Attractions and Activities in Hanoi

Overview of attractions and tours in Hanoi and what to see must-see

Most of Hanoi's attractions are located within walking distance of Hoan Kiem Lake (Lake of the Returned Sword), and, if desired, all of them can be seen in one day. Another concentration of attractions is Ba Dinh Square, on and near which are the mausoleum, several museums and monuments. But to visit and explore all the exhibit-filled museums, many traditional architectural structures and temples, historical sites, and simply beautiful parks of Vietnam's capital, you will need at least a week.

But in fact, you don't have to visit everything. To learn the most important things about the city's and country's history, to feel the spirit and atmosphere of the capital, it is enough to visit these attractions first:

• Ba Dinh Square with the mausoleum, One Pillar Pagoda, Ho Chi Minh Museum and Presidential Palace. Visiting the mausoleum and museums is optional, and with limited time you can just see them from the outside
• National Museum of Vietnamese History
• Hoan Kiem Lake (Lake of the Returned Sword) and Turtle Temple
• Walk through the markets and streets of Hanoi's Old Quarter
• Hoa Lo Prison Museum or Hanoi Hilton
• Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
• Temple of Literature
• Watch a show at one of the two water puppet theaters Thang Long or Lotus
• Hanoi Citadel (Imperial Citadel)

How to visit interesting places in Hanoi

You can visit attractions from Hanoi's tourist district independently without transport, but you'll have to walk quite a bit. You can make it easier for yourself by using a taxi, which is best ordered via the Grab, Maxim, Xanh Sm or Indrive apps. A good alternative is the Hop-on-Hop-off tourist bus system, but in practice using it costs even more than a taxi. Well, for the most budget-friendly travel, you can use city buses, where a ride costs only from 10,000 dong. Moreover, getting to some interesting places far from the tourist district by city bus is generally the most profitable, since a taxi would be too expensive (read all about Hanoi city buses here).

What to visit from Hanoi and available tours

From Hanoi, you can visit at least these places on a one- or multi-day tour or go independently:

• Mountain town of Sapa and trekking
• Bac Ha village
• Ha Long Bay
• Lan Ha Bay
• Perfume Pagoda
• Ninh Binh province and ancient capital Hoa Lu
• Tam Chuc Pagoda
• Ha Giang Loop

Although these places are far from Hanoi, the city is the main starting point for visiting them both independently and with tours. There are many tour options: there are one-day tours to several interesting places in Hanoi, and you can also purchase multi-day ones visiting the surroundings and more remote places in the northern part of Vietnam.

Tours are sold everywhere at hotel receptions, in travel agencies on the streets of the Old Quarter. The same tours vary in price in different places, so it makes sense to walk around and compare prices.

You can also buy tours online with payment by Russian cards on these websites:

• 📷 Hanoi tours on Trip.com
• 📷 Hanoi tours on GetYourGuide
• 📷 Hanoi tours on Tripster.ru
• 📷 Hanoi tours on Sputnik8.com

And here is a list of the main Hanoi attractions that you can visit independently, with their opening hours, admission prices, and ways to get there:

Museums of Hanoi

Hanoi has several dozen museums, but far from all will be interesting to tourists. Don't try to visit small and little-known ones, as you simply won't understand anything due to the lack of information and tours in English and other languages. Here are the most interesting museums worth visiting:

• Ba Dinh Square

  

  This is a central place in Hanoi, a concentration of the capital's main attractions, and government buildings. It is also one of the few places in the city where you can feel open space, and your gaze doesn't rest against an endless wall of buildings. On the vast territory of the square are the mausoleum, Ho Chi Minh Museum, One Pillar Pagoda, National Monument, President Ho Chi Minh's Stilt House, as well as the operating parliament buildings and the President's Residence. It is best to allocate half a day or even more to visit the square, and immediately see all the interesting places, rather than getting to each of them separately each time. However, you need to consider that their opening hours are very inconvenient, with lunch breaks, so it will be ideal to visit the square early in the morning, starting at 7 am, to have time to visit Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum (entry until 10:45), and then visit either the Ho Chi Minh Museum and the One Pillar Pagoda, or the part of the Presidential Palace open to visitors. If desired, you can visit the museum, pagoda, and presidential palace in one visit, just don't forget about the lunch break time. More about Ba Dinh Square.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: access to the square is available from 05:00 to 22:00.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free, but entry to individual attractions is paid (prices for entry to attractions below).

  🚶 How to get there: located two kilometers west of the tourist district and Hoan Kiem Lake (square on the map). Entry to the square itself is now through a checkpoint with inspection of all belongings and a dress code (t-shirts, short skirts and shorts, revealing clothing, lighters, knives, weapons and weapon-like objects are prohibited). For more details on how to get there and the visiting procedure, read the link with the full description.

• Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

  

  The Mausoleum is the final resting place of Vietnam's greatest leader - President Ho Chi Minh, or as he is sometimes affectionately called - Uncle Ho. Anyone, including foreign tourists, can absolutely free enter the mausoleum and see Ho Chi Minh's body. But remember that this is a very important, almost sacred place for Vietnamese people. Inside, even stricter rules apply than when visiting temples: photography and video recording inside are strictly prohibited, talking is prohibited, you must walk strictly along the route and not linger, you cannot bring bags and backpacks (they are checked into a storage room), you must turn off your cell phone, and, of course, no shorts, beach flip-flops, t-shirts or mini-skirts. There are always many people wishing to visit the mausoleum, so you'll have to stand in line and plan about 1 hour for the entire visit. More about Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: for viewing from the outside the mausoleum is accessible 24/7, entry inside the mausoleum is only possible in the morning from 07:00 to 11:00 (in fact, they stop letting visitors in at 10:30). It also closes annually for 2 months for maintenance (in September and October), when the body is taken to Russia for "preventive maintenance".

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free entry.

  🚶 How to get there: located on Ba Dinh Square in central Hanoi and approximately two kilometers from Hoan Kiem Lake and the tourist district (Mausoleum on the map). For more details on the visiting procedure, read the link with the full description.

• Presidential Palace

  

  On Ba Dinh Square there is a separate paid attraction – the museum or complex Presidential Palace. Part of the palace, called Ho Chi Minh's Vestige In The Presidential Palace Area, is open to tourists. It is notable because President Ho Chi Minh lived and worked here from 1954 until his death in 1969. It is claimed that everything here has been preserved absolutely as it was under Uncle Ho. The complex consists of beautifully maintained grounds with a fruit orchard and pond, there is a garage with two of the president's cars, a separate stilt house with Uncle Ho's office, a working house, and, of course, a souvenir shop. More about the Presidential Palace.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: daily, from 08:00 to 11:00 and from 13:30 to 16:00. On Monday open only in the morning from 08:00 to 11:00.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: 40,000 dong (1.52 USD). When purchasing tickets, a free information booklet-map is given. You can also rent an audio guide for 50,000 dong in 7 languages, but Russian is not available.

  🚶 How to get there: located on Ba Dinh Square, the entrance to the palace is located to the right of the mausoleum (entrance to the palace on the map). Entry to the square itself is through a checkpoint with inspection of all belongings and a dress code (t-shirts, short skirts and shorts, revealing clothing, knives, weapons and weapon-like objects are prohibited).

• Ho Chi Minh Museum

  

  This is one of the largest and most modern museums in Vietnam. The building is shaped like a lotus flower and is considered to be a symbol of Uncle Ho's noble character. Its main exhibition presents more than two thousand documents, articles, photographs and other exhibits illustrating not only the historical events that occurred in the life of President Ho Chi Minh, but also facts that occurred in the world from the end of the 19th century related to Vietnam. But our opinion after visiting this museum is ambiguous. The fact is that this is not a traditional museum with exhibits and classic information presentation, everything is different here. It rather reminded us of a museum of contemporary art with many installations, each based on some historical fact or real exhibit, but it's impossible to understand anything without deep knowledge of history. What else is bad – little information is duplicated in English, mostly everything is only in Vietnamese. More about Ho Chi Minh Museum.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: from 08:00 to 12:00 and from 14:00 to 16:30, no days off. On Monday and Saturday open only in the morning from 08:00 to 12:00.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: 40,000 dong (approximately 1.52 USD, )see Vietnam currency and exchange rate).

  🚶 How to get there: located on Ba Dinh Square (museum on the map). Entry to the square itself is through a checkpoint with inspection of all belongings and a dress code (t-shirts, short skirts and shorts, revealing clothing, knives, weapons and weapon-like objects are prohibited).

• National Museum of Vietnamese History

  

  The National Museum contains one of the most complete exhibitions telling about the history of Vietnam more than a thousand years ago up to modern history. This is simply a must-visit place if you are at least a little interested in the history of Vietnam. The museum consists of two buildings visited with one ticket: the national museum itself, and the former Museum of the Vietnamese Revolution located a five-minute walk away, which was previously independent. The main building presents relics from the Paleolithic and Neolithic times, and the second houses more than forty thousand exhibits telling about the country's history starting from the second half of the 19th century. More about the National Museum of Vietnamese History.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: from 08:00 to 12:00 and from 13:30 to 17:00, Monday - closed. During lunch (from 12:00 to 13:30) visitors are asked to leave, but then you can enter again with the same tickets.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: An entrance ticket allows you to visit both buildings. Adults - 40,000 dong (1.52 USD); children 6-15 years old - 10,000 dong; children under 6 free. Photography permit – 15,000; video recording permit – 30,000. Photos with a smartphone - free. In practice, the presence of a photography permit is rarely checked. There are audio guides for 100,000 dong in Vietnamese, English and Korean.

  🚶 How to get there: The museum consists of two buildings located a couple of minutes' walk from each other. Both buildings are located approximately 800 meters from Hoan Kiem Lake:

  • Building No. 1 (main exhibition). 1 Trang Tien Street at the intersection with Tran Quang Khai Street (museum on Hanoi map)
  • Building No. 2 (former Museum of the Vietnamese Revolution). 216 Tran Quang Khai Street (museum on the map)

  It's easy to get here on foot in 10 minutes, by buses No. 2, 3, 4, 24, 42, 40, 34, 43 from 10,000 dong, taxi via apps from 40,000 dong.

