Hanoi is a major destination for all travellers in Vietnam: known for its lakes and pagodas, foodie culture and fun nightlife like Beer Street. There is so much more to Hanoi than food and nightlife; you could spend a whole month here and do something different every day. I spent over a month here in 2023, visiting all the sights, eating all the food and traversing all the nightlife spots. This bumper guide will cover everything you need to know to get to Hanoi, get around Hanoi and have the best time exploring the city. I’ll include my personal tips around safety, Hanoi dishes you need to try and where to try them, the best hostels for every kind of backpacker, which sights are over and under-rated and the best nightlife spots.
How many days to spend in Hanoi
Hanoi is a major city with a lot to offer in terms of sightseeing, cultural experiences, food, coffee shops and nightlife. Some people will zip through the city in under two days, ticking off the main sights and experiences at a fairly fast pace. Two days in Hanoi is suitable if you’re a super fast-paced traveller or aren’t really interested in museums and nights out.
For the average traveller who enjoys the odd museum, night out and some downtime when travelling, allow at least four days to explore Hanoi. This would allow you to tick off the majority of the sights, eat lots of great food, have a cheeky night out or two and not feel burnt out. If you are a slow traveller or you have a lot of time in your itinerary, you could easily spend a full week in Hanoi without getting bored.
How to get to Hanoi
Hanoi is a major city with direct connections to many cities all over Vietnam. Hanoi is accessible via international and domestic flights, trains (including sleeper trains) and buses (either a sleeper bus or small van transfer). If you are coming from further afield, for example, Hoi An, Da Nang or anywhere further south than that, flying is usually your best option. There are fairly affordable budget flights directly to Hanoi from many airports in Vietnam. Otherwise, expect to spend a minimum of 14 hours on the sleeper train or bus.
If you’re not flying in, the majority of people will get to Hanoi via sleeper bus. There’s no one singular major bus terminal in Hanoi, so buses will arrive at various travel agencies dotted around the city. The Tbus Office Hanoi is one of the most central drop-off points if you’re staying in Old Quarter, with it being around a 10-minute walk from Beer Street and major hostels in Hanoi. Otherwise, if you’ve booked a bus from a different drop-off point, you’ll need to account for extra time and expense to get a Grab to your hostel. There are also sleeper trains that some will get, but they are generally double the price of sleeper buses and out of many backpackers’ budgets. All trains and buses can be booked through hostels or online through the 12GOAsia website.
How to get to Hanoi from Ninh Binh
Ninh Binh to Hanoi is a super popular travel, with many small van transfers running between these locations. The van transfers run basically 24 hours a day at intervals of 30-60 minutes. The journey can take anywhere between 1.5-4 hours depending on the time of day and how crazy the traffic is coming into Hanoi. In Ninh Binh, there are multiple pickup locations for the buses, but the most popular are T-Bus and Long Restaurant, as they are opposite Banana Tree Hostel. The small van transfers are very comfortable with A/C, big seats that recline a little and sometimes even free water. Expect to pay around 200-300k VND Vietnamese Dong ($8-$12 USD) for this ticket.
How to get to Hanoi from Phong Nha
You can get a sleeper bus from Phong Nha to Hanoi if you’re skipping Ninh Binh (but you really shouldn’t; Ninh Binh is amazing). Often, the sleeper buses will stop at Ninh Binh to pick up passengers on the way if it’s not a fully booked bus with passengers from Hanoi. The sleeper buses depart in two main spots in Phong Nha Town: opposite the boat station and directly out front of Central Backpackers Hostel. Both are super central locations in Phong Nha, so if you’re staying in the town, you’ll be able to walk there.
When departing Phong Nha, I strongly recommend booking buses directly through Central Backpackers Hostel, as that means you can chill in the bar, and the staff will come and get you when the bus arrives. The bus journey takes 12 hours, give or take, given the crazy traffic departing Hanoi. Buses depart with multiple companies at various intervals from 6:45 pm to 9:45 pm daily. Expect to pay between 500-620k VND Vietnamese Dong ($20-$25 USD) for a ticket.
