The Best Things to Do in Hanoi, Vietnam.

After reading so many glowing reports on Hanoi, we were looking forward to hitting the city after an almost 2000 miles journey from the chaos of Saigon on our bikes. Finally completing our original challenge of riding through Vietnam from one major city to the other, it felt like a strange mixture of emotions rolling into Hanoi: sadness, excitement, a huge sense of achievement.

However, soon our road-worn minds and bodies began to become annoyed with the city, empty due to Tet and yet full of aggressive locals with no patience or the warmth we had seen in the rest of the country. It was a challenge just to find a safe place for our bikes, something new to us!

We hated it, if we are being truthful and couldn’t wait to head up north to Sapa and back into the countryside. However on our return, and finishing point of our biking journey we discovered a totally different city, one which now felt like home!

Here are our top Hanoi attractions and things to do.

Coming back to Hanoi and falling in love

Vietnam is not a love story in the traditional sense; it didn’t grab us with its chaotic arms and take us under its spell instantly, as many experience, or as we have with other places. Vietnam, after 7 weeks on motorbikes, began to feel like home, like a special place to us that we love and hate in the same way you feel about your hometown.

At times we wanted to escape its oppressive ways, and then we knew we had to stay, stick it out and in doing so were constantly rewarded by diverse and ever-changing sights and experiences.

Heading back to Hanoi a second time, everything felt so familiar; the streets we had trodden before, and we knew the layout of the city. We stayed again in the backpacker quarter of the city and ended up running into at least 5 or 6 people we had met before on our travels.

After having seen all the sights on our previous visit, this time we mostly hung out, drank 18p Bia Hoi, snacked on Bahn Mi, met new people, chatted about travelling and worked on the blog.

It was comfortable, friendly and familiar…just like home. By this point, we had become immune to all the strangeness that Vietnam can throw at you, and honestly, Hanoi felt remotely sane and normal compared to the rest of the country. Now we loved it!

Book your transport across Vietnam and Asia here:

The Best Hanoi Attractions to Visit

Street food and bia hoi!

Street food in Asia is universally regarded as the best and cheapest in the world, but by the time you hit Vietnam, you might just have grown bored of noodles and be craving something a little more homely. Never fear, thanks to the French influence on Vietnam, they have a taste for baguettes and cheese alongside meat if you so desire.

A delicious toasted Banh Mi will set you back around 15,000 Dong, around £0.50! Of course, if pho or noodles take your fancy, or even BBQing your own food over a lantern, then the options are plenty! Not the first thing you might think of when you consider Hanoi attractions, but well worth the time and effort to seek out! The guy next door to “See you at Lily’s” does the best in the city!

Then there is the beer, or should I say Bia! Head out around the streets of the old quarter at night, and you will be sure to find some old woman laughing her head off, surrounded by an overcrowded pavement full of adults sitting on children’s chairs! This is Bia Hoi, which means fresh beer.

Locally brewed and served straight from the keg for only 5,000 Dong (around £0.18) a glass! It’s a right laugh! This unorthodox inclusion of Hanoi attractions can be found in its best across Vietnam (worst hostel in the world!)

Roam the old quarter

The most beautiful and interesting area of Hanoi has to be the Old Quarter; crumbling colonial architecture mixed with the grime and chaos of Vietnam make this a unique area and host to many of the top Hanoi attractions.

Side streets are alive with locals whose houses pour out onto the street; there are bars, street food carts, fruit sellers in their triangular hats and a mesmerising array of pastel-shaded and mould-covered buildings tangled up within the web of power lines.

It really needs to be seen to be believed. Wander further, though, and you will see the change in the buildings, from tiny apartment blocks and warren-like back streets to open boulevards and grand old residences. You can see where the rich French folks once lived and where the humble locals ended up!

See Uncle Ho in his Mausoleum

From reading our blog, you might know we love all things communism; after visiting Lenin in Moscow and Mao in Beijing, it only seemed right that we call by and say hi to Ho! After a shorter queue than expected, we found ourselves ready to enter his iconic mausoleum.