• Vietnam Museum of Ethnology

  

  This museum, although not among the TOP most visited by tourists, is in our opinion one of the most interesting in the capital. Dedicated to the life and culture of the peoples of Southeast Asia, the exhibition touches on not only the peoples of Vietnam but also other countries. There are many exhibits, among them household items, fabrics, batik, jewelry, clothing, headgear, boats, and even entire houses. You can visit the museum with children, they will be interested here. At the entrance, guided tours in English are offered. More about the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: daily 08:30 – 17:30, Monday – closed.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: 40,000 dong (1.52 USD), children under 6 free. Photo and video recording – 50,000, but in fact no one monitors the presence of a permit. Guided tour in English - 100,000 dong.

  🚶 How to get there: the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology is located far from the tourist district (Hoan Kiem Lake), Nguyen Van Huyen road, (museum on Hanoi map). You can get there by bus No. 14 from Dinh Tien Hoang Street on the north of Hoan Kiem Lake (this is the final stop of this route). From the bus stop nearest to the museum you'll have to walk another 15-20 minutes. A taxi ride will cost 6-7 dollars.

• Hoa Lo Prison Museum (Hanoi Hilton)

  

  This prison, built by the French at the end of the 19th century, was primarily intended for politically revolutionary-minded prisoners, who were kept here in terrible conditions. A little later, during the war with the USA, American prisoners of war were held here, in particular, pilots. This prison even held John McCain, a senator and candidate for US president, and a separate exhibition is dedicated to this. In the 90s, the prison was finally closed. Today only a small part of it has been turned into a museum. In general, this is a very interesting, educational and must-visit place. More about Hoa Lo Prison.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: from 08:30 to 11:30 and 13:30 to 16:30.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: 20,000 dong (0.76 USD).

  🚶 How to get there: located within walking distance from the lake (Hoa Lo Prison on Hanoi map). Address: 1 Hoa Lu, (Hai Ba Trung Street)

• Vietnamese Women's Museum

  

  This little-known and previously unremarkable museum in 2012 turned out to be the most visited in Hanoi, and according to many tourists' reviews - the most interesting place among other Hanoi attractions. In our opinion, it is better to visit some other attractions of the capital, and leave this museum for last.

  Its exhibition is dedicated to the role of Vietnamese women in society from ancient times to the present. It occupies three floors, all exhibits are clearly systematized and divided into three major thematic exhibitions: women in the family, women in history, women's fashion. More details about the Vietnamese Women's Museum here.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: from 8:00 to 17:00, no days off.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: 40,000 dong (1.52 USD).

  🚶 How to get there: the museum is located at 36 Ly Thuong Kiet Street south of Hoan Kiem Lake (Women's Museum on Hanoi map). City buses No.8, 31, 36, 49 stop here.

• Hanoi Citadel (Imperial Citadel of Thang Long)

  

  The Hanoi Citadel or imperial citadel was opened to visitors in 2010, and then it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It can safely be put in one of the first places among Hanoi attractions, and included in your visiting program. The territory of the complex is quite extensive, and for a full inspection it is worth allocating at least 3-4 hours, or better half a day. Most of the museum's exhibits are restored architectural structures in the open air, but there are also several pavilions with exhibits. More details about Hanoi Citadel here.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: daily, from 08:00 to 17:00.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: 100,000 dong (3.8 USD), children under 16 - free.

  🚶 How to get there: the citadel is located in central Hanoi approximately 2 kilometers west of Hoan Kiem Lake and directly east of Ba Dinh Square and the mausoleum (entrance to the citadel on the map).

• Ancient Hanoi House Museum (Hanoi Ancient House)

  

  In the ancient Hanoi house museum, the setting and life of a traditional Hanoi family with above-average income, from the late 19th - early 20th centuries, have been recreated. Here you can get acquainted with the completely unusual for Europeans arrangement of a two-story city house, squeezed into the tight urban development of the Old Quarter. It cannot be said that this museum should be included first for visiting in the capital, but if you are taking a walking tour of the Old Quarter, be sure to look here. The visit will take 15-20 minutes. More about the Hanoi house museum.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: from Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 17:00; Saturday, Sunday and holidays – from 08:00 to 22:00.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: 20,000 dong (7.6 USD).

  🚶 How to get there: the house-museum is located in the Old Quarter at 87 Pho Ma May (house-museum on the map).

• Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum

  

  Only the best works of art selected by Vietnam's party nomenklatura are in this museum. Don't be surprised if you don't find any information about the exhibits in English, everything here is only in Vietnamese. Actually, that's not even needed. You will visually get acquainted with many curious facts and fascinating stories about the culture, ethnography and history of Vietnam. The exhibitions are dedicated to the culture and life of ethnic minorities, unique finds from the Neolithic, Paleolithic and Bronze Age, the feudal period in the country's life, outstanding works of ancient sculpture and folk painting, technological visual art, as well as the work of artists from the first half of the 20th century. Definitely worth a visit, but, unfortunately, photography and video recording inside are prohibited.

  Practical information

  🌐 Website: https://vnfam.vn/

  🕐 Opening hours: from 08:30 to 17:00, Monday - closed.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: adult - 40,000 dong (1.52 USD), children from 6 to 16 years old – 10,000 dong. Photography with a camera – 20,000 dong.

  🚶 How to get there: the museum is located next to the Temple of Literature at 66 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street (museum on the map).