How to get to Hanoi from Hue
Coming directly to Hanoi from Hye is not the most popular route, as it means skipping Phong Nha and Ninh Binh, but if you’re short on time, it is an option. The journey takes 14 hours on a sleeper bus, with the option for a standard sleeper (reclined 90% of the way and no curtains) or a VIP sleeper (curtains and a flat lay-down bed). This journey is most popular by night bus to avoid losing a whole day of travel. The pick-off location in Hue depends on which bus company you book with. The Tbus booking agency is one of the most central and is within walking distance from Vietnam Backpackers and Shark Homestay Hostel.
Night buses depart Hue from various locations between 3 pm and 7 pm, roughly every 15 minutes. The later buses tend to be more popular as they arrive in Hanoi around breakfast time. If you prefer to avoid a night bus, there are a couple of day buses available departing Hue between 4:30 am and 5:30 am. Taking these buses means you’d lose a whole day and arrive in Hanoi for dinner. Expect to pay between 330k and 550k VND Vietnamese Dong ($14-$22 USD) for a standard sleeper bus and around 700k VND Vietnamese Dong ($29 USD) for a VIP bus.
How to get around Hanoi
Navigating Hanoi, Vietnam’s bustling capital, is an adventure in itself. The main ways of getting around Hanoi are on foot, by Grabcar, Grabscooter or Trishaw/Cyclo. Very few people rent motorbikes and drive themselves in Hanoi due to crazy traffic and other hazards. To avoid having to rely too heavily on Grab, I highly recommend staying in the Old Quarter of Hanoi, near Beer Street. This is the most central location (also where most of the hostels are), so you’ll be able to get around on foot.
Getting around Hanoi on foot
The best way to get around Hanoi and truly experience the chaos and culture of the city is on foot. If you’re staying in the Old Quarter, you’ll be able to walk to cafes, bars and restaurants easily. You could also walk to attractions such as Don Xuan Market, St Joseph Cathedral, the weekend market, Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple and Note Coffee. You could also potentially walk to sights further afield, but it would be a longer walk in potentially humid and sweaty conditions. One of the downsides of walking is the chaos that is navigating the streets of Hanoi. While it feels very safe to walk around, the sidewalks can be an obstacle course of motorbikes, street vendors, and uneven surfaces. Crossing the road can be a challenge amidst a flood of scooters.
Getting around Hanoi by Grab
For getting anywhere in Hanoi that you can’t or don’t want to walk to, you can use the Grab app- Southeast Asia’s answer to Uber. On Grab they have both Grab Cars and Grab Scooters (where you sit on the back and get driven by an experienced driver). If you have luggage, Grab Car will be easier, but on most occasions, Grab Scooter is the better option. The traffic can be crazy around Hanoi, particularly in tourist areas like the Old Quarter, so you can easily get stuck in a traffic jam in a car. While you may experience some traffic and delays on a scooter, you’ll get to your destination faster as they can filter through traffic jams. Not to mention, there are more Grab Scooters than Grab Cars, so sometimes you may not even be able to book a car.
Getting around Hanoi by Cyclo/ Trishaw
Another fun way to get around and sightsee in Old Quarter is by Cyclo/Trishaw. A Trishaw is kind of like a pram for adults, where a driver cycles a bike on the front and pulls you along. While there are many Cyclos in the Old Quarter, and many people jump on for a short journey, they’re really not the most practical way to get around. If you get on a Cyclo, you’re more doing it for the experience than for transport. They don’t move very fast, don’t have the same ability to filter through traffic as scooters and tend to be more expensive. Plus, you’ll need to haggle over the price before setting off to avoid any surprise fees at the end of your ride.
Where to stay in Hanoi
Hanoi is a big city that most travellers will stay at least a few nights in, so there are plenty of great hostel options. Regardless of what kind of traveller you are, you want to stay in a hostel that is within walking distance from Old Quarter and Beer Street in Hanoi. This is the most central area to sights and attractions, cafes, bars and restaurants. While you may not want to stay right in the heart of Beer Street if you’re not much of a partier, at least try to find somewhere in Hanoi within a 15-minute walk of it. You can book all accommodations in Hanoi here.
