EmThere are so many amazing things to do in Hanoi, Vietnam’s vibrant capital city. It’s full of history, but also a thriving modern city in a country that’s rapidly becoming a tourism hub. Hanoi is full of the faded grandeur of the Old Quarter, mixed with an Instagram worthy cafe scene. And of course there’s thrill of Train street!
Why you should visit Hanoi
Hanoi is a hub for the rest of northern Vietnam. It has the area’s biggest international airport as well as a plethora of train and bus routes. Even if you’re not a city person, it’s likely you’ll pass through on your way to the mountains of Sapa, the limestone karsts of Halong Bay or the scenic beauty of Ninh Binh.
But Hanoi is so much more than that – it’s a city worth visiting in it’s own right. And I say that as someone who grew up in a big city and is often underwhelmed by capitals. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Kuala Lumpur and entirely skipped Jakarta, for example. But Hanoi feels special – the mix of history and modern life gives it a vibrancy that’s well worth exploring.
Spend your time in Hanoi visiting the beautiful Old Quarter and the famous Hoan Kien Lake, before heading to a traditional puppet show. Or learn more about Vietnam’s history through a visit to the Hoa Lo prison museum, before cafe-hopping your way around quarter. There are just so many amazing things to do in Hanoi!
Is Hanoi safe
Hanoi is as safe as most other big cities. The Times reports much lower rates of crime than Ho Chi Minh City. The British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office states that violent crime against tourists is rare. They state that pickpocketing and bag snatching are most likely to be crimes experienced by tourists, as in many cities. Take basic precautions like holding your bag in front of you and investing in a phone tether.
As ever, you should take basic precautions while travelling. Try to avoid using unlicensed taxis – Grab is everywhere in Hanoi and offers better safety features. If you are a woman travelling alone, be aware of where you’re walking at night. My experience was that there were plenty of people around in Hanoi in the evenings.
How to get to Hanoi
As you’d expect with a capital city, Hanoi is extremely well connected.
Air
The airport in Hanoi is the second biggest in Vietnam (after Ho Chi Minh City), but I found it a much better experience! It has two terminals – domestic and international. While I only used the domestic departures terminal, it had far better shopping and food options than I found in the international terminal in Ho Chi Minh.
Noi Bai International Airport is located about 22 miles away from the centre of the city. It takes about 40 minutes to drive. Grab is relatively cheap to and from the airport – around 300k VND/£9.30/11e/$11.70. There will be a Grab area at the airport to facilitate pick up and drop off.
There is also a bus from the airport to the city centre, which takes about 1 hour and costs 5000 VND (about 30p). Buses run every 20 to 30 minutes.
There is also a shared minivan service from the airport to the Vietnam Airlines office in Hanoi. Details for this can be found here.
Rail
Hanoi is also one of Vietnam’s rail hubs for the North-South Railway, or Reunification Express. Hanoi Station is in the centre of the city. Trains run south to Da Nang (nearest city to Hoi An) and north to Lao Cai (nearest city to Sapa).
From Hanoi Station, it’s usually a quick Grab ride to your hotel (and vice versa). There’s a couple of small shops at the station for basic snacks and water, but no cafes or other places to wait – just a basic waiting area.
Sleeper trains in Vietnam are popular but not straightforward, as there are two types of train carriage. These are the state run carriages, and private carriages which attach to the state run carriages. Private carriages are usually significantly nicer.
I highly recommend taking a night train in Vietnam if you have the opportunity. Check out my guide Vietnam Sleeper Trains – Everything you need to know to find out what travelling on different trains in Vietnam is really like!
Bus
Hanoi is also the centre of bus routes across the north and centre of Vietnam. Routes nclude Halong Bay, Sapa, Ninh Binh, Da Nang and Hoi An. Most buses will depart from their own terminals, or offer pick up, rather than leaving from a central bus station.
Buses in Vietnam vary greatly in terms of type and quality. They include the famous VIP Sleeper buses, more ordinary sleeper buses, Limousine vans, and minivans. When you are booking your trip, make sure to do your research to get the comfort you want.
I used 12GoAsia to book buses in Vietnam.
Heading south from Hanoi? Check out my guide Ninh Binh: The Most Amazing things to do in this stunning area
Where to stay in Hanoi
The best area to stay in Hanoi is in or around the Old Quarter, as many of the best things to do in Hanoi are in that area. My preference was to stay just outside, to avoid the noisier streets, but within easy walking distance. However, there are lots of good hotels within the main Old Quarter area as well – maybe just avoid Beer Street!
The best things to do in Hanoi
There are just so many things to do in Hanoi! I’ve put a few of my particular favourites below, but you could easily add more time in Hanoi just to cafe hop.
