Hanoi, the city’s most mind-blowing Vietnam

Hanoi is the city in which the happily living for more than 6 years. This is one of the most fascinating cities in all of southeast asia, and surprise, go if surprised. Both by its contrasts between tradition and modernity, as for his food, its history, by the gentle personality of its inhabitants, and its character is still genuinely asian and bit westernized.

Hanoi is a city in which to spend a day, two or even a week, a city that will not leave anyone indifferent, and in which each one will be able to find things according to your tastes. Today I bring to you this guide with information learned after more than 6 years living in the country in contact with travellers like you.

I hope that this guide will be useful to you! Let’s go there!

Before you begin, save this file with recommendations of restaurants, accommodations, tours in Hanoi collected from travelers that are part of my group FB on Vietnam and the group of WhatsApp on Vietnam.

What does Hanoi to the Visitor?

Hanoi has a lot to offer the visitor. From a chaotic old quarter with all kinds of shops, markets, art and street food, to the great west lake with its magnificent sunsets that can be seen from the pagoda Tran Quoc. This city also features sites devoted to celebrate and remember the rich history of the country and its fight for independence, as the historical enclosure of the citadel of Thang Long, the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum and the prison Hoa Lo, which remind us that Vietnam had to earn their autonomy to the force of sacrifice and ingenuity against potential colonial as the US and France , And this is not all!

What to visit in Hanoi?

► Old town – Old Quarter: Lake of Hoan Kiem lake, St. Joseph Cathedral and more

The lake of Hoan Kiem lake and St. Joseph Cathedral are part of the old quarter of Hanoi, which can be visited on foot.

👀 Discover the Legend of Hoan Kiem lake

Walking around the area of the old quarter you’ll be able to buy souvenirs, get a massage at reasonable prices (for example, in Onamori Spa), try traditional food (such as bun cha in this restaurant or in the food street), to purchase products The North Face of imitation, or to try the coffee with egg. As a curiosity, in the old quarter there are 36 streets which retain the names and traditions of each guild or trade, as the silk, paper, silver, bamboo, or medicinal herbs. , There is also a place known as the street of the train, in which you can sit in a coffee bar to get something to drink while waiting for the train passes only inches from your table.

Very close to the old quarter is the iconic Long Bien bridge, a kind of monster architectural built by the French in 1902 that still resists the passage of time. to Cross this bridge walk is a very pleasant experience, especially at sunset, when the colors on the Red river acquired a singular beauty. If you cross the bridge until you reach the neighborhood of Long Well you’ll be able to visit the buddhist pagoda of Ai Mo, a place quite beautiful, authentic and quiet.

Finally, the best time to visit the old quarter is a Friday afternoon, Saturday or Sunday. these days lace streets of this neighborhood become pedestrian, and is a delight to walk without bikes, drink something, take a look at the stalls of the night market, and enjoy a relaxed and family.

In the area of the lake you can also attend the famous show at the water puppet theatre. Each function lasts 50 minutes, and there are several representations daily. You can buy your tickets in advance here to avoid the queue and be able to pay easily with card.

Finally, if you come to Hanoi, I highly recommend taking the free tour in Spanish of Hanoitismiss, in which you will have many curiosities of the city for a stroll through the most emblematic places of the old town.

► Prison Hoa Lo

The prison Hoa Lo was built by the French in the late NINETEENTH century and originally was used to incarcerate political prisoners vietnamese, who lived in conditions of acinamiento terrible, and were often tortured by the colonizers. Later, during the Vietnam War, this prison was used by the government of North Vietnam to detain american prisoners of war, mostly airline pilots, spies or bombers shot down.

Today, the prison Hoa Lo is preserved as a museum that tells both the French colonial history as the period of the Vietnam War,. I highly Recommend this visit, and I am sure that it will be an educational experience, and revealing, that will make you reflect on the past and to better understand the recent historical events that most influenced the configuration of Vietnam today.

► Pagoda Tran Quoc and the West Lake

The Pagoda Trấn Quốc is the oldest part of the city and, as such, it is also considered important to a historical level. This pagoda, which has become a symbol of the city, was originally built in the sixth century (from 544 until 548), which gives an age of about 1,500 years. When founded, was located in the vicinity of the Red river, but due to the floods of the river, the pagoda was eventually to be transferred in 1615 to your current location. It has a traditional architecture, with its landscaped gardens and many buildings of worship. One of the most striking parts is the tower of 11 floors, close to the entrance, decorated with statues of the buddha sitting and roof decorative snake skin. The entrance to the pagoda is free, and is open from 7:30 to 11:30 and 13:30 to 17:30. It is recommended to wear a demure, that covers the shoulders and the legs.

