Nightlife · Hanoi · Vietnam
Hanoi nightlife
Where the evenings happen in Hanoi, from early drinks to late nights.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: xiquinhosilva, CC BY 2.0
Quick answer
Hanoi's nights revolve around beer: bia hơi on plastic stools, the crowded bar street of Tạ Hiện and craft breweries and cocktail bars in the Old Quarter and West Lake. Jazz and live music add a quieter option. The main areas are Tạ Hiện and Lương Ngọc Quyến, Old Quarter bia hơi corners, Tây Hồ (West Lake) and French Quarter.
Key facts
- Nightlife areas
- 4
- Stay near the action
- Old Quarter
- Local drink
- Egg coffee
Where to go out
Tạ Hiện and Lương Ngọc Quyến
The Old Quarter's 'beer street', packed with low stools, bars and street food, especially on weekend nights.
Old Quarter bia hơi corners
Street-corner stalls serving fresh draught beer to locals from late afternoon.
Tây Hồ (West Lake)
Craft beer bars, cocktail lounges and lakeside venues popular with expats and young Hanoians.
French Quarter
Hotel bars, jazz clubs and more refined cocktail bars around the Opera House.
Nightlife tips
- Agree prices at bars that do not display menus, especially on Tạ Hiện, where overcharging occurs.
- Take a ride-hailing car or taxi home late at night rather than riding a rented motorbike.
- Keep phones out of reach of passing motorbikes when sitting at street-side tables.
Evening sights
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
Street · Hoàn Kiếm Lake
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
Architecture · French Quarter
Hanoi Opera House
Check the programme for an evening performance; it is the best way to see the auditorium.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes outside, 2 hours for a show
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Architecture
- After dark
- Couples
What to drink
- Egg coffee — Strong Vietnamese coffee topped with a thick, sweet foam of whisked egg yolk, sugar and condensed milk, created in Hanoi in the 1940s when fresh milk was scarce.
- Bia hơi — Light, fresh draught beer brewed daily and served from kegs at street-corner stalls, sometimes for well under a dollar a glass, with plastic stools spilling across the pavement.
Evenings through the year
Sunset and the overnight low decide how long the outdoor part of a night lasts. June has the warmest evenings, with lows around 26°C (79°F).
| Month | Sunset (15th) | Overnight low | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | About 17:35 | 14°C (57°F) | 9 |
| April | About 18:15 | 22°C (72°F) | 13 |
| July | About 18:41 | 26°C (79°F) | 16 |
| October | About 17:32 | 22°C (72°F) | 9 |
Getting home late
- Walking — Do not step back or run when crossing; predictability is what keeps you safe.
- Ride-hailing — Grab, Be and Xanh SM offer cars and motorbike taxis with fixed in-app prices, the easiest way to reach West Lake, the Museum of Ethnology or the airport.
- Taxi — Metered taxis from established companies are widely available; avoid unmarked cars and drivers who approach you at the airport or bus stations.
- Bus — City buses are very inexpensive but slow and signed mostly in Vietnamese.
- Metro — Two elevated metro lines (2A and 3) serve the south-west and west of the city; they are useful mainly for reaching outer districts rather than central sights.
- Tuk-tuk — Agree the price and route before you set off.
Late-night bites
- Bánh mì — Stalls and small shops throughout the Old Quarter; ask for 'bánh mì chay' at places that offer a vegetarian filling.
- Hanoi fried spring rolls — Served alongside bún chả at most grill stalls, and as a starter in family restaurants.
Staying safe at night
Traffic is the biggest hazard: cross slowly and steadily and watch for motorbikes on pavements. Bag and phone snatching by passing motorbikes happens, and overcharging by cyclo drivers and unofficial taxis is common. Air pollution is often high in winter, so check air-quality readings on still days.
- Emergency number
- 113 police, 114 fire, 115 ambulance
Where to stay for nightlife
$$ · Best for first-timers, budget, food lovers and nightlife
Old Quarter
The Old Quarter, north of Hoàn Kiếm Lake, is a tight grid of streets named after their trades, such as Hàng Bạc and Hàng Gai. It has the city's widest choice of budget and mid-range hotels, the densest street food and the Tạ Hiện bar street. Pavements are crowded with parked motorbikes and stalls, so expect to walk in the road.
- Good
- Street food on every corner; Walking distance to the lake and many sights; Good-value hotels
- Watch out
- Constant motorbike noise and traffic; Rooms can be small and windowless; Touts and overcharging around Tạ Hiện
- Nearby
- Hoàn Kiếm Lake, Đồng Xuân Market, Bạch Mã Temple, Tạ Hiện street
Questions travellers ask
+Where is the best nightlife in Hanoi?
Tạ Hiện and Lương Ngọc Quyến, Old Quarter bia hơi corners and Tây Hồ (West Lake). The Old Quarter's 'beer street', packed with low stools, bars and street food, especially on weekend nights.
+Which area of Hanoi is best for nightlife?
Old Quarter: Narrow guild streets of tube houses, street stalls, motorbikes and beer corners.