Hanoi Backpackers and Rooftop- best social hostel
Hanoi Backpackers and Rooftop Hostel is a great option for a party/social hostel right in the heart of Old Quarter. The main selling point for Hanoi Backpackers and Rooftop is their amazing rooftop bar with panoramic views of the city. The rooftop is small, so it forces people to sit together and make friends. They also run events like pub crawls and karaoke nights and have plenty of different games available behind the bar. If you like to party, the location is just off Beer Street in Hanoi, so it’s super convenient for nights out.
Another benefit is they have a full hotel-quality buffet breakfast every day. It’s probably one of the best hostel breakfasts I’ve ever experienced! One of the downsides of Hanoi Backpackers and Rooftop is the rooms are very much budget. While they have charging ports by the bed and privacy curtains, you certainly wouldn’t classify this as a flashpacker hostel. It can also be a bit loud with people coming back from the Ha Giang Loop or a night out, so it wouldn’t be ideal for light sleepers or those who don’t really party.
The One Hostel- best flashpacker hostel
The One Hostel feels like a resort but with backpacker prices and a social vibe. They’re one of the few hostels in Hanoi that have a pool, which is a major bonus after a long, sweaty day exploring the city. The beds are pod-style with great quality pillows and mattresses, privacy curtains and stairs instead of ladders to top bunks. The bathroom facilities are clean with hot water and good pressure on the showers. Apart from a pool, they also have a bar on site where they host pool parties with DJs, a restaurant and free breakfast included. The one downside would be the hostel is quite large, so people spread out a bit, making it harder to socialise. Also, the location in Hanoi is a little further away from Beer Street than other hostels but still walkable.
Mad Monkey- best party hostel
Mad Monkey is Hanoi (like most Mad Monkeys) is where you go when you want to party. They are located right off Beer Street in Hanoi and have a banging bar to go for pre-drinks. Every night, they have events like trivia, pub crawls and karaoke nights. They also have free beer every night from 6:30 pm, which gets everyone down to the bar at the same time and have social reps to help solo travellers make friends. The beds are fairly nice, with privacy curtains, big security lockers and clean bathroom facilities. In terms of other amenities, they have a full restaurant, bar and tour desk on site. One downside would be that breakfast isn’t included, and meal prices tend to be a bit expensive for what you get. It also is a bit more of a younger demographic of backpackers here (aged 18-22).
What to do in Hanoi
You could spend a whole month in Hanoi and never visit the same place twice. There are so many pagodas, lakes, museums and other fun attractions around Hanoi, depending on your interests. All of the below sights are easily accessible either by foot from Old Quarter or via a short Grab Car or Grab Scooter ride away.
Walking Tour of Old Quarter
I highly recommend signing up for a free walking tour of Hanoi (specifically the Old Quarter) when you first arrive in the city. A guided walking tour is a great way to orientate yourself, learn about the history and get food and sightseeing recommendations from your local guide. While there are other areas in Hanoi where you can do a walking tour, the Old Quarter is the most popular with tourists due to its history, culture and aesthetics. Expect to weave through a tapestry of street vendors selling everything from street food to handcrafted goods against a backdrop of French colonial architecture and traditional Vietnamese houses.
You can book walking tours online at Guru Walk by clicking here. While the walking tours are free, tips for the guides are expected, but it is a pay-what-you-feel method. If you do not want to do a walking tour but still want to explore Old Quarter, I recommend checking out the following sites: Ta Hien Street (beer street) during the day, Heritage House, Don Xuan Market and St Joseph Cathedral. The best time to explore the Old Quarter is first thing in the morning, as it is the coolest part of the day, and popular sites tend to be less crowded. I would plan to spend around 3-4 hours exploring Old Quarter and visiting these sites, allowing time for rest breaks and to take in the surroundings.
Ngoc Son Temple and walk around Hoan Kiem Lake
One of the most underrated things you can do in Hanoi is walk around Hoan Kiem Lake and visit Ngon Son Temple, a small temple that lies in the middle of the lake. The walk itself is a nice, peaceful change of pace from the busy streets of Old Quarter, but it also gives you a glimpse into local life. You’ll see locals exercising in the surrounding parks, catching up with friends and doing business. You also get quite nice views of the city and the temple in the middle of the lake. To enter the temple, you have to have your knees, shoulders and torso covered. There is also a small entrance fee of 30k VND Vietnamese Dong ($1.20 USD).
