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City guide · First time · Northern Vietnam
Hanoi for first-timers
From wheels down at Noi Bai to wheels up again: what to do before you leave, the first two hours after landing, where to sleep, what to eat and exactly where, what’s worth your morning, and what’s going to try to take your money.
By Dylan Harris · I spent July 2023 in Hanoi and the north · Updated October 2026
How long
3 full days
Plus day trips
Airport
Noi Bai (HAN)
45 to 60 min to the Old Quarter
Best months
Oct, Nov, Mar, Apr
Summer is hot and stormy
Visa
E-visa, $25
Apply a week ahead
Money
Dong, mostly cash
About 25,900 to $1
Daily budget
$35 to $90
Hostel to nice hotel
Hanoi doesn’t ease you in. That’s the point of it.
Hanoi is the quintessential rambunctious city I always dreamed it would be. It’s chaotic. It almost feels alive. The first time you step out of a car in the Old Quarter, everything happens at once. Motorbikes on the sidewalk, someone cooking on a curb, a wedding next to a funeral next to a guy fixing a scooter with a hammer. Most people spend the first afternoon a little stunned and the next three days falling for it.
This page is everything you need for a first trip, in the order you’ll need it: the paperwork before you fly, the first two hours after you land, the neighborhood to sleep in, the specific stalls to eat at, what’s worth a morning and what isn’t, and how to get out again without missing your flight.
The ten-second version
- Get the e-visa on evisa.gov.vn only. Every other site is a middleman.
- Sleep in the Old Quarter on a side street, not a main road.
- Take a Grab from the airport. Agree on nothing with anyone in the arrivals hall.
- Carry cash. Street food, museums and taxis mostly want dong.
- Cross the street at a slow, steady walk. Don’t stop, don’t run.
- Eat pho before 8 am and bun cha at lunch, which is when Hanoi eats them.
- Give it three full days, then get out to Ninh Binh or the bays.
01 · Before you fly
Things to know before you go to Hanoi
Four things to do before you leave home. None of them takes long, and every one of them is a pain to fix from a curb in the Old Quarter.
Visa
E-visa, about 3 working days
Americans need one. $25 single entry or $50 multiple, good for up to 90 days. Apply only on evisa.gov.vn, at least a week out, and print the approval. Your passport needs six months left and a blank page.
Money
Bring a no-fee debit card
ATMs are everywhere, but most charge foreign cards around 50,000 VND ($2) a pull, and many cap you at 2 to 5 million. VPBank machines are the ones most often reported as free. Bring $50 to $100 in clean US bills as a backup. I use a Schwab Investor Checking debit card, which refunds ATM fees (my referral link).
Phone
Load an eSIM before takeoff
Install it at home and switch it on when you land. You skip the airport SIM line and the passport registration. Airalo is the easy one. A physical Viettel SIM at the airport is cheaper per GB if you’re staying a month.
Apps
Grab, Google Maps, Translate
Grab for cars, bikes and food delivery. Google Maps works well here. Download Vietnamese in Google Translate for offline use, and save your hotel’s address in Vietnamese.
The best time to visit Hanoi
Hanoi has real seasons, and the north gets genuinely cold in winter, which catches a lot of people out. October and November are the sweet spot.
| Months | Temperature | Rain | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct to Nov | 22 to 28 °C (72 to 82 °F), clear | Low | The best of the year |
| Dec to Feb | 14 to 20 °C (57 to 68 °F), gray, can dip near 10 °C | Low, some drizzle | Fine with a jacket. Watch for Tet |
| Mar to Apr | 18 to 28 °C (64 to 82 °F), humid | Misty drizzle | Good second choice |
| May to Jun | 27 to 34 °C (81 to 93 °F), sticky | Storms start | Hot, fewer crowds |
| Jul to Sep | 27 to 35 °C (81 to 95 °F) | Heaviest. August is the wettest | Hot. I’m a Texan, so it didn’t bother me much. Plenty of people I met complained about it all week |
Watch the calendar · Tet
Tet 2027 falls on Saturday, February 6.
Lunar New Year is the biggest holiday of the year. Much of the city closes for several days, family-run food stalls shut, and trains and buses sell out and get more expensive. The week before is great for watching Hanoi decorate. The holiday itself is a bad time for a first visit.
Pack
- Long pants or a skirt past the knee, and something to cover your shoulders, for temples and the mausoleum
- A light rain jacket in any month, a real jacket from December to February
- Shoes you can slip off fast. Temples and some homes want them off
A little history
36
streets in the old Old Quarter, each named for what it sold: silk, silver, paper, fish sauce
1070
the year Hanoi opened Vietnam’s first university, the Temple of Literature
1946
the year a bartender short on milk whipped egg yolk into coffee instead
1902
the year Long Bien Bridge opened. It wasn’t designed by Eiffel, whatever the tour guides say
02 · Landing
Noi Bai Airport to the Old Quarter: the first two hours
International flights land at Terminal 2. Here’s the order things happen in and what to do at each step, so you’re in a shower in the Old Quarter before anyone has a chance to rip you off.
01
15 to 60 min
Immigration
Have your passport and printed e-visa approval in your hand. Lines run 15 to 30 minutes on a normal day and an hour or more when several wide-body flights land together. Late morning and early afternoon are the worst.
02
10 min
Cash
Use the bank ATMs in the arrivals hall and pull 2 to 3 million dong (about $75 to $115) for the first few days. Skip the exchange counters unless you need to change your backup dollars.
03
0 or 20 min
Data
If your eSIM’s already installed, switch it on and you’re done. If not, the Viettel and Vinaphone counters sell tourist SIMs for about 150,000 to 300,000 VND. Bring your passport and expect a 10 to 30 minute line.
04
45 to 60 min
Into the city
Book a Grab car or a Xanh SM electric taxi in the app and meet it at the pickup lanes. Ignore everyone in the hall offering a “taxi, taxi.” Landing after midnight? Have your hotel send a driver so you’re not haggling at 2 am.
Grab: 250,000 to 400,000 VND Bus 86: about 45,000 VND Hotel pickup: about $15 to $20
05
The rest of day 1
Drop the bags and walk
Don’t plan anything. Walk to Hoan Kiem Lake, get a bowl of something on a plastic stool, and go to bed early. You will be jet-lagged, and you will be sure you aren’t.
Airport to the Old Quarter, every option
| Option | Cost | Time | Good for | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grab car | 250,000 to 400,000 VND ($10 to $15), more in rain | 45 to 60 min | Almost everyone | Grab |
| Xanh SM taxi | Similar to Grab, metered | 45 to 60 min | Clean electric cars, no haggling | Xanh SM app or the taxi rank |
| Bus 86 | About 45,000 VND ($1.75), cash | 60 to 75 min | Light packers on a budget | Outside arrivals, pay onboard |
| Hotel pickup | About $15 to $20 | 45 to 60 min | Late-night landings | Email your hotel |
| Street taxi | 350,000 to 450,000 VND, +20% late at night | 45 to 60 min | Nobody, really | Official rank only |
03 · Where to stay
Where to stay in Hanoi: the Old Quarter, on a quiet street
For a first trip, staying anywhere else means spending your evenings in Grabs. The real decision is whether your window faces a karaoke bar.
My pick
Old Quarter
The old trade streets north of the lake. Food on every corner, everything walkable, loud until late. Ask for a room at the back.
Calmer
French Quarter
Just south of the lake. Wide streets, colonial buildings, the Opera House and the big hotels. Ten minutes’ walk to the Old Quarter.
Local
Truc Bach and Ba Dinh
Near the mausoleum and a small lake. Quieter, cheaper and more residential, and a 15-minute Grab to the center.
Long stays
West Lake (Tay Ho)
Expat cafes, lakeside sunsets and serviced apartments. Lovely for a month, too far out for three days.
Budget
Old Quarter hostel
Dorm beds from about $8 to $12. Easy for meeting people heading to Ha Giang or the bays the same week.
Where I’d book
Small hotel near the lake
Private room, about $25 to $45. Walk to everything, sleep somewhere quiet.
Splurge
Sofitel Legend Metropole
Hanoi’s grand hotel, open since 1901, with a wartime bunker you can tour. Expect $250 and up a night.
04 · Getting around
How to get around Hanoi: walk, then Grab
The Old Quarter, the lake and the French Quarter are all walkable. For anything further out, like the mausoleum, the Temple of Literature or West Lake, open an app.
The one skill you need
How to cross the street in Hanoi
1
Walk at a slow, steady pace and keep going. The bikes are steering around where you’ll be in two seconds.
