Hanoi
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Hanoi—Vietnam’s chaotic capital full of culture, charm, and amazing cuisine. Its mix of Southeast Asian, Chinese, and French influences gives the city a unique look and feel. Additionally, there are many well-preserved buildings that reflect its colonial past.
Travel tip #1: Hanoi is generally a safe city, but practicing awareness and being vigil is always a must. Petty theft is common, so keep valuables locked away at the hotel and use crossbody bags to avoid trouble.
Places of Interest
Old Quarter: The Old Quarter is the historic urban center of Hanoi. This is considered the city’s business hub and main tourist destination. There’s plenty of restaurants, shops, and places to eat here, as well as lots of people and chaos within the area to keep you on your toes.
Hoàn Kiếm Lake: Also known as Hồ Gươ, this fresh water lake is in the Old Quarter area. Peaceful and quiet, the lake surrounds Ngoc Son Temple, a pagoda on a small island in the lake’s center. It’s a great place to walk around to escape the bustle of the city, as well as enjoy delicious food at nearby eateries.
Train Street: Several times a day, the train connecting Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh speeds through a narrow residential street—it’s quite the sight to see! The small street itself lies between Kham Tien and Le Duan, and the exact lane the train passes along is Ngo 224 Le Duan. It’s a little hidden, so asking a taxi driver to drop you off near the end of the street is the easiest way to find it. Walking from the Old Quarter area is an alternative option, taking about 30-40 minutes.
Đồng Xuân Market: Đồng Xuân is the largest indoor market in Hanoi with both wet and dry areas. There are multiple stories to the Soviet-style market building, which are home to vendors selling fresh produce, souvenirs, clothing, electronics, household appliances, and more. Although a tad overwhelming, its definitely an experience to be had! Make sure you go before its 5:00 pm closing time and give yourself enough time to explore.
Hanoi Weekend Night Market: On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday enjoy the night market in Old Quarter. Enjoy shopping for a wide range of goods, eating street food, and watching performances. The street is closed off to motorbikes and other vehicles, making it a safe space for pedestrians. It runs through Old Quarter starting at 7:00 pm along Hang Dao Street to the edge of Đồng Xuân Market.
Temple of Literature: The Temple of Literature is one of Hanoi’s most frequented tourist attractions. The building is well preserved and features traditional-style Vietnamese architecture. Historic and cultural, the temple is a nice place to visit to get a sense of Hanoi’s rich past.
Hanoi Opera House: In the heart of Hanoi at the intersection of five streets lies the Opera House. The 19th century French-style building was completed in 1911 and resembles the Opéra Garnier de Paris. Many people use it as a meeting point, but it’s also a beautiful building to admire.
Travel tip #2: Bartering is common practice in Vietnam when it comes to purchasing goods from street vendors. Haggle a fair price to be respectful, but agree on the price before showing any money.
Food
Vietnamese coffee: Coffee and Vietnam go hand-in-hand, and a trip to Vietnam wouldn’t be complete without drinking coffee! Vietnamese coffee is very dark and thick, which is countered by adding sweetened condensed milk and sugar. Hot and iced are commonly offered in cafes and on the street.
Egg coffee: Egg coffee (cà phê trúng), a Hanoi specialty, includes a creamy, soft egg white foam on top of thick, black Vietnamese coffee. It’s absolutely delicious and must be tried while in Hanoi, sitting on small stools in a crowded space to get the true experience. Cafe Giang is the most well-known egg coffee spot in Hanoi, but there are many other places to sample this tasty beverage.
Spring rolls: Coming in “fresh” and “fried” options, spring rolls are the perfect accompaniment to any meal in Vietnam. While the fresh kind usually include herbs, greens, and veggies, the fried version are typically stuffed with a mix of veggies, herbs, seafood, and/or meat. Although I didn’t have a problem, I recommend going for the fried spring rolls rather than fresh rolls if you’re eating street food or have a sensitive stomach.
Pho: Pho—Vietnamese noodle soup—is a must-try dish, yet especially when in Hanoi as it originated there. It’s usually eaten as a breakfast dish, but restaurants and street vendors serve it throughout the day. There are lots of places to try a delicious bowl of pho, but here are some recommended spots.
