Hanoi

Understand

Invading forces from every direction agree: Hanoi makes a fine capital. It has held that title for more than a thousand years, through several invasions, occupations, restorations, and name changes. The Chinese conquered the imperial city of Đại La in 1408 and renamed it Tống Bình. Le Loi repelled the invaders in 1428 and applied the name of Lê Thái Tổ (黎太祖). For his efforts, he received the crown and a slew of legends about his heroic exploits, many centred around Hoan Kiem Lake. The Nguyen Dynasty gave the city its modern name of Ha Noi in 1831, but they had transferred power to Hue by then. Hue remained the capital until 1887, when the French made Hanoi the capital of all Indochina. It changed hands again in 1954, when it was ceded to Ho Chi Minh and the Viet Minh after almost a decade of fighting, and it became the capital of North Vietnam. Upon reunification in 1975, it assumed that title for the entire country. (See also: Indochina Wars). Hanoi retains much of its older colonial charm, despite the battles that have raged over it. Conflict had the effect of making it largely oblivious to modern architecture, and as a result, few buildings in the city center are higher than five stories. The Old Quarter, the area around and north of Hoan Kiem Lake, is second only to Hoi An for uninterrupted stretches of colonial and pre-colonial architecture, well-preserved on dense warrens of narrow, wonderfully atmospheric streets. The first Western-style universities in Vietnam were founded in Hanoi, and today, it is the leading centre of scientific study and research in the country. It trades the commercial boom and sprawl of Ho Chi Minh City in the south for a more understated charm, worth enjoying for an extra day or two; and with countless transport options and travel agents, it makes a perfect base for exploration of the North. As you walk along the street, you may find that people start talking to you. It is a cultural norm there to make conversation with strangers. They might ask you where you are from and other general questions. But if you are a man, be cautious if a comely young lady approaches you and initiates a conversation - she is likely after something. It may take a while to get used to such overt friendliness, but it is worth enjoying it for the cultural experience that travel permits.

Tourist Information Centre, Đinh Tiên Hoàng St. (just north of Hoan Kiem Lake), ☏ +84 24 3926-3366. Can provide a fairly useful map (bewilderingly, the blow-up of the old town is missing) and other English-language advice, as well as limited free Internet. (updated Mar 2025) There are self-help information booths around the Old Quarter, but their purpose mostly is give the impression that Vietnam "has arrived" technologically. Prepaid SIM cards for tourists are readily available at the airport arrivals hall and convenience stores. They offer generous data packages at low rates.

Climate

The Tết holiday (Lunar New Year) usually falls between late January and 20 February. In 2026 it will span 9 days, from Feb 14th to 22nd. In spring, flowers are most beautiful during this time of the year. The weather warms up, with occasional light rain during the week. Locals believe that these light rains bring prosperity and luck in the new year. Summer, on the other hand, borders on intolerable. The heat alone would be alright, but it's coupled with oppressive humidity and frequent rainstorms. At this time, visitors should be wary of mosquitoes as they abound. Hanoi has a perfect climate for the proliferation of insects. In autumn, the weather is at its most perfect, with less humidity in the air. The temperature drops, allowing people a chance to flaunt their sweaters and jackets. Milkwood trees ("cây hoa sữa"), which only flowers in autumn, commonly lines many streets. The flower has a very distinct scent; if you visit Hanoi during the fall, ask locals about this tree and where you might sniff its distinct aroma. Winter can be uncomfortable because it's not only cold, but also frequently humid. Winter in Hanoi feels even colder than it is because Vietnamese houses lack central heating; most houses have no heating at all. However, the winter months of December and January are still the driest months of the year with comparatively less rainfall, with the rains gradually picking up from the middle of February onwards. Pollution is unfortunately worst in winter, thanks to rampant waste burning, seasonal lack of rainfall, and the surrounding mountains trapping dirty air in the low-lying capital - Hanoi has frequently ranked among the top 5 most-polluted cities in the world in the past few years.

