Top 13 Things to Do in Hanoi, Vietnam
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Top Hidden Gems in Hanoi
Hanoi the colourful city in the North of Vietnam offer travellers a wide variety of cultural and nature experiences, from the train street in the Old Quarter to the nearby hidden gem villages.
Hanoi Capital of Vietnam
Hanoi, the political capital of Vietnam. It is the second most populated city in Vietnam after Ho Chi Minh City (the economic capital of Vietnam).
Hanoi Climate
Due to being north of Southeast Asia, Hanoi and northern Vietnam enjoy a sub-tropical climate with 4 seasons per year.
If you scroll the internet to search for photos of Hanoi and Ha Long Bay, you may have noticed that those places are mostly cloudy and have little to no sunshine. This is because Hanoi receives high precipitation most of the year regardless of the season.
When is the best time to visit Hanoi?
Hanoi has 4 seasons, summer is from May to September and is hot, and humid with very high precipitation. October to November is Autumn and is less humid, and temperatures are more comfortable with precipitations tending to ease off.
Winter is from December to February and is best described as cooler, and dry with plentiful sunshine. Lastly, in the Spring season from March to April, the drizzling and cloudy climate makes a solid return.
Is it worth visiting Hanoi During Christmas and Festive Season?
I visited Hanoi in December 2023 and although the weather was nice and dry for the daily strolls during the day and night, the sun didn’t appear in the 5 days we stayed in the city.
To answer the question whether Hanoi worth visiting during the festive season, for us, we enjoyed exploring Hanoi during the season, simply because the weather was dry and comfortable for walks and exploring nearby villages.
Pro Tip: If you are visiting Hanoi and/or Northern parts of Vietnam during the winter season, make sure you bring warm clothes for the cooler nights, as on some occasions, Hanoi can be under the grip of Siberian cold snaps dropping the night temperature to a single digit.
How to get to Hanoi
Getting to Hanoi by Air
Hanoi has a big international airport Noi Bai International Airport that connects Hanoi with most of the major international hubs worldwide, arriving by air is probably is the easiest way to get to Hanoi.
Getting to Hanoi by Train
If you are already travelling within Vietnam, you can book the national train from the other main cities to Hanoi. Just be cautious that the route from Ho Chi Minh to Hanoi is over 1700 km long and requires changing into 4 trains and over 35 hours travelling time.
Getting to Hanoi by Bus
Like the train, if you are staying close to Hanoi, you can book a bus to Hanoi. There are different buses you can choose from, depending on your budget. There are luxurious buses with sleeping pods or regular buses at more economical rates. Rates are variable depending on the city you are leaving from and type of bus.
Bus Tickets Costs
For example, if you booked a bus service from Sapa to Hanoi (around 330 km), the bus tickets will cost $10 – $32 and the travelling time ranges between 5 to 10 hours.
Getting to Hanoi By Car and Motorbike (aka scooters)
When travelling inside Vietnam, you can rent a car or a scooter. When I travelled around Hanoi villages, I booked a private tour with a private guide. I found this option feasible and easy since driving inside and around Hanoi can be stressful due to drivers not respecting road manners and priorities.
Pro Tip: Scooters are popular in most Southeast Asian countries, if you want to move around short distances inside the city and avoid the hustle, perhaps download apps like “Go Grab” to book your scooter ride with a driver, please ensure wearing a helmet at all times while on the scooter.
Top 13 Things to Do in Hanoi
When I visited Hanoi last year in December, I had a love/hate relationship with this city, being an overcrowded and bustling city in comparison to the places I have been to and lived in, has overwhelmed me massively. It was my first time visiting a mega-big Asian city which was lively and eclectic, but the noise and pollution levels were unbearable to my personal liking.
Nevertheless, Hanoi is full of authentic and raw experiences, which what I look for while exploring new cultures. My top 13 things to do in Hanoi are:
#1: Weekend Stroll at Old Quarter in Hanoi (also called French Quarter)
Make sure you book your stay at Old Quarter during the weekend. Old Quarter or the French Quarter was named this due to being colonised by the French colony decades ago, you could see the French influence visible on the architectural facade of the buildings.
Weekends at the Old Quarter
During the weekend the Old Quarter becomes completely pedestrianized in the evenings allowing people to enjoy shopping, dining, and watching live street shows, and light displays in this colourful neighbourhood.
#2: Visit Thang Long Water Poppets Museum Show
Located in the Old Quarter, Thang Long Water Poppets Show is a 1-hour long show displaying poppets over the water, showing the early lives of traditional Vietnamese villagers.
