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 If Saigon is the frenetic, commercial heartbeat of Vietnam, then verdant and historic Hanoi is the sedate, intellectual soul of the country. Its leafy boulevards, serene lakes, and sweeping white French colonial architecture set the scene as tourists and locals go about their business at a pleasingly civilised pace.

currency

Vietnamese dong (VND)
VND10,000 ~ US$0,43

phone

Police: 113
Fire: 114
Ambulance: 115

newspaper

Hanoi Times – hanoitimes.vn
Việt Nam News – vietnamnews.vn
Word Hanoi – wordhanoi.com
Nhân Dân (Official newspaper of the Communist Party of Vietnam, also available online in English) – en.nhandan.vn
Vietnam Investment Review (English business publication) – vir.com.vn

hours

Shops are generally open from 8am–9pm, but can close for lunch for one or two hours. Banks are open Mon–Fri from 8–11:30am and from 1–4pm, and are closed on Saturday and Sunday. Governmental offices are open Mon–Fri from 7:30am–4:30pm, excluding a one-hour lunch, and closed on Saturday and Sunday.

population

5,067,000 (2022)

info

Tourist Information and Support Center
28 Hàng Dầu Street, Hanoi
Opening hours: Mon & Tue, Thu & Fri: 9am–5pm, Sat 10am–4:30pm, Sun 9:30am–4:30pm. Closed on Wednesday
+84 91 108 19 68

Tran Quoc pagoda in the full-moon day. Hanoi, Vietnam Jimmy Tran/Shutterstock.com

The City

Most travellers base themselves in the central Hoan Kiem District, in the vicinity of lovely Hoan Kiem Lake, whose pathways and surrounding greenery is the site of much activity as the sun rises. Don’t be surprised to see graceful schools of tai chi-ers moving as one as the sun rises, and Hanoi health fanatics doing jogging laps before work. As the day falls, couples stroll there for privacy and children wrap-up their games.

Northwest of the lake is the legendary Old Quarter with its winding alleyways and hundreds of quaint shops, guesthouses, galleries, and places to eat. Tourists flock into locals' establishments, open long after the doors have shut elsewhere in the city. It’s also crammed with temples and monuments to ponder over between eating and shopping.

Ba Dinh District, to the west of the lake, is the place to head for a little historic enlightenment – The Mausoleum, the Museum of Ho Chi Minh and the Hanoi Old Citadel all reside there – and the Old French Quarter, south of the lake, will transport you back to the days before the French realised that the Vietnamese were a force to be reckoned with. Upscale restaurants, hotels and embassies now occupy the stunning white villas.

Lights in Hanoi garden Galyna Andrushko/Shutterstock.com

Do & See

Visit Hanoi and you will find white French villas next to temples and monuments. The Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum is one of the most visited attractions in the country and should not be missed. Hanoi Old Quarter is another must to witness Hanoi at its liveliest moments: flows of people and motorbike permeate all through out the streets.

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VAC Library

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Halong Bay

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One Pillar Pagoda

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Temple Of Literature

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Ngoc Son Temple

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Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum

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Thien Quang Pagoda

Alistair Morrenger/Wikimedia Commons

Vietnam National Museum of History

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Hoa Lo Prison

Michael Coghlan/Flickr

Vietnam Women's Museum

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Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre

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Vietnam Museum of Ethnology

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St. Joseph's Cathedral

Netfalls Remy Musser/Shutterstock.com

Hanoi Cooking Centre

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Cuc Phuong National Park

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Old Quarter

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Fine Arts Museum

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Hanoi Street Food Tour

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Lake of the Restored Sword (Hoan Kiem Lake)

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La Siesta Spa

vietnamese pho with spicy sriracha sauce shot top down Joshua Resnick/Shutterstock.com

Dining

Hanoi restaurants tend to centre around Vietnamese with Asian fusion or European fare, particularly French and Italian. You are more likely to find international dining in the Hoan Kiem District, but for local authentic flavours (and Hanoi’s famous Pho noodle soup dish) head to the Old Quarter street vendors. Note that most restaurants close at 11pm.

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Vine Wine Boutique Bar & Cafe

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Al Fresco's

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Seasons Of Hanoi

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The Gourmet Corner Restaurant

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La Badiane

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El Gaucho - Argentinian Steakhouse

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Green Mango

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Old Quarter

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Red Bean Restaurant

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Jacksons Steakhouse

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Namaste Hanoi

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Hanoi Taco Bar

A cup of Giang egg coffee in Hanoi khong katesorn/Shutterstock.com

Cafes

Because of its French colonial history and the fact that the locals love their coffee, Hanoi has a wide selection of cafes. Just about every block has some sort of coffee shop, everything from a simple local cafe to a Western-style venue.

The Vietnamese truly like to experiment with their coffee. So when visiting Hanoi, make sure to try the egg coffee as well as the coconut coffee. Both are highly appreciated among tourists and locals alike.

Take a seat and order a cafe au lait or a Vietnamese-style coffee while watching the Vietnamese in their everyday life.