Getting there

By plane

1 Nội Bài International Airport (HAN IATA) (35 km north of the city center), ☏ +84 1900 636535. You can transfer through Nội Bài to other international destinations without a visa as long as you do not leave the terminal. International flights use Terminal 2, opened in 2015 and modern and spacious. There is a shuttle bus between the domestic and international terminals, or it can be walked in about 15-20 minutes. As of March 2025, Terminal 2 is undergoing large-scale expansion works; construction is planned to be finished by December 2025. (updated Mar 2025) There are direct international flights from all major South East Asian capitals, most major Chinese, Taiwanese, South Korean and Japanese cities, and also from Bali, Sydney, Melbourne, Delhi, Mumbai, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Istanbul, Munich, Frankfurt, Milan, Paris, and London. No direct flights from North America for now – Ho Chi Minh City, Taipei, Seoul or Tokyo will usually be the most convenient interchange. Domestic flights, by Vietnam Airlines, Bamboo Airways and Vietjet Air, serve Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Hue, Nha Trang, Da Lat, Can Tho, Vinh, Dien Bien Phu, and Phu Quoc island. Public and express buses depart from the arrivals level at the International Terminal, second road, at pillar 2 (turn left after exiting the terminal). From the Domestic Terminal they leave from between the Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air terminals.

By express bus — Bus 86 (45,000 dong) runs 06:20–22:00 every 25 min and takes 45 min. It takes the expressway non-stop to the Tay Ho area, continuing limited stop to the Long Bien bus station, near the Old Quarter, the Opera House, Melía Hotel and the railway station. Towards the airport, buses run 05:05-21:40 from a booth at the south end of the main railway station. By public bus – Bus 07 (8,000 dong) runs 05:00–22:00 every 15 min and takes 60-90 min. It crosses the Thang Long Bridge and goes to the Daewoo Hotel in the west of Hanoi, from where it is 1 hr on foot to the Old Quarter of Hanoi. You might have to walk about 1 km west of the airport to catch bus 07 if it does not leave in front of the terminal. By shuttle bus – (It is not clear if these are still running as of June 2022.) Hourly between the airport and the Vietnam Airlines Downtown Office, 25 Tràng Thi / 1 Quang Trung (a bit south of the old quarter but conveniently stocked with taxis and motorbike drivers), ☏ +84 24 3934-9660. Tickets at the airport are sold in the building in front of which the minibuses park, or you can give the fare directly to the driver. The cost is more for foreigners than for Vietnamese (which includes ethnic Vietnamese from overseas) for insurance reasons. The prices are indicated on the sticker fixed to the bus's body. The driver may give you trouble if you have additional bags, but if you push, you will get the same rate. By taxi – There are taxi stands just outside arrivals; turn right from the Domestic Terminal (T1), or left from International (T2). Avoid the touts in the arrival and just head straight for the taxi stand; the taxis they will try to get you in are most likely illegal, and you are likely to get ripped off. Official taxis are provided by various taxi companies, and all should run on the meter; Mai Linh and Taxi Group are generally the safest taxi companies to use. Have the address you want to go to ready and written down in Vietnamese — the chances of you speaking it in a way the driver will understand are slim. Maybe print out a map beforehand, since every street in Hanoi has clearly visible street signs at both ends, you should be able to discern which street you are in. A ride into the Old Quarter should cost 300,000—350,000 dong (Mai Linh taxi, July 2015) and come up somewhere around 27-28 km in distance on the meter. The French Quarter or south side of Hoan Kiem lake might be a little more, but still under 400,000 dong. Many taxis, including Taxi Group and ABC, accept credit cards — ask first and show them the credit card. You might also get offered a fixed price of US$20 by the driver, which works out as about a 25% premium. Some drivers will ask something like 800,000 dong, especially if they see 3-4 foreigners — just ignore them. Make sure that the meter starts shortly after the taxi moves off, and if you want to be sure the meter's not running fast, then from the International Terminal it should have reached about 0.7 km by the time you reach the airport toll booths (taxis don't pay the toll), and around 2 km by the time you pass the Domestic Terminal (the distance will be displayed in km, often along with the speed). A ride into the city should take about 30-40 minutes on the new highway depending on traffic. Downloading Grab app (local Uber) helps a lot. Fares around 300,000 dong to the city center, depending on demand, or about half of that by motorcycle, if you feel adventurous and only have a backpack. By transfer – If you already have a hotel booked, you might ask the hotel to dispatch a driver. The nicer hotels will do this and put the steep fare on your room bill.

