Introduction
Founded over 1000 years ago, Hanoi has a long history and traditional culture imbued with the identity of the Vietnamese nation and is an extremely attractive tourist destination. The capital land is home to the most historical monuments & heritages in Vietnam with nearly 5000 historical monuments & heritages.
Autumn to early winter is considered the most attractive time to travel to Hanoi. Around this time, the weather is no longer hot, it will be chilly, extremely cool and the scenery is romantic with roads covered with yellow leaves.
Means of transportation in Hanoi
- Motorbikes: motorbike is the most popular way to travel in Viet Nam. Motorbike rental price ranges from 4 – 6 USD/day.
- Grabbike: Grab is the Uber of the Southeast Asia. First 2km, the fare for grabbike is 0.5 USD/km, for the following kilometers is 0.2 USD/km.
- Taxis: In Hanoi, you can easily call a taxi. Taxi fare is about 0.5 – 0.7 USD/km.
- Buses: Bus is a familiar form of public transport in Hanoi. Bus fare is about 03. – 0.4 USD/route.
- Tourist electric cars: This is the vehicle often chosen by tourists for transportation in the Old Quarter. The fare for the ride is about 0.5 USD/15 minutes.
- Rickshaws: Rickshaw is also a popular way for tourists transportation in Hanoi, especially in the Old Quarter area near Hoan Kiem Lake.
Where to visit in Hanoi?
The Old Quarter
Hanoi’s historic Old Quarter is comprised of 36 streets. Since the 15th century, each street has been home to artisans and craftsmen who traded in the specific merchandise for which their street was named. Today, this place is the main attraction to tourists.
Related information:
The Old Quarter is located in between Hoan Kiem Lake, the Long Bien Bridge, a former city rampart, and a citadel wall.
For more information, visit: https://vietnamdiscovery.com/hanoi/attractions/hanoi-old-quarter/
Hoan Kiem Lake
Hoan Kiem lake is the center of Hanoi, a must-visit place. Legend says Emperor Ly Thai To was gifted a magical sword by a giant golden turtle who lived in the lake in order to defeat the enemies. Once victorious, Ly Thai To gave the sword back to the turtle who dove down to return the sword to the gods. Hoan Kiem Lake is admired for its beauty by many Vietnamese people.
Related information:
- Location: Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
- Total Area: 120,000 m2
- For more information, visit: https://vietnamdiscovery.com/hanoi/attractions/hoan-kiem-lake/
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
This mausoleum was built from 1973 to 1975 to house the embalmed body of Vietnam’s greatest political leader, Hồ Chí Minh. Visitors queue for hours every morning to pay their respects to Hồ Chí Minh.
Related information:
Address: Ba Dinh Square, Hung Vuong Street, Hanoi
Opening hours:
- From April – October: 7:30 – 10:30, from Thursday to Friday 7:30 – 11:00 Saturday, Sunday
- From November – March: 8:00 – 11:00 from Thursday to Sunday
The entrance ticket price is 25,000 VND (~US$ 1.1).
Dress code: Wear full-length clothes to express your respect and appropriate to native culture.
For more information, visit: https://vietnamdiscovery.com/hanoi/attractions/ho-chi-minh-mausoleum-complex/
Bat Trang ceramic village
Bat Trang is a traditional pottery village located on the outskirts of Hanoi. The village is well-known for its hand-made ceramic products quality with a long history of development.
Currently, in addition to making pottery, Bat Trang is also a great attraction for its rich history and product quality. Visitors coming here can experience impressive ceramic technology, visit the shops of impressive products, and make simple products themselves.
Related information:
Location: Gia Lam district, Hanoi
Opening Hours: 8:00 – 17:00
For more information, visit: https://vietnamdiscovery.com/hanoi/activities/bat-trang-ceramic-village/
Water Puppet shows
Water puppet performance is one of Vietnam cultural heritages. Performers wade around in waist-deep water holding bamboo poles to control the lacquered wooden characters from behind a screen, reenacting scenes of rural village life in the past.
Related information:
- Location: Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre; 57B Dinh Tien Hoang Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
- Website: http://thanglongwaterpuppet.com/
- Opening hours: Daily 15:00, 16:10, 17:20, 18:30 & 20:00
- Entrance Fee: 100,000 – 200,000 VND (» US$ 4 – 9)
For more information, visit: https://vietnamdiscovery.com/hanoi/activities/thang-long-water-puppet-theatre/
Temple of Literature
The gate of Temple of Literature
Built by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong during the Ly dynasty, the Temple of Literature (Văn Miếu in Vietnamese) was erected in honour of the philosopher Confucius and his disciples in 1070. The site is one of the oldest in Hanoi and a national symbol of Vietnamese education and architecture. Today, the temple houses five courtyards, records of Vietnamese scholars, and statues of turtles, which are said to bring students good luck in their exams.