#3: Visit the Famous Hanoi Train Street
One of the key attractions people go to Hanoi is the iconic Train Street where you can sit at table while the local trains pass so closely to you.
The Trains Schedule:
- Weekdays: 7:00pm, 7:45pm, 8:30pm, 10:00pm
- Weekends: 9:15am, 11:20am, 3:20pm, 5:30pm, 6:00pm, 7:00pm, 7:45pm, 8:30pm, 9:00pm, 11:00pm
Pro Tip: Always check with your accommodation about the updated train times and it is advisable to arrive before at least 30 minutes of the train passing. It would be more enjoyable experience if you go during the daylight.
Day trips to visit nearby villages
During our stay in Hanoi, we booked a private day trip to nearby villages to experience the authentic Vietnamese lifestyle and its hidden gem villages.
We visited 3 villages in 1 day. We learned from the local guide, that each village, specialises in a certain trade or industry that is inherited through generations. For example, one of the villages we visited, only produced incense sticks and the entire village economy relied on manufacturing those incense sticks, another village, we visited, specialised in making ceramics, and so on.
The villages we visited were:
#4: Incense Village called Quang Phu Cau
We started the day trip to the incense village that is called Quang Phu Cau, this entire village economy relies completely on farming, producing, and manufacturing the incense sticks.
On the way you will see the incense packs scattered throughout the village, we visited one of the main manufacturers in the area where they produce incense and export them to the world.
Incense Production Process
It is worth noting that the incense production is done manually, mostly by women. It starts with harvesting the bamboo sticks, drying them, cutting, shaping, colouring, packing, and selling them.
A beautiful experience to meet those hardworking women who were kind and welcoming you with a big smile on their faces. I got the chance to partake in the cutting experience and of course, I was slow, it wasn’t the easiest skill to obtain!
By the end of this tour, we bought packs of fresh incense. I recommend you bring cash to buy local products at competitive prices.
#5: Creating your Vietnamese Traditional Conical Hat & Eating Homemade Lunch with a Local Family– Chuong Village
After Incense Village, our driver drove us to Chuong Village, I must say, this experience was a completely overwhelming experience to me, and I was unsure about how we felt about this village experience.
Local Market in a Village
We started the tour by visiting the local market in the village. Visiting the local market was not a nice experience for me, the market was dirty, and sellers were very pushy trying to sell us live stocks (some of the live stocks were snakes!).
I understand it is part of the experience to see how locals live, but this experience was outside my comfort zone, and felt uneasy.
Colouring Conical Hat
After the market, we visited a local family house where we were given conical hats to colour.
We sat on the floor, and we started colouring our conical hats, this part of the experience was therapeutic and enjoyable.
Lunch with a Local Family
Afterward, we were invited to go to the first floor of the family’s home, and lunch was served on their garden balcony. We informed them about our dietary requirements ahead of time but unfortunately, they were unadhered, luckily though, the family prepared some fried vegetables for our lunch.
Pro Tip: In Vietnam, always double-check before eating the ingredients of the served meals even if you requested a special dietary meal, as on several occasions we would have eaten something we cannot eat if we didn’t double-check before eating.
#6: Ceramic Village – Bat Trang Village
Straight after lunch, we headed to Bat Trang village, famous for producing world-class Vietnamese ceramics. This village swept my heart completely with the beauty of the ceramics and artistic details.
Visiting this village was an absolute highlight for me during this trip, naturally, I bought some beautiful ceramic pieces to decorate my home and remind me with this experience.
#7: Visiting Buddhist Temples in the Old Quarter in Hanoi
Vietnam’s predominance religion is Buddhism and with this comes very colourful Buddhist temples with red colour is dominant.
The Top temples to visit While Visiting the Old Quarter in Hanoi are:
- Ngoc Son Temple is nestled on a tiny island and can be accessed by the Hoc Bridge over the Hoan Kiem Lake.
- Bach Ma Temple is located at the heart of the Old Quarter and this temple is believed to be the oldest temple in Hanoi.
#8: Trying Pho the Hanoi Local Dish
Pho is the traditional dish you will find everywhere in Hanoi, trying the Pho is a must when you are in Hanoi.
Pho is a broth made of either beef, chicken, or vegetables.
The 5 best Pho in Hanoi are served at:
- Hong Hoai’s Restaurant
- Hoang Cuisine
- Tung’s Kitchen
- L’essence De Cuisine
- Timeline Cafe & Restaurants
#9: Enjoying a Body Massage in the Streets of Old Hanoi
At Old Hanoi, as you are walking, you will find many shops offering body massages at cheap costs, 1-hour massage can cost around $10.