The temple, dedicated to General Tran Hung Dao, scholar Van Xuong, and Confucian master Nguyen Van Sieu, is also referred to as the “turtle temple” due to well-preserved giant sea turtle bodies displayed in the temple and the legend and stories around these turtles. Getting to the temple itself is a mini-adventure; you cross the iconic Huc Bridge, a striking red wooden bridge that is an iconic symbol of Hanoi. However, it’s worth noting that, like any popular tourist spot in Hanoi, it can get crowded, especially on weekends and holidays. This means you might not always get that quiet moment you were hoping for, and there may be a bit of a wait to see certain parts of the temple or to take photos without a bunch of strangers in them. I would allow around 1 hour to walk around the lake and visit the temple.
Hoa Lo Prison
Visiting Hoa Lo Prison, famously known as the “Hanoi Hilton,” offers a stark, sombre glimpse into Vietnam’s turbulent past, particularly during the French colonial era and the Vietnam War. This historic site, now partly a museum, reveals the harsh realities faced by prisoners here through its preserved cells, execution areas, and displays of artifacts and personal stories. One of the most impactful aspects of Hoa Lo is the personal narratives and photographs that humanize the prisoners, highlighting their resilience and suffering. If you get the audioguide (which you definitely should do), you’ll hear the stories of prisoners while you stand in their cells.
Hoa Lo Prison is a pretty heavy place to visit while travelling Hanoi, but an important place to visit and history to understand nonetheless. I would recommend afterwards visiting the Vietnamese Women’s Museum (a much lighter museum, I promise) or taking a nice walk around Hoan Kiem Lake to debrief the experience. It costs 30k VND Vietnamese Dong ($1.20 USD) to enter and an additional 100k VND Vietnamese Dong ($4 USD) for the audio guide. If you go with the audio guide, it takes roughly two hours. The Prison Museum also has a strict dress code, so make sure you cover your knees, shoulders and torso out of respect for the atrocities that occurred there.
Vietnamese Women’s Museum
Vietnamese Women’s Museum in Hanoi is dedicated to the roles, contributions, and lives of Vietnamese women throughout history, including their involvement in the country’s wars. This museum offers a deep dive into the cultural, historical, and societal impact of women in Vietnam through various exhibits spanning traditional attire, family life, wartime roles, and more.
The museum is well-organized and informative, with English descriptions for most exhibits, making it accessible to international visitors. On the downside, the museum’s detailed and educational approach can be a bit heavy, as there are lots of readings and information. It costs 40k VND Vietnamese Dong ($1.60 USD) to enter and an additional 40k VND Vietnamese Dong ($1.60 USD) for the audio guide. If you listen to the full audio guide, expect to be there for 2-3 hours. Otherwise, going without the audioguide, you could get through all of the exhibits in around 1-2 hours. There’s no dress code, and the museum is fairly quiet and well-airconditioned, so it’s a nice change of pace from many other attractions in Hanoi.
Note Coffee
The social media famous Note Coffee is more of an experience than a coffee shop. If you haven’t seen it all over your TikTok or Instagram Feed, it is basically a multi-level cafe covered in sticky notes. The walls, ceilings, and even tables are covered in colourful sticky notes left by visitors from around the globe, sharing messages, drawings, and quotes. The entrance is free, provided you purchase a beverage, which can be a coffee, tea, hot chocolate, juice or smoothie.
The vibe here is cute but fairly busy, and there are Instagram photoshoots going on everywhere. Despite it being busy, I still think it’s well worth visiting to enjoy the novelty of the sticky notes and leave a note of your own on the walls. Just be aware, it’s best to avoid busy meal times, as there often comes a queue. Even at non-peak times, finding a seat with a good view can sometimes feel like a mini-competition, and the service, while friendly, can be a bit slow when they’re swamped. Most people would only spend around 30 minutes to an hour here. Note Coffee is located just off Hoan Kiem Lake, so it is a nice little stop to cool down after exploring the lake and Old Quarter.