2
Never stop, freeze or run. That’s the one move they can’t predict.
3
Watch the cars and buses, which don’t swerve, and cross next to a local the first few times.
| How | Cost | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Walking | Free | Old Quarter, lake, French Quarter |
| Grab or Be car | 40,000 to 120,000 VND across town ($1.50 to $4.50) | Rain, heat, groups, nights |
| Grab Bike | About half the car price | Solo and fast. Helmet provided |
| Xanh SM | Metered, about the same as Grab | Electric taxis and bikes, by app or hailed |
| Cyclo | About 150,000 to 200,000 VND for an hour. Agree first | Once, for the experience |
| Metro | Under 20,000 VND | Not much yet. No line reaches the Old Quarter |
New in 2026 · Low-emission zone
Since July 2026, the 12 streets around Hoan Kiem Lake and the Hang Dao night market close to all vehicles from 7 pm to midnight on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. That’s the first phase of a low-emission zone that’s due to cover everything inside Ring Road 1 by 2028. The rest of the Old Quarter is still open to bikes. If your hotel is inside the zone on a weekend night, your Grab will meet you at the edge, so pin a pickup point a block out.
05 · Eat
What to eat in Hanoi, and exactly where
Hanoi eats breakfast and lunch out. Most of the famous places do one dish, have been doing it for decades, and sell out. Go early, point, and sit on whatever stool is free.
Breakfast · Phở bò
Pho Gia Truyen, 49 Bat Dan
The beef pho everyone measures against. Order tái nạm, rare beef and flank. The line moves fast. Go before 8 am.
About 60,000 to 70,000 VND · Map
Breakfast · Phở tái lăn
Pho Thin, 13 Lo Duc
The other pho. The beef is stir-fried with garlic before it hits the broth, so it’s smokier and richer. Open since 1979.
About 60,000 to 80,000 VND · Map
Lunch · Bún chả
Bun Cha Ta, 21 Nguyen Huu Huan
Grilled pork and patties in a sweet-sour broth with noodles and herbs. Michelin Bib Gourmand, a block from the lake, easy for first-timers.
About 60,000 to 90,000 VND · Map
Lunch · The famous one
Bun Cha Huong Lien, 24 Le Van Huu
Where Obama and Bourdain split a $6 lunch in 2016. Order the “Combo Obama.” It’s touristy and still good.
About 70,000 VND · Map
Anytime · Bánh mì
Banh Mi 25, 25 Hang Ca
The Old Quarter’s go-to banh mi. Crisp bread, pâté and pork. Grab one for the bus or the train.
About 35,000 to 50,000 VND · Map
Breakfast · Bánh cuốn
Banh Cuon Thanh Van, 14 Hang Ga
Silky steamed rice rolls with pork and wood-ear mushroom, rolled while you watch. Run by the same family since 1973, and new to the Michelin list in 2026. Cash only.
About 40,000 to 60,000 VND · Map
Breakfast · Xôi
Xoi Yen, 35B Nguyen Huu Huan
Sticky rice piled with mung bean, crispy shallots and toppings like pork belly or a fried egg. Cheap, filling, and open from early morning until late.
About 30,000 to 60,000 VND · Map
Lunch · Bún bò Nam Bộ
Bun Bo Nam Bo, 67 Hang Dieu
One dish only: noodles with beef, herbs, peanuts and fried shallots and just a little broth. Mix it all up. Relatives run the same dish a few doors down.
About 70,000 VND · Map
Dinner · Chả cá
Cha Ca Thang Long, 6B Duong Thanh
Turmeric fish fried at your table with mountains of dill and spring onion. One dish, one price. Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2024 and 2025.
About 250,000 VND per person · Map
Coffee, a whole separate food group
Egg coffee
Cafe Giang, 39 Nguyen Huu Huan
Egg coffee was invented here in 1946. Whipped yolk and condensed milk over strong coffee, served in a bowl of hot water. Tastes like tiramisu.
About 35,000 to 45,000 VND · Map
Egg coffee, lake view
Cafe Dinh, 13 Dinh Tien Hoang
Run by the founder’s daughter, up a dark staircase to a second-floor balcony over Hoan Kiem Lake. Same egg coffee, better view.