I booked massages at 2 different places and the foot and body massages were excellent. The massages that I had in Hanoi were some of the best massages I ever had in Southeast Asia.
#10: Buying Local Art and Souvenirs
Vietnam is one of the few countries I visited where they have beautiful art and colourful paintings, lanterns and so much more.
I did some serious shopping when I was in Hanoi, the top and my favourite souvenir shop located at Old Quarter was Ha Phuong, ask about a lady called Ha and she will help you with all your shopping needs, make sure you visit them and show them my travelwithruba Instagram page for a proper discount and royal treatment.
Ha Phuong address is So 1 Hang Be, Hang Bac, Hoan Kiem, Ha Noi.
#11: Sailing Boat in Ha Long Bay for 2 days and 1 night around the Ha Long Bay
Ha Long Bay, A UNESCO World Heritage site, is a key attraction that attracts millions of tourists to enjoy the sailing experience in the emerald water with the views of the thousands of limestone rock islands densely covered by tropical forests.
How to get to Ha Long Bay?
Usually, when you book your accommodation or cruise at Ha Long Bay, they will offer several transport options ranges from shared pickups to private and premium transport options.
Ha Long Bay is around 173 KM away from Hanoi and the journey usually takes under a 2-hour drive, which makes it, the perfect destination for a day visit too.
When is the best time to visit Ha Long Bay?
Ha Long Bay enjoys tropical yet Northern Hemisphere weather, which means you will get 4 seasons Winter, Spring, Summer, and Autumn. Winter is usually cold and cloudy, temperature can drop to a single digit at night during January and February, yes, I know, it is super cold!
During the summer months, Ha Long Bay is hot and moist and receptive to some tropical storms. Therefore, the best seasons are Spring (March-May) or Autumn (September – November).
Ha Long Bay Weather During Festive Season
When we visited Ha Long Bay in December, it was relatively cold (day temperature was hovering around 18-20 degrees), cloudy and drizzling, as a result, the photos we took didn’t reflect the beauty of the place.
Is it, really, worth visiting Ha Long Bay?
To be very clear and honest, our experience in Ha Long Bay wasn’t the best, in the sense that the weather wasn’t on our side, and in sense the cruise company we chose (they changed the ship last minute from 5 stars cruise and downgraded us to 3 stars sailing ship without any prior notice, only when the cruise sailed away, we were shown our rooms and immediately I realised it wasn’t matching the booking we made, this killed off the vibe for us as we were celebrating my husband’s 50th birthday, of course, we complained to the right channels and we got a partial refund!) and the cleanliness of the water the emerald waters was also questionable.
Ha Long Bay and Pollution
Unfortunately, the waters of Ha Long Bay were polluted with lots of rubbish floating during the cruise, we visited some caves which were nice to see but it didn’t feel special at all. Some of the guests opted to go to a nearby island to swim and we opted out as the beaches were visibly dirty and we were worried about dipping our bodies in such polluted water.
Final Verdict about Ha Long Bay
It is a unique place to visit, and although there are great cruise companies that will make your experience memorable, the place itself can be done through a day visit from Hanoi, and returning on the same day, which I would choose over the overnight cruises.
Top Ha Long Bay Cruises – Luxury Version
But if you want to experience overnight cruising, I recommend a memorable experience and booking a luxury cruise for an unforgettable experience, here are my Top 3 Luxury accommodations in Ha-Long Bay:
#12: Sipping a Cocktail on a Rooftop in the Old Quarter in Hanoi
During sunsets, one of the best activities we enjoyed was having a sunset drink at the many rooftop bars scattered around Old Hanoi. Our favourite rooftop Bar was Lighthouse Sky Bar, their terrace offers 360-degree views of Old Hanoi and the customer service was amazing.
Top 5 Rooftop Bars in Old Quarter, Hanoi
#13: A Day Visit to Ninh Binh, the inland Ha-Long Bay
Another UNESCO World Heritage site within a short distance of Hanoi, less than 100 km drive from Hanoi, you will reach the inland limestone rocks rising from the paddy fields and an emerald river crossing between those mystical rocks, this magical place is called Ninh Binh.
What is the best time to visit Ninh Binh?
Like Ha-Long Bay, Ninh Binh enjoys 4 seasons of sub-tropical climate with the best time to visit during the spring and autumn months.
How to get to Ninh Binh?
You could easily reach Ninh Binh either by booking public transport or luxury vans or for faster options you could book a private tour.