Train street
Train Street is another famous social media site in Hanoi. It is a narrow street, with cafes and restaurants just a whisper away from the tracks, offering you the thrill of watching a train zoom past right in front of you while you enjoy a drink or some food. The concept is simple: a couple of times a day, life on this bustling street pauses as a train speeds through, mere inches from the homes and cafes that line the tracks.
While it sounds like quite a novel idea, in my opinion, it has become over-commercialised. The area is often super crowded, so expect to be surrounded by other people, making it hard to get photos and videos without lots of people photobombing. The other thing is the train times are super unreliable, so even if you go by the most recent schedule, you may still have half to wait an hour, or even worse, the train never comes. Your best bet for getting to see a train is choosing a time when there are supposed to be multiple trains coming within the hour, just in case one train is delayed or cancelled. Hopefully, the others still come through.
The most recent train schedules are as follows:
| Day | Times |
| Monday- Friday | 7 pm, 7:15 pm, 7:45 pm, 8 pm, 8:45 pm, 9:15 pm, 9:30 pm and 10 pm |
| Saturday and Sunday | 8:30 am, 9:30 am, 11:30 am, 3:20 pm, 4:30 pm, 5:30 pm, 6 pm, 7:20 pm, 6 pm, 7:20 pm, 7:45 pm, 8:45 pm and 9:15 pm |
How to get to Train Street
Getting to Train Street is also a bit of an adventure. Due to safety concerns, the rules around visiting Train Street have changed in the last year. Now, all tourists need to be invited in by a cafe owner; you cannot just enter the train street unaccompanied and walk the tracks. To be invited, head to the “Hanoi Train Street (Southern)” location on Google Maps. Here, there will be police officers who will tell you that the train street is closed to tourists.
There’ll also be a number of local cafe owners offering to take you to Train Street. While this seems like a scam, this is how everyone gets to Train Street since the regulations changed. The cafe owners will walk you 5 minutes to another entrance, where they will tell a security guard that you are their invited guest, which gets you in. Afterwards, they take you along the tracks to their cafe, where it is expected you’ll buy drinks. There’s no entrance fee to train street, but you do need to purchase at minimum one drink per person at the cafe of the person who brought you in.
You’ll be asked to stay seated for most of the time and not to walk on the tracks or interfere with the train as it goes past. You’re also not allowed to walk to other cafes or change location once you are seated at a cafe, as you are the “invited guest” of that cafe owner who walked you in. There are police patrolling to make sure everybody is safe and nobody is doing the wrong thing and standing on the tracks. After the train has come through, you have the opportunity to walk down the tracks and get photos on your way to the exit.
Watch a Water Puppet Show at the Hanoi Opera House
Watching a Water Puppet Show at the Hanoi Opera House is a great night-time activity that isn’t getting drunk on beer street. Water puppetry, with its roots in the rice paddies of northern Vietnam, is brought to life in the grand setting of the Opera House, one of the city’s most iconic colonial-era buildings. The puppets dance and glide over the water, depicting scenes from rural life, folk tales, and national history with a blend of humour and drama, set against the backdrop of a traditional Vietnamese orchestra providing live music with classical instruments.
The shows go for around an hour, and you can buy tickets at the door. Make sure you get there at least 20 minutes before the show starts. There are sessions pretty much every day at 4:10 pm, 5:20 pm, 6:30 pm and 8 pm; however, on Wednesday and Saturday, there is no 8 pm slot.
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
Situated in the sprawling Ba Dinh Square, where Ho Chi Minh declared independence from France in 1945, the mausoleum is an imposing structure, offering a solemn glimpse into the country’s past. Inside, you’ll see the preserved body of Ho Chi Minh himself. Another thing to witness at the Mausoleum is the changing of the guard’s ceremony, which occurs when the Mausoleum closes to the public, usually at either 10:30 am or 11 am, depending on the time of year. I would plan to spend around 1-3 hours in the complex, depending on whether you skip the museum and Ho Chi Minh’s House or not.
