Hanoi Travel Guide

Tourist Guide

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Temple of Literature showing religious aspects, a temple or place of worship and interior views
Hoan Kiem Lake which includes a monument, a lake or waterhole and heritage architecture
Hanoi featuring signage, motorbike riding and street scenes
Hoan Kiem Lake which includes a lake or waterhole
With lakeside temples, water puppets and legends galore, the Vietnamese capital makes for a rich meeting place of history and culture.

Once known as Thang Long, or "Rising Dragon", Hanoi has an air of mystery about it which wafts up out of its lakeside temples and becomes scented with the aromas of delicious cuisine as it floats through the marketplaces, accompanied by the exotic sounds of water-puppet music.The city has a population of 2.6 million and first became the nation’s capital over a millennium ago when it was still known as Thang Long. In 1831 it received its new name, Ha Noi, which means “Between Two Rivers”. Since then, it has been successively swallowed up into the make-up of French Indochina, occupied by the Japanese and bombed by the Americans, and a walk through the city will show you evidence of all of these twists and turns of history.For a taste of traditional Vietnamese arts and craft, a good place to start is the Old Quarter. Head to Don Xuan Market, a great place to barter for souvenirs and try out Vietnamese and French food. "Pho", the rice noodle soup, is a must – and you’ll never be too far from a bottle of Bia Hoi, Vietnam’s favourite tipple. When you’re in these markets – or, for that matter, anywhere in Vietnam – there is one thing to remember: it is considered rude to point with the finger, so you should always gesture with your whole hand.On a free evening, try and catch a show or two at Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre – these captivating performances are a great way in to Vietnam’s legends and cultural history. You can learn more about the tales of this old tradition by heading down to the lakes and visiting the temples there. The ones by Hoan Kiem ("Lake of the Restored Sword") and Ho Tay ("West Lake") are good starting points.For those more interested in Vietnam’s recent history, it may be worth dropping in to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and paying a visit to the nation's former leader. Like Lenin in Moscow and Chairman Mao in Beijing, Ho Chi Minh's body has been embalmed and preserved for posterity. The Ho Chi Minh Museum provides an interesting and informative insight into the past.Hanoi is a good place to organise boat trips through the karst landscapes and turquoise waters of Ha Long Bay.Getting around Hanoi is easy on the buses which provide a good, cheap service all over the city. Otherwise you could rent a bike, or hail a “cyclo” or a taxi – just make sure you always fix a price in dong (the local currency) with the drivers before you climb in, because they have been known to ask for extortionate prices on arrival!

Where to stay in Hanoi

Hanoi featuring street scenes

Old Quarter

Old Quarter is beloved for its panoramic lake views. Take some time to explore sights in the area like Hoan Kiem Lake and Hang Gai Street.

Old Quarter
Hoan Kiem showing a city, signage and street scenes

Hoan Kiem

4.5/5(557 area reviews)

Panoramic lake views interesting history and top sights from Hoan Kiem Lake to St. Joseph's Cathedral of Hanoi – discover Hoan Kiem, a destination also famous for its shopping.

Hoan Kiem
Hanoi which includes street scenes, night scenes and signage

French Quarter

The ample dining options and fantastic lake views are top of the list for many visitors to French Quarter. A stop by Hoan Kiem Lake or Hanoi Municipal Party Committee might round out your trip.

French Quarter
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Mỹ Đình

3/5(1 area review)

If you're spending some time in Mỹ Đình, Hanoi Indoor Games Gymnasium and My Dinh National Stadium are top sights worth seeing.

Mỹ Đình
Tay Ho featuring a lake or waterhole

Tay Ho

The ample dining options and fantastic lake views are top of the list for many visitors to Tay Ho. A stop by West Lake or Tran Quoc Pagoda might round out your trip.

Tay Ho
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum showing a monument and a park

Ba Dinh

4.5/5(38 area reviews)

The ample dining options and fantastic lake views are top of the list for many visitors to Ba Dinh. A stop by Ho Chi Minh Museum or Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum might round out your trip.

Ba Dinh
Hanoi Royal Palace Hotel 2
Hanoi Royal Palace Hotel 2
4 out of 5
95 Hang Bong Street, Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
The price is NZ$65 per night from 9 July to 10 July
NZ$65
9 July - 10 July
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 4-star hotel in Hanoi. Enjoy free breakfast, free WiFi, and 24-hour room service. Our guests praise the breakfast and the restaurant in our reviews. ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (4,650 reviews)
"We were recommended this hotel by Expedia.com. It was a great recommendation. The place is extremely comfortable but not pretentious, it is really central to everywhere, we were able to search places to visit, eat and walk all within the immediate area. If you want practical clean and easy to use ..."