• Vietnam Military History Museum

  

  This is the main and largest such museum in Vietnam. Moreover, if we take the scale of the building itself and the territory, and not just the exhibition, then this is generally the largest museum in the country. Previously it was located in the city center not far from Ba Dinh Square with the mausoleum, but now it has moved to a new monumental building far from the center almost on the outskirts of the city. The exhibition is dedicated to the Vietnamese army from prehistoric times to the modern period. The exhibition inside the building contains weapons, maps, items, personal belongings once belonging to Vietnamese soldiers. Many modern multimedia exhibits have appeared. On the territory next to the building there is an outdoor exhibition of large military equipment that participated in the Vietnam War with the USA. More about the Vietnam Military History Museum.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: from 08:00 to 16:30, Monday and Friday - closed.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: 40,000 dong (1.52 USD), children under 16 free, children 16-18 years old - 20,000 dong.

  🚶 How to get there: located quite far from Hanoi's tourist center almost on the outskirts of the city (museum on Hanoi map). A taxi ride here will cost from 140,000 dong when ordered via apps (approximately 5.32 USD), but you can get there for only 10,000 dong on buses E07, E09, E05, 74, 87, 88, 107, 157. You will have to travel by bus for almost an hour.

• Hanoi Museum

  

  The museum was founded in 1982 to show the history of the capital from the founding of the city to the present day. The exhibition is very rich, with many unique exhibits. Everything is divided into three parts: natural history; the period before the August Revolution of 1945; the period after the August Revolution. At the same time, there is not so much here about the history of the city, and a considerable part of the exhibition is occupied by works of art. This place is more oriented towards locals and tours of Hanoi schoolchildren, there are no captions in English, so we would not recommend tourists to visit it first. Moreover, it is located very far from the tourist district. On the other hand, if for some reason you are near the museum, you can drop in, because visiting is free. More about Hanoi Museum.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: from 08:00 to 11:30 and from 13:30 to 17:00, Monday - closed.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: 30,000 dong (1.14 USD).

  🚶 How to get there: the museum is located far from Hanoi's tourist district on Pham Hung Street (museum on Hanoi map). You can get there by taxi or bus with a transfer.

• B-52 Victory Museum

  

  This is a small free military museum dedicated primarily to the Vietnamese Air Force. The basis of the exhibition is the famous American strategic bomber B-52 Stratofortress, shot down over Hanoi in December 1972. Its wreckage is displayed in the museum's courtyard, but the main interest is not them, but other weapons surrounding the plane. Here you can see Soviet anti-aircraft installations, a radar station, a MiG-21 fighter and other weapons with which this "flying fortress" was destroyed. Inside the building there is also an exhibition – mainly photographs, documents, some weapons and Soviet communication equipment. 20 minutes is enough to view the museum. More about the B-52 Victory Museum.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: daily, from 08:00 to 11:00 and from 13:30 to 16:30..

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free.

  🚶 How to get there: located quite far from the tourist district at 157 Doi Can Street (museum on the map). This is almost four kilometers on foot, so it's better to get there by taxi or bus. However, if you are visiting Ba Dinh Square with the mausoleum, you can walk to this museum in 15 minutes.

Temples of Hanoi

There are no beautiful and spectacular temples in Hanoi. Only a few places of worship are worthy of attention and visiting by tourists, and even then not so much because of their beauty, but because of their history and significance for a small part of religious Vietnamese.

• Temple of Literature

  

  The Temple of Literature (Van Mieu) was built in 1070 by Emperor Ly Nhan Tong in honor of Confucius and his followers, and six years later the first Vietnamese university was organized on its basis. This is definitely one of the most famous attractions in Hanoi and simply a must-visit. It would be dishonest to say that you will see buildings and statues of incredible beauty here, but the historical significance of this place makes it a very worthy and interesting place to get acquainted with the history of the capital and Vietnam in general. By the way, you can see the Temple of Literature on the 10,000 dong banknote. More about the Temple of Literature.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: daily, from 08:00 to 17:00.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: 70,000 dong (2.66 USD), children under 16 inclusive - free.

  🚶 How to get there: located on Quoc Tu Giam St, 2 kilometers west of Hoan Kiem Lake and south of Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum (Temple of Literature on Hanoi map)

• One Pillar Pagoda

  

  This is the oldest pagoda in Hanoi, and the most important one. Built in 1049 during the reign of Emperor Ly Thai Tong, and initially it was a wooden structure on a wooden pillar in the middle of a tiny pond, but later it repeatedly lost its status as the main pagoda and was rebuilt. Its current appearance is the result of restoration in the 1950s after complete destruction by the French. Despite its fame and significance, tourists have nothing to do here for more than 10 minutes, although, credit where it's due, you should definitely see the unusual architecture with your own eyes. More about the One Pillar Pagoda.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: from 07:00 to 18:00.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: Entrance is free, but to get to the pagoda, you will have to go through security control to enter Ba Dinh Square. At the inspection, they do not allow weapons, dangerous objects, even pocket knives. Also, they may not allow you onto the square in short shorts, skirts and a t-shirt.

  🚶 How to get there: located between Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and Ho Chi Minh Museum (pagoda on Hanoi map) on the territory of Ba Dinh Square.

• Bach Ma Temple

  

  This temple at first glance is completely inconspicuous, and you may not even notice it. Meanwhile, it is one of the oldest in the city. It was founded in the spring of 1010 by Emperor Ly Thai To (Ly Thai To) in honor of the white horse that led him to this place.