About 35,000 to 45,000 VND · Map
Coconut coffee
Cong Caphe, all over town
A chain, but the coconut coffee (cà phê cốt dừa) is a slushy of coconut cream and espresso, exactly right on a hot afternoon.
About 50,000 to 65,000 VND · Map
Not coffee
Kem Trang Tien, 35 Trang Tien
Hanoi’s favorite ice cream since 1958. Locals eat it sitting on their scooters out front. Get the green rice (cốm) flavor.
About 15,000 to 25,000 VND · Map
How to eat street food without getting sick
- Eat where it’s busy and the food is cooked in front of you
- Go at the dish’s hour. Pho at 9 pm has been sitting since breakfast
- Ice in restaurants and cafes is factory-made and fine. Don’t drink tap water
- Herbs are rinsed in tap water. If your stomach’s sensitive, skip them for the first couple of days
Want someone to show you?
Food tour: HA Food Tours has the most reviews in the city, over 7,000 at 5 stars. Small groups from about $25, private tours $45 to $65. Do it on your first night and you’ll know how to order for the rest of the trip.
Cooking class: Rose Kitchen runs a 4.5-hour market visit and class for about $40, rated 4.98 from more than 5,000 reviews, and it trains local women as chefs.
Free guide · First 24 Hours in a New Country
Landing in Hanoi tired and confused is optional.
The night before, hour by hour after landing, and the traps. Free with the monthly letter.
06 · See and do
The best things to do in Hanoi
Hanoi’s big sights are cheap, most close by late afternoon, and the heat does the rest. Do sights in the morning, eat at lunch, nap, and save the evening for walking.
Must
Temple of Literature
Vietnam’s first university, founded in 1070. Courtyards, stone turtles carrying the names of old graduates, and students in gowns taking graduation photos.
70,000 VND · 1 hour · Map
Sunrise
Long Bien Bridge
The old French rail bridge over the Red River, bombed and patched through the war. Walk it at sunrise while the trains and scooters squeeze past.
Free · 45 min · Map
Worth it
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
Mornings only, closed Mondays and Fridays, and shut each autumn for maintenance (Sept 4 to Nov 2 in 2026). Cover your knees and shoulders, no talking, no hands in pockets.
Free · 1 to 2 hours with the line · Map
Must
Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple
The center of everything. Walk the loop at 6 am, when half the city is doing tai chi and badminton, then cross the red bridge to the temple.
Lake free, temple 30,000 VND · 1 to 2 hours · Map
Must
Hoa Lo Prison
Built by the French to hold Vietnamese revolutionaries, then the “Hanoi Hilton” for American POWs, including John McCain. Heavy, one-sided in places, and worth it.
50,000 VND · 8 am to 5 pm · Map
Best museum
Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
All 54 of Vietnam’s ethnic groups, with full-size houses rebuilt in the garden out back. It’s out in Cau Giay, so take a Grab. Closed Mondays.
40,000 VND · 2 hours · Map
Worth it
Thang Long Imperial Citadel
A thousand years of royal Hanoi, plus the underground bunker the North Vietnamese army ran the war from. Across from the mausoleum, so do them together. Closed Mondays.
100,000 VND · 1.5 hours · Map
Underrated
Vietnamese Women’s Museum
Better than it sounds. Women in the war, the market and street vendors, and the clothing of the hill tribes. In the French Quarter.
40,000 VND · 1 hour · Map
Sunset
Tran Quoc Pagoda and West Lake
Hanoi’s oldest pagoda, on a little island in West Lake. Go an hour before sunset, then walk the lakeside road.
Free · 1 hour · Map
Honest takes
- Train Street: group tours are banned and police block parts of it. You can still get in by buying a drink at one of the licensed cafes. Ignore anyone outside saying it’s “closed, follow me.”
- Water puppets: about 50 minutes of old folk art at the Thang Long theater, 100,000 to 200,000 VND. Do it if you’re curious. Skip it if you’re tired. Nobody will check.
- St. Joseph’s Cathedral: five minutes from outside. The lemon tea stalls across the square are the real attraction.
Weekends
The walking street
From 7 pm to midnight on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the streets around Hoan Kiem close to traffic. Families, street performers, kids in rented electric cars, and the best people-watching in the city. Plan at least one evening here.
Run on Hanoi time
The city keeps a schedule. Get on it.
