The Best Things to do in Hanoi
- margauxgathy6
- Oct 5
- 2 min read
Hanoi was my first stop on my Vietnam trip. While it is a chaotic city, I really loved it, especially the Old Quarter. I spent 4 nights here, and that was definitely enough to see the highlights, but you could stay longer if you want to see more.
For my full route and guide to Vietnam, see my post here.
Explore the Old Quarter
The Old Quarter of Hanoi is overwhelming with its busy narrow streets but it is incredibly picturesque and so fun to walk around. There are countless shops, amazing food options, and beautiful streets to explore. There aren’t any landmarks as such, so just have a walk and get lost!
Train Street
The iconic train street is located not far from the Old Quarter, and it is well worth a visit. The train timetables you find online are almost always wrong, so I recommend walking over there, asking café owners, and being prepared to wait a little. The café owners might lie to you and say a train is coming now just to get you inside their café, so be wary of that as well! I was lucky and saw a train both times I went and it was quite cool. The street itself is gorgeous as well, with cute cafés the whole way down it, so take a walk to explore there too.
Walk around Hoan Kiem Lake
This little lake is right on the edge of the Old Quarter and is lovely to walk around. You can see the temple in the middle and visit Huc Bridge too if you are interested. It’s not a huge lake so it doesn’t take too long to get right around.
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
The HCM Mausoleum is a bit further away from the Old Quarter, but is an impressive monument to Ho Chi Minh. It is free to visit the outside of it, but beware your legs and shoulders must be fully covered in order to enter. It is shut to visitors every day between 11am - 12pm.
Visit Museums
If you are nearby the HCM Mausoleum, check out some of the incredible museums in the area. The National Military Museum and Prison Museum are the most popular.
The Note Coffee
This is an iconic place in Hanoi, a café covered in sticky notes written by people from all over the world. You have to buy a drink or food to go in, but it is so worth it.
Hanoi has so much to offer and you could spend days wandering the streets of the Old Quarter. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Please look after the places you visit, and remember to only leave your footprints behind :)
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