Free things to do · Hanoi · Vietnam
9 free things to do in Hanoi
Hanoi without the ticket prices: sights, walks and views that cost nothing.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: NKSTTSSHNVN, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
You can fill at least 3 days in Hanoi without paying an entry fee: Old Quarter guild streets, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Ba Đình Square, One Pillar Pagoda and Trấn Quốc Pagoda are all free. Street food and bia hơi stalls give you excellent meals for a few dollars a day.
Key facts
- Free sights in this guide
- 9
- Low-cost extras
- 8
- Cost level
- Very affordable
- Lowest hotel prices
- May–August
Free sights and experiences
Neighbourhood · Old Quarter
1.Old Quarter guild streets
Walk it in the morning when shops open and traffic is lighter, and look up to see the narrow façades above the shopfronts.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Food
- Shopping
- History
- Photo spot
Landmark · Ba Đình
2.Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Ba Đình Square
Arrive early in the morning, dress with shoulders and knees covered, and leave large bags at the check-in; the mausoleum closes on some days and for maintenance periods, so check before you go.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours with the grounds
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- History
- Free
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Religious site · Ba Đình
3.One Pillar Pagoda
Visit it on the same morning as the mausoleum; it takes only a few minutes.
- Time needed
- 15 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
Religious site · Tây Hồ (West Lake)
4.Trấn Quốc Pagoda
Visit in the late afternoon and stay for sunset along Thanh Niên road; dress modestly to enter.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Photo spot
- Couples
- History
Architecture · Old Quarter
5.Long Biên Bridge
Walk out to the middle at sunset and watch a train pass; stay on the pedestrian walkway and watch for motorbikes.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Views
- Photo spot
- Off the beaten path
Market · Old Quarter
6.Đồng Xuân Market
Explore the food stalls at the back and the produce sellers in the surrounding lanes in the morning.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- Food
Street · Hoàn Kiếm Lake
7.Weekend walking street and night market
Arrive around 7pm for the liveliest atmosphere and keep a close hold on phones in the crowds.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- After dark
- Kids
- Food
- Shopping
Religious site · Hoàn Kiếm Lake
8.St Joseph's Cathedral
The interior is usually open around Mass times; outside those, enjoy the façade from a café across the square.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Photo spot
Religious site · Old Quarter
9.Bạch Mã Temple
Dress modestly and leave a small donation; photography is usually allowed without flash.
- Time needed
- 20 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Off the beaten path
Free sights by area
| Area | Free sights | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Old Quarter | Old Quarter guild streets, Long Biên Bridge, Đồng Xuân Market and Bạch Mã Temple | Half a day + 1 hour + 1 hour + 20 minutes |
| Ba Đình | Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Ba Đình Square and One Pillar Pagoda | 1.5–2 hours with the grounds + 15 minutes |
| Tây Hồ (West Lake) | Trấn Quốc Pagoda | 45 minutes |
| Hoàn Kiếm Lake | Weekend walking street and night market and St Joseph's Cathedral | 2 hours + 30 minutes |
Worth a small ticket
Landmark · Hoàn Kiếm Lake
Hoàn Kiếm Lake and Ngọc Sơn Temple
Walk the 1.7 km circuit at about 6am to see morning exercises, then return on a weekend evening for the car-free streets.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
- Kids
- Couples
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Historic site · Ba Đình
Temple of Literature
Go early on a weekday; graduating students in gowns crowd the courtyards for photos at other times, especially in spring.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Photo spot
Experience · Hoàn Kiếm Lake
Water puppet show
Book a show a day ahead in busy periods and sit a few rows back; the front rows can get splashed.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
- After dark
- Iconic
Historic site · Ba Đình
Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long
Look for the archaeological excavation site across Hoàng Diệu street; many visitors miss it.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Off the beaten path
Museum · French Quarter
Hỏa Lò Prison
Allow time for the audio guide; the exhibits are grim but give important context to the French colonial era.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
Museum · Cầu Giấy
Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
Allow at least half a day; it is about 8 km west of the Old Quarter, so take a Grab or taxi.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
- History
- Architecture
Museum · French Quarter
Vietnamese Women's Museum
Start on the top floor with the fashion and textiles and work down.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Art
Gallery · Ba Đình
Vietnam National Museum of Fine Arts
Pair it with the Temple of Literature across the road.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
More ways to save
- Street food and bia hơi stalls give you excellent meals for a few dollars a day.
- Use ride-hailing apps to see fares in advance and avoid haggling with drivers.
- Check banknotes carefully: 20,000 and 500,000 VND notes look similar, as do 10,000 and 100,000.
- Carry small notes; street vendors often cannot change large ones.
- Very low-priced Ha Long Bay tours often cut corners on boats and food; compare reviews before booking.
- Museum entry tickets are inexpensive, so you can see the major collections for very little.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Hanoi expensive to visit?
Hanoi is very affordable for most visitors, but 9 of its best-known sights are free, which makes a tight budget workable.
+What is the best free thing to do in Hanoi?
Old Quarter guild streets: Walk it in the morning when shops open and traffic is lighter, and look up to see the narrow façades above the shopfronts.