  During its existence, the temple was repeatedly subjected to floods and other natural disasters, and became very dilapidated. Therefore, in the 18th century it was seriously rebuilt, and almost nothing remained of the old buildings. Inside you will see a conditional statue of that same imperial white horse. More details about Bach Ma Temple here.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: daily except Monday from 8:00 to 11:00 and from 14:00 to 17:00.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free entry.

  🚶 How to get there: the temple is located in the northern part of the tourist district, and you can get there on foot (Bach Ma Temple on Hanoi map). Address: 76 Hang Buam Street. It is quite difficult to find the temple in the maze of streets of the tourist district, so write down the name and address on a piece of paper.

• Perfume Pagoda

  

  This is one of the most sacred places for Buddhists in Vietnam, and during the period from the first to the third lunar months (usually from March to April) the so-called "Perfume Pagoda Festival" takes place here. At this time, thousands of Buddhist pilgrims flock to the temple, and if you are in Hanoi at this time, you should definitely take a tour here. The first pagoda here was built in the 15th century, and now there is a whole complex of temples. The main pagoda, called Perfume Temple or Chua Trong, is located in a mountain cave.

  This place is quite interesting and is one of the most famous and popular religious attractions in Vietnam. Only one thing is bad: visiting the pagoda will take a whole day, and to see the entire complex of pagodas, almost a week is needed. And also, to be honest, the place is too commercialized: tourists are literally extorted money at every step, tips are demanded even for things you have already paid for officially. More about Perfume Pagoda.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: during daylight hours.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: entrance to the temple - 85,000 dong (3.23 USD). Cable car ride cost: 220,000 dong round trip, 150,000 one way; children's – 150,000 dong round trip, 100,000 one way. Boat to the temple from the pier - 120,000 dong. Tours in street travel agencies can be bought from 30 US dollars, and usually include everything except tips.

  🚶 How to get there: located 60 kilometers from Hanoi (perfume pagoda on the map). It is theoretically possible to visit it by public transport, but in practice it is unrealistic for tourists, since in the end you will spend a lot of time only on the road. Therefore, it is best to go here on a tour or with rented transport.

• Quan Thanh Temple

  

  The temple is one of the four ancient guardians of the city. The existing structures appeared as a result of the last reconstruction and restoration work during the 19th century, which included triple gates, courtyard, front and central worship halls and a shrine. A bronze statue about 4 m high and 4 tons in weight was cast in 1677 in honor of Saint Nguyen Thien Chan Vo. Entrance to the temple is paid – 10,000 dong.

  Just don't be fooled about the beauties of this temple: despite its historical significance, the place is architecturally very modest, and there is nothing to do here for more than a couple of minutes.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: during daylight hours.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: 10,000 dong.

  🚶 How to get there: located between West Lake and the Presidential Palace (at the intersection of Pho Quan Thanh and Duong Thanh Nien streets). Quan Thanh Temple on Hanoi map

• Tran Quoc Pagoda

  

  This pagoda is considered the oldest in the city, its age is estimated at 1400 years. Of course, what you can see now in the pagoda has almost nothing to do with the buildings originally erected here (even the location of the pagoda has changed from the original, and the last time the temple was completely rebuilt in 1842), but, nevertheless, this place is one of the most sacred for Buddhists in Hanoi. That is why this pagoda is visited by many high-ranking guests of the country. Among them, by the way, was Russian President D. Medvedev, as eloquently told by the photographs displayed in the temple. The pagoda is located on a small island called Golden Fish Island, on Ho Tay (West Lake). It can be safely said that this temple is one of the most beautiful in Hanoi. The pagoda is especially picturesque in the evening, at sunset. We will not recommend visiting this pagoda at all costs during your stay in Hanoi, but if time permits, be sure to look here.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: from 08:30 to 11:30 and from 13:30 to 18:30.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free entry.

  🚶 How to get there: Tran Quoc Pagoda is located on an islet that is connected to the shore by a dam. You can drive along the dam to the islet directly by transport: taxi or city bus No. 14 (pagoda on the map).

• St. Joseph's Cathedral

  

  This Catholic church was built in 1887 by the French in neo-Gothic style and stands out strongly from the general architectural chaos of the streets of central Hanoi. From 1975 to 1985 it was inactive, now it is fully operational.

  This place is most interesting to visit during the Christmas and New Year holidays, when the square in front of the church turns into a carnival. At other times of the year, it is a fairly quiet place that you can simply look at and take photos. If you wish, you can go inside and participate in the service.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: you can view the church from the outside at any time, access inside from 05:00 to 12:00 and from 14:00 to 19:30, except Sunday. Services: on weekdays at 5:30 and 18:15; on Saturday 5:30 and 18:00; on Sunday 5:00, 7:00, 9:00, 11:00, 16:00, 18:00.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free.

  🚶 How to get there: the church is located a couple of hundred meters west of Hoan Kiem Lake at 40 Nha Chung (St. Joseph's Cathedral on Hanoi map).

