Lakes, street food and old quarter energy.
Hanoi is Vietnam's capital, with lakes, a chaotic Old Quarter, French colonial streets and excellent street food. It is a base for Ha Long Bay and the north. It suits food lovers and budget travellers.
Tap a card to open it. Day trips are marked.
Ha Long Bay is a seascape of thousands of limestone islands and islets in the Gulf of Tonkin, about 170 kilometres east of Hanoi. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and most visitors see it on a day or overnight cruise.
Day tours are cheaper; overnight cruises cost more depending on quality.
Hoan Kiem Lake sits at the heart of the city, and legend says a golden turtle reclaimed a magic sword here. The red Huc Bridge leads to Ngoc Son Temple on a small island.
The lake is free; the temple has a small entry fee.
The Old Quarter is a dense grid of narrow streets north of Hoan Kiem Lake, many traditionally named after the goods once sold there. It is full of tube houses, street food stalls and small temples.
2026 general admission is free; optional activities and purchases are extra.
The Temple of Literature was founded in 1070 to honour Confucius, and in 1076 it became home to Vietnam's first national university. Its courtyards hold stone steles carved with the names of scholars.
Entry was about 70,000 VND in 2025.
The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Ba Dinh Square holds the embalmed body of the revolutionary leader. Strict dress and behaviour rules apply, and nearby are his stilt house and the One Pillar Pagoda.
Mausoleum entry is free; some neighboring sites charge a small fee.
Train Street is a narrow residential lane where the railway runs just metres from front doors. Access is sometimes restricted by the authorities for safety.
Free public sights; cafes charge for drinks.
The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology presents the cultures of the country's 54 recognised ethnic groups. Its outdoor garden has full-size traditional houses.
Check the official site for current prices.
Hoa Lo Prison was built by the French colonial administration in the late 1800s to hold Vietnamese prisoners. Later it held American pilots, who nicknamed it the Hanoi Hilton.
Entry was around 50,000 to 100,000 VND in 2025.
Ninh Binh province, about 90 kilometres south of Hanoi, is known for limestone karsts rising from rice fields and rivers. Boat trips at Trang An, part of a UNESCO site, pass through caves.
Boat tickets cost this range; tours cost more.
Water puppetry is a northern Vietnamese art in which puppeteers stand in a pool behind a screen and move figures across the water. Shows near Hoan Kiem Lake have live traditional music.
Ticket prices vary by seat category.
Everything above is open to read. A Hodolog account lets you build the trip around it.
Choose how many days you have.
Day one Old Quarter, day two mausoleum and temples, day three museums.
Rice terraces; best overnight.
199 mi · Bus, about 5 hours
Pottery village.
9 mi · Bus, about 45 minutes
A riverside boat ride to a cave temple in the hills.
37 mi · Tour or car plus boat, about 2 hours each way
Rice valleys and stilt houses of the Thai minority.
84 mi · Bus or tour, about 3 hours each way
Boat routes through limestone scenery and historic sites offer a full countryside day.
Arrange a road transfer or guided outing; national tourism gives about 2.5 hours to Ninh Binh, with additional local travel to individual sites.
UNESCO World Heritage seascape featuring thousands of towering emerald limestone karst islands and floating fishing villages.
99 mi · Express highway limousine van from the Old Quarter in about 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Best: October to December and March to April. Cooler, drier weather.
Daily high and average, by month
Typical inches per month
Quiet season. Lower prices, fewer crowds.
Climate normals: NASA POWER (public domain). For your own dates, a trip's Plan tab shows the forecast and the usual weather.
January or February
Lunar New Year; many shops close.
September or October
Lanterns in the Old Quarter.
September 2
Parades and flags.
January or February
The biggest holiday, with many shops closed and decorations everywhere.
September 2
Celebrates the 1945 declaration of independence.
Weekends year round
Streets around Hoan Kiem Lake close to traffic on weekend evenings for music and street games.
January or February; dates vary by lunar calendar
Confirm the actual holiday dates and individual opening hours before planning visits.
Late January or February
Vietnam's most important festival, celebrated with kumquat trees, peach blossom markets, and family feasts.
The US State Department rates Vietnam Level 1, exercise normal precautions; traffic and petty theft such as bag snatching are the main risks.
Busy sidewalks are used for parking and food, but the Old Quarter is fun to walk.
Metro lines and buses; ride apps are easiest.
The neighborhoods that suit most first visits.
Best for: first-timers, budget
Central and lively.
Best for: couples
By the lake.
Best for: couples
Quieter.
Best for: history fans
Near the Mausoleum, citadel and embassies, with calmer streets.
| Main airport | Noi Bai International (HAN), 17 mi from the center |
| To the center | Bus 86 reaches the Old Quarter in about 50 to 60 minutes (2026); a ride app is usually quicker. |
| Around town | Walk the Old Quarter and use Grab. |
| Ride apps | Grab, Be, Xanh SM, Gojek |
Noodle soup.
Grilled pork with noodles.
Whipped egg coffee.
Baguette sandwich.
Turmeric fish with dill, cooked at the table.
Rice noodle soup with an aromatic broth, commonly eaten throughout the day.
Steamed rice rolls with a savory filling, herbs and dipping sauce.
Crisp shrimp cakes associated with the West Lake area.
Aromatic beef bone broth simmered for hours with star anise, ginger, and cinnamon, ladled over flat rice noodles and thinly sliced beef.
Fresh catfish fillets turmeric-marinated and sizzled tableside with heaps of fresh dill and spring onions, served over rice noodles.
| Plugs | Type A and C, 220 V |
| Tap water | Use bottled water |
| Tipping | Tipping is appreciated but not required. |
| Payments | Cash is common. |
| Etiquette | Dress modestly at the mausoleum and temples. |
Hanoi has been a capital for about a thousand years, since Ly Thai To founded Thang Long in 1010. It was the capital of French Indochina. It became the capital of a reunified Vietnam in 1976. Hanoi was founded as Thang Long in 1010 and became the capital of reunified Vietnam in 1976.
Researched 2026-10-12. Check official sources and recent changes before you go.