Hanoi

What You Should Know More About Hanoi

• Travel advice

  • Before travelling to Hanoi you can rearrange your visa online, instead of waiting for long hours at the airport after you reach there.

  • Book your flights only two to three weeks before travelling to this place.

  • To travel within the city, you can book taxis, take bus rides, or ride scooter taxis if you have international license.

  • Try learning basic Vietnamese phrases for greeting, and other local words, as most of the locals do not speak English.

  • Check for currency rates and money exchange places. Also, available are international ATMs available at this city.

  • Summers have an intolerable heat, so travel to this city only during the beginning of winter.

  • Check for the type of meat used in delicacies apart from chicken, as you may or may not like it. Things like cobra blood wine or dog meat can be avoided if it does not beckon your appetite.

  • You can drink at most of the bars and small joints till 8pm, as they are known to run out of drinks post this time.

  • You can get luxury as well as mid range hotels to stay in Hanoi.

  • You have umpteen options for shopping in fashion, souvenir, and other items in Hanoi.

  • Most of the hotels and cafes are well connected with Wi-Fi networks, so you can update pictures on your social media accounts.

  • Take photographs of the locals only after asking their permission to be photographed.

• Drinking law

  There is no restriction to drinking age in Hanoi. Most of the clubs and bars close at midnight. Drinks and alcohol are easily available throughout Hanoi.

• Our Recommendations: What you can’t afford to miss?

  Museums, temples, and sightseeing

  There are many temples and museums in Hanoi. You can visit the Vietnamese Women's Museum that has information about the heroic Vietnamese women in war. Visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Ho Chi Minh Museum depicts all the artifacts and documents of soldiers in war, the Fine Arts Museum for its paintings and art done on prehistoric bronze drums, and many other museums depicting the history of Vietnam. The Ngoc Son Temple is picturesque and is adjoined by a lake, Bach Ma Temple, and the Hani Temple have a landscape view. You can also visit the Ba Dinh Square, and Ba Vi National Park that has bird watching and trekking sites.

  
  

  Outdoor activities and motorbike tours

  You can take cycling tours in Hanoi to explore more. You can visit Ninh Binh, Dong Hoi, Kon Tum, and many other places in day tours by cycling. You can enjoy the view of limestone cliffs and serene lakes. You can also cycle to the Old Quarter and take cooking sessions here, and enjoy the view of the lush green nature. You can take private or motor bike tours to areas nearby Hanoi and learn about the authentic Vietnamese cuisine and cooking ingredients.

  
  

  Historical and war sites, cathedrals, and cruises

  You can take the Halong Bay cruise and enjoy sightseeing caves, heritage sites, historical monuments, and visit water sports sites for kayaking and boating activities. There are many colonial buildings and citadels that you can visit in Hanoi in your day tours. You can visit the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, which is an important site in Hanoi and also symbolizes this city. If you are not opting for a cruises, you can take day tours in rented cars and bikes and get a view of these historical and heritage sites. The Perfume Pagoda near Hanoi is one of the most sacred sites for Buddhists. The caves at this temple are said to bestow blessings to the visitors. The temple site also has clear water streams and a beautiful view. Visiting this site is said to bestow tourists with good luck.

  
  

• What you will like there?

  Shopping, sightseeing, and touring

  There are many places to shop for street shopping as well as shopping in malls for international brands. You can shop for artifacts, souvenirs, spices, jewelry, and any item you need at the local bazaars. Hanoi has a great drinking culture. You will find many swish bars and clubs that shut down at midnight. They stock international drink labels as well. Historical and war sites are a part of sightseeing tours in Hanoi. 

  
  

  Spa, meditation, and cooking

  There are many massage parlors in Hanoi, where you can relax and get the best of spa experiences. You can also join yoga centers and learn Buddhist yoga and meditation techniques. You can also learn to take cooking classes that teach the three course meal of the Vietnamese cuisine. You can learn about the local condiments, spices, and other ingredients used in the Vietnamese cuisine. You can enjoy cooking in the scenic view of the lush greens in areas outside Hanoi.

  
  

• Recommended reads for destination

  Website

  Vietnam Guide

  
  

  Books

  Hanoi & Northern Vietnam Handbook by David Lloyd

  
  

• When is the best time to Visit Hanoi?

  The best time to visit the place is:

  • Autumn (September to November)
  • Spring (March and April)

  During these days the temperature is milder and the weather remains pleasant throughout the day. If you are comfortable with winter and summer season then also a trip here is not a bad idea.

• How to reach Hanoi?