Best Luxury Hotels in Hanoi, Old Quarter
When you want to experience Hanoi, I recommend staying at the Old Quarter. It is a walkable street, filled with nice shops, cafes, rooftop bars, colourful architecture, tasty restaurants, a nearby lake, and much more.
The Luxury Hotel We Stayed in Old Quarter
We stayed at Lavender Central Hotel and chose the highest room category. The staff at Lavender Hotel treated us like royalty, ensured our stay was extra comfortable, and prepared a beautiful surprise in our room to celebrate my husband’s 50th birthday.
They recommended only the best options for anything we asked for, such as private tours, good cafes, and nice shops, there was nothing impossible for this wonder team, definitely I recommend this hotel if you are visiting Hanoi.
Top Luxury Hotels in Hanoi
When visiting Hanoi, staying in a luxury 4-star or 5-star hotel in the Old Quarter is part of the experience, at least for me.
Vietnamese master the term of providing luxury customer services, here are my top 5 luxury hotels in Old Quarter, Hanoi:
- Lavender Central Hotel & Spa Hanoi is a 4-star hotel, it is where we stayed but enjoyed so much, very clean, and customer service is optimum. It also, won’t break the bank. I also tried their full body massage, and let me tell you, it was the best massage after a long 5 hours flight!
- Grand Hotel du LAC Hanoi is a 5-star hotel with exceptional service and reviews and a rooftop swimming pool.
- Peridot Grand Luxury Boutique Hotel is a 5-star Boutique hotel with unique interiors and exceptional services.
- Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi is a 5-star chain hotel for chain hotel lovers and superb services.
- La Siesta Classic Hang Thung, is a 5-star hotel with modern Vietnamese vibes.
Quick Tips and Frequently Asked Questions about Hanoi (FAQ)
Q1: Do I need a visa to enter Vietnam?
The best answer is to check with the Vietnam Embassy in your country whether you need a visa to visit. For some nationalities, they are exempted from arrival visas and others need to obtain an E-visa or others
You can check your nationality visa requirement on this government website where you can purchase your online visa too (Just scroll to the end of the Home Page and at the bottom left side of your screen you can enter your nationality and check if you need either a visa on arrival, E-visa or others)
Q2: What is the best transport method to get around in Hanoi?
You can get prebooked taxis/scooter through your accommodation or by downloading the GoGrab application (it is a similar app to Uber) to book a scooter or a car with a driver.
Hanoi is connected by Air through their international airport and by train to other Vietnamese major cities and sleeper buses and they range from luxury and premium to basic economy depending on your budget and the level of comfort you seek.
Q3: Do Hanoi and nearby villages cater to all dietary requirements?
This question is important, and you need to prepare yourself if you have any dietary restrictions. In Vietnam, they eat virtually everything (some villages eat dogs, although the government is now banning dog meats from being consumed, some rural villages are still eating them).
I don’t eat pork, and I found it difficult to trust their meats and the ways of cooking, therefore, I did eat only vegetarian meals except at the Tadka Indian restaurant as it was classed as Halal, it was clean, and the food was tasty.
Q4: Is it easy to stick to dietary requirements when on tours outside Hanoi?
The simple answer is NO, once you find yourself outside Hanoi, no mini markets nor supermarkets are selling international snacks. Therefore, I suggest you have a good breakfast at your hotel and pack snacks for your day trips.
Q5: Do I need to Tip in Vietnam?
Tip is very much expected in Vietnam, and they are quite open and loud about it, if they don’t like the amount you tip, they will be open and tell you to tip more. My suggestion is to add a 10% tip to the total bill.
Q6: Can I pay by card in Vietnam?
Major places accept card payments, but the majority expect cash payments. For card payments, they usually add up to a 4% charge on top of your bill, therefore, I would recommend using cash to avoid unnecessary fees. ATMs can be found easily around Hanoi but not in the small villages outside the city.
Q7: Can I buy a sim card and how can I stay connected with Data and the Internet while In Vietnam?
Wi-Fi and mobile networks are quite strong in Hanoi, if your mobile allows having an E-sim you can buy an E-Sim and stay connected at a reasonable fee. I used Airalo E-sim while travelling around Southeast Asia and it was fast, efficient, and reliable even in some remote places. Check out Airalo E-Sim offers.
Final Say about Hanoi
Vietnam is a country that offers a very raw cultural experience, yes, it might be chaotic, loud and outside our western life comfort zone, however, this is the beauty when we explore new cultures, some might be to our taste and others might be not.
If you want to discover other Southeast Asian countries, feel free to roam around my blog and explore Indonesian Hidden Gems Islands or perhaps you want me to help you in planning your travels elsewhere, so my Travel Boutique might be what you are looking after.