Explore Old Quarter, one of the first things to do in Hanoi
One of the most most important things to do in Hanoi is explore the Old Quarter. This area is the traditional core of Hanoi, and streets still retain their old specialties. For example, while I was there in October 2024, I found a whole street dedicated to selling decorations (Christmas on one side, Hallowe’en on the other..!). The area also used to be known as the 36 Streets, after the 36 guilds that used to exist in the city.
As well as the more traditional shops, the area is full of restaurants, cafes, bars and souvenir shops. You should also make sure to stop by the beautiful French-style Opera House. This is a stunning yellow building built during colonial times, and one of the most beautiful things to do in Hanoi.
Unlike many tourist areas though, it still feels like a place real people live – not least because of the endless motorbikes zooming around. There are many beautiful buildings, often with gorgeous plants trailing over them. f you peer upwards, you’ll often find cafe terraces overlooking the street.
This should be one of your first things to do in Hanoi – it will help orient you for the rest of your stay.
Vist Hoàn Kiếm Lake, one of the most beautiful things to do in Hanoi
At the edge of the Old Quarter is the beautiful Hoàn Kiếm Lake, which forms the center of Hanoi. Meaning Sword Lake, the lake is believed to contain a sword provided to an ancient King of Vietnam to repel northern invaders. Once he’d defeated the enemy, a turtle surfaced from the lake and demanded the sword back. It has lived in the lake ever since.
Walking along the edges of the lake is one of the most popular things to do in Hanoi. It’s a beautiful respite from the endless dodging of motorcycles on Hanoi’s other streets.
You can also head out to the temple in the middle of the lake, via the iconic red bridge. Ngoc Son Temple, built in the 19th century, was originally dedicated to a famous Chinese general to repel misfortune, before being rededicated to Buddha. There are two main temple buildings on the small island. alking around them is a lovely way to see some traditional northern Vietnamese architecture.
Visit Hoa Lo Prison museum, one of the most important historic things to do in Hanoi
When I visit different countries, it’s really important for me to understand the history, especially of the recent past. This is particularly important in Vietnam, which has been so impacted first by French colonisation and then by the war with the USA.
One of the best things to do in Hanoi to understand the past is visiting the Hoa Lo Prison Museum. Located in central Hanoi, a quick Grab away from the Old Quarter (or a short walk), this museum details the 20th century history of Vietnam.
Built by the French in 1896, the prison complex became known as the infamous Hanoi Hilton. The majority of the exhibitions focus on the period of French colonisation, including the grim opportunity to see an original French guillotine. There are also exhibits on it’s use during the war. There is a slightly unnerving focus on how happy American prisoners were to be in the prison and the gifts they were given upon release.
While much of the signage is extremely jingoistic and patriotic, you can sift through the superlatives to see that the history of this site is extremely dark. There is also a moving memorial on site. If you are interested in history, this should be one of your top things to do in Hanoi.
Visit the exhilarating Train street
When I visited Hanoi in 2010, Train Street wasn’t even on the radar of tourists. It’s now an instagram-famous, bustling street full of cafes – or rather, both Train Streets are! What Instagram doesn’t tell you is that there are two streets in Hanoi which provide the now famous experience of having a train whizz by as you drink a coffee or beer. This is definitely one of the most exciting things to do in Hanoi!
I visited both Train Streets, and there is little to pick between them. Both are lined with cafes and bars, which are cute during the day and light up neon at night. There are usually only a couple of daytime trains. Nighttime trains are more frequent as sleeper trains leave Hanoi station.
The main things to note for visiting the Train Streets are:
- Check the current timetable – and make sure you’ve checked the right one for the Train Street you plan to visit
- Get there early. There is, unsurprisingly, limited seating along the street and the cafes fill up quickly. Getting there early will also give you time to take pictures safely on the track.
- Don’t be an idiot. While I was there, a couple of tourists jumped out on the track as the train was approaching, trying to get that perfect selfie. Apart from the fact that you’ll get screamed at by the cafe owners (quite rightly), it’s also really dangerous. People have been injured on Train Street. ‘s likely it will be shut down soon if accidents continue to happen. Apart from tourists losing this unique opportunity, it will also lose the cafe providers their livelihood.
With that said, visiting one of the Train Streets is really one of the top things to do in Hanoi – it’s like nothing else I’ve ever done. Make sure you plan your day around this time bound opportunity.
Visit the Water Puppet Show, one of the most cultural things to do in Hanoi
One of Hanoi’s most popular cultural attractions is it’s famous Water Puppet Show. Water Puppetry has a long history in Vietnam, dating back to the 11th century, when it was originally performed in rice paddies and ponds. It then became part of the entertainment offered to the Imperial court. It and is a big part of Vietnam’s cultural heritage.
