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Hanoi, Vietnam's capital, lies along the Red River in the north of the country and has been a seat of power for roughly a thousand years. Lakes are scattered across the city, and its history shows in ancient temples, French colonial boulevards and grand socialist-era monuments. Motorbikes, street food and tree-shaded sidewalks set the rhythm of daily life.
Hoan Kiem Lake anchors the center, with a red bridge leading to Ngoc Son Temple, and the narrow streets of the Old Quarter just north are packed with shops, cafés and food stalls. St. Joseph's Cathedral and the broad avenues of the French Quarter recall colonial rule. In Ba Dinh, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex stands near the small One Pillar Pagoda. The Temple of Literature, dedicated to Confucius, housed the country's first national university. Hoa Lo Prison, used by the French and later to hold American prisoners of war, now operates as a museum. Tran Quoc Pagoda sits on a slim peninsula in West Lake, the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology explores the country's many ethnic groups, and the old Long Bien Bridge spans the Red River.
Hanoi suits travelers interested in history, food and street life. Autumn is the most comfortable season; summers are hot and wet, and winters can be cool and gray. Many visitors continue to Ha Long Bay, Ninh Binh or Sapa.
WiserMap travel guideHanoi Vietnam Old Quarter Hoan Kiem Lake Pho and Bun ChaPlan a Hanoi trip: Hoan Kiem Lake, the Old Quarter, the Temple of Literature, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and West Lake, plus pho, bun cha and the best seasons.Read the guide
A lake in the center of old Hanoi, with the small Turtle Tower on an islet and Ngoc Son Temple reached by the red Huc Bridge. Locals do tai chi and exercise around the shore at dawn. On weekend evenings the streets around the lake close to traffic and become a lively pedestrian zone.
A neo-Gothic cathedral from 1886, modeled on Notre-Dame de Paris, with gray stone towers facing a small square of cafes. South of the lake, the French Quarter has wide boulevards, colonial villas and the Hanoi Opera House. Visitors can enter during Mass times, and dress modestly.
The granite mausoleum on Ba Dinh Square where Ho Chi Minh's body lies in state. The complex also includes the Presidential Palace, his stilt house and a museum. Opening hours are short and mainly in the morning, dress modestly, and stay silent with your hands out of your pockets inside.
A steel cantilever bridge over the Red River built by the French and finished in 1903, bombed many times during the Vietnam War and still in use by trains, motorbikes and pedestrians. Walk along it at sunset for views of the river and banana plantations. Watch your step on the narrow walkway.
A small wooden pagoda built on a single stone pillar rising from a lotus pond, designed to look like a lotus flower. It dates from 1049, though it was rebuilt after being destroyed in 1954. It is near the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and takes just a few minutes to see, so combine the two.
A temple founded in 1070 to honor Confucius and later home to Vietnam's first national university. It has five courtyards with gardens, gates and stone stelae on turtles listing doctoral graduates. Students visit before exams for luck. Go early in the morning before tour groups arrive.
Tran Quoc is Hanoi's oldest pagoda, with a red tiered tower on a small island in West Lake, Hanoi's largest lake. Paths and cafes line the shore, and the area is popular for sunsets and bike rides. Nearby Quang An is a good spot for drinks, and the lake can be circled by bicycle.
A prison built by the French in the 1890s to hold Vietnamese political prisoners, later used to hold American pilots, who called it the Hanoi Hilton. Part of it is now a museum with cells, a guillotine and exhibits. Note that the displays present the Vietnamese official view of history.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site that was the center of Vietnamese power for over a thousand years. You can see the Doan Mon gate, archaeological digs revealing older palaces, and the bunkers used by military commanders during the Vietnam War. It is near the mausoleum and quieter than many sights.
An excellent museum in Cau Giay district about the 54 ethnic groups of Vietnam, with clothes, tools and ritual objects indoors. The outdoor garden has full-size traditional houses, including a tall Bahnar communal house and a Cham tomb. Allow two to three hours, and it is closed on Mondays.
A maze of narrow streets north of Hoan Kiem Lake, many still named for the goods once sold there, such as silk, silver and herbs. Tube houses, temples and street food stalls fill every block. Try pho, bun cha and egg coffee, and take care crossing streets with heavy motorbike traffic.
A theater beside Hoan Kiem Lake that stages the traditional art of water puppetry, where wooden puppets dance across a pool to live music. Shows tell short stories of rural life and legends, and last about 45 minutes. Several shows are held daily, and booking a day ahead is wise.
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