Things to do · Hanoi · Vietnam
18 best things to do in Hanoi
18 sights and experiences ranked for a first visit, with honest notes on time, cost and crowds.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: The original uploader was Chuoibk at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 3.0
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Quick answer
The essential sights in Hanoi are Hoàn Kiếm Lake and Ngọc Sơn Temple, Old Quarter guild streets and Temple of Literature. Of the 18 picks below, 9 are free, 5 work on a rainy day and 4 suit children. Allow about 4 days to see the highlights without rushing.
Key facts
- Top sight
- Hoàn Kiếm Lake and Ngọc Sơn Temple
- Free sights
- 9
- Good on a rainy day
- Hỏa Lò Prison
- Time to see the highlights
- 4 days
At a glance
| Sight | Area | Time needed | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hoàn Kiếm Lake and Ngọc Sơn Temple | Hoàn Kiếm Lake | 1–2 hours | Low cost |
| Old Quarter guild streets | Old Quarter | Half a day | Free |
| Temple of Literature | Ba Đình | 1–1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Ba Đình Square | Ba Đình | 1.5–2 hours with the grounds | Free |
| Water puppet show | Hoàn Kiếm Lake | 1 hour | Low cost |
| One Pillar Pagoda | Ba Đình | 15 minutes | Free |
| Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long | Ba Đình | 1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Hỏa Lò Prison | French Quarter | 1 hour | Low cost |
| Vietnam Museum of Ethnology | Cầu Giấy | 2–3 hours | Low cost |
| Trấn Quốc Pagoda | Tây Hồ (West Lake) | 45 minutes | Free |
| Long Biên Bridge | Old Quarter | 1 hour | Free |
| Vietnamese Women's Museum | French Quarter | 1.5 hours | Low cost |
| Đồng Xuân Market | Old Quarter | 1 hour | Free |
| Weekend walking street and night market | Hoàn Kiếm Lake | 2 hours | Free |
| Vietnam National Museum of Fine Arts | Ba Đình | 1.5 hours | Low cost |
| St Joseph's Cathedral | Hoàn Kiếm Lake | 30 minutes | Free |
| Bạch Mã Temple | Old Quarter | 20 minutes | Free |
| Hanoi Opera House | French Quarter | 30 minutes outside, 2 hours for a show | Mid-priced |
The 18 best things to do
Landmark · Hoàn Kiếm Lake
1.Hoàn Kiếm Lake and Ngọc Sơn Temple
The 'Lake of the Returned Sword' takes its name from a legend in which a golden turtle reclaimed Emperor Lê Lợi's magic sword. The small Turtle Tower stands on an islet, and the red Thê Húc bridge leads to Ngọc Sơn Temple, which displays a preserved giant turtle from the lake. At dawn locals practise tai chi and dance along the shore.
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
Neighbourhood · Old Quarter
2.Old Quarter guild streets
Each street in the Old Quarter once specialised in a single trade, and many still do: tin boxes on Hàng Thiếc, paper offerings and lanterns on Hàng Mã, silver on Hàng Bạc. The restored tube house at 87 Mã Mây shows how merchant families lived, and Ô Quan Chưởng is the last surviving gate of the old city walls.
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
Historic site · Ba Đình
3.Temple of Literature
Founded in 1070 and dedicated to Confucius, this walled complex housed Vietnam's first university, the Imperial Academy. Its five courtyards hold lotus ponds, gateways and 82 stone stelae mounted on turtles that record the names of doctoral laureates from the 15th to 18th centuries.
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
Landmark · Ba Đình
4.Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Ba Đình Square
The granite mausoleum stands on Ba Đình Square, where Ho Chi Minh read Vietnam's declaration of independence in 1945, and holds his embalmed body. Visitors file past in silence under military guard. The grounds also include the yellow Presidential Palace, his simple stilt house and the Ho Chi Minh Museum.
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
Experience · Hoàn Kiếm Lake
5.Water puppet show
Water puppetry began in the flooded rice fields of the Red River Delta: lacquered wooden puppets glide across a pool, controlled by puppeteers hidden behind a screen, while musicians play traditional instruments. The Thăng Long Water Puppet Theatre on the lake's north-east shore stages several shows a day.
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
- Book ahead
- Shows sell out in peak season; buy tickets at the box office or online a day in advance.
- Kids
- Rainy day
- After dark
- Iconic
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Religious site · Ba Đình
6.One Pillar Pagoda
A small wooden shrine set on a single stone pillar in a lotus pond, designed to resemble a lotus flower rising from the water. First built in 1049, it was destroyed in 1954 and rebuilt the following year. It is next to the Ho Chi Minh Museum.
Visit it on the same morning as the mausoleum; it takes only a few minutes.
- Time needed
- 15 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
Historic site · Ba Đình
7.Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long
A UNESCO World Heritage Site covering more than a thousand years of history, from royal palace foundations excavated across the road at 18 Hoàng Diệu to the Đoan Môn gate and the underground D67 bunker used by military leaders during the American War. The Hanoi Flag Tower from 1812 stands nearby.