Running for over 50 years, I saw the show when I visited Hanoi back in 2010. This shows how enduring it is as a cultural experience in a time when tourism in Vietnam has changed so much. The show features a story from Vietnamese folklore, performed with live music and visual effects.
If you want to see the show, you should book tickets in advance. You can find them on sites like Get Your Guide and Viator, or on the official website. The theatre is located by the Old Quarter so it’s easy to fit into your day or evening.
Try egg coffee while cafe hopping, one of the most relaxing things to do in Hanoi
Egg coffee is a Hanoi specialty, and should definitely be on your list of things to do in Hanoi! On top of that, Hanoi is an amazing haven of different cafes, many of which have become famous on Instagram. On top of that, Vietnamese coffee is some of the best in the world. Add those together, and cafe hopping is one of the best things to do in Hanoi- not to mention that the caffeine will help you maximise your time in this amazing city.
Some of my favourite cafes were:
Tranquil Books and Coffee – this hidden haven actively encourages quiet. It’s designed to look like a small old fashioned library, with book covered walls. It has an indoor area with aircon and tables outside, and being quiet is actively encouraged. This makes it a great place to work as well as to chill. The coffee is excellent and I was always able to find a table.
Dream Beans Cafe and Roastery – this small family run cafe was near my hotel and offered excellent coffee, including the first French press coffee I’d had in months.
Famous coffee shops:
I didn’t visit these, but they are famous coffee shops in Hanoi and definitely worth adding to your list of things to do in Hanoi if you have time:
Take a motorcycle tour, one of the best things to do in Hanoi to get off the beaten track
As you’ll likely know, Vietnam is famous for the amount of motorbikes ridden compared to cars. While in other parts of Vietnam this feels manageable, in Hanoi it is taken to an extreme, with what feels like hundreds of motorbikes crowding every crossing. While many visitors will ride a bike in quieter parts of Vietnam, most people agree that biking in Hanoi is only for experts!
However, sticking to walking or taking Grab bikes means that there are parts of Hanoi you might not get to see. To get around this, I took an easyrider motorbike tour with Motorbike City Tours, which offers women-led motorbike tours of the city. It’s also a great way to make the most of your time and hit some of the best things to do in Hanoi.
The bike
My guide, Mai, was an extremely safe driver and knowledgeable guide. The bike itself was bigger than most, with a box on the back, meaning a much more comfortable ride.
The itinerary
We started off with a delicious streetfood lunch. Mai then took me to parts of the city only accessible by bike – the lush green Banana Island in the middle of the Red River. This small island is only used for agriculture, and it was really interesting to see such an unusual part of a big city.
Mai was able to get me a last minute spot at a cafe on train street for the afternoon train. In addition, we visited the temple on West Lake, which I hadn’t visited before, before Mai took me to a small lake where the remains of an American B52 still jut from the water. Mai’s knowledge of history was impeccable and we had lots of interesting discussions about the impact of the war.
I highly recommend this tour if you want to see parts of Hanoi you’d otherwise miss, while getting a really strong understanding of Hanoi’s history. The company also runs nighttime food tours and countryside tours – if I’d had more time I would have happily done another tour. Definitely one of my most recommended things to do in Hanoi.
Take a Coffee workshop
I’ve already talked about Hanoi’s amazing cafes, but I was able to take things to the next level by doing a coffee workshop. Vietnamese Coffee Workshops offers a number of different options to learn how to make Vietnamese coffee, and I chose the Egg and Coconut option.
Over about 2 hours, Dang talked us through the history and different types of coffee. He showed us how to make traditional Vietnamese coffee before moving on to the special options. Every step was clear and we even got to try our hand at latte-art!
Egg coffee was hands down one of my favourite things about Vietnam, so learning how to recreate it when I get back home was an absolute must!
Visit the Harry Potter Cafe
While I’ve already listed some of my favourite cafes, Always deserves it’s own spot. This Harry Potter themed cafe is helpfully in the Old Quarter, so it’s easy to pop in and relive your childhood.
They offer a decent menu of Potter-themed drinks (I opted for Polyjuice Potion) and there are great spots for photos. They also have a rack of robes for you to dress up in to get that perfect shot (unlike some others I’ve visited in Asia where you have to rent the robes). In short, this is one of the best things to do in Hanoi for any Harry Potter fan!
Hopefully this guide has helped you to plan the best things to do in Hanoi! Let me know in the comments if you found it useful!
Heading to Hoi An? Check out my guides The Best Things to do in Hoi An, Vietnam and Hoi An, Vietnam – Everything you need to know