The complex around the mausoleum includes the Ho Chi Minh Museum, the One Pillar Pagoda, and Ho Chi Minh’s Stilt House. The museum is packed with artifacts and exhibits, though there’s not much information in English, so honestly, I’d give it a miss and save the additional 40k VND Vietnamese Dong entry fee ($1.63 USD). The One Pillar Pagoda, next to the museum, is a symbol of Hanoi and is free to enter, so it is worth stopping by for a look. Also, there is the nearby Ho Chi Minh’s House, which is a well-preserved stilt house where Ho Chi Minh lived, surrounded by artifacts significant to his life. I would personally visit Ho Chi Minh’s House over the museum if you want to learn more about Ho Chi Minh, as there are more signs in English.
What you need to know before visiting Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum
- It costs 40k VND Vietnamese Dong ($1.63 USD) to enter the complex.
- To enter, you need to pass through strict security scanners armed by the military, which may include a pat-down search, metal detectors and a bag check.
- A strict dress code applies to all areas in the complex, meaning your shoulders, knees, and torso should be covered.
- If you’re getting there via Grab, please note the location is wrong; try typing in the Canadian Embassy of Hanoi instead (it’s next door).
- The Mausoleum section of the complex is only open to tourists in the morning from around 7 am to 10:30 am. Make sure you get there as early as possible to avoid disappointment. After this time, you can still visit the museum, Ho Chi Minh’s House and the One Pillar Pagoda.
- There are strict rules specifically around the Mausoleum. Pay attention to signs about where you can walk, and don’t get too close to military personnel. In the Mausoleum, no photos of Ho Chi Minh’s body are permitted, and you must remain silent as a sign of respect.
Temple of Literature
The Temple of Literature is dedicated to Confucius and was Vietnam’s first national university. Walking through its five courtyards, you’ll be surrounded by lush gardens, well-preserved architecture, and stone steles mounted on tortoises, listing the names of those who passed the rigorous exams of yore. It’s a peaceful break from the city’s hustle, offering both a dose of culture and a quiet and green spot to chill. There are lots of cool architecture and detailed carvings, so if you’re into architecture or photography, this is a must-visit spot.
It is a temple so you will need to dress conservatively with knees, shoulders and torso covered. The Temple of Literature costs 30k VND Vietnamese Dong to enter ($1.20 USD) and an additional 100k VND Vietnamese Dong ($4 USD) for the audio guide. I strongly recommend getting the audio guide as there aren’t many informational plaques in English, and there’s a lot of history and fun facts to learn about the Temple of Literature through the audio guide. I would plan to spend around 1 hour here and try to avoid the middle of the day due to the heat.
Imperial Temple of Thang Long
The Imperial Temple of Thang Long is a UNESCO World Heritage site, with its roots stretching back over a millennium. The complex features historic buildings, ancient ruins, and archaeological treasures right in the heart of the city. Walking through the citadel, you’ll stumble upon remnants of palaces, gates, and even military command bunkers used during the Vietnam War, which are in very good condition.
The site is massive, giving you the freedom to wander and explore at your own pace. There are plenty of informative signs and exhibits, particularly in the museum areas, which do a great job of putting everything into context. It’s a mix of open-air and indoor spaces, but it can get very hot, so try to avoid being here in the heat of the day. It is a temple so you will need to dress conservatively with knees, shoulders and torso covered. The Imperial Temple of Thang Long costs 30k VND Vietnamese Dong to enter ($1.20 USD), and you should allow around 1-2 hours here.
Tran Quoc Pagoda and Westlake
Another cool activity to do in Hanoi is to walk around Westlake (another lake in the city’s north) and visit Tran Quoc Pagoda on the lake. West Lake is a large lake (bigger than Hoan Kiem near Old Quarter), which is located in a popular suburb for expats. The area around the lake is dotted with cafes, restaurants, and bars, making it a perfect spot to relax and get a break from the sweaty concrete streets of Old Quarter Hanoi. Tran Quoc Pagoda, standing on a small island linked by a causeway on West Lake, is the oldest pagoda in Hanoi, boasting a history that dates back over a thousand years. Wander around, and you’ll find various statues, a bodhi tree linked to the original tree under which Buddha found enlightenment and smaller shrines.
Tran Quoc Pagoda is free to visit every day. It is worth noting that Tran Quoc Pagoda can get crowded, especially on weekends and Buddhist holidays when locals come to worship. There is also a dress code, as it is a place of worship, so make sure your shoulders, knees and torso are covered. I would allow around 1 hour to visit the pagoda and 1 hour to walk around the lake. The best time to visit is around 1-2 hours before sunset. If the clouds are clear, you can watch the sun setting over the city.
Visit the weekend market
If you’re visiting Hanoi on a weekend, I highly recommend checking out the weekend market. It runs every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night from 7 pm to around 10 pm. Stretching from the edges of the Old Quarter towards Hoan Kiem Lake, this bustling market transforms the streets into a lively hub of vendors selling everything from local handicrafts and souvenirs to street food. It’s a place where you can haggle for a bargain, pick up some souvenirs, or even just enjoy the atmosphere, which often includes street performers or live music. Just be mindful that getting there via scooter can be tricky as lots of streets are closed off, and there are a lot of traffic jams around the area during market times. It also can be quite crowded walking around the market, so be wary of pickpockets.
Where to eat in Hanoi
From street food stalls to fancy restaurants, Hanoi has a lot to offer in terms of food. Almost too much to offer, as there are so many great places to choose from. Hanoi has three specialty dishes which I think everything should try when in the city: Pho, Egg Coffee and Bun Cha. I’ll cover where to find the best Pho in Hanoi and include some of my favourite coffee shops for trying egg coffee. The majority of the food recommendations will be in the Old Quarter or within walking distance from it, as this is where most of the popular hostels and attractions are.
Bun Cha Ta Hanoi
Bun Cha Ta Hanoi is the best place to try Bun Cha in Hanoi! Located in Old Quarter, it’s a pretty unassuming restaurant, but it gets quite busy around meal times. There are a couple of different Bun Cha options, but the recommended one is the Bun Cha with spring rolls. There are multiple levels of seating, with the upstairs areas having cushions on the floor seating and shared tables, which have more of an ambience.
Bahn Mi 25
Banh Mi 25 is the most famous Bahn Mi place in Hanoi, and it is a place you should definitely try at least once! The Bahn Mi’s are delicious, especially the ones with American cheese, but expect there to be a queue. While they have some seating both indoor and outdoor, it’s always better to get it takeaway, and the odds of you getting a seat are slim.
Bahn Mi Hoi An
Banh Mi Hoi An is probably the most underrated Bahn Mi shop in Hanoi, but it also rivals the famous Bahn Mi 25 for taste. Located right off Hanoi’s Beer Street, the shop is very assuming and often empty. But don’t let that fool you; it’s a great takeaway lunch stop!
Bahn Mi 17
Bahn Mi 17 is the place you go for drunk food after a night out on Hanoi’s famous Beer Street. Located just off the famous street, Bahn Mi 17 is open late, selling great Bahn Mis burgers and chips. It can get pretty busy (never as busy as Bahn Mi 25, though), and service may be a bit slower at busy times, but it’s well worth it.
Coffee Lam 34
Coffee Lam 34 is a laidback local coffee shop just off Hanoi’s Beer Street. The egg coffee here is a must-try, as is the coconut coffee. Seating is on little stools facing the road, so it’s perfect for people-watching.
Pho Thin Bo Ho
Pho Thin Bo Ho is the best Pho in Old Quarter Hanoi! Located just off Hoan Kiem Lake, Pho Thin Bo Ho is an institution in Hanoi. They only serve Pho, and they do it well. For just 60k VND Vietnamese Dong ($2.50 USD), they’ll serve you fresh Pho cooked to your liking. Keep in mind that the restaurant closes every day from 1 pm to 5 pm, only serving Pho at breakfast time (as it’s traditionally a breakfast food) and dinner (mainly for tourists).
Vi Anh Cafe
Vi Anh Cafe is a cozy cafe serving a great range of different Vietnamese coffees, such as drip coffee, salt coffee, egg coffee and coconut coffee. Located just next to the famous Cafe Giang (where they believe egg coffee was first invented), Vi Anh Cafe is much quieter. I highly recommend heading upstairs, where it’s much more aesthetic, as they have Hoi An lanterns everywhere.
