Things to do in Hanoi

29 picks in Hanoi, Vietnam: spots, food and events for travelers.

Vietnam's capital centers on Hoan Kiem Lake and the narrow streets of the Old Quarter, with the Temple of Literature, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum area, French-era buildings and a street-food scene known for pho, bun cha and egg coffee.

Good to knowGrab cars and motorbike taxis are the easiest way to get around, and the streets around Hoan Kiem Lake become a pedestrian zone on weekend evenings. Winter (roughly December to February) is cool and can feel chilly, summer is hot, humid and rainy, and autumn (September to November) is usually the most pleasant.

Photo: Rolf Müller (User:Rolfmueller) / CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Things to do in Hanoi

Hoan Kiem Lake & Ngoc Son Temple

Temple of Literature (Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam)

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum & One Pillar Pagoda

Imperial Citadel of Thang Long

Hoa Lo Prison Relic ("Hanoi Hilton")

Vietnam Museum of Ethnology

Vietnam Fine Arts Museum

Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre

Tran Quoc Pagoda

St. Joseph's Cathedral (Hanoi Cathedral)

Vietnamese Women's Museum

Vietnam National Museum of History

Old Quarter Street Food: Pho, Bun Cha and Banh Mi

Hoan Kiem Lake Weekend Walking Street

Old Quarter Weekend Night Market (Hang Dao)

Dong Xuan Market

Egg Coffee and Hanoi Cafe Culture

Ta Hien Beer Street and Bia Hoi Corner

West Lake Sunset

West Lake Shrimp Cakes (Banh Tom)

Pho Cuon on Ngu Xa Island, Truc Bach Lake

Long Bien Bridge and Banana Island Walk

Hang Ma Street and the Old Quarter Craft Streets

Bat Trang Pottery Village

Van Phuc Silk Village

Hanoikids Student-Guided City and Food Tours

Rose Kitchen Cooking Class with Market Visit

Hanoi Street Food Tour by Jeep, Vespa or Motorbike

Vietnam Military History Museum (New Site)

Other areas