Bún chả: Bún chả originated in Hanoi and features rice noodles, a sweet broth, pork, and lots of herbs. To eat bún chả, dip the noodles into the bowl of sauce flavored and enjoy it with meat, herbs, chili, and more. Bún Chả Hương Liên is the famous spot President Barack Obama visited when in Hanoi, and serves the “Obama Special” in his honor. I recommend trying their fried seafood roll and crab roll on the side of your bún chả!
Bánh cuốn: Bánh cuốn is a rolled pancake which can be found throughout Hanoi. These thin, steamed rice flour pancakes are typically filled with minced pork, mushrooms, and veggies. They are served with fish-sauce, fried shallots, and fresh herbs. Check out some places to enjoy bánh cuốn by clicking here.
Bánh mì: Bánh mì refers to a type of sandwich served on a Vietnamese baguette. The baguette is filled with various savory ingredients, such as barbecued pork, pickled radish and carrots, and cilantro. It’s the perfect street food to share with a friend or take on the go. Bánh Mì 25 is a very popular place in Old Quarter to pick up some of these tasty sandwiches, but there are far more shops generously sprinkled throughout the city.
Avalon: This restaurant sits on the 4th and 5th floor of a dining building that overlooks Hoàn Kiếm Lake. Their menu features a variety of Vietnamese, including seafood, spring rolls, and rice dishes. For drinks, I recommend trying their limeade as well as lychee iced tea. The soft shell crab in tamarind sauce was quiet good, as was the sticky rice buns filled with chicken. A meal for two will set you back about $30 USD.
Travel tip #3: Many of the upscale and chain restaurants in Hanoi accept credit cards, but street vendors typically stick to cash. When purchasing street food, it’s best to agree on the price before handing money over to ensure the price doesn’t “magically” change when paying with a larger note.
Transportation & Accommodation
Motorbikes are by far the most common form of transportation in Hanoi. You can rent motorbikes by the day for as little as $2 USD, but finding parking can be a bit of a challenge. Likewise, it can be a little intimidating to navigate Hanoi’s crazy traffic scene. To alleviate the pressure of driving amidst the chaos, many people choose to use ride share services such as Grab. If you can’t get the app to work on your phone, most hotels and hostels can call you a Grab driver—car or motorbike. It is usually cheaper than hailing a taxi, as well as more reliable and safe.
Hanoi’s Airport—Noi Bai International Airport—is approximately one hour outside of the city center. You can arrange to have your hotel pick you up from the airport or have a taxi take you into the city. While these options are easiest and most convenient, I found them to be a tad expensive and opted to take the bus. Bus #86 costs 35,000 VND (~$1.50 USD) and the pick-up location is right outside the arrivals area. It has multiple drop-off locations leading into Old Quarter.
Hanoi is a budget-friendly city for accommodation and has a variety of backpacking hostels, as well as hotels and guesthouses. Old Quarter is the best place to stay for tourists with its central location, things to do, and food spots. Hanoi Culture Hostel features both shared spaces and private rooms. Their private rooms are fairly large and quite comfortable for the price. They also offer a decent breakfast. If you’re looking for a hostel for a very low price, Hanoi Centre Hostel has beds in mixed-gender spaces for as low as $6 USD a night. They also book tours and can arrange travel throughout Vietnam for you. At each location, the staff were very helpful, kind, and friendly while the spaces were clean and comfortable.
Travel tip #4: To help you navigate the city, pick up a SIM card when you arrive at the airport. It will make your life much easier while in Hanoi, and some cards can be topped up if needed.
Climate
In contrast to Southern Vietnam, Hanoi experiences four seasons throughout the year in combination with wet and dry periods. May through October is hot and humid with lots of rainfall while November through April is cooler and typically dry. September to November and March and April are the best times to visit Hanoi due to pleasant weather with milder temperatures. Summer is pretty warm and humid, in which temperatures hover between 28-35 Celsius (about 82-95 Fahrenheit). In winter, Hanoi is quite chilly when the temperature can fall below 10 Celsius (about 50 Fahrenheit).