MET Restaurant
MET Restaurant is one of the best Vietnamese restaurants in the Old Quarter! They have a range of menu options, including lots for vegetarians and vegans. There are actually two MET restaurants in Old Quarter, as they are very popular, but don’t worry, the food quality is just as good in either. Given how popular they are, you may have to queue at busy meal times, but it’s worth it.
Bun Cha Obama (called Bún chả Hương Liên)
Bun Cha Obama, famously visited by the former US President, serves up Hanoi’s famous dish Bun Cha. It is a bit further from Old Quarter, so you’ll probably have to get a Grab here. Just be aware that there are some duplicate restaurants calling themselves Bun Cha Obama; make sure you’re going to the official one, which is called Bún chả Hương Liên on Google Maps. The “Obama” effect means it can get very busy, so you may have to queue to get in. They do have memorabilia and photos of Obama’s visit on the wall, so it is both a restaurant and a bit of a tourist attraction itself.
Little Hanoi Restaurant
Little Hanoi Restaurant is a cute local restaurant in the Old Quarter with a large menu of Vietnamese cuisine. It’s a super cosy vibe inside, and the staff are really welcoming. The food is great, and it’s very centrally located in Hanoi Old Quarter near Beer Street.
Rolls and Noodles
Rolls and Noodles round off the list as the perfect lunch stop if you’re craving something light, quick and easy. As the name suggests, they serve different types of fresh and fried spring rolls and a variety of noodle dishes. It’s affordable and tasty, located just near St Joseph’s Cathedral and Hoan Kiem Lake. It is more of a quick lunch stop than somewhere you’d go for the ambience, but the fast and tasty food makes up for it.
Hanoi Nightlife
Hanoi has a great nightlife scene with lots of iconic venues around Old Quarter and Westlake. The most famous nightlife area in Hanoi is Ta Hien Street (more commonly known as Beer Street), which is a collection of bars and clubs in one spot in the middle of the Old Quarter. For more of a later night club scene, in Westlake, there are venues such as Savage and Mirage.
Beer Street
Beer Street in Hanoi is a bustling, narrow lane in the Old Quarter where the night kicks off for many. It’s a lively stretch where stools spill out onto the road, there’s lots of loud music, and people crowded into small bars and clubs. Beer Street is famous for a local Hanoi beer called Bia Hoi, which is allegedly the cheapest beer in the world and is mainly found on this small street. Most people will start off either drinking at their hostel bar in Hanoi or one of the sit-down bars on Beer Street from around 8 pm. Then, from about 11 pm, most people start to head to one of the more lively bars on Beer Street with a d-floor like Aoki or Toms.
One of the biggest pros of Beer Street is its variety of bars within a relatively compact area of Hanoi. You can go from sipping on the cheapest beer in town to losing yourself on a dance floor within 10 metres. And despite the occasional tourist-targeted pricing, it remains largely affordable, especially by Western standards. The cons, however, include navigating through crowded, sometimes chaotic streets and the persistent buzz of vendors and motorbikes, which can be overwhelming!
Mirage
Mirage Club is where you go for techno and afters with a view! Located in West Lake, Mirage doesn’t get busy until around 3 am and then stays open until around 10 am. It’s got a solid sound system, a mix of international and local DJs, and a large dance floor. One of the best things about Mirage is they have a massive window behind the DJ Booth looking out onto West Lake so you can watch the sunrise. It is important to note that Mirage is only open Thursday-Saturday nights.
Savage
Savage Club is where you go in Hanoi to dance when Beer Street closes. The club has a reputation for hosting some of the best electronic music nights in the city. Located near Mirage in West Lake, it is also only open Thursday to Saturday nights. Most people will go to Savage after Beer Street or drink elsewhere in Hanoi, so it doesn’t get busy until around midnight. They do have a cover charge, which depends on what time you get there and who is playing, but you could pay anywhere from 100-300k VND Vietnamese Dong ($4-$12 USD). I highly recommend checking their website to see who is playing and the prices before heading there.
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