8 best things to do in Hanoi, Vietnam: sightseeing tips & must-dos

Hanoi is a city that hits all your senses at once – the aroma of street food sizzling on every corner, the buzz of motorbikes weaving through narrow lanes, and the charm of French-colonial architecture blending with ancient temples. Vietnam’s capital is more than just a gateway to Ha Long Bay or the Ha Giang Loop – it’s a vibrant destination in its own. With about eight million inhabitants and five million motorbikes, the city is one of the busiest places in all of Vietnam. For travellers, Hanoi usually marks either the end or the beginning of the trip through the country. Many arrive at the nearby international airport and start their route South after exploring the city. With these 8 best things to do in Hanoi, you will surely get the best out of this unique place in Vietnam.

1. Wander around the Old Quarter

The Old Quarter is the center of Hanoi, where you will find most of the hostels or hotels for travellers. But the Old Quarter is not only the center of Hanoi for tourists, but as well for the locals. You will find most of the shops and markets in the Old Quarter. This is your chance to get a glimpse of the daily life in Hanoi.

A great way to explore the area is to go on a little walk and wander through the different streets. Be open to where it takes you and explore the Old Quarter on your own. You will come across local homes, different shops and street food stands.

The Old Quarter is exciting, never resting and colorful – wandering around the area will for sure give you a better insight into the everyday life in the city. And of course, always keep the eyes open for a cute little café to get your daily dose of coconut coffee (rule number one while travelling Vietnam, by the way).

You can visit the Old Quarter during any time of the day. In the morning, you can enjoy the busy rush hour and during the evening, you can witness the locals getting together and wander around the lights on the historic buildings.

2. Visit the unique Train Street

Have you ever heard of the Train Street? When coming to Hanoi, this is probably the most unique place you could possibly visit. The Train Street, as the name already states, is a street for a train leading through the the city.

What makes the street so special, is the narrow part leading through Hanoi, where you will find restaurants and cafés next to the rails. You can literally enjoy a coffee while a train is passing just a meter in front of your face. Getting this close to a driving train (of course, it is driving slowly for the safety) is unique and one of the must-dos in Hanoi and all of Vietnam.

The Train Street can easily be reached from the Old Quarter. The Cafés usually open at around eight or nine in the morning. A great way to see the street without any tourists is to visit early in the morning. At seven am you will get an empty street and a unique experience of this extraordinary place.

But do not forget to come back in the afternoon to enjoy a coffee while the train is driving by! Plan your visit according to the train’s schedule, to see the street without any tourists you need to arrive before eight in the morning.

3. Go on a free walking tour through Hanoi

Hanoi is basically made for budget travelling. Not only are the costs of living extremely low and you can get your accommodation and food for a few euros per night, but as well the sightseeing. Hanoi offers free walking tours – your chance to see the city for free and get some inside stories from a local!

Most of the walking tours are organized by hostels. If you are not staying in a hostel in Hanoi, make sure to ask in your accommodation for the opportunity to join a free walking tour. As this is quite common in the city, it is not hard to find a tour.

The walking tour is great for travellers who would love to see the highlights of Hanoi and get to know a little of the background. The tours are mostly guided by English-speaking locals who you can ask your questions to. A great way to get the most out of the walking tour is book a tour in the beginning of your stay. Therefore, you will get a good first impression of the city and, you can visit some of the places you liked on your own again.

Most of the tours happen during the morning or midday. This is a good time to avoid the heat

4. Try the delicious street food

There is no way to visit Vietnam without eating the delicious food every day. Hanoi itself is famous for the amazing street food. At almost every corner you can find some local stands selling delicious meals. Make sure to not miss out on the Bahn Mí in Hanoi, it is the best!

When trying the street food in Vietnam, dare to try something new. Some of the local dishes and sweets might seem unknown to foreigners, but once you try it you’ll be surprised.

5. Visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

Hanoi is not only a cultural highlight, but has as well an important history. While you can visit quite some interesting museums, you should definitely put the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum on your list of to-dos.

The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is the resting place of the former leader of the country and located a little outside of the Old Quarter in Hanoi. Visiting the place will help you get a better understanding of the Vietnam´s history and the role of Ho Chi Minh.

It is best to visit the place early in the morning to avoid crowds. Between eight and nine in the morning is a great time.

6. Always look out for a cute café

What you will find in every street of Hanoi are tiny cafés. They can be quite hidden but absolutely worth a visit. Most of them have these very small chairs where you can sit on while enjoying your drink and watching the traffic of Hanoi.

Always make sure to get a seat with a view on the street – the traffic really can be entertaining to watch.

But why visit the cafés? Vietnam is famous for the so-called coconut coffee and as well the egg coffee. Both are specialities which you simply cannot miss when travelling the country. But not only the egg coffee is delicious. Try out the traditional coffee and the yoghurt drinks as well – you will be surprised how incredibly delicious this is. The cafés in Hanoi are a great way to spend your day and live in the moment. You can bring a book or have something to eat with your drinks while you are testing the different cafés in the city.

7. Walk around the Hoan Kiem Lake and the Ngoc Son Temple

Directly at the Old Quarter, where the busses from the airport arrive, you will see quite a big lake. That is the Hoan Kiem Lake which is popular to walk or bike around. The lake and the surrounding trees are one of the many reasons, why at some places, Hanoi does not feel like a big city as nature is never far!

The Hoan Kiem Lake is especially in the morning a popular spot for the locals. Most of the walking tours make their way around the lake as well. But it is not only the lake itself, which makes it worth to visit this place.

The Ngoc Son Temple is a place you should see while being in Hanoi. The old temple is famous for its bridge, which lights up as soon as it gets dark. You can either get yourself the tickets to enter the temple or admire the building from the outside.

The best time to visit is during the morning and at night to see the lights of the bridge.

8. Go shopping at the Old Quarter

Of course, Hanoi is a great place to go a little bit shopping as well. You can basically get anything in the Old Quarter. From the usual souvenirs to cheap clothing and traditional art. The Old Quarter feels like a giant market selling all different stuff. Stroll through the streets and see what you can get in the shops – some travellers buy their entire gear in Hanoi before leaving for other spots around the country.

Hanoi is a city with different things to do and see. Travellers love the variety and the mixture of culture, history and urban chaos. Hanoi is the best chance to get to know Vietnam a little better and plan your route through one of the prettiest countries in South East Asia!