• Ba Da Pagoda

  

  This modest but revered by local residents Buddhist temple is located in the very center of tourist Hanoi, near Hoan Kiem Lake (Lake of the Returned Sword). Despite its historical significance, it remains little known among tourists – many pass by without even noticing it. The temple has an ancient history: according to one version, it was founded in the 11th century, according to another – in the 15th century, after local residents discovered a stone statue of a woman (hence its name – "Stone Lady" or Stone Lady Pagoda). Later, the temple was repeatedly destroyed and restored, and some surviving artifacts, for example bronze bells, date back to the 19th century. More about Ba Da Pagoda.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: daily from 08:00 to 21:00.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free.

  🚶 How to get there: located near Hoan Kiem Lake and within walking distance of the tourist district on Nha Tho Street (Ba Da Pagoda on the map).

• Vu Thach Pagoda

  

  Vu Thach Pagoda is a modest but historically significant attraction in Hanoi, rarely visited by tourists. This small complex includes a Buddhist pagoda and a communal house (dinh), which is characteristic of traditional Vietnamese architecture of the Middle Ages. Built several centuries ago (the exact date of foundation is unknown), Vu Thach Pagoda retains the traditional features of northern Vietnamese cult architecture. Inside you can see characteristic carved wooden elements and altars for such structures. The temple is especially interesting because it combines Buddhist and local folk beliefs, which is typical for Vietnamese religious tradition.

  The temple is small and may even be closed during the visit, so it is worth coming here specifically only for true connoisseurs of Vietnamese culture and history. But if you find yourself in this area not far from the lake in Hanoi's Old Quarter, you can try to drop in to see authentic, non-tourist Hanoi.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: daily from 08:00 to 21:00.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free.

  🚶 How to get there: located near Hoan Kiem Lake and within walking distance of the tourist district on Ba Trieu Street (Temple on the map).

Miscellaneous, architecture

• Hoan Kiem Lake (Lake of the Returned Sword) and Turtle Temple

  

  The park and walking alleys around Hoan Kiem Lake are the tourist center of the city, a landmark and starting point for tourists. North of the lake is the tourist district, also the Old Quarter, which concentrates most of the budget hotels in Hanoi. In the evenings, you can walk around the lake for hours and watch the life of Hanoi residents. For Hanoi residents themselves, this is a popular place for evening relaxation and morning exercise. In the middle of the lake on a small island is the "Turtle Temple", and near the northern shore lies Jade Island with the "Jade Temple" (Ngoc Son Temple), which can be reached via the famous wooden red bridge ("Bridge of the Rising Sun"). Entrance to the temple for foreigners is paid - 50,000 dong. More details about Hoan Kiem Lake and photos.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: 24/7.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free, entrance to the red bridge and temple - 50,000 dong.

  🚶 How to get there: The lake is within walking distance of Hanoi's tourist district. Hoan Kiem Lake on Hanoi map

• Old Quarter

  

  Hanoi's Old Quarter (Hanoi Old Quarter) is the main tourist area and district of concentration of budget 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 here the atmosphere of old Hanoi is still preserved, 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 district, you should definitely come here and walk along the narrow streets past numerous shops, jewelry workshops, street food courts, workshops. More about Hanoi's Old Quarter.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: 24/7, best to visit during the day or evening.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free.

  🚶 How to get there: the tourist district is located north, west and east of Hoan Kiem Lake (Old Quarter on the map).

• Giant Ceramic Mosaic

  

  Hanoi Mosaic (Hanoi Ceramic Mosaic Mural or Hanoi Ceramic Road) is an unusual, beautiful, and impressive modern attraction in Hanoi. Its construction began in 2007 and it was planned that it would be completely finished in 2010 for the celebration of Hanoi's 1000th anniversary, but even after that something was being finished and redone here. Authors and artists from different countries, including Russia, took part in its creation. It is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest in the world, its length is over 6 kilometers. More about Hanoi's ceramic mosaic.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: 24/7.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free.

  🚶 How to get there: The mosaic runs along the roads Au Co, Nghi Tam, Yen Phu, Tran Nhat Duat, Tran Quang Khai, Tran Khanh Du and Duong Hong Ha. To find the mosaic, you can walk to Long Bien Bridge and move from there south or north (mosaic near the bridge on the map). From the side of the Old Quarter and the lake (tourist district), you will have to cross one of the busiest and widest roads in the city, which is safest to do via an overpass, which is located between the pedestrian and car bridges in the Long Bien area.

• Jewellery Communal House

  

  The Jewellery Communal House (Jewellery Communal House or Dinh Kim Ngan) is an old house in the very heart of the Old Quarter on Hang Bac (Silver) Street. This entire street has been filled with jewelry shops since ancient times (since the 18th century), but this house played a special unifying role for all residents in this area, performing administrative, religious and cultural functions. The architecture of the house with Chinese elements is interesting, inside there is a small exhibition-sale of silver jewelry and handicrafts, information posters in several languages with the history of the house. Every Wednesday and Friday at 20:00 a music and dance show using traditional musical instruments is held here. More about the Jewellery Communal House.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: daytime, traditional show takes place on Wednesdays and Fridays at 20:00.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free.

  🚶 How to get there: the house is located in the Old Quarter at 44 Hang Bac (Jewellery House on the map). Do not confuse this house with another house-museum Hanoi Ancient House.

