For couples · Hanoi · Vietnam
Romantic things to do in Hanoi
Ideas for a couples' trip, from small moments to a special day out.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Juliana Ng from Singapore, CC BY 2.0
Quick answer
Hanoi's romance is in its atmosphere: misty lakes at dawn, colonial villas, candle-lit rooftop bars and a night on a junk in Ha Long Bay. Couples tend to stay in Hoàn Kiếm Lake.
Key facts
- Romantic ideas
- 5
- Couple-friendly sights
- 3
- Area for couples
- Hoàn Kiếm Lake
- Best months
- March
Romantic ideas
1.Sunset on West Lake
Walk along Thanh Niên road past Trấn Quốc Pagoda as the sun sets over the water.
2.Evening at the Opera House
Book a concert or ballet in the restored 1911 auditorium, then have a drink in the French Quarter.
3.Rooftop view of Hoàn Kiếm
Find a café or bar overlooking the lake for coffee by day or cocktails after dark.
4.Dawn walk around the lake
Join the tai chi and ballroom dancers at 6am, before the city wakes up.
5.Overnight Ha Long Bay cruise
Sleep aboard a junk-style boat among the karsts and wake to sunrise on the bay.
Sights couples love
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
Religious site · Tây Hồ (West Lake)
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 · 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
Where couples should stay
$$$ · Best for first-timers, families and couples
Hoàn Kiếm Lake
Hotels on the streets around the lake put you between the Old Quarter to the north and the French Quarter to the south, with the water puppet theatre and Ngọc Sơn Temple on the shore. From Friday to Sunday evenings the surrounding streets close to traffic and fill with families, street performers and games.
- Good
- Central for everything; Pleasant early-morning walks around the lake; Weekend car-free streets
- Watch out
- Higher prices than the Old Quarter's back streets; Very crowded on weekend evenings
- Nearby
- Ngọc Sơn Temple, Thăng Long Water Puppet Theatre, St Joseph's Cathedral
Romantic day trips
- Ha Long Bay (About 2.5–3 hours each way by road) — Some 1,600 limestone islands and islets rise from the emerald water of this UNESCO-listed bay, with caves such as Sửng Sốt and kayaking among the karsts.
- Ninh Bình (Tràng An and Tam Cốc) (About 2 hours each way by road) — Rowing boats glide along rivers through limestone caves and rice paddies at Tràng An and Tam Cốc.
For dinner
Share local specialities such as Bún chả, Chả cá Lã Vọng and Bún thang. Ask for 'không cay' if you do not want chilli, and 'không đá' if you prefer no ice.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Hanoi romantic?
Hanoi's romance is in its atmosphere: misty lakes at dawn, colonial villas, candle-lit rooftop bars and a night on a junk in Ha Long Bay.
+What is the most romantic thing to do in Hanoi?
Sunset on West Lake: Walk along Thanh Niên road past Trấn Quốc Pagoda as the sun sets over the water.
+Where should couples stay in Hanoi?
Hoàn Kiếm Lake: The tree-lined lake at the centre of the city, with a weekend pedestrian zone.