Hanoi Old Quarter: An Honest Review & Practical Visit Guide

Description and is it worth visiting

Hanoi's Old Quarter (Hanoi Old Quarter) is the main tourist area and a district with a concentration of inexpensive hotels, guesthouses and hostels, travel agencies and transport companies, restaurants and cafes, as well as night markets. This is the noisiest and busiest place in the city, and it still retains the atmosphere of old Hanoi, although today, of course, with its modern peculiarities. At the same time, the old quarter is also a kind of attraction that cannot be missed. Even if you stay in a hotel not in this area, you should definitely come here and walk along the narrow streets past numerous shops, jewelry workshops, street food courts, workshops.

The Old Quarter contains several iconic Hanoi attractions: Bach Ma Temple, the Old City Gate, Hang Dau Water Tower, St. Joseph's Church. During a walk, it's worth visiting the ancient house-museum and the family house of jewelers. Also here is the city's largest covered market Dong Xuan Market, and in the evening many night markets start operating on the streets. The Old Quarter can also include Hoan Kiem Lake and the "Jade Temple" on the island.

However, one cannot fail to mention the unpleasant features of this place. The area is densely populated and covered with a network of narrow streets with sidewalks blocked by motorbikes, making it very difficult and even dangerous to move around due to chaotic traffic. Prices for goods and souvenirs for tourists here are considerably inflated, so you need to be good at bargaining to buy something at a good price. And in general, the old quarter is noisy, dirty, and not very pleasant to look at.