• Old Quarter Gates

  

  These gates are also called "Eastern Gate", "Triumphal Arch" and "Quan Chuong Gate". In the Middle Ages, they were part of the walls surrounding the Old Quarter, and today they are one of the few remains of medieval Hanoi, and the only fully preserved gate. It is difficult to recognize them as an architectural monument, since they are not separated from modern buildings in any way and are not protected as a monument, and city traffic drives right through the arch. Nevertheless, if you are walking in this area, it will be interesting to look at this unique 16th-century structure.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: 24/7.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free.

  🚶 How to get there: the gates are located in the northern part of the Old Quarter at the intersection of Thanh Ha and Hang Chieu streets (gates on the map)

• Train Street

  

  Train Street (Hanoi Street Train) is a small section of railway in central Hanoi not far from the tourist district, where the train passes tightly squeezed between walls of old buildings – houses of once the poorest residents of the capital. Just a few years ago, tourists saw this street only from train windows, marveling at how one could live in conditions where trains pass practically at the very windows and doors of houses, and without any safety fences. Now, to see the moment of the train passing, knowledgeable tourists flock here at a certain time, and the street itself has transformed, turning from the poorest into one of the most colorful and overcrowded with tourists. More about Train Street.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: you can visit the street at any time, but it is most interesting to catch the moment of the train passing. Scheduled trains pass here several times a day, and technical trains and locomotives may also pass outside the schedule. See the train schedule via the link with the full description.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: Free. During the train passing, you can stay on the street only if you buy something in one of the cafes at greatly inflated prices (soft drinks from 60,000 dong / approximately 2.28 USD, )beer - from 60,000 dong / approximately 2.28 USD). If you don't buy anything, you will be led out of here by sellers and railway traffic controllers.

  🚶 How to get there: located one kilometer from Hoan Kiem Lake and the tourist district (Train Street on Hanoi map). It is easy to walk here from any hotel in this district in 10-20 minutes. A taxi ride via Grab, Maxim and other apps will cost from 40,000 dong. You can also get there by city buses.

• Lenin Park and Lenin Statue

  

  This is just a small park opposite the Vietnam Army Museum (on Dien Bien Phu street), where you can relax and take some interesting photos. Interestingly, Lenin's name on the statue and the park's name are written in the Vietnamese manner as two words – Le-Nin. In the evenings, sports games and competitions are held in the park.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: 24/7.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free.

  🚶 How to get there: Lenin Park and Lenin Statue on the map

• Hanoi Flag Tower (Cot Co)

  

  This is one of the rarest examples of Hanoi architecture left untouched during clashes with the French between 1894 and 1897. It was built in 1812, consists of three platforms and the tower itself. On the eastern door the words "nghen huc" are inscribed, meaning "to meet the rays of the rising sun". On the western door there are two words "hoi quang", meaning "to reflect the light". And on the southern door the words "huong minh", meaning "facing the sun". All sunlight enters here through 36 flower-shaped windows and six fan-shaped windows. It is not worth going here specifically for the tower, but if you are walking past or decide to look at the Lenin statue in the park, then pay attention to the tower as well. In the evening it is beautifully illuminated.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: 24/7.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free entry.

  🚶 How to get there: The Flag Tower is located a couple of kilometers from the tourist district (tower on the map) next to Lenin Park.

• Colorful Hang Ma Street

  

  This street on the northern outskirts of Hanoi's tourist district is called the most beautiful street in the capital in many guidebooks and an attractive attraction. It really stands out among other shopping streets of the Old Quarter with bright shop windows, since they sell colored paper decorations and maks for traditional religious rituals, beautiful lanterns, toys, gift packaging. The thing is that each of the ancient streets of old Hanoi specializes in some product, and it so happened that it is here that the most festive things are sold. The street really looks festive, but, in our opinion, to call it a worthwhile attraction and a place for mandatory visit is, after all, an exaggeration. More about colorful Hang Ma Street.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: it is best to visit Hang Ma Street during the day or in the evening before sunset, when the lanterns are beautifully lit. Only note that in the evening most shops here close, so you will see little.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free.

  🚶 How to get there: located in the north of Hanoi's tourist district or Old Quarter (Hang Ma Street on Hanoi map). This is within walking distance from the lake.

• Hang Dau Water Tower

  

  This unusual brick tower in neo-Gothic style is one of the historical and architectural monuments of Hanoi's colonial heritage. Built by the French in 1894, it was an important part of the first city water supply system. Height 25 meters, characteristic lancet windows and brickwork in "herringbone" make it architecturally interesting, although today the tower is non-functional. Today, the contrast between the ancient tower and the modern urban development around is striking. Although you cannot get inside, lovers of urbanism and history will appreciate it as an interesting photo object. There is nothing to do here for more than a couple of minutes, so it's worth paying attention to it only if you are walking in this part of the tourist district.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: 24/7.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free.

  🚶 How to get there: located in the north of the tourist district (Hang Dau Tower on the map). This is within walking distance from the lake.

Hanoi Entertainment

There are very few entertainment options specifically aimed at tourists in Hanoi. During the day, besides sightseeing, you can go shopping (see more about shopping in Hanoi), visit one of the two observation decks in skyscrapers, a modest local zoo, water park or amusement park. In the evening you can walk around Hoan Kiem Lake and sit in one of the restaurants overlooking the lake, and of course watch a performance in one of the two water puppet theaters.

As for entertainment for children, Hanoi is not the best place to vacation with them. There is nothing special for kids besides the places mentioned above. And in general, the city is not particularly welcoming and safe for vacationing with children: too noisy and dirty, dangerous traffic on the roads.