Domestic trains

The Reunification Express goes all the way to Ho Chi Minh City ("Saigon"), although there is very little 'express' about it. There are ten trains a day from HCMC taking 31-38 hours, but five of them are slow and are overtaken by faster trains — only use them for destinations north of Da Nang. There are also train services to the northwest (including Lao Cai, from which you reach Sapa). To board trains bound for these destinations, you have to enter the railway station compound through the "backdoor" at Tran Quy Cap station. In high season, buy your tickets as early as possible, especially since sleeper tickets can be sold out several days in advance. If you can't get a ticket anymore, try a travel agent who still might have stock. You may also try your luck in the station just before boarding time — agents still holding tickets will be eager to sell as the departure draws near. Nevertheless, travel agencies in Hanoi are known for their bad business practices. Some of them will try to overcharge you up to 300%, so it is better go to the train station by yourself and find out about the prices before you agree on any deal. Tickets for all destinations are sold online at Vietnam Railways, or at main stations. There have been reports of scams against tourists within and around the train station, so be wary of people trying to help you book. It's often better to buy tickets online or directly at the ticket counter. Most trains use the main Hanoi train station for daily services from cities in the south including Hue and Nha Trang, while a few trains from northern cities as well as the international train from China terminates at Gia Lâm railway station.

Getting around

Getting around Hanoi can be a challenge: traffic slows to a crawl for most of the day, and the public transport system has not kept up with the city's explosive growth.

By train

Metro Line 2A connects Cát Linh (west of the Old Quarter) to Yên Nghĩa in the southwestern suburbs. Metro Line 3 connects Cầu Giấy to Nhổn in the northwestern suburbs. The lines are not connected but this will change when the underground stretch between Cầu Giấy and Hanoi Station opens around 2027. Metro Line 2A is useful for getting to Vincom Mega Mall Royal City, one of Hanoi's largest shopping malls, which is within walking distance of Thượng Đình station. Tickets are distance-based, ranging from 8,000 to 15,000 VND. You can pay by tapping a contactless Mastercard or Visa on the fare gates, including those linked to Apple Pay and Google Pay. Daily and monthly tickets are available from ticket windows at all stations. Single journey tickets and reloadable smart cards are available from ticket machines at all stations.

By bus

Scam-free, cheap but a bit difficult to comprehend at first, the buses in Hanoi are relatively fast, air-conditioned and surprisingly comfortable. Find you way:

See

Near the city center

1 Fine Arts Museum (Bảo Tàng Mỹ Thuật), 66 Nguyen Thai Hoc St (opposite Temple of Literature), ☏ +84 24 3733-2131. Daily 08:30-17:00. Only party-approved art is shown here with information in English and Vietnamese. On three floors of a colonial building, with another three galleries in the west wing. Pieces include soldiers on boats depicted on prehistoric bronze drums, Buddhist art, and revolutionary art of the 20th century wars. Also some interesting lacquer and silk paintings. Adult 40,000 dong. (updated Aug 2025) 2 Hồ Chí Minh Mausoleum. Tu-Th 06:30–10:30 Sa Su 07:30-11:30. The city down south may have his name, but only Hanoi has the man himself, entombed in distinctly Lenin-esque fashion. Against his wishes, but that's how it goes. No talking, revealing clothing (shorts should be knee length and no exposed shoulders), or other signs of disrespect allowed while viewing; photos are allowed only from outside, in the grand Ba Dinh Square. Purses are allowed into the tomb, but expect them to be searched by several bored soldiers along the way. Left luggage is handled in a complicated scheme: there is an office near the street for large bags, with separate windows for Vietnamese and foreigners, and a further office for cameras, which will be transported to a third office right outside the exit of the mausoleum. Items checked in at the first office, however, will stay there. The mausoleum is closed for a couple months around the end of the year, when the body is taken abroad for maintenance. It is closed in the afternoons for maintenance. Free. (updated Aug 2025) 3 Hồ Chí Minh Museum, 19 Ngoc Ha St, Ba Dinh, ☏ +84 24 3846-3572, bthochiminh@hn.vnn.vn. Daily 08:00-11:30, and Tu-Th Sa Su 14:00-16:00. This gleaming white museum and its gloriously ham-handed iconography is the perfect chaser to the solemnity of the mausoleum. The building, completed in 1990, is intended to evoke a white lotus. Some photos and old letters are on display on the second floor, but the main exhibition space is on the third floor. It includes cars crashing through walls to represent the chaos of post-war American capitalism, soldiers charging around with bombs that looked like electric plugs, a cave hideout re-imagined as the inside of Ho Chi Minh's brain, and several other postmodern confections integrated with the detailed main story of the man's life and his country's struggle. There are plenty of photographs, prison documents and newspaper cuttings tracing his life along the way. The tour ends with a burnt bridge signifying the separation of Vietnam, followed by a reconstructed bridge showing the unification of Vietnam after the war. One of the more informative museums in Vietnam. Free guides are available in English, French, Chinese and Russian. The displays are labelled in English and French. 40,000 dong. (updated May 2017) 4 Hồ Chí Minh's Vestige in the Presidential Palace Area, 1 Bach Thao, Ba Dinh, ☏ +84 4 0804 4529. Summer 07:30-11:00, 14:00-16:00; Winter 08:00-11:00, 13:30-16:00, closed M F afternoons. The exit from the mausoleum takes you right into the grounds of the, uh, vestige, where Ho Chi Minh lived and worked from 1954 until his death in 1969. The nicely landscaped complex includes Ho Chi Minh's two homes (one a small one-story house, the other a traditional stilt house), kept shiny and "as he left them" by the authorities, as well as a garage with two of Ho's presidential cars and a carp-filled pond. You also get to see Ho Chi Minh's work room and Politburo meeting room. The Presidential Palace is nearby, but it's not open to visitors. Pamphlets are available in English, Chinese, French and Korean. Guided tours are usually available if you wait. 40,000 dong. (updated May 2017)

