Hanoi
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At a glance
- Country
- Vietnam
- Region
- Red River Delta
- Population
- 8 million
- Best time to go
- October to December, March to April
- Main airport
- Noi Bai International (HAN)
- Coordinates
- 21.03°N, 105.85°E
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Overview
Vietnam's capital is a city of lakes, tree-lined French boulevards and a thousand-year-old core. In the Old Quarter, each narrow street was once dedicated to a single trade, and pavements are still taken over by tiny plastic stools and steaming bowls of noodles.
The pace is intense at first, with motorbikes flowing in every direction, but mornings by Hoan Kiem Lake, when locals practise tai chi, show its gentler side.
Things to see
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Photo: Cyril Doussin from London, United Kingdom, CC BY-SA 2.0 Hoan Kiem Lake
The city's green heart, with the red Huc Bridge leading to Ngoc Son Temple on its island.
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Photo: The original uploader was Chuoibk at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 3.0 Temple of Literature
Vietnam's first university, a series of peaceful courtyards dedicated to Confucius dating back to 1070.
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Photo: NKSTTSSHNVN, CC BY-SA 4.0 Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
The solemn granite tomb on Ba Dinh Square, near the leader's modest stilt house and the One Pillar Pagoda.
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Photo: Unknown photographer, Public domain Hoa Lo Prison
The colonial jail later nicknamed the Hanoi Hilton, now a sobering museum.
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Photo: vi:User:Rungbachduong, CC BY-SA 3.0 Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
An excellent look at the country's many ethnic groups, with full-size traditional houses in the garden.
Tickets and tours
Things to do
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Photo: stuart_spivack, CC BY 2.0 Street food in the Old Quarter
Slurp pho for breakfast, bun cha for lunch and finish with a frothy egg coffee.
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Photo: Gryffindor, CC BY-SA 3.0 Water puppet show
A centuries-old art form from the rice paddies, performed on a pool of water with live music.
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Photo: Kien1980v ( thảo luận ), Public domain Day trip to Ninh Binh
Row through limestone karsts and rice fields at Trang An, around two hours south.
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Photo: Taewangkorea, CC BY-SA 4.0 Ha Long Bay cruise
Thousands of limestone islands rise from emerald water; an overnight cruise is better than a rushed day.
Find tours
Where to stay
Old Quarter
In the thick of the food and street life. Noisy but unbeatable for a first visit.
Hotels in Old QuarterFrench Quarter
Wide boulevards, grand hotels and the Opera House, a calmer base south of the lake.
Hotels in French QuarterTay Ho
Around West Lake, with cafés, expat restaurants and a slower pace.
Hotels in Tay Ho
Getting around
Walking is best in the Old Quarter, and Grab bikes and cars are cheap for longer trips. Crossing the road takes confidence; walk slowly and steadily and traffic will flow around you.
Noi Bai airport is about 45 minutes from the centre by taxi or Grab; public bus 86 also runs to the Old Quarter.
When to go
Autumn (October to December) is dry and pleasant, and spring (March to April) is mild. Summer is hot, humid and stormy, while winter can be surprisingly cool and grey. Tet, the lunar new year, brings festivities but many closures.
Plan your trip to Hanoi
Guide last checked October 2026. Opening times and prices change, so check before you go.