• Ta Hien Beer Street

  

  This is the most party and fun street in Hanoi. If you need a place to drink beer or something stronger, socialize with other tourists or with local youth, find banned substances, a girl or a boy, new friends – then go straight here. In other words, this is the main street of sin in Hanoi. Here, of course, the scale is not like on Thai Walking Street, and even noticeably more modest than on the party street Bui Vien in Ho Chi Minh City, but also very fun. The length of Ta Hien is only 150 meters and it is completely pedestrian. Prices for drinks and food in local bars seemed somewhat high to us here compared to Bui Vien Street in Ho Chi Minh City, but still not exorbitant. For example, beer from 40,000 dong per mug, cocktails from 100,000. At the same time, many establishments have Happy Hours promotions, when for the purchase of two mugs of beer the third is given free, or two cocktails for the price of one. More about Ta Hien Beer Street.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: 24/7, but the most fun takes place from sunset (that's about 6 pm) until midnight. The street is especially active on weekends from Friday to Sunday.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free.

  🚶 How to get there: Ta Hien Beer Street is located in Hanoi's tourist district and not far from the lake (Hanoi beer street on the map). You can get there on foot from any place in the tourist district, from other districts you can get there by taxi.

• Weekend Night Market

  

  Although the entire tourist district of Hanoi's Old Quarter near Hoan Kiem Lake itself resembles a large market, the weekend night market deserves separate mention. It is difficult to call it an attraction in the classical sense, but this atmospheric activity should definitely be included in the Hanoi visiting program. As the name implies, it works only in the evenings on weekends - from Friday to Sunday. The assortment is very diverse: casual and tourist clothing, bags and suitcases, electronics, cosmetics and perfumes, local coffee and tea, as well as countless souvenirs - including truly unique handicrafts, not just Chinese consumer goods. At the beginning and end of the street, stalls with Vietnamese street fast food work. More about the weekend night market in Hanoi.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: works weekly on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from about 6 pm until midnight.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: free.

  🚶 How to get there: located on Hang Dao Street, this is one of the main streets of Hanoi's tourist district (Weekend Night Market on the map). If you are staying in this district or near Hoan Kiem Lake, you can easily get to the street on foot.

• Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre

  

  Water puppet theater was originally a traditional peasant entertainment. Peasants tired after exhausting work in the fields entertained each other by showing puppet shows. Today, this show has become real exotic and entertains tourists. In Hanoi, a whole theater was created for this purpose, which anyone can visit. Moreover, visiting Hanoi's puppet theater has become almost a mandatory item in the program of staying in the capital. It is also worth visiting the theater because the shows mostly take place in the evening, and this is one of the few entertainments in evening Hanoi. More about the water puppet theater.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: the show takes place every day at 15:00, 16:10, 17:20, 18:30, 20:00. If you want to get to a strictly defined show, it is better to buy tickets several hours before the start of the performance.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: ticket prices vary depending on the seat and start from 100,000 dong for near seats (approximately 3.8 USD) and up to 200,000 dong - far seats

  🚶 How to get there: the theater is located at the northeastern end of the lake, and is easily accessible from the tourist district on foot (puppet theater on Hanoi map), address: 40 Nha Chung, Hanoi.

• Lotus Water Puppet Theatre

  

  This is another theater of traditional water puppet performances. It is not particularly different from the municipal Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre, except that it is cheaper, and the hall is a little smaller. The show is also not particularly different, so you can choose either of the two theaters, whichever is closer or more convenient for you to visit.

  Practical information

  🕐 Opening hours: the show takes place daily at 15:30, 17:00, 18:30.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: 100,000 dong (approximately 3.8 USD.

  🚶 How to get there: the theater is located on the western shore of Hoan Kiem Lake at 16 Le Thai To (puppet theater on Hanoi map).

• Lotte Observation Deck

  

  The observation deck is located at a height of 253 meters on the 65th floor of the Lotte Hotel office and hotel skyscraper. This attraction is still new, and all the glass on the closed observation deck is very clean and unscratched, the city can be seen as if in the palm of your hand. The only thing that is very important is to choose the time of visit with good clear weather. Well, if you are lucky with the weather, and want even more impressions, then you can enter the Sky Walk area with a glass floor. More about the observation deck.

  Practical information

  🌐 Website: https://www.lottecenter.com.vn/hanoi-sky/

  🕐 Opening hours: from 09:30 to 22:30, ticket office closes at 23:00.

  💵 Entrance fee / ticket prices: adults 230,000 dong (approximately 8.74 USD, )see Vietnam currency and exchange rate), children (2-12 years old) - 170,000. Family discount for 2 adults + children - 50% on children's tickets. From 9:00 to 10:00, and from sunset to 23:00 Happy Hours gift with ticket. Tickets are sold at the box office on floor B1, and you can also buy online with payment by Russian card on the website Trip.com.

  🚶 How to get there: located far from Hanoi's tourist district and Hoan Kiem Lake (skyscraper on Hanoi map). The entrance to the observation deck is to the left of the hotel entrance, leads down to the shopping center. You can get here from the tourist district by taxi from 100,000 dong or by bus No. 9 for 10,000 dong (see Hanoi city buses and how to use them).