5 National Museum of Vietnamese History (Bảo tàng Cách mạng Việt Nam), No 1 Trang Tien Street and 216 Tran Quang Khai Street. Daily 08:00-12:00 and 13:30-17:00, except first Monday of month. Actually two museums: one covers Vietnam from prehistoric times to 1945 and the other covers 1945 to present. This museum gives a very informed and detailed account of the Vietnamese struggle against first the French (starting in 1858—on the first floor), then against the US, ending on 30 Apr 1975 (on the ground floor). It is housed in a colonial French building which was completed in 1932. The building, designed by the architect Ernest Hébrard is considered as a successful blend between the colonial French architecture and traditional Vietnamese architecture, called Indochina architecture. He created double-walls and balconies for a natural ventilation system and protection from sunshine. 40,000 dong for both. (updated Aug 2018) 6 Vietnamese Women's Museum (Bảo Tàng Phụ nữ Việt Nam), 36 Ly Thuong Kiet St, Hoan Kiem District (Central Hanoi, 1 km S of Hoan Kiem Lake), ☏ +84 24 3825-9938, fax: +84 24 3825-9129, info@baotangphunu.org.vn. Daily 08:00-17:00. This often overlooked museum has benefited from an extensive renovation of its permanent exhibitions. The modernised interior is well laid out with information in Vietnamese, English and French, and contains a huge amount of information on the fearsome female heroines of Vietnamese history. There are also exhibitions on the rituals and traditions surrounding women in family, as well as a beautifully presented collection of intricate hand-made ethnic costumes. A highlight is the regularly updated special exhibitions on a diverse range of subjects, from contemporary issues such as single mothers and street vendors to traditional medicine and Mother Goddess worship. English language tours are available on request. 40,000 dong (80,000 dong with audioguide). (updated Feb 2025)

Further out

7 Vietnam Military History Museum (Bảo tàng Lịch sử Quân sự Việt Nam), Km6+500, CT03, Tây Mỗ Ward, Nam Từ Liêm Dist, ☏ +84 24 6253 1367. Tu-Th Sa Su 08:00-11:30 & 13:00-16:30; closed M F. Originally a modest museum located next to the Flag Tower, the Military History Museum and all its 150,000 artifacts has been relocated in 2024 to an enormous 39-hectare compound in the city's outskirts, 12 km from its original location. Now the largest and most modern museum in all of Vietnam, the imposing main building covers the country's military history extending back some two millennia. All museum exhibits and videos are captioned in Vietnamese and English. The vast courtyard houses dozens of military vehicles, aircraft and artillery; many of which are French, American and South Vietnamese assets captured in the Indochina wars. Extremely popular with locals, the museum is usually completely packed on weekends, with dozens of tour buses ferrying out-of-town visitors to the site. Peak queuing times can exceed an hour as a result, so try to visit early on a weekday if possible; give the museum a call beforehand to check how busy it is. Entry fee 40,000 dong; free for under-16s, over-80s, soldiers, veterans, military academy cadets and contributors to the Revolution. (updated May 2025) 8 Museum of Ethnology (Bảo tàng Dân tộc học Việt Nam), Nguyen Van Huyen St, Cau Giay District (Bus 14 from Hoan Kiem Lake - ask the conductor when to stop, and take a 500 m walk towards the museum (backtrack a little from the bus stop, and when you see a large street perpendicular to the street that you dropped off, take that street and walk down the street until you see the Museum of Ethnology to your left). Bus 38 goes from right outside the Temple of Literature to the street the museum is on). Tu-Su 08:30-17:30. Exhibitions cover mainly the culture and ritual practices of the various ethnic groups in the whole of Vietnam. One of the key attractions of the museum is the open-air exhibition, which has reconstructions of traditional houses from multiple ethnic groups, which even comes with inhabitants in costumes. The museum features actual explanations of the exhibits in Vietnamese, French and English. There is an excellent café on the premises. 40,000 dong for foreigners, extra 50,000 dong for photography.. (updated Aug 2018) 9 Hanoi Museum (Bảo tàng Hà Nội), Pham Hung St, Cau Giay District. Tu-Su 08:00-11:30 & 13:30-17:00. Local natural and human history down the ages. Free. (updated Jan 2019) 10 Air Force Museum (Bảo Tàng Không Quân), Truong Chinh St (SW of city centre). There's a UH-1 helicopter, Soviet-built MiG fighters, a huge Mi-6 helicopter and other aircraft. Unfortunately they've been exposed to the elements for some time and local children climb over them.

