Best Things to Do in Hanoi (2026 Guide)

Hanoi rewards the traveller who slows down and follows their nose. The best things to do in Hanoi start with a dawn walk around Hoan Kiem Lake — the small jade-green lake at the heart of the city, with the 18th-century Ngoc Son Temple on its tiny island — and continue through the labyrinthine Old Quarter, where 36 streets still trade by the craft guild their names advertise (Hang Bac = silver, Hang Dao = silk, Hang Ma = paper goods). Vietnamese street food at its finest is here: pho bo from a metal pot at 6am, bun cha (charcoal-grilled pork with rice noodles, made famous by Anthony Bourdain and Barack Obama’s 2016 visit), banh mi from Banh Mi 25, and ca phe trung (egg coffee) at Cafe Giang, where it was invented in 1946. The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, and the Temple of Literature (Vietnam’s first university, 1070 AD) provide the historical depth. Ha Long Bay is best visited as a two-day overnight cruise, not a day trip.Best time to visitOctober to April is Hanoi’s dry season, with October-November and March-April being the sweet spots: warm enough (22-28°C), dry, and with clear visibility for Ha Long Bay. May-September is hot (35°C+), humid, and brings typhoon-season rain, though showers are typically short afternoon bursts. The Tet holiday (Vietnamese Lunar New Year, late January or February) shuts most businesses for a week but creates extraordinary city atmosphere — book accommodation months ahead and expect altered opening hours at all attractions.Getting aroundNoi Bai International Airport is 45 minutes from the Old Quarter by taxi or airport bus. The Old Quarter is best explored on foot; the streets are narrow and motorbike traffic is intense. Grab (the Southeast Asian Uber equivalent) is essential for longer journeys. Day trips to Ha Long Bay (160km, 3-4 hours drive) are easiest by overnight cruise — the two-day/one-night format allows a genuine experience of the bay after tourists leave. Vietnam Railways connects Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City via the Reunification Express (a 33-hour journey, best done in overnight sleeper segments: Hanoi-Hue, Hue-Danang).What to eat and drinkHanoi’s cuisine is Northern Vietnamese — subtler and less sweet than southern cooking, defined by fresh herbs, fish sauce, and the clear broth of pho. Essential eating: pho ga (chicken pho) at Pho Thin on Dinh Tien Hoang, bun cha at Bun Cha Huong Lien (Obama’s table is preserved), banh cuon (steamed rice rolls with pork and wood ear mushroom) at Banh Cuon Gia Truyen, and chao suon (rice porridge with pork ribs) for breakfast. Ca phe trung (egg coffee) at Cafe Giang in the Old Quarter is the iconic Hanoi coffee experience. Bia hoi (fresh draught beer, brewed that day, sold by the glass for $0.30 at street corners) is drunk at plastic stools on the pavement — a uniquely Hanoi institution.Areas to exploreOld Quarter (Hoan Kiem District) — The 36-street medieval trading district, unchanged in street plan since the 13th century. Dong Xuan Market (the largest indoor market, 1889), Hoan Kiem Lake, and Ngoc Son Temple.Hoan Kiem Lake & Surroundings — The social centre of Hanoi, pedestrianised on weekends. The lake, Huc Bridge, Ngoc Son Temple, and the Dinh Tien Hoang street around it are the heart of the city.Ba Dinh District — Political Hanoi: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (body preserved, open most mornings; closed October-November for maintenance), Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh’s Stilt House, and the One Pillar Pagoda.West Lake (Ho Tay) — Hanoi’s largest lake, in the city’s northwest. Tran Quoc Pagoda (the oldest Buddhist pagoda in Hanoi, 6th century AD, on a small peninsula), upscale restaurants and cafes on the lake’s southern shore.French Quarter — The colonial boulevards around Hoan Kiem: the Hanoi Opera House (1911, modelled on the Paris Garnier), the Fine Arts Museum of Vietnam, and the grand embassies of Phan Dinh Phung Street.FAQWhat are the best things to do in Hanoi?The best things to do in Hanoi include walking Hoan Kiem Lake at dawn, eating pho and bun cha in the Old Quarter, visiting the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, taking a two-day Ha Long Bay cruise, and watching a water puppet show at Thang Long Theatre.How many days do I need in Hanoi?Three days covers the city; add two days for a Ha Long Bay overnight cruise. Five days total is the ideal Hanoi experience before heading south on the Reunification Express.Is Hanoi safe for tourists?Yes, Hanoi is generally very safe. Traffic is the main hazard — cross the road slowly and steadily, don’t hesitate, and let traffic flow around you. Bag snatching from motorbikes occurs; keep bags on the side away from the road.What is the best time to visit Hanoi?October-April for dry weather. October-November and March-April for the sweet spots. Avoid Tet week if you want everything open. May-September is hot and wet but still manageable with good accommodation.