Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, is a favored and popular tourist destination. It’s the second largest city in Vietnam but many of its must-see attractions are located in and around the Old Quarter. You’ll see French influences in its architecture as well as a lasting influence from the communist rule of China. There are many things to do and places to visit and we made the most of our time in the city. We only had three days in Hanoi because we wanted to head out to Halong Bay where we had a cruise planned.
First tip is to find a place to stay in or near the Old Quarter. This is the best area where to stay as you’ll be able to walk around day and night and enjoy what Hanoi has to offer.
Things to do in Hanoi
Simply wander around the Old Quarter
One advantage of staying in the area is that we had ample opportunity to simply wander around and soak up the rich scenery in the Old Quarter. The area is awash with street vendors, food carts and the streets are packed with scooters, bicycles and the occasional honking car. Do be careful crossing the street. This area is a great spot to try out some local snacks and buy souvenirs.
You can find all types of street food in the Old Quarter and there are many foodie tours dedicated to just eating your way through Hanoi. We were somewhat put off after seeing some of the sanitary conditions, but hey, it’s up to you!
Be sure to check out the Bach Ma Temple founded a thousand year ago and one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Hanoi.
Another must-see site in the Old Quarter, is St. Joseph’s Cathedral. It was built in 1886 in a Neo-Gothic style and is the oldest Catholic church in Hanoi. The two towers are over 100 feet tall and the façade is reminiscent of the Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral.
Learn to cross the street
As crazy as it sounds, just go and cross the street raising your hand. Don’t wait for drivers to stop, they won’t. Cars, scooters will come close to you but just continue on walking. This takes jaywalking to another level, but after a few days in Vietnam you’ll get the hang of it!
Walk around Hoan Kiem Lake
Hoan Kiem Lake is a relaxing venue in the middle of the city enjoyed by both locals and tourists. There is a small charge to visit the lovely Temple of the Jade Mountain (Ngoc Son Temple) but it’s worth taking a peek inside. It’s a memorial to a military leader (Tran Hung Dao) that fought against the Yuan Dynasty. The temple also pays homage to Confucien and Taoist philosophers. Inside see the huge sacred embalmed tortoises that used to inhabit the lake.
This place has a popular historical significance and you’ll see many locals visiting. It’s on a small island and connected to the lakeshore by a beautiful scarlet wooden bridge, the Huc Bridge. We though that the bridge was even more spectacular at night.
Other points of interest in and around the lake include the Hoa Phong Tower, the pagoda in the middle of the lake and the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre.
Go see a water puppet show
Watch a water puppet show at one of the theaters. While a typical tourist thing to do, the show gives a glimpse into Vietnamese culture and is something unique to Vietnam. Watch as colorful puppets magically glide over the water. We saw a show in the famous Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre and enjoyed the venue, there are multiple shows a day starting at 3pm until 8pm.
Go see a show at the opera house
Hanoi Opera House in the French Quarter is modeled after the Opera Garnier in Paris. It’s a spectacular building in its own right. Built in 1911 during the French occupation the building fell into disrepair but was renovated and restored in 1997.
Try to arrange to see a show here as the inside of the theater is just wonderful. We were lucky enough to be invited to a show by my brother’s friend, Loc, who’s performance, Lang Toi – My Village, just happened to be playing while we were in town. Pretty cool to have connections in show business. 
Places to Visit in Hanoi
Temple of Literature
The Temple of Literature is a huge temple complex in the center of Hanoi dedicated to Confucius. It dates back almost a thousand years and was Hanoi’s first university. Over many centuries, buildings have been added and today this beautiful park is filled with shrines and pagodas and has a spectacular garden. See the turtle steles dedicated to scholars. Each one is unique.
It’s a tradition for new doctors to visit the Temple of Literature upon graduation. Also, students visit to pray for good grades.
We hear that it’s usually a peaceful and quiet place, but it wasn’t the case during the Lunar New Year holiday season. When we visited the place was overcrowded which took away from our experience.
Hoa Lo Prison
This prison was first used by the French colonists during the Indochina war to imprison political prisoners. Later on, it was used to incarcerate US prisoners of war during the Vietnam War. The prison’s gatehouse is now a museum with poignant exhibits.
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum was built to honor the communist leader who broke the French rule in 1954. You can see the preserved body of Uncle Ho, as he is known, in a glass case inside. The mausoleum is closed Mondays and Fridays, but you can still see the outside. Also, it closes early 10:30 on weekdays and 11:00 on weekends.
The mausoleum is located along Ba Dinh Square which is more like a wide esplanade than a square. This is the historical site where Ho Chi Minh announced Vietnam’s independence from France.
Also, in the area there is the One Pillar Pagoda, Ho Chi Minh’s Stilt House, Uncle Ho’s Fishpond and the Ho Chi Minh Museum.
Thang Long Imperial Citadel (Hanoi Citadel)
The Imperial Citadel of Thang Long is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This 1000-year-old historic complex was once a political center of Vietnam. It’s located in the Ba Dinh district. Note that the citadel is closed on Mondays.
Nearby you can see the Hanoi Flag Tower which used to be part of the citadel. The 110 foot tower is considered to be a symbol of Hanoi and you can’t miss it. It’s located next to the Vietnam Military History Museum.
Tran Quoc Pagoda
The Tran Quoc Pagoda is a 6th century Buddhist temple with various shrines. It’s on a small island in West Lake (Ho Tay) north of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. The main pagoda has 11 levels and measures 50 ft. We skipped visiting this site because it was overcrowded with people wanting blessings for the Lunar New Year. But under other circumstances we would have.
Other things to do if you have time
There’s a lot of museums in Hanoi aside from those mentioned above. You might be interested in visiting the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, the Vietnamese Women Museum, the National Historical Museum, or the National Museum of History.
Conclusion
The best way to explore Hanoi is simply to wander around and get a feel for the city. We loved the Old Quarter and French Area. In Ba Dinh, we even stumbled upon the Canadian embassy. Of course, we stopped by Hanoi Train Street to see what all the fuss was about!
Definitely work in a cruise in Halong Bay. It’s a few hours away but worth the trek. I’ve always loved those towering islands that seem to stick out of the ocean… it’s very picturesque.
See our posts about Ho Chi Minh City and our Halong Bay Cruise
2 replies on “Things to Do and Places to Visit in Hanoi, Vietnam”
Beautiful pictures
Thanks Mimi!