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The Note Coffee

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Giang Cafe

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S'Patisserie

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Maison de Tet Decor

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The Hanoi Social Club

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Joma Bakery Cafe

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Om Hanoi: Yoga & Cafe

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La Place

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Cafe Pho Co

Aerial view of Hanoi skyline cityscape at twilight period. Linh Dam lake, south of Hanoi capital Hanoi Photography/Shutterstock.com

Bars & Nightlife

Hanoi has only recently come to grips with the concept of nightlife past 10 pm, and the result is pockets of activity dotted around the city. Most tourists head for the bustling Bao Khanh Street in the northwest of Hoan Kiem, where late-night hangouts and bars huddle together, which attract the locals just as much as out-of-towners. There aren’t a huge amount of actual nightclubs in the city, but the handful you do come across are riotous affairs that stay open until the small hours and pump up the volume.

Michael Coghlan/Flickr

Bia Hoi Junction

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Binh Minh’s Jazz Club

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Hanoi Rock City

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Hero Club Hanoi

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Infinity Club

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Mojito Bar & Lounge

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R & R Tavern

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Rockstore Hanoi

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Sunset Bar

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King Pirates Pub

Vietnam's traditional souvenirs are sold in shop at Hanoi's Old Quarter ( Pho Co Hanoi), Vietnam Daniel William/Shutterstock.com

Shopping

If you truly love shopping, don´t worry, there is for sure no lack of choices when it comes to shopping in Hanoi. The city is renowned for its bustling markets and colonial shophouses where to buy everything from authentic silk, local crafts to souvenirs, but there is also a numbers of fashion boutiques and shopping malls where to buy local and international fashion brands.

Traditional markets are scattered across the city where you can buy great gifts and souvenirs to bring back home. If you would ask a local or tour guide where to find the most various kinds of traditional Vietnamese gifts and souvenirs, most of them will say “Hoan Kiem Lake” and “The Old Quarter”. So make sure to add these areas on your to-do-list.

When you want to escape from the afternoon heat, the shopping malls are a good options. Savico Megamall for example should be in your agenda to visit, famous for being one of the largest shopping malls in Vietnam. Trang Tien Plaza is great for high-end fashion and offers all the well-known brands.

One thing is for sure you will not leave Hanoi empty-handed!

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Old Quarter

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Hang Gai

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Craft-Link

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Trang Tien Street

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Hang Bac street

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Hoan Kiem District

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Night Market

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Quang Ba Flower Market

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Trang Tien Plaza

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Nha Tho Street

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Savico Megamall

women selling flowers on a boat in the early morning John Bill/Shutterstock.com

Tourist Information

Airport

Hanoi’s sparkling new Nội Bài International Airport is the second largest and busiest airport for passenger traffic in Vietnam. It is located 28km away from Hanoi city centre.

Hanoi city bus numbers 7 and 17 leave from the right side of the terminal exit and take an hour to reach the city centre. They run from 5am–10pm, every 15-20 minutes.

Airport minibuses congregate outside the arrival hall–the Vietnam Airlines minibus takes about 40 minutes and drops you outside their Hoan Kiem Lake office (south end). Tickets are sold inside the terminal building. However, many travellers opt for a taxi–there are hundreds outside the terminal exit gate. Unlike the minibuses, which run only intermittently at night, taxis are present 24 hours a day. A taxi ride to the city centre takes about 30-40 minutes. Another option for lower fares is the rideshare company Grab.

Address: Nội Bài International Airport, Hanoi

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Website: vietnamairport.vn/noibaiairport/en/

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Train

Hanoi train station is conveniently located in the city center, with Gate A serving mainly guests traveling South to Danang, Hue, Nha Trang and Ho Chi Minh City and Gate B serving guests travelling up north to Sapa. It takes about 10 minutes by taxi from either gate to Hanoi Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake.

Train departs punctually with a variety of seat option: hard seat, soft seat, hard berth, soft berth. Despite many shortcomings, train is a safe and reliable means of transportation, and the essential way for guest to visit places such as Sapa.

To purchase train tickets, you can buy directly at the train station or book in advance with an online booking agent and have the ticket delivered to your hotel on your arrival.

Address: 120 Le Duan Street, Hanoi

Email: sales@vietnamtrain.com

Phone:

Website: www.vietnamtrain.com

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Public Transport

Public transport plays an essential part in Hanoi's transportation scene but it can be hard for first-timers to use. Unlike metros in big cities, Hanoi's bus system is rather confusing due to its many route covering the hundreds of streets with many different name.

Bus are numbered from 1 to 55 and runs as far as Bac Ninh province which is just by the airport.

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Taxi

Taxis are plentiful in the city and charge by distance only (there is no surcharge for rush hour or late evening). Make sure that the taxi rid is charged according to taxi meter. Many tourist have been complaining about taxis been cheating with the price, so be aware of it and only use reliable taxi companies.

Try to have the right change as taxi drivers often don’t have change. Also remember to have your destination written down as pronunciation is often difficult.

Taxi station are located at the airport and the train station.

Reliable taxi companies are Taxi CP and Taxi Hanoi who are two brands of Taxi Group.

Taxi CP: 0438 26 26 26
Hanoi Taxi 0438 53 53 53

Address: 15 Pham Hung Street, Hanoi

Email: khachhangttdh@taxigroup.com.vn

Phone: +84 4 38 53 53 53

Website: www.taxigroup.com.vn/en

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Pharmacy

Pharmacies is called "nha thuoc" in Vietnamese, can be found on nearly every square block of the city.

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Telephone

Country code: +84

Area code: 04

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Electricity

220V is standard in Vietnam. In Hanoi, many outlets fit round pins. Use a surge protector when using computers.

If you stay at 3 star hotels and up, the hotel receptionist should be able to help you with an adapter.

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