We ended up in Hanoi a couple of times during our time in Vietnam. At first I was pretty unsure about it. It was so busy, loud, and generally overwhelming. I was also incredibly tired after a 24 hour journey from Laos to Vietnam the first time I arrived in Hanoi so this really didn’t help with the first impressions.
We stayed for a night and then stayed another two nights over New Year. We then returned for a week when my parents came out to visit us. By the time this week came around I was looking forward to exploring what Hanoi had to offer.
Here is my guide on what we got up to in Hanoi, with some advice along the way.
Where to stay-
Hanoi is a big place and we stayed in three different apartments over the course of our time there.
The best place we stayed was about a 10 minute walk from Hoàn Kiem lake. We found that this meant we were in walking distance of the majority of the things we wanted to see and lots of great restaurants and bars. We only used taxis once when we went further afield.
Bolt taxis are very cheap in Vietnam so it isn’t going to cost you a fortune if you do stay elsewhere in the city.
Places to eat/drink–
Take Tacos II– this is a small Mexican fast food place which we visited several times. It was reasonably priced and delicious.
An Cafe- we had Banh Mis (a Vietnamese sandwich) here. I was impressed to see a good selection of vegetarian options!
CoBa Bakery- I came across this on google maps and I was very glad I did. It was incredibly cheap and did the best banana bread I’ve ever had. Definitely pay it a visit.
Sala Thai- apart from in Thailand itself, this is where we had some of the best Thai food on our trip.
The Hanoi Social Club- this is a cool place on one of the backstreets in Hanoi. It has more western options on the menu.
MET Vietnamese restaurant- there are about three different branches of this restaurant across Hanoi. We had some delicious Vietnamese food in here so definitely visit one of the restaurants during your stay.
Pizza 4P’s- this was the highest rated pizza place in Hanoi. We went twice and both times made a reservation (which we never do) because it was so popular. It was one of the most expensive meals we had in Asia at a whopping £14!!
Maison Marou Cafe Nha Tho- if chocolate is your thing then visit Maison Marou. This is a chocolate shop/cafe where they serve chocolate drinks and sweet treats.
Cafe Giang- this is a great place to sample the famous Vietnamese egg coffee.
The Hanoi cafe- we came here for breakfast most days as the smoothie bowl was delicious. There is a lovely outdoor seating area where you can enjoy your breakfast away from the chaos of the streets of Hanoi.
Mixue- Mixue simply can’t be missed out on your trip to Vietnam (it’s also in other parts of South East Asia). You can’t go wrong with getting an ice cream for 30p.
Things to do-
The Root Boardgame Coffee- as the name suggests this is a board game cafe. You have to buy a drink and you have to pay for some of the games, but it is a great way to spend a few hours. We decided to play Century (it only cost 20,000 VND- about 60p). The drinks were delicious and we had lots of fun, even though I didn’t win a single game.
The Note Coffee- this place is all over TikTok when looking for things to do in Hanoi but it is a must see. There are thousands and thousands of post it notes all over the cafe which have been left by travellers from all over the world. Grab a coffee and leave some of your own notes.
Water puppet show- the only way I can describe this experience is surreal. It wasn’t like anything I had seen before but it was very enjoyable. You can buy tickets on the day from the theatre box office. There are 3 showings each day and there are 2 different theatres where the show takes place.
Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum- when we visited you couldn’t actually enter the mausoleum but it was still worth a visit.
St Joseph’s cathedral- this stunning cathedral looked great in the day but it looked even more spectacular at night when it was lit up.
Train street- this is another activity that can’t be missed in Hanoi. The famous train street. The first time we wandered on and just walked down the street. However, the second time there were police around stopping us from walking on to the street. We were invited into one of the cafes by the owner and enjoyed a drink there. We didn’t actually see a train go down the street but if you time it right then you will.
Vietnamese women’s museum- this was an interesting museum about the history of women in Vietnam (as stated in the name). It’s worth a visit.
Ngoc Son Temple- this is also known as the temple on the lake. You have to pay a small fee to cross the bridge to the temple and then you’re able to walk around the small island where the temple is. There are also two statues of giant turtles that used to live in the lake.
Explore the streets- the beauty of Hanoi lies in its chaos. The pavements aren’t pavements. They’re a place to park motorbikes, have stalls, make food, and even cut hair. There is so much to see so just wander around and see what you find.
How to get around-
My greatest piece of advice for Hanoi is don’t bother renting a motorbike. The roads are absolutely mental so you really would be taking your life in your hands. The amount of traffic is insane and there don’t seem to be any traffic rules that people follow.
It is very easy to walk around one area. So if you’re in the old town then you can easily get around on foot. There are Grab and Bolt taxis available, and they are very cheap, so these are good to make use of if you want to go further.
How long to spend in Hanoi-
I really would recommend spending a week there if you’re able to. There is so much to see and do, and it’s really just an insane place to be. It’s constantly busy and so noisy. It truly is the city that doesn’t sleep.
If you don’t have enough time to spend a week there then you will want to spend at least 4 nights if possible.
The best time to visit Hanoi-
The best times to visit Hanoi, weather wise, are October to November and February to April. Naturally, we visited in January. It was cooler and wetter than we expected it would be but we still had a great time. I would advise to pack for all kinds of weather because you never really know what you’re going to get. Clothes are very cheap to buy there though!
Things to be aware of-
Scams and pickpockets- like anywhere in the world there are people who will try to scam you and steal from you. While we didn’t encounter this, it can happen (as it can anywhere). Just remain vigilant and you’ll be fine.
Traffic- as I already said the traffic in Hanoi is crazy. To cross the road you have to just walk out into the road rather than wait for a gap in the traffic. The gap will never come and you’ll be waiting forever. The bikes and cars are used to swerving around people and they don’t actually go too fast. Again, just be sensible and you’ll be fine.
Don’t drink the water! – as with everywhere else in South East Asia, don’t drink the tap water. It’s not safe to drink so stick to bottled water unless you want to be spending a lot of time in the bathroom.
New Year’s Eve- the second time we were in Hanoi it was New Year’s Eve and it was insanely busy. It was amazing to see everyone out celebrating the New Year but it took a long time to get anywhere. A 5 minute walk took us over 40 minutes because of the number of people in the streets!
Down to Earth Travel 
Leave a comment