Do

Flavors of Hanoi, 25 Hang Be, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi, ☏ +84 967 258 586, ✉ hello@flavorsofhanoi.com. 09:00-21:00. A local foodie experiences provider, they offer personal street food tours to help visitors explore Hanoi’s Old Quarter and French Quarter through their taste buds.

Cinemas

August Movie Theater (Rap Thang 8) (On Hang Bai St, 5 min away from Trang Tien Plaza and the commercial area, such as Pho Hue, Hai Ba Trung and Trang Tien St). Renovated into a Nightclub (updated Jul 2024) CGV Cinemas (formerly Megastar), 191 Ba Trieu (on the 6th floor of the Vincom City Towers). The movies are relatively new, perhaps one or two months later than in the US. The movies are not dubbed although there are subtitles so both non-Vietnamese speakers and locals can enjoy them. 70,000-115,000 dong for 2D movies depending on day and time. 90,000-230,000 dong for 3D movies. (updated Mar 2017)

Cooking classes

EZ Cooking Class, 49 Lane, 49 Huynh Thuc Khang St. EDUMA, 94 Lane, 49 Lo Duc St. Hanoi Cooking Centre, 44 Chau Long St (close to Truc Bac lake), ☏ +84 24 3715-0088. Cooking school, retail outlet and beautiful courtyard cafe with an excellent menu of Asian and Western favourites. Hands-on cooking classes and short courses in a relaxed atmosphere. Hidden Hanoi, 137 Nghi Tam Rd (aka Duong An Duong Vuong), Tay Ho (on the bund road in the Tay Ho District), info@hiddenhanoi.com.vn. Hidden Hanoi runs walking tours and cooking classes. There are many options including the 1-hr walking tour of the local market, followed by the 3-hr cooking class. Cooking class menus change daily, and there are other walking tours available. They also run language classes, and there is a dance school in the same building. Vietnam Culinary School, hanoiculinaryclass@gmail.com. Fully equipped facilities to learn Vietnamese cooking. A typical day will commence with a visit to the morning market accompanied by an instructor to select ingredients for your cooking lesson. The class will be followed by a meal in a restaurant sampling your own cooking as well as traditional Vietnamese dishes. Học Viện Ẩm Thực, 60 Tran Nhan Tong. (updated Jan 2018)

Shopping

Money

ATMs are everywhere — see Money on Vietnam#Buy for general information. Money exchange can be done at jewellery shops, which usually offer better rates than banks. The most popular ones are located along Ha Trung Rd (5-min walk from Hoan Kiem Lake) and Hang Bac. Just walk into the shop and ask them if they change money. Ask 5 or more shops to see which one gives the best rate. Hotels also often provide currency exchange service, but at terrible rates. Don't exchange money with people in the street, as the risk of getting counterfeit notes from them is high.

Markets

Chợ Hôm (The equivalent meaning in English would be "Evening Market"), Pho Hue. A huge range of goods, and famous for the fabric market on the second floor. There are many kiosks selling different types of fabrics ranging from cheap, affordable to best quality with a high price. When shopping, take your time and never rush into buying anything. Sellers often quote a very high price that you can bargain down considerably. (updated Jul 2024) 1 Chợ Đồng Xuân. Famous for being the market for wholesalers. They have school supplies, stuffed animals, clothing. It is quite an experience to spend some time in the market observing the sellers and buyers. (updated Apr 2025) Chợ Hàng Da. A 6-storey building to house the market is under construction. All the kiosks are now in the neighbouring area, either on Phùng Hưng (second-hand clothing), Đường Thành, or Lý Nam Đế Streets. Sell a huge range of goods including pets, groceries, prepared foods and fabrics. It is now mostly empty. (updated Aug 2018) Night Market. Weekends from 19:00. The major north-south street in the Old Quarter, from Hoàn Kiếm Lake almost to the train overpass, becomes a crowded walking street with everything from pirated DVDs to traditional ornaments. Prices are negotiable, but "foreigner pricing" is fairly common. Thankfully many shops nowadays offer fixed prices with big "no bargaining" signs.

Bookstores

Bookworm Hanoi, 44 Chau Long (Hanoi Cooking Center), ☏ +84 24 3715-3711, +84 912 561 800. New and used books. Small Vietnamese bookstores (nhà sách) line Phố Đinh Lễ St, just south of the large post office east of Hoan Kiem Lake. Most of them stock a variety of bilingual dictionaries, but hardly any books in English. Among them, as of 2016, Nhà Sách Lam seemed to have the best selection of maps (both Hanoi City and Vietnam regional). Most of the numerous souvenir shops inside the Temple of Literature (see under Museums; admission fee needs to be paid to get in) also carry a selection of books about Vietnam in English and other foreign languages (French, Spanish, Japanese), as well as culture- and history-oriented books in Vietnamese. Not a good place to shop for dictionaries or maps, though.

Eat

Hanoi's most famous (and prevalent) dish is phở soup: "phở gà" (chicken noodle soup), "phở bò" (beef noodle soup), or "phở chay" (tofu noodle soup). Another local specialty is bún chả, grilled fatty pork over a plate of white rice noodles and herbs with dipping sauce. There are hundreds of street restaurants in small kiosks on the sidewalk, with plastic tables and chairs on the pavement. Eating at these restaurants is a great way to experience the local food and culture. It is worth mentioning that food quality, freshness, and hygiene can vary greatly. On average, a bowl of noodle soup goes for 40-60,000 dong (June 2024) and market food stalls offer fruit portions, sausages, doughnuts and other foods. Check your change as a few vendors seem to forget to give it, and learn a little Vietnamese because vendors often will not speak any or much English (e.g. "bao nhiêu ?", meaning "how much?").

Exotic treats

Next to Beijing, Hanoi is probably the second in the running to the world's exotic food paradise.

Snake Restaurants (about ten minutes across the river from the city centre, take Bus 10, 15 or 17 and get off at the large mall" just beyond Gia Lâm station, and walk 500 m down the road at the right of the mall). The suburb of Le Mat (aka Snake Village) has numerous restaurants specializing in cobra foodstuffs. Live cobras are stored on the premises much the same way one would find live lobsters at a Western seafood restaurant. If one orders cobra blood wine from the menu, the waiter will take a live cobra, kill it on the spot, drain the blood into a shot glass of rice wine and top it off with the cobra's still beating heart for you to gulp down. Not for animal lovers or the ecologically-minded. Cobras are not cheap, but one snake becomes a dozen unique dishes, and enough to share between 3-4 people. Rượu rắn is cobra steeped whole in rice wine – or, especially in tourist areas, perhaps a cheaper, non-poisonous snake with similar coloring whose body has been stretched to give it the expected shape. Carefully investigate customs restrictions before deciding to bring a few bottles home, as some of the snakes used are endangered species. A local delicacy in the Hanoi area is dog meat (thịt chó), which is especially popular in the winter. There are a number of dog restaurants in the Tay Ho district. Another exotic regional taste is cà cuống, an extract from the belostomatid or giant water bug. Just a few drops are added to noodles for the unique aroma. Boiled duck foetus eggs (trứng vịt lộn) are sold by pedlars almost everywhere. The experience consists of the vendor cracking the egg in front of you, and peeling the shell and dropping the contents in a plastic bowl, then garnished with julienned ginger, Vietnamese coriander (rau răm) and sprinkled with chili sauce. You can see the severed head and beak of your chick that fell off if you are lucky enough to have your first bite from a different spot.