  • By Plane: Newly developed Noi Bai International Airport is the destination you need to land if you are visiting this wonderful town. Flights of several international airlines have their operations in this airport.
  • By Train: There are also train connections to the city from Beijing, Lao Cai, Nanning and more making it more convenient for the travelers to reach here. Most trains arrive at Gia Lam station which is just 5 km away from Hanoi Station.
  • By Bus: There are also bus services, crossing over China, to reach this wonderful town. There are numerous bus station or bus lines making it convenient to reach here.

  From the above locations, you will get a number of other conveyance like a cab, local bus and more to reach your destination, like hotel or so.

• What are the major tourist attractions in Hanoi?

  Hanoi is more than 1000 years old city with a wealth of history. Thus you will find some mind boggling monuments, temples, unique theatre, ancient citadels, startling wilderness and lots more. Along with all these, some natural beauty of nature is bound to allure you. Following are the few Attractions in Hanoi which you should consider visiting during your trip to this wonderful ancient city.

  • Imperial Citadel of Thang Long
  • Water Puppet Theatre
  • The Perfume Pagoda
  • Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
  • Ba Vi National Park
  • Hanoi Opera House
  • Temple of Literature
  • Vietnam Museum of Ethnology

• What are the things to do in Hanoi?

   Well, the simple answer to this question is enjoying your holiday, following are some things to do in Hanoi:

  • There are numerous sightseeing venues which are suggested above. Plan your itinerary as per your taste and budget and go ahead with some truly exciting moments of life.
  • Enjoy delicious foods of different cuisines and do lots of shopping.
  • Nightlife is another wonderful aspect to enjoy in this part of the world.

• What is the local food of Hanoi? Which are the best places to taste this food?

  Believe us that if you are a foodie then you have landed at the correct place to satiate your tummy. You will find numerous varieties of food almost anywhere in the city. Street foods are something which is very famous here. Some of the popular local items you can try are

  • Pho (Noodle Soup)
  • Xoi (Sticky Rice)
  • Cha Ca (Grilled & Fried Fish with Rice Noodles)
  • Banh Mi (Baguette Sandwich)
  • Pho Cuon (Rice Noodle Rolls)

  As mentioned earlier, most of these items can be found at anywhere in the city at local food stalls. Enjoy Lip-Smacking!

• What is the best public transport to commute around Hanoi?

  Commutation is again not an issue in Hanoi. In simple words, you are never short of options to commute around during your trip to Hanoi.

  • For a long journey, you can opt for a taxi.
  • For shorter trips cyclos or pedicabs are the cheap and best options.
  • If you are a lone traveler then you also have the option of riding on the back of a motorbike.
  • Uber has also launched itself in the metropolis which again gives you a better option to commute across.
  • If you are comfortable then you may also try with local buses and metro.

• What is the local language in Hanoi and which are the most commonly used greetings?

  Majority of the population here speaks different dialects of Vietnamese. But you need not worry about this aspect as guides there will be speaking with you in your language to help you out. But still, of you wish to learn few local phrases which may help you during the journey it is definitely not a bad idea. Some of the local greetings you may use are.

  • Hello – Xin chao
  • Morning – buoi sang

  Afternoon: Buoi Chieu

  Evening: Buoi Toi

• Which are the best shopping places in Hanoi and what are they famous for?

  If you are a shopaholic then this is the best place for you to explore.

  • You can visit Hang Gai Street where you can find some amazing options of silk clothing.
  • Dong Xuan Market is another shopping arena which you must explore. Here you can get varieties of items like souvenirs, accessories, handicrafts and much more.
  • At Trang Tien Plaza you can get a number of luxury and designer goods.
  • Hang Bac Street, also known as Silver Street and this defines everything.

  Likewise, you will find so many places to buy something for your near and dear ones.

• How is the nightlife in Hanoi?

  There are so many things to enjoy in the night during your visit to Hanoi. There are numerous nightclubs and other venues where you can spend some amazing time. Some of the places you should go out to feel the nightlife of the city are as follows

  • Bia Hoi Junction,
  • The Bank Hanoi,
  • Legend Beer,
  • Hanoi Press Club,
  • Binh Minh’s Jazz Club

• Which are the best lakes to visit in Hanoi?

  Hanoi is also known as the city of lakes. Thus you will find a number of lakes in this wonderful town.

  • Ho Tay (West Lake) is the largest lake in the city.
  • Ho Truc Bach is another lake you should look after as it is having its own history.
  • Ho Hoan Kiem is another beautiful lake you can look forward to exploring.

  These were just a few popular names. There are so many beautiful places to explore in this regard.