If these around the area, the sunsets on clear days from the environment of the pagoda are awesome. In this part of the city you can also visit other places such as the pagoda and Quan Thanh, or upload to take a beer or a drink at the rooftop of the Pan Pacific Hotel, from whose roof on the 20th floor, you can see some amazing views of the environment of the west lake. The rooftop bar is open from 14:00 to 00:00, and you can book a table at the hotel bookings page. This establishment has higher prices than the average of Hanoi, but not exorbitant. As an example, a beer can cost around 6€-8€ and juice around 4€.

If you like walking, you can walk around the lake Truch Bach, which are 2.5 km and can carry approximately 40 minutes. It is an enjoyable ride in which you’ll be able to appreciate a unique urban landscape, and take a coffee break, lunch, or dinner. For coffee, I recommend Ma Xó Cafe, in front of the lake and with a fairly unique design, and for lunch, I recommend trying the Pho With, Pho Chien Phong or Pho Chien Trung in the restaurant Pho With Huong Mai (you can see photos and descriptions of the food in English on the menu). Finally, if you like riding a bike, it is possible to rent one from 80.000 dongs at the day in shops that rent bikes such as Hanoi Bicycle Rental, and take a trip to the great lake of the west, which are between 11 and 14 km depending on the route you follow, and can be done in 2 hours (depends on the pace of each person).

► Ba Dinh (Ho Chi Minh Museum, one pillar pagoda, Thang Long Citadel)

In the plaza, Ba Dinh, near the citadel of Thang Long and the parliament of Vietnam, Ho Chi minh city, whose remains were found in the Mausoleum in the same square, declared the independence of Vietnam on September 2, 1945,. the whole of The mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh city is home to a museum dedicated to Che Guevara vietnamese, the mausoleum where is his body embalmed, which can be visited on Tuesdays, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 7:30 am – 10:30 am April to October and from November to march, and costs to 25,000 VND. In addition to the museum and the mausoleum, it is possible to visit the simple wooden house in which Ho Chi Minh decided to live after you relinquish the great presidential palace built by the French. In the same area, you will also be able to visit the iconic one pillar pagoda, built on a single pillar to evoke the image of a lotus flower, which is a symbol of buddhism because of its shape similar to that of the hands in a gesture of prayer. If you want to know more about the history of this area, don’t miss my video story on the square of Ba Dinh.

► Ethnological museum

The ethnological museum houses photographs and realia of the 54 ethnic groups recognized that dwell within Vietnam. There you can find clothes, kitchen utensils, objects, religions, and you can even get some of their traditional houses in the exterior of the museum. In this museum you will also be able to learn about their religion, rituals, and lifestyle,. I highly Recommend a visit to the ethnological museum before going to visit areas such as Sapa, Ha Giang, Mai Chau or Pu Luong, for in this way you will be able to understand much better the reality of these places once you go to visit them.

Alternative plans in Hanoi

► Park the Union (park of Thong Nhat)

The Union Park is one of the most interesting national parks from a cultural point of view from all over the country. In this park you will see vietnamese people in their most intimate and everyday. For example, see them dance, do sports, dating, fishing, pedal boats-swan, mounted on the trenecillo that goes around the park at certain times of the year, play a single sport that combines volleyball, soccer, and tennis, play chinese chess, and much more. It is a unique experience and totally free an authentic experience that only that we live in Hanoi tend to recommend is, don’t miss it!

► Coffee shops with charm

Have you ever been in a bathroom that contains works of art? In Hanoi there are a many coffee shops with charm, and Nola Coffee is my favorite. This cafe several floors is covered works of art. And yes, it has some of these pieces even in the bathroom. It is a haven of peace, tranquility and beauty in the midst of the street of Ma May, one of the area’s most touristic and busiest in the old quarter. The photos in the gallery are all of this cafe.

Near Nola Coffee is The Hidden Gem, a coffee shop with furniture made of recycled materials, and it can take a tea or a beer on a table placed on a motor tractor, as well as taking pictures in a bike that is built in to the drawing-painted mural on the wall. This is a place nice and quiet, which is accessed by a narrow street.