Related information:
Location: 58 Quoc Tu Giam, Van Mieu, Dong da, Hanoi
Opening hours:
- In summer (From April to October) : 7:30-17:30 (every day)
- In winter (From October to April) : 8:00-17:00 (every day)
Entrance fees:
- Adults: 30,000 VND (~US$ 1.3) for both Vietnamese and non-Vietnamese
- Students: 15,000 VND (~US$ 0.7) (student card required)
- Children under 15: Free
Dress code: no tank-top or miniskirt allowed.
For more information, visit: https://vietnamdiscovery.com/hanoi/attractions/temple-of-literature/
Hanoi Night Weekend Market
Hanoi Night Weekend Market
Hanoi night market not only sells a wide variety of goods at affordable prices, but is also a gathering place for interesting and vibrant street music performances. Opened every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night, Hanoi weekend night market attracts huge crowds of locals and tourists. Running through the Old Quarter, it gathers a lot of roadside stalls and also local food vendors.
Related information:
Location: Hang Dao Street, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Opening hours: 18:00 – 0:00
For more information, visit: https://vietnamdiscovery.com/hanoi/shopping/hanoi-weekend-night-market/
Foods and drinks
The food and drink in Hanoi in winter are all about warmth. When traveling in winter, you can easily find specialty dishes sold on the sidewalks in Hanoi. Or when walking around the food courts in Hanoi such as Tong Duy Tan, Phung Hung, Ly Quoc Su, etc., you will also come across these dishes. Stop by a few restaurants and enjoy these hot dishes to blow away the cold of winter in Hanoi.
The most famous winter dishes are: pho, banh mi, egg coffee…
Pho Bo (Beef Noodle Soup)
Pho Bo (Beef Noodle Soup)
Hanoi Pho is known as the “national soul of the country” of Vietnamese cuisine. The dish with the “sacred soul” of Vietnam is the perfect blend of delicious and rich broth with sweet beef and chewy noodle. Add a little scallions, herbs and lemon, chili will make you sob with many layers of flavor.
Recommended place to eat in Hanoi:
Phở Gia Truyền Bát Đàn
Address: 49 Bat Dan, Cua Dong, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Opening hours: 6:00-10:00; 18:00-20:30 everyday
Banh mi (Vietnamese Baguette)
Banh mi (Vietnamese Baguette)
While its origins are French, the Vietnamese have made it distinctively their own. Generally speaking, it is an airy Vietnamese baguette made with a combination of wheat and rice flours with a thin, crispy crust.
It is stuffed with pork, pate, cured ham, Vietnamese herbs and vegetables like coriander, cucumber, carrot, slices, radish and more, depending on what part of the country you are in. A wealth of textures and flavors, you will savor spicy, salty, savory, sweet, and aromatic tastes in each bite.
Recommended places to eat in Hanoi:
Bánh Mì 25
- Address: 25 Hang Ca, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
- Opening hours: 7:00 – 21:00
Bánh Mì Hội An
- Address: 98 Hang Bac, Hang Buom, Hoan Kiem, Ha Noi
- Opening hours: 7:00 – 22:00
Bánh Mì P
- Address: 12 Hang Buom, Hoan Kiem, Ha Noi
- Opening hours: 7:00 – 0:00
Egg coffee
Giảng Café Egg coffee
Egg coffee in the capital’s Old Quarter is an unmissable experience every tourist should experience at least once when visit Hanoi.
Recommended places in Hanoi:
Giảng Café
- Address: Alley 39 Nguyen Huu Huan, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
- Opening hours 07:00 22:30
- Website: http://cafegiang.vn/
And many more traditional foods you should try when visit Ha Noi such as: Bún Chả – Barbecued Pork with Rice Vermicelli, Nem Cua Bể – Crab Spring Rolls, Chả Cá Lã Vọng – Grilled Fish with Dill and Turmeric, Bún Cả – Fish Noodles Soup, Bánh Cuốn – Steamed Rice Rolls, Lẩu – Vietnamese Hot Pot, Chè – Vietnamese Sweet Soup…
In short, tourism in Hanoi attracts visitors with the characteristics of a land with the thousand years of history, imbued with national identity and many vibrant, modern and attractive destinations.
Hanoi tourism from the past has always left a special mark on the hearts of tourists. Because it seems that Hanoi is beautiful in every frame, the ancient beauty of thirty-six streets. Hanoi in modern times still has something peaceful.
For more information and to book a tour, visit: https://vietnamdiscovery.com/hanoi/