5:30
Tai chi, aerobics and badminton around the lake
7:00
Pho, banh cuon and xoi. The best bowls are gone by 10
8:00
Sights open. Beat the heat and the tour buses
11:30
Bun cha. The grills are going on every corner
1:00
Nap. Half the city does, some shops close
3:30
Egg coffee or coconut coffee
6:00
Bia hoi starts pouring on Ta Hien
11:00
Police clear the pavement. Most of Hanoi is asleep
07 · Nights
Hanoi at night
Hanoi goes to bed earlier than Saigon, and most places close around midnight. Here’s where to spend the evenings before then.
Loud · Cheap
Bia hoi on Ta Hien
Fresh draft beer for about 10,000 to 20,000 VND a glass, on a plastic stool on the pavement with everyone else in the city. Peak chaos is around 9 pm.
Live music
Binh Minh Jazz Club
Hanoi’s longest-running jazz room, right by the Opera House. The house band starts around 9 pm.
08 · Scams and annoyances
Common scams in Hanoi, and how to dodge them
Hanoi is safe. The worst most people deal with is getting overcharged a few dollars. Know these and you’ll avoid nearly all of it.
| The scam | How it goes | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Airport taxi | A “taxi” in the arrivals hall with a fast meter or a “fixed price” three times the real one | Book a Grab or Xanh SM in the app |
| Fruit-basket photo | A vendor puts her shoulder pole and hat on you for a photo, then wants you to buy a bag of fruit for 100,000 or more | Smile, say “không, cảm ơn” (no, thank you), keep walking |
| Shoe shine | Someone starts scrubbing your shoes, or “fixing” your sole, then demands a fee | Pull your foot back before they start |
| Cyclo “per person” | The price you agreed turns out to be per person, per hour, or in dollars instead of dong | Agree on the total, in dong, and type it into your phone |
| Bill switch | You hand over a 500,000 note. The driver swaps it for a 20,000, which looks similar, and says you underpaid | Say the amount out loud as you hand it over. Keep big notes separate |
| “Train Street is closed” | A friendly guy says it’s closed and offers to take you to a “secret” entrance on his bike | Walk to a licensed cafe yourself |
| Fake tour desks | Copycat agencies sell the same Ha Long cruise as the real one for more money | Book direct, or through your hotel |
09 · Fitting in
Manners, tipping and ten words
- Tipping: not expected at street stalls. Round up for good service at sit-down restaurants, tip spa staff and tour guides about 10%, and give an easy rider or private guide a bit more.
- Bargaining: normal at markets and with cyclos. Not at shops with price tags or at food stalls.
- Temples: shoes off where you see a pile of shoes, shoulders and knees covered, and don’t point your feet at an altar.
- Money: hand cash and cards over with both hands. It’s a small thing, and people notice.
- English: common in hotels, cafes and anywhere touristy. Thin at street stalls, where pointing works fine.
- Addresses: Hanoi abolished its districts in July 2025, so “Hoan Kiem District” is now “Hoan Kiem Ward.” Old addresses still work in Grab and Google Maps.
| English | Vietnamese | Say it like |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Xin chào | sin chow |
| Thank you | Cảm ơn | gahm un |
| No, thank you | Không, cảm ơn | khom, gahm un |
| How much? | Bao nhiêu? | bow nyew |
| Too expensive | Đắt quá | dat kwah |
| Delicious | Ngon quá | ngon kwah |
| The bill, please | Tính tiền | tin tee-en |
| No ice | Không đá | khom dah |
| Cheers | Một, hai, ba, dzô! | mot, hai, ba, yo! |
10 · Itinerary
3 days in Hanoi: the itinerary
The plan I’d hand a friend. Mornings for sights, lunch for the big dishes, nights for wandering.
Day 1
Land and get your bearings
- Grab in, drop your bags, shower
- Walk the Old Quarter to Hoan Kiem Lake and across to Ngoc Son Temple
- Egg coffee at Cafe Giang
- Dinner and bia hoi on Ta Hien. Early night
Day 2
The old city
- Pho Gia Truyen before 8
- Temple of Literature, then Hoa Lo Prison
- Bun cha at Bun Cha Ta, then a nap
- Sunset at Cau Go, cha ca for dinner
Day 3
Ba Dinh and West Lake
- Sunrise on Long Bien Bridge, banh mi at Banh Mi 25
- The mausoleum (if it’s open) and the Imperial Citadel
- Museum of Ethnology after lunch
- Tran Quoc Pagoda at sunset, then jazz at Binh Minh
11 · Getting out of town
Day trips from Hanoi, and the ones that shouldn’t be
Ninh Binh
Karst towers and rice fields about 2 hours south. Every tour desk sells it as a day trip. Stay a night instead.