Finally, 4 cafés that are worth a visit (1) the café Giang, which is the most typical of Hanoi to try the coffee with egg, 2) the coffee Pho cố, a striking coffee shop near Hoàn Kiếm, which is accessed through a clothing store, which leads to a space-encompassing multi-storey, 3) the Trung Nguyên Legend Café, where coffee lovers can enjoy a coffee more gourmet the hand of the best brand of coffee in Vietnam, 4) The Note Coffee an interesting coffee shop whose walls and tables are entirely covered with notes left by the travelers (if you’re going, you’ll be able to your footprint in this café in Hanoi).

► Massage recommended in Hanoi

Massage in Vietnam are much cheaper than in the other countries, with prices generally range between 10€ and 20€ per hour, although it is possible to find it cheaper or more expensive depending on the quality of the place. In Hanoi I’ve been to many massage places, and some also carry out the social work give a job opportunity to massage therapists who are blind, as Onamori Spa, in the Old Quarter, or Dao”s Care, in the district of Ba Dinh. A place of massages are highly recommended among foreigners is Yakushi spa, in the district of Tay Ho, farthest from the center but with an unquestionable quality (it is recommended to reserve in advance, because sometimes they do not have availability). finally, a place of massage most traditional Huong Sen Massage, a center for approximately 20€ you can enjoy a bath in a barrel with traditional herbs of the ethnicity of the dao red, a bath in a jacuzzi individual with bubbles and other aromatic herbs, sauna, steam room and massage. In the Huong Sen Massage it is likely that no one knows how to communicate in English and that you don’t see many foreigners, but it is an experience unique and authentic that it’s worth it!

► Eat in Hanoi – Food Street, and more

The pedestrian street Food street of Hanoi is a street full of food establishments and cafes to suit all pockets. Fortunately, in many restaurants in this street, the menu is both in vietnamese and in English, and contain pictures for foreigners entiendamos well what dishes to choose from. Something positive of this street is that it is not a site exclusively focused on the tourism, but that it is a usual place to which both vietnamese and foreigners living in Hanoi are going to enjoy a good meal or dinner. Some restaurants that I have enjoyed a meal and a drink with friends or a partner are Xofa Café, Puku café & Bar or for food, most economical and street, Ky Dong Restaurant.

Other places that I recommend to enjoy the vietnamese gastronomy in the Old Quarter are the restaurants of the chain MET and the Hoang”s restaurant, ca quality of the food and the service. A restaurant to try vietnamese food from all regions of the country is the restaurant, Quan An, Ngoc, which also has a outdoor terrace decorated with lanterns, and you can see how to cook each type of food. Finally, the restaurant Bun Cha Ta Hanoi is a good choice to try the classic dish of Hanoi “Bun Cha” and, a little farther from the center, the bun cha obama that still survives intact in a display case on the second floor, the table in which the president of the united States dined on his visit to Hanoi.

Hanoi is also a great place for vegetarian food is. Some of the most recommended are veggie castle, or the vegetarian restaurant Sadhu. Both offer a buffet menu and are fully recommended. The first is something cheaper, less formal, and is self-service, while the latter is a little more expensive, we serve the dishes that you’re asking for, and its architecture is amazing.

Finally, Hanoi is also an international city in which you’ll find restaurants of all parts of the world. A type of restaurant that I was most impressed by is Gogi House, a restaurant of Korean barbecue in which you can put to the ears of meat on the barbecue for about 14 to 20€ per person, depending on the type of menu that you ask for. Finally, if you feel like eating something more normal, you can go to the pizzeria Pizza 4 P’s, with pizzas rich, pasta, meats, etc, prepared in a western way and at reasonable prices.

► Coffee/beer in front of the river at sunset

A place that rarely coincidirás with other tourists in the cafes and restaurants in front of the red river that is located in the district of Long Well, just 2-3 km from the Old Quarter. In this bank of the river, you can enjoy spectacular sunsets from a cafe such as the Aha Coffee, in one of the different restaurants of hotpot in front of the river (notice, no letter in English), or in Quinza, a French restaurant with pizzas, crepes, and meals cooked on the barbecue (priced higher than average, but very good quality).