Drink

Bia hơi is abundant in the streets of the Old Quarter. At the crossing of Ta Hien and Luong Ngoc Quyen, commonly known as Beer Street, five separate venues fill up with travellers in the evenings. You can get more local atmosphere on some of the side streets. Hanoi is a lively city on the weekends, but the Old Quarter closes relatively early (at midnight) on weekdays, so you might want to start your night early. Other places outside the Old Quarter stay open later and vary in closing times. Local young people gather around the cathedral located in Ly Quoc Su to have lemon ice tea (tra chanh) and sunflower seeds in street bars. After dark it gets quite crowded. Sit on a plastic chair in front of one of the bia hoi (fresh beer) establishments which are invariably on the corners of many of Hanoi's Old Quarter streets. This preservative-free light beer is the perfect drink to sip as you watch the city's frenetic bustle. The beer costs less than 5,000 dong and gives you an excuse to relax and take photos of the passing local characters: should not be missed. In the Old Quarter, you will find that almost every corner is filled with stalls selling pho (Vietnamese noodle) and cafe (the name is not limited only to coffee, but also tea, sweets and grocery items, and even to pho). On Tô Tich, a small street connecting Hang Quat and Hang Gai, you can help yourself to a refreshing fruit milkshake (sinh tố) at one of the stalls.

Breweries

If you are looking for something less watery than Bia Hoi, excellent freshly brewed Czech or German-style beer is available at several breweries, including: Hoa Vien (Czech), Goldmalt (Czech), Legend beer (German), with several branches around the city; prices are around 45,000-60,000 dong for 0.5 L. The craft beer revolution that's been simmering in Ho Chi Minh City since 2014 has been slow to reach Hanoi, but a few breweries are now coming online, although prices are higher still and 100,000 dong might not even get you 0.5 L.

Hoa Vien. (updated Jun 2015) Goldmalt. (updated Jun 2015) Legend Beer. (updated Jun 2015) Furbrew, 8b, Ngo 52 To Ngoc Van. 16:00-23:00. Danish-owned, Danish-style craft brewery. 80,000-100,000 dong/beer. (updated Feb 2017)

Sleep

Beware if arriving at your hotel on a weekend. Some streets in the Old Quarter and lake side can get closed to cars, so your taxi or minivan might have to drop you off early, leaving you to walk a bit with all your luggage.

Budget

See common scams; they're more prevalent at the budget end of the market, but no more in Hanoi than in other cities.

Old Quarter North of Hoan Kiem Lake

The heart of the Old Quarter - potentially noisy and busy - but closest to the bars on Ma May and Ta Hien. Ta Hien is Hanoi's unofficial backpacker street, and there are numerous backpackers' hostels nearby to cater to that market.

Stay safe

Traffic

The simple act of walking can be intimidating, especially in the narrow streets around the Old Quarter. As is the case everywhere in Vietnam, traffic in Hanoi is dominated by an incredible number of motorbikes, all of which seem to be making a mad, desperate dash for something just out of reach, all of the time. There is no such thing as one-directional traffic in Vietnam. When you leave the curb, look not only left and right, but to the front and back. Even up and down would not be amiss. Take each step deliberately but resolutely. Patiently allow the motorbikes to pass. Don't rush and don't make any erratic movements. Stop in place if necessary but never walk backwards. This way the drivers are aware of you, and can anticipate your behavior (along with all of the other motorbikes). As a rule of thumb, motorbikes will swerve around you, but cars and trucks will run you over. It may look chaotic, but be patient and pay attention and you'll be fine.

Hustles and scams

Be vigilant when taking a taxi. Drivers have been known to jump out at the destination and remove most of the bags from the trunk. While the passenger is busy putting on a rucksack the driver takes off with the remaining bags. Ask your hotel what taxi companies are reliable. Be careful of hustler hawkers. In Vietnam, there is a two-tier pricing system, for locals and for foreigners. No other place in Vietnam is this practised more emphatically than in Hanoi (and in Ho Chi Minh City's Ben Thanh Market) where vendors charge differently according to how they gauge your net worth.

Pickpockets

You've read warnings about pickpockets a hundred times, but it's rarely as true as for Hanoi's busy and narrow Old Quarter or the Dong Xuan Night Market. The crowd, the loads of tourists, the distraction of heavy traffic and the narrow confines guarantee opportunities for thieves. And the general belief that tourists have too much money creates a moral climate in which thieves abound. Even if you're attentive, you'll get some pockets of your backpack opened, maybe even twice a day. Expect female pickpockets. Don't let them surround you. Approaching you with "Hello, I'm a student" seems to be a quite popular pick-up line for them.