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
8.Hỏa Lò Prison
Built by the French in 1896 to hold Vietnamese political prisoners, the prison was later nicknamed the 'Hanoi Hilton' by American pilots held there, including John McCain. A surviving section is now a museum with cells, shackles and a guillotine, presented from the Vietnamese perspective.
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
1.Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
The best museum in Hanoi for understanding Vietnam's 54 recognised ethnic groups, with clothing, tools and ritual objects indoors and full-size traditional buildings in the garden, including an Ê Đê longhouse and a soaring Ba Na communal house you can climb into.
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
Religious site · Tây Hồ (West Lake)
2.Trấn Quốc Pagoda
Hanoi's oldest pagoda, founded in the 6th century and moved to a small island in West Lake in the 17th, is reached by a causeway. Its tall red stupa with Buddha statues in each niche reflects in the water at sunset.
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
3.Long Biên Bridge
Built by French engineers between 1899 and 1902, this steel cantilever bridge of more than 2 kilometres over the Red River was bombed repeatedly during the American War and patched up. Today trains run down the middle while motorbikes and pedestrians use the side lanes, with views over banana plantations on the river islands.
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
Museum · French Quarter
4.Vietnamese Women's Museum
Four floors explore women's roles in family life, history and wartime, alongside striking textiles and costumes from ethnic minority groups and a gallery on street vendors. Labels in English are thorough, making it one of the best-presented museums in the city.
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
Market · Old Quarter
5.Đồng Xuân Market
Hanoi's largest covered market occupies a building first opened in 1889 at the northern edge of the Old Quarter. Inside are wholesale stalls of clothes, fabric and household goods, with a food section serving bún, bánh and coffee to traders.
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
6.Weekend walking street and night market
From Friday to Sunday evening the streets around Hoàn Kiếm Lake and parts of the Old Quarter close to motor traffic. Families play traditional games, buskers perform, and a night market of clothes and snacks runs north along Hàng Đào towards Đồng Xuân 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
Gallery · Ba Đình
7.Vietnam National Museum of Fine Arts
Just north of the Temple of Literature, this colonial building holds Vietnamese art from ancient bronze drums and Buddhist statues to 20th-century lacquer and silk paintings. It is rarely busy and shows how Vietnamese artists adapted European techniques.
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
Religious site · Hoàn Kiếm Lake
8.St Joseph's Cathedral
Completed in 1886, Hanoi's neo-Gothic cathedral has twin square towers inspired by Notre-Dame de Paris. The square in front is lined with cafés where young Hanoians sit on stools drinking lemon tea (trà chanh).
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
One of the four guardian temples of ancient Thăng Long, the White Horse Temple on Hàng Buồm street dates back to the 11th century. Its incense-filled hall, carved red-lacquer altars and white horse statue are a quiet contrast to the street outside.
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
Architecture · French Quarter
10.Hanoi Opera House
Built by the French between 1901 and 1911 and modelled loosely on the Palais Garnier in Paris, the Opera House anchors the French Quarter at the end of Tràng Tiền street. It hosts classical concerts, ballet and Vietnamese performances.
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
Pick by interest
| Interest | Best picks |
|---|---|
| Art and museums | Hỏa Lò Prison, Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, Vietnamese Women's Museum and Vietnam National Museum of Fine Arts |
| History | Old Quarter guild streets, Temple of Literature, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Ba Đình Square and One Pillar Pagoda |
| Views | Long Biên Bridge |
| Outdoors and nature | Hoàn Kiếm Lake and Ngọc Sơn Temple |
| Food and markets | Old Quarter guild streets, Đồng Xuân Market and Weekend walking street and night market |
| After dark | Water puppet show, Weekend walking street and night market and Hanoi Opera House |
| With children | Hoàn Kiếm Lake and Ngọc Sơn Temple, Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, Water puppet show and Weekend walking street and night market |
| On a rainy day | Hỏa Lò Prison, Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, Water puppet show and Vietnamese Women's Museum |
What to book ahead
- Water puppet show: Shows sell out in peak season; buy tickets at the box office or online a day in advance.
Plan the rest of your trip
Questions travellers ask
+What is the number one thing to do in Hanoi?
Hoàn Kiếm Lake and Ngọc Sơn Temple. The 'Lake of the Returned Sword' takes its name from a legend in which a golden turtle reclaimed Emperor Lê Lợi's magic sword.
+What can you do for free in Hanoi?
Old Quarter guild streets, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Ba Đình Square, One Pillar Pagoda, Trấn Quốc Pagoda and Long Biên Bridge. More free things to do.
+What is there to do in Hanoi when it rains?
Head indoors to Hỏa Lò Prison, Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, Water puppet show and Vietnamese Women's Museum.
+What is there to do in Hanoi at night?
Water puppet show, Weekend walking street and night market and Hanoi Opera House are best after dark.