► Traditional markets

One of the markets that tend to recommend more in Hanoi is the Dong Xuan market. In him are mostly sold products such as t-shirts, pants, hats, shoes, scarves, dresses, packaged foodstuffs and souvenirs to tourists. It is not bad to be passed by there, but it is even more interesting are the food stalls in the surrounding streets, as in the street Thien Thuat, where you can experience the sales of fresh products such as vegetables, meats, young bamboo, live fish, shellfish, etc

The market of Gia Lam, about 4.5 km from the old town, is a market authentic in that you won’t find any other tourists. In it you will see live animals (from chickens, ducks or pigeons, to frogs, crabs, fish, etc), seafood, and meat of all kinds, many types of fruits, street food, some clothes, and some religious items. If you go to the market of Gia Lam and you want to try the bun cha, I highly recommend this restaurant Bun Cha, where you’ll meet the protagonist of this photo (don’t forget to follow me on Instagram!).

A couple of markets, recommended by local friends, they are the market Ngoc Ha, near the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, and the market Linh Lang, the favorite of my friend Zoop, an English Almeria. Other market is the recommended of Cho Hôm that, although somewhat less impressive than the others, it has the positive point of being just 1.5 km from the old quarter of Hanoi.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=V62gvDpAsPU%3Ffeature%3Doembed%26enablejsapi%3D1

Finally, I recommend the market, Long Bien, the largest of Hanoi, and it brings huge amounts of agricultural products from all over the country to be sold and redistributed. In this market you can find absolutely all kinds of products, including meat, vegetables, live animals (such as chickens, ducks, shellfish, fish, frogs, etc..), clothing, religious items, etc, If you want to know more you can see my YouTube video on the market, Long Bien. To visit the market, Long Bien, I recommend you go from 00:00 to 5:00 in the morning. If you arrive later, you will still be able to see something of the attraction of this place, but not presenciarás in full effervescence.

These markets you should visit, preferably in the morning, between 7 and 10:30 to be possible (in this orquilla, the sooner the better), with the exception of the Long Well, as I mentioned you need to visit between 12:00 and 5:00.

► Make a free tour

I recommend strongly that you do the free tour of Hanoitismiss. The guides that organize this free tour is a professional truly sympathetic, and speak Spanish and English. so totally smooth. This project is organised by a small group of guides titled, and not by a tourist agency, which means that with your participation you will be supporting a small local initiative. I personally know the guides that organize this initiative, and have earned my sympathy and admiration. With this tour, you’ll be able to discover many things about Hanoi and Vietnam, which many tourists miss, and you will also have the opportunity to be able to converse with local guides who are able to speak your language, and ask all your questions directly in your own language. In addition to the free tour on Hanoi, also offer a free tour of vietnamese food, and a free tour of vietnamese food vegetarian.

Where to stay in Hanoi?

I invite you to download this file with recommended accommodation in Vietnam, based on the opinions of travelers who are part of my group FB and group of WhatsApp.

Recommended hotels in Hanoi

A hotel recommended by travelers of my groups, located in the heart of the old quarter, and with very good reviews is the Elite Central Hotel Hanoi, a hotel that offers good prices and comfortable rooms, and beautiful. An alternative is the hotel Marigold Hanoi, also located in the surroundings of the Old Quarter, with very comfortable rooms and an à la carte breakfast very good and plentiful. As a recommendation, you must book with time because it is not unlikely that the hotel is fill in some times of the year for its good price-quality ratio.

Finally, other hotels recommended by travelers in the groups that I run were the Hanoi Chic Boutique Hotel and the Aquarius Grand Hotel, and highest-end the Hanoi Royal Palace Hotel 2, and the Rex Hanoi Hotel.

Hostels recommended in Hanoi

One of the best hostels in Hanoi is Hanoi Buffalo Hostel, which has a small pool and I have heard several times travellers recommend it, not only by its facilities but also by friendly and helpful staff that are its workers. Another hostel highly recommended is the Cheers Hostel, of which the traveler said to me: “this hostel is super nice, very clean, new, 4 rooms, very comfortable, and the guy on reception helps a lot. In addition, with a perfect location, next to the cathedral and very close to the lake of Hoan Kiem”. Finally, the Old Quarter View Hanoi Hostel it has also been recommended by quite a few travelers in my groups.

How much time to dedicate to the city?

There are those who are staying in Hanoi for last, because it is located between Sapa, Halong Bay, and Ninh Binh. however, Hanoi is a place with its own personality that has so much to see and to experience. For me, Hanoi is not only worth only by the places named in this article, but also because it in itself is a great place to miss walking in and experience the everyday life in Vietnam. For example, an excellent plan for an afternoon in Vietnam might be the lost walking and taking pictures of all the interesting things that one may encounter on the road. My recommendation is to devote to Hanoi at least a day in full and, if possible, 2 or 3.