Reviewed on 2 Jul. 2025

Hanoi Royal Palace Hotel 2
Hanoi Lotus Boutique Hotel
Hanoi Lotus Boutique Hotel
4 out of 5
2 Hoi Vu Street, Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi, Hanoi
Stay at this 4-star spa hotel in Hanoi. Enjoy free breakfast, free WiFi, and a full-service spa. Our guests praise the breakfast and the WiFi in our reviews. ...
9.6/10 Exceptional! (2,896 reviews)
"The hotel is in the center of the old quarter, walking distance to everywhere, the rooms are very comfortable , hot shower and comfy bed, but what makes this hotel stand out from the others is the staff, if I could give a 15/10 for staff I would from the breakfast staff, especially Ms. Anna at front ..."

Reviewed on 28 Jun. 2025

Hanoi Lotus Boutique Hotel
Lotte Hotel Hanoi
Lotte Hotel Hanoi
5 out of 5
No. 54, Lieu Giai St. Cong Vi Ward., Ba Dinh, Hanoi
The price is NZ$202 per night from 13 July to 14 July
NZ$202
13 July - 14 July
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 5-star luxury hotel in Hanoi. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a full-service spa. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the property condition ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (1,003 reviews)
"Great hotel in Hanoi. Dining options galore. Amazing staff. Mall on site and other shopping options near by. Ample rooms and comfy beds. As usual, Lotte is synonym with satisfaction."

Reviewed on 23 Jun. 2025

Lotte Hotel Hanoi
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
The Five Suites Lilas
The Five Suites Lilas
4 out of 5
9, Nguyen Bieu Street, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi
Stay at this 4-star aparthotel in Hanoi. Enjoy free WiFi, a rooftop terrace, and breakfast (surcharge). Popular attractions Hoan Kiem Lake and Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (7 reviews)
"This property exceeded our expectations. It was fairly new with opening only two months previously to our stay. Everything was wonderful, clean, convenient location, and staff were very friendly. We used the express laundry service. We went to dinner and our clothes were in our room folded and hung ..."

Reviewed on 13 Apr. 2024

The Five Suites Lilas
Somerset Grand Hanoi
Somerset Grand Hanoi
4.5 out of 5
49 Hai Ba Trung Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
Stay at this 4.5-star luxury aparthotel in Hanoi. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and 3 restaurants. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the room service ...
9/10 Wonderful! (1,028 reviews)
"Lovely team. Good facilities"

Reviewed on 30 Jun. 2025

Somerset Grand Hanoi
Elegant Suites Westlake
Elegant Suites Westlake
5 out of 5
10B Dang Thai Mai Street, Tay Ho District, Hanoi
Stay at this 5-star luxury aparthotel in Hanoi. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a full-service spa. Our guests praise the helpful staff in our reviews. Popular ...
9/10 Wonderful! (582 reviews)
"Fantastic location. Outside of the old town with its own vibe. Great restaurants, lovely area to walk but a quick ride to the old quarter. Beautiful large rooms and apartments with a fantastic pool. Staff is amazing and very attentive. Great breakfast."

Reviewed on 11 Jun. 2025

Elegant Suites Westlake
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Popular places to visit

Activities

Reviews of Hanoi

4.4
Top destination
5 - Excellent
231
5 - Excellent 53%
4 - Good
171
4 - Good 39%
3 - Okay
33
3 - Okay 8%
2 - Disappointing
3
2 - Disappointing 1%
1 - Terrible
1
1 - Terrible 0%

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller

Very, Very, Very quiet compared to previous visits due to Covid-19. One benefit was the ease at which you could walk across streets :-)

3/5 - Okay

Verified traveller

Hanoi is a place I would advise to go for a couple of days, there is a lot to see in a day or two and any longer would become quite repetitive.

5/5 - Excellent

Franca

We enjoyed a wonderful street food tour which was a great way to be introduced to Hanoi’s old town. Also check out the water puppet theatre it was amazing !

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller

Absolutely loved Hanoi! It was a beautiful place with lovely people and delicious food.

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller

Great place! Loved it.

5/5 - Excellent

Mr

Hanoi is a vibrant city, with much to see and do. I wish I had planned to stay longer to take home some unique experiences, so I will return to Hanoi before too long.

Cities near Hanoi