Wearing shorts and flip-flops, the solemn occasion was surprisingly easy to do and, of course, as expected, totally surreal and strange on every level possible.

The building itself stands out a mile in Hanoi and is of typical brutal communist style! Just how we like it! The whole thing is remarkably like visiting Lenin, even down to the coffin Ho Chi Minh is in! What might seem like a strange thing to be included on the list of Hanoi attractions is really a rite of passage for any commie!

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Chilling out at the Hoan Kiem Lake

Hanoi can be a crazy place for sure, even by Vietnamese standards. But the city is built around a stunning lake that allows even the most stressed-out visitor or local to find a slice of serenity!

The lake is pretty big too; head to the side closest to the main shopping area, and you will find it a buzzing hub of activity, especially on the weekends. Take a longer walk and visit the pagodas and temples for something a little more relaxing and peaceful; it’s also a great area to shop for the perfect Hanoi souvenirs.

The Ex-Pat community and backpacker hub

Hanoi seems to attract backpackers in spades; many of them seem to also end up staying. Hanoi is just one of those addictive places that draws you in after a while. You’re never quite sure why you are with places like Pai or Chiang Mai, but here there is something that just grabs you.

There is a unique atmosphere in Hanoi created by the gathering of people from all over the world, from all age ranges and backgrounds. A little community within a huge one where there always seemed to be an atmosphere of adventure and possibilities!

Hoa Lo Prison

Wherever you go in Vietnam, you are reminded of the horrors of its past, whether that be the fight for independence and the remnants of colonial architecture or bomb craters and tunnels used in the fight against America. All over the country, different stories of these eras are told as the different regions fought their own different wars. Up in Hanoi, the story develops once again.

Initially built to house those intent on a revolution by the French, the prison held some of the most legendary communist figures in Vietnamese history.

Moving on from then, it became a holding area for the captured American prisoners of war; despite Hanoi never being involved in fighting on the ground, it was targeted by a campaign of bombing from the air. This was also where John McCain was famously held after being captured.

Book Your Accommodation

Booking.com

Over the course of the last 10+ years of travelling, we’ve used Booking.com to book probably around 90% of our accommodation. These days you can book anything from a luxury resort to budget hotels and even hostels and rentals similar to Airbnb.

Plus, if you make an account, you get access to their ‘Genius’ loyalty program… and DISCOUNTS. Everything is laid out super easy so you know what you’re getting, and honestly, I’m just a really big fan of the platform over other major providers.

Find Your Next Hotel or Hostel Here

Taking trips outside of the city

Another reason to love Hanoi is its proximity to other great areas within Vietnam to visit. Even if you only managed to see the northern regions of this vast country, you would be treated to some varied landscapes and cultures. Ninh Binh to the south allows you to visit some amazing mountains surrounded by rice paddies.

Ha Long Bay, across toward the coast, is then a legendary karst region flooded by the sea. Here you can kayak through caves, meet monkeys, swim in the sea and cruise through the bay.

Looking for some more outdoor adventure? Head up north to the wonderful region of Sapa, our favourite area of Vietnam, to see the wild landscape tamed by the hill tribes. Rice terraces perch on impossible mountainsides, and the H’Mong people wander the towns and villages in their traditional dress, truly magical.

If you’re wondering how to get from Hanoi to Sapa, then you’re in luck because we’ve just written a comprehensive guide.

SafetyWing Travel Insurance

SafetyWing

Travel insurance is one of those annoying things that no one likes to think about, let alone pay for, when you’re planning your next trip. It can also be bloody annoying as a backpacker/long-term traveller to find affordable coverage that meets the itinerary-less lifestyle (*cough* World Nomads *cough*).

So instead of getting subpar travel insurance, now we just always go with  SafetyWing. It takes like 5-10 minutes to purchase your policy and essentially functions as a monthly subscription plan with near-global coverage!

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