Hanoi

Hanoi city guide: the essentials

This Hanoi city guide keeps the practical side short, so you can spend your time eating and wandering.

How many days you need

This Hanoi city guide assumes a first visit. Three days in the city cover the Old Quarter, Hoàn Kiếm Lake, the Temple of Literature, the French Quarter and plenty of street food. Add an overnight cruise in Ha Long Bay and a day in Ninh Binh, and a week is well spent.

Getting around

Everything in this Hanoi city guide is reachable on foot or by public transport. The Old Quarter is best on foot, with care: to cross the road, walk at a slow, steady pace and let the motorbikes flow around you. For longer trips, ride-hailing apps such as Grab are cheap and spare you any haggling. Traffic is heavy at rush hour, so allow extra time.

Where to stay

The Old Quarter puts you in the middle of the action, with the noise to match. The French Quarter, south of Hoàn Kiếm Lake, is calmer, with wider streets and grand old buildings. West Lake (Tây Hồ) is quieter still, with cafés and a slower, residential feel.

When to go

Autumn (roughly September to November) and spring (March and April) are the most pleasant. Summer is hot, humid and rainy, and winter is cool and often grey. See our when to visit Hanoi page for the details.

Before you go

Vietnam uses the dong; carry small notes, because street food and markets are cash only. Check the visa rules for your nationality before you travel. Access to Train Street is sometimes restricted by the police, so don’t build a day around it. For official travel information, Vietnam Travel, from the national tourism authority, is a good starting point. When you’re ready to go beyond this Hanoi city guide, our hidden gems and best tours are waiting.