Lan Ha and Ha Long Bay
Ha Long is the famous one. Lan Ha, next door from Cat Ba, has the same islands with fewer boats. Too far for a good day trip.
The Ha Giang Loop
Four days on the back of a motorbike on the best mountain roads in Southeast Asia. Definitely not a day trip. It’s the whole reason to come north.
Sa Pa
Rice terraces and hill-tribe villages near the Chinese border. An overnight train or a 5 to 6 hour bus, so give it two nights at least.
An actual day trip
Bat Trang pottery village is an hour out: a whole village of potters, and a wheel you can sit at yourself. Good for a slow or rainy day. Map
12 · Money
How much does Hanoi cost?
Per person, per day, in 2026. Prices in US dollars at about 25,900 dong to the dollar.
Bed
$8 to $45
Dorm to a small private hotel
Food
$10 to $25
Street food plus one sit-down meal
Coffee and beer
$3 to $8
Two coffees, a few bia hoi
Getting around
$3 to $8
Two or three Grabs
Sights
$2 to $8
One or two museums or temples
Once per trip
$40 to $60
E-visa, eSIM, two airport rides
The whole day
$35 to $90
About $35 a day in dorms, eating on plastic stools. About $60 with a private room and a couple of sit-down meals. Around $90 for a nice hotel and cocktails.
Three days in Hanoi runs about $150 to $330 all in, including the visa and your airport rides.
13 · Leaving
Getting out without missing your flight
Timing
Leave the Old Quarter 3.5 hours before
The ride can take up to an hour in traffic, and international check-in at Terminal 2 wants you there 2 to 3 hours early. In rush hour, 7 to 9 am and 5 to 7 pm, leave earlier.
Getting there
Book the Grab before you check out
Or ask the hotel the night before. Make sure the driver knows it’s international, Terminal 2. Domestic flights leave from Terminal 1.
Leftover dong
Spend it, don’t change it
Airport exchange rates are bad. Keep about 300,000 VND for the ride and a banh mi, and spend the rest before you go.
Going on overland instead?
Sleeper buses to Ha Giang and Sa Pa leave from the Old Quarter, usually with hotel pickup. Night trains to Lao Cai (for Sa Pa) and south to Hue and Da Nang leave from Hanoi Station. Book both on 12Go or Vexere. Flights to the center and south are cheap on Vietjet and Bamboo, so book a few days out.
Plan your trip · What I use · Some are affiliate links
Visa
evisa.gov.vn, the official one
Data
Airalo eSIM for Vietnam
Beds
Booking.com or Agoda in the Old Quarter, Hostelworld for dorms
Save this
Every place on this page
Screenshot it, or tap any name to open it in Google Maps.
| Place | What | Where | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pho Gia Truyen | Beef pho | 49 Bat Dan | Before 8 am |
| Pho Thin | Stir-fried beef pho | 13 Lo Duc | Breakfast |
| Banh Cuon Thanh Van | Steamed rice rolls | 14 Hang Ga | Breakfast |
| Xoi Yen | Sticky rice | 35B Nguyen Huu Huan | Anytime |
| Bun Cha Ta | Bun cha | 21 Nguyen Huu Huan | Lunch |
| Bun Cha Huong Lien | The Obama bun cha | 24 Le Van Huu | Lunch |
| Bun Bo Nam Bo | Beef noodle salad | 67 Hang Dieu | Lunch |
| Banh Mi 25 | Banh mi | 25 Hang Ca | Anytime |
| Cha Ca Thang Long | Turmeric fish | 6B Duong Thanh | Dinner |
| Cafe Giang | Egg coffee | 39 Nguyen Huu Huan | Afternoon |
| Cafe Dinh | Egg coffee, lake view | 13 Dinh Tien Hoang, 2nd floor | Afternoon |
| Kem Trang Tien | Ice cream | 35 Trang Tien | Evening |
| Temple of Literature | Sight · 70,000 VND | Dong Da | Morning |
| Hoa Lo Prison | Sight · 50,000 VND | French Quarter | Morning |
| Imperial Citadel | Sight · 100,000 VND | Ba Dinh | Morning, not Mon |
| Museum of Ethnology | Sight · 40,000 VND | Cau Giay | Afternoon, not Mon |
| Binh Minh Jazz Club | Live jazz | Near the Opera House | From 9 pm |
| Ta Hien | Bia hoi street | Old Quarter | 6 to 11 pm |
Hanoi FAQ: questions people ask before their first trip
Is Hanoi worth visiting?
