narrow alleyways lined with slim, colorful buildings. Small vendors dot the streets and a market seems to be happening on almost every corner. Dozens of scooters weave through it all.
Is it worth it? Absolutely — strolling through the Old Quarter and soaking up all the hustle and bustle is simply part of the experience. And a lot of fun.
Our tip: Every weekend there’s a night market here. It’s pretty touristy, but genuinely cool.
Hoan Kiem Lake
What do you need to know? Right next to the Old Quarter you’ll find Hoan Kiem Lake. You can relax on the green shores around the lake. In the middle sits an island with the Jade Mountain Temple — a red bridge connects it to the shore and looks fantastic in photos.
Is it worth it? Hoan Kiem Lake is a great spot to unwind after exploring the Old Quarter. Really lovely.
Our tip: The area around the lake is especially great on weekends, when the streets are closed to traffic.
Train Street
What do you need to know? Train Street is our absolute favorite thing to do in Hanoi. You sit back with an egg coffee at a little café while a train rumbles right past you — totally wild! The narrow alley has train tracks running through it, with café tables lined up right alongside them.
Is it worth it? 100%! Where else can you experience something like this? Just the tracks and colorful houses make for amazing photos. And when a train rolls by just a few feet away, it’s a seriously thrilling experience.
Our tip: Check the official ticket website beforehand to see when the trains run. Currently they run at 6:00, 8:49, 9:20, 11:52, 15:15, and 21:15 on weekends. On weekdays, only the 6:00 and 21:15 trains run. Of course, the trains are never exactly on time.
Note: Train Street has recently been blocked off with a gate and guarded by a man in uniform. However, if you go in with one of the café owners from the street, you’re still allowed in. Sometimes only one direction is blocked off — in that case, you can simply enter from the other side of the street.
Here you'll find all our tips for Train Street:
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
What do you need to know? The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum has housed the embalmed remains of former president Ho Chi Minh for over 50 years. You can view the president’s body — and so do many others. The line in front of the mausoleum is incredibly long, but the wait is shorter than you’d expect.
Is it worth it? We didn’t actually make it inside because the opening hours on Google were wrong. Apparently there isn’t a lot to see and photos aren’t allowed. That said, visitors say you really feel how important this place is to the Vietnamese people. And even from the outside, the mausoleum is seriously impressive.
Our tip: Double-check the opening hours — Google has them wrong. From April to October it’s open on weekdays from 7:30–10:30 AM. On weekends it opens and closes half an hour later. From November through March, it’s open on weekdays from 8–11 AM and on weekends until 11:30 AM.
One Pillar Pagoda
What do you need to know? On the grounds of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (our #4) you’ll also find the One Pillar Pagoda. As the name suggests, the pagoda was built on a single pillar — sitting in the middle of a small pond.
Is it worth it? The pagoda is genuinely beautiful. If you’re already at the mausoleum, definitely stop by for a photo.
Tran Quoc Pagoda
What do you need to know? Walk a little further from the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (#4), away from the Old Quarter, and you’ll reach the vast West Lake. This is where Hanoi’s oldest pagoda stands. Palm trees and other trees surround the red tower, and everything reflects beautifully in the water.
Is it worth it? The temple can get quite crowded inside, but the pagoda is really worth it for photos from the outside. Afterward you can relax by the lake for a bit.
St. Joseph's Cathedral
What do you need to know? Hanoi isn’t just home to temples — it also has cathedrals. One of the most well-known is St. Joseph’s Cathedral. From the front it looks strikingly like Notre-Dame in Paris. No surprise there — the cathedral was actually modeled after Notre-Dame.
Is it worth it? Definitely worth a quick photo stop.
Our tip: There are some charming cafés around the cathedral. Check out La Capo Café — it’s tiny, but the egg coffee and cookies are delicious.
Long Bien Bridge
What do you need to know? The Long Bien Bridge is the oldest bridge in Hanoi and has a wonderfully rustic look. Train tracks run across the steel structure, but you can also cross it on foot or by scooter. The bridge starts right at the Ga Long Bien station.
Is it worth it? Totally — it’s a great spot for some seriously cool photos.
Our tip: Sunset is the best time to get the most stunning shots of the bridge.
Water Puppet Theater
What do you need to know? Hanoi is famous for its water puppet theater. Small puppets perform ancient stories and legends in pools of water, accompanied by live music and a small fireworks display at the end. You’ll find the theater right on Hoan Kiem Lake.
Is it worth it? It’s on the touristy side, but the legends being told are really cool and unlike anything you’ll see elsewhere.
Our tip: Book your tickets in advance — they sell out super quickly. You can grab them directly at the box office or online.
Get tickets for the Water Puppet Theater
Beer Street
What do you need to know? Beer Street is a narrow alley in the Old Quarter where bars line up one after another, spilling tables and chairs out onto the street with only a slim passage in between. In the evenings the tables fill up and people sip local beer or cocktails — the atmosphere is really something special.
Is it worth it? Beer Street is perfect for a night out when you want to try Vietnamese beer and soak up some local energy.
Our Hotel Pick for Hanoi
Most of Hanoi’s attractions are in the Old Quarter. For sightseeing, your best bet is to stay in a hotel there.
We stayed at Su Casa. You’re just a few minutes’ walk from Hoan Kiem Lake and almost right next to Train Street. The hotel offers great value for money. You stay in small, bright apartments, each themed after a different country — Japan, Vietnam, France, and Egypt. You can tell which theme your apartment has from the cool murals on the walls.
More hotel recommendations can be found here:
Day Trips Around Hanoi
The best things to do in Hanoi don’t stop at the city limits — some of the most stunning highlights in Vietnam are only about two hours away. These day trips are absolutely worth building into your itinerary.
Day Trip to Ha Long Bay
A trip to Ha Long Bay is a must on your journey through Vietnam. In the bay, you cruise by boat through towering limestone karsts and explore caves, islands, and floating villages. The scenery here is simply stunning.
Unfortunately, plenty of other tourists have noticed this too. Most tours visit the same three spots — meaning it gets very crowded. That’s why we recommend doing a two-day tour that also takes you to more remote areas. You’ll sleep on the boat overnight.
See the two-day tour to Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay
If you only have one day, consider heading to Lan Ha Bay with Cat Ba instead. This is our under-the-radar pick. It’s located just below Ha Long Bay and is just as beautiful, but with far fewer tourists.
Here you'll find all our tips on Ha Long Bay:
Day Trip to Ninh Binh
Ninh Binh is often called the dry Ha Long Bay. The rocky landscape looks almost identical — except instead of the sea flowing between the karsts, it’s a river.
On a day trip to Ninh Binh, you drift along the river in a rowboat, cycle through rice fields to small villages, and take in sweeping views of the landscape from above.
Here you'll find all the tips for Ninh Binh:
Frequently Asked Questions About Hanoi
How many days do you need in Hanoi?
Plan on about 2 to 3 days in Hanoi — that’s enough time to see all the major highlights at a relaxed pace.
If you also want to take day trips to Ha Long Bay or Ninh Binh, add another 1 to 2 days on top of that.
How do you get around Hanoi?
Most of Hanoi’s attractions are in or near the Old Quarter, so you can easily walk between them.
If you’d rather not, Grab or Gojek are great options — scooter and car drivers are everywhere and much cheaper than taxis.
Even cheaper are buses. You usually pay just a few cents per ride, stops and schedules are easy to find on Google Maps, and you typically only wait a few minutes.
Is Hanoi expensive?
Hanoi is a little pricier than other cities in Vietnam, but it’s still very affordable compared to what you’re used to from Europe or North America.