Go next

If you are the adventurous type or simply bored temporarily of the city atmosphere, then consider a circuit through the northern countryside. A round trip will take you to a lot of charming villages and through hills and valleys with charming views. Main roads are generally in good condition and you can easily do a couple of hundred kilometers a day. The villages and provinces are generally safe at night, and you get to see a lot of Vietnamese culture such as various tribespeople. While bus services are available (albeit not always reliable), a recommended alternative is to rent a bike or car and make the trip on your own. Motorbikes in decent quality can be rented and many places have suggestions for routes.

Ha Long Bay's spectacular ocean karst topography is the most popular side-trip from Hanoi. The Sapa mountain region close to the Chinese border, home to ethnic minorities, gorgeous mountain scenery, and trekking paths connecting many tiny mountain villages, is the second-most popular trip. 320 km northwest from the capital, Sapa is accessible by direct private bus services from Hanoi, which now only takes 5h30 thanks to excellent new highways; or by 8-hour train journey from Hanoi Station to Lao Cai, then onward by minibus or hired motorbike.

Perfume Pagoda (can be reached by public transport (bus); tours are available anywhere in Hanoi). An ancient Buddhist pilgrimage site about 60 km southwest of Hanoi. A full-day excursion that involves a boat trip to the main site, where you will hike (30-45 min) or take a cable car up a mountain. Near the top is a large limestone cave containing Buddhist shrines and statues. There are various other temples and grottoes along the way. Bat Trang, a village famous for its pottery, 9 km southeast of Hanoi. It is accessible by taking Bus 47, which originates at Long Bien. Just hop on (the bus will be clearly labelled with the number 47 and the text "Long Bien - Bat Trang". Take it to the last stop, which is directly opposite the pottery market (haggle for lower prices, and insist on paying in dong). Head back up the street to the factories to the products being made. Cao Bang, featuring the beautiful Ban Gioc Waterfall, is five hours away by bus, near the Chinese border. Cuc Phuong National Park, is the largest national park in Vietnam and an easy day-trip from Hanoi. Co Loa is the oldest ancient capital in the region; a little-visited site slightly northeast of Hanoi. Tam Coc/Hoa Lu in Ninh Binh Province, is a day trip is combining heritage tourism and natural landscape tourism. Hoa Lu is the site of the first capital of Vietnam in the 10th century, and was home to two kings, Dinh Bo Linh (Dinh Tien Hoang) and Le Hoan. There are now two shrines dedicated to these two kings. About 30 min away from Hoa Lu is Tam Coc [three grottoes], also known as Halong Bay on land. It features karst landforms surrounded by paddy fields, and is accessed by little wooden boats. Boats take about one hour. This is an excellent alternative to Halong Bay for those who have short attention spans, as the boat trip takes a mere hour versus Halong Bay tourist boats which take 5 hours. One minor annoyance involves peddlers on boats hawking their wares, and your boat rower trying to sell you embroidery. Dong Hoi, the first major beach city before Hue going south, sleepy but with all the necessary infrastructure; laid back, authentic and genuinely friendly, with at least half a dozen hostels, and convenient for accessing Phong Nha Ke Bang national park. Laos, long haul buses to Laos leave from Hanoi daily and can be booked at any travel agent or even online. Buses to Vientiane, 24 hours; Luang Prabang, 27-30 hours; Vang Vieng, 27-30 hours. You will be on the same bus as Luang Prabang, but changes buses at a small town in Lao. Going directly to Vang Vieng is a good choice for travellers looking to skip Vientiane, and just go to Luang Prabang and then onto Thailand. Buses to Southern Laos are available as well. China, the daily MR1 international train runs overnight from Gia Lâm station to Nanning between 21:20-10:06; the returning MR2 train runs the other way between 18:05-05:30. Adult tickets are priced around 1 million VND; children aged 4-12 gets half off, while under-4s travels for free. Groups of 6 and above gets 25% discount. Immigration checks at Đồng Đăng and Pingxiang station, respectively; a Chinese visa is required. Foreigners who entered Vietnam with an e-visa may not be allowed to buy this train route's tickets; check with Vietnam Railways for confirmation.

More pictures of Hanoi

From this destination's category on Wikimedia Commons. Each photograph is credited to its own author under its own licence.