Yes, especially if you care about food and history. It’s the best food city in Vietnam, the gateway to Ha Long Bay, Ninh Binh and Ha Giang, and it feels nothing like anywhere you’ve been before.
How many days do you need in Hanoi?
Three full days covers the city. Two works if you’re tight on time. Past four days, use Hanoi as a base for Ninh Binh, the bays or Ha Giang.
What is the best month to visit Hanoi?
October and November: dry, clear and in the mid-20s °C (70s °F). March and April are a close second. December to February is cool and gray, and May to September is hot and stormy.
Do Americans need a visa for Vietnam?
Yes. Apply for the e-visa on evisa.gov.vn: $25 for single entry, up to 90 days, usually about three working days to process. Apply at least a week early and print the approval.
How do I get from Noi Bai Airport to the Old Quarter?
Book a Grab or Xanh SM in the app, about 250,000 to 400,000 VND and 45 to 60 minutes. On a budget, Bus 86 costs about 45,000 VND from outside arrivals. Avoid anyone offering a ride in the arrivals hall.
Is Hanoi safe for tourists?
Yes. Violent crime against tourists is rare. The real risks are traffic, phones snatched by passing motorbikes (hold yours on the inside of the sidewalk), and getting overcharged. The Old Quarter is fine to walk at night.
Is Hanoi expensive?
No. Budget travelers get by on about $35 a day, and $60 buys a private room and sit-down meals. A bowl of pho is about $2.50 and a glass of bia hoi is about 50 cents.
How much money do I need for 3 days in Hanoi?
About $150 on a backpacker budget and $330 for a comfortable trip, including the e-visa, an eSIM and both airport rides.
Can I use credit cards in Hanoi?
At hotels, nicer restaurants, malls and in Grab, yes. At street food stalls, markets, small cafes and most ticket windows, it’s cash. Carry 500,000 to 1,000,000 VND a day.
Do people speak English in Hanoi?
In hotels, cafes, tour companies and anywhere touristy, yes. At street stalls and with older people, not much. Pointing and Google Translate cover the gap.
Can you drink the tap water in Hanoi?
No. Bottled water is cheap everywhere, and most hotels give you a couple of bottles a day. The ice in restaurants and cafes is factory-made and fine.
What is Hanoi famous for?
Pho, bun cha and egg coffee, the Old Quarter’s trade streets, Hoan Kiem Lake, and its traffic. It’s also a thousand years old, which you’ll feel at the Temple of Literature and the Imperial Citadel.
What should I avoid in Hanoi?
Rides from strangers at the airport, renting a motorbike in the city, eating pho at night, tap water, and the week of Tet if it’s your first visit.
Is Train Street still open?
Partly. Group tours are banned and police block sections at times, but the licensed cafes along the tracks still seat customers. Buy a drink, stay behind the line, and do what the staff say when a train comes.
Should I rent a motorbike in Hanoi?
Not in the city. Hanoi traffic is a skill people learn over years, and your travel insurance probably won’t cover you without a valid motorcycle license. Use Grab Bike in town. If you want to ride, do the Ha Giang Loop with an easy rider.
Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City for a first trip?
Hanoi is older and slower, colder in winter, and better for food and the north’s mountains and bays. Saigon is bigger, faster and more modern. Pick by region: Hanoi if you’re doing the north.
Is Hanoi good for solo travelers?
Very. Hostels are social, most groups for Ha Giang and the bays form in Hanoi, and eating alone on a plastic stool is completely normal.
Where to next
Route · My pick
Vietnam in 14 days
Hanoi, the Ha Giang Loop, Ninh Binh and Lan Ha Bay in two weeks, at a pace you can actually enjoy.
Free guide
First 24 Hours in a New Country
The night before, hour by hour after landing, and the traps. Free with the monthly letter.
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