Q.how is the weather in the city of Hanoi?

Hanoi is a destination that can be enjoyed at all times of the year. It is true that it looks nicer on sunny days, but its appeal can be seen even in the days more gray.

In spring (march to may), temperatures are generally warm, with a low risk of rain. During the summer (June to August) is usually high temperatures and humid, with occasional storms are brief that do not tend to be a major drawback for tourists. In autumn (September to November), the temperatures are cooler in the summer, although you can still enjoy many warm, sunny days. However, there is some risk of tropical storms during this time, which can be an inconvenience for travellers, but it is a matter of luck and it is possible to come at this time and find no rains at all. In winter (December to February), temperatures tend to be low, with several more weeks of cold and other more temperate, generally with little rainfall.

In my opinion, the best seasons to visit Hanoi are the autumn and spring, since they offer pleasant temperatures and a good amount of days with skies a more or less clear, which makes the visit to this area more enjoyable.

What to do in Hanoi if there is rain?

If you’re in Hanoi and the weather will surprise you with rain, you’ll still be able to enjoy many interesting activities in the city. , For example, you can visit the museum of the prison Hoa Lo, the puppet theatre, of water, the covered markets such as Dong Xuan market, visit some of the coffee shops or centres of massage recommended previously in this article, or join a vietnamese cooking class.

In addition, you can buy a raincoat and take a stroll through the city taking pictures. Hanoi is one of the best cities to photograph a day of storm, with the motorbike drivers covered in plastic and the seats in the Old Quarter trying to cover their products to continue selling. The rain brings a special air to the city, and if you give it a turn with eagerness to capture the essence of the Hanoi rain you’ll end up with curious photos like the one that I share in this section.

How do I move around Hanoi?

Scroll through Hanoi is quite simple and cheap, despite its chaotic traffic. In the first place, you go through many parts of the city on foot. For places a little more remote you can use the app Grab, similar to Uber. The prices are much cheaper than what you might be Uber in other countries such as Spain, and it is really convenient, especially on very hot days. Be or Gojek is an application similar to Grab, which you can also use. An alternative, more eco-friendly it is Xanh SM, an app similar to Grab that offers transport in cars and bikes-electric. Finally, if you have time, you can also scroll to the bus. This is the cheapest method, so the tickets city bus in Hanoi cost between 7,000 and 15,000 dongs (0,25-0,6€). You can use Google maps to discover which buses you have to take to reach your destination.

How do you go from the airport to the center of Hanoi?

There are many possibilities, but the two options more convenient, secure, and cost-reasonable are 1) to use the tourist bus number 86with air conditioning, WiFi, and a cost of 45,000 dongs (1,75€). To arrive at the stop you get out of the terminal, cross the street and go to the left, until you reach the sign. The downside is that it can take up to 30 minutes to pass and does not operate at night. Currently, the service from Hanoi to the airport starts at 5:05 am and closes at 21:40, and the service from the airport to Hanoi starts at 6:18, and closes at 22:58.

Alternatives more expensive, but more comfortable they are, or ask for a car with driver with the app Grab, which usually cost between 250,000 and 350,000 dongs (9,7€ – 13,5€), or to request a car to your accommodation, whose price tends to be higher, but I would be waiting with a sign with your name to your arrival.

What Hanoi is a dangerous city?

Hanoi is a very safe city compared to other european capitals such as Madrid or London. For example, the theft with violence are virtually non-existent, and after more than 6 years living here in contact with tourists, I’ve never heard of a case in which a tourist or a foreigner living in the country has been a victim of this type of attacks. Only I recommend to be careful with the mobile phone or purse on the street close to roads, because yes I have heard of some cases of theft pull the race from a bike. Finally, we must also have common-sense precautions, such as, for example, to ask the price of everything before you order or if you offer something for the street (it is not a gift!), ask for transport by means of an application as a Grab and avoid to stop taxis on the street (many taxis are dedicated to collecting travellers prices soaring).

Do you have any tips extra?

My final advice is that if you go to Hanoi’t take the visit with calm and don’t try to see absolutely everything. Travel is not a race, and enjoy what you see is more important than to see it all. If you have time, I recommend that one day you pass by the city aimlessly, observing the small details, and why not, taking pictures of the funny things that you’ll find on the way.

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