Heading to Hanoi? This short, sharp guide skips the fluff—get the essentials for an epic trip (top hostels below)!
QUICK FACTS
- The capital of Vietnam, with a metropolitan population of ~8.33 million.
- A charming city that is over 1000 years old, Hanoi was the capital of French Indochina from 1902 to 1954, and the capital of North Vietnam during the war (1954 to 1976).
- The cultural heart of the country, home to many traditional arts and crafts.
- Nicknames: The Paris of the Orient, The Green City.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
- Currency: Dong (VND).
- Spoken languages: Vietnamese. English is also widely spoken.
- Best time to visit: from September to November (cooler weather, fewer tourists).
- Many travelers need to secure a visa before arrival (available online through the official government website). E-visas are available for all nationalities, valid for 90 days with multiple entries.
– Citizens of 27 countries (including Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, South Korea) enjoy 45-day visa-free stays - Arriving via airport:
– taxis into the city charge 200,000 VND and up, but scams are rampant.
– Bus Route 86 (airport to Old Quarter) now costs 45,000 VND - Xanh SM (Vietnam’s electric taxi service) is safer and cheaper than traditional taxis.
WHERE TO STAY
- Best Hanoi hostel for solo travelers: Hanoi Buffalo Hostel.
– Very clean, with friendly staff, an on-site swimming pool, and daily breakfast included.
– Lots of events for residents (including walking tours).
– Located right in the Old Quarter, steps from great food and nightlife.
– Book ahead, as this one fills up fast – especially during high season. - The historic Hanoi Old Quarter is where most new arrivals dig their feet in – with its Old Asian charm, diverse food scene, well-worn travel infrastructure, and bustling nightlife, it’s easy to see why.
- For a more luxury experience, base yourself in West Lake.
GETTING AROUND
- Avoid street taxis: Recent scams involve fake phone-based meters charging 500,000+ VND for short rides.
- Grab is the popular ride-sharing app: safer, cheaper, and more reliable for getting around than hailing taxis on the street.
– Grab Motorbike Taxis: 10-minute rides now 20,000-30,000 VND. - Pedicabs are a good bargain for shorter distances. Always agree on a price first.
- Buses are a cheap, hassle-free option, but will take time to figure out. Use Google Maps for bus routes or Moovit app for real-time tracking.
HANOI NIGHTLIFE
- Drinking age: 18 (now enforced), and last call is typically at midnight (enforcement is hit or miss).
- Modest venues serving bia hoi, unfathomably cheap local beer, are all the rave in the early evening hours and can be found all throughout the Old Quarter. Popular with locals and visitors alike.
– Update: bia hoi is cheap at 10,000-15,000 VND/glass, but upscale craft beer bars charge 80,000-120,000 VND. - Venues to suit all tastes can be found throughout the Old Quarter, from ultra-classy to ultra-backpacker.
- Great places to start your night: Of note are Binh Minh Jazz Club, Hanoi Rock City (live music), Polite & Co (cocktails), and Standing Bar (on the lake).
- Mad Monkey Hostel Bar (Hang Buom) offers free pub crawls and late-night events.
UNIQUE LANDMARKS TO VISIT
- Go to the Ho Chi Mihn Museum for extravagant, yet interesting, treatment of a modest leader’s life and beliefs.
- Don’t miss a tour of the former “Hanoi Hilton,” where American POWs were imprisoned. The museum drastically sugarcoats treatment of US prisoners, instead focusing on abuses of Vietnamese prisoners during French colonialism (though it’s not too hard to fill in the blanks).
- Pop into Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre, just off Hoan Kiem Lake, for a look at entertainment from another era that still holds magic for the modern audience. No trip to Hanoi is complete without this experience!
– Tip: Fake “police” near Hoan Kiem Lake demand fines for jaywalking (~500,000 VND). Always ask for official ID. - Day trip: consider taking a tour to Ha Long Bay – a UNESCO World Heritage site (see our guide).
- Alternatives to Ha Long Bay:
– Ninh Binh: Hostel-organized day trips 1,200,000 VND (includes boat tour and bike rental).
– Ha Giang Loop: 4-day motorbike tours booked through hostels ~6,500,000 VND. - Other day trip ideas: Ba Vi National Park or the Perfume Pagoda for nature-lovers.
INTERESTING WALKS
- Hoan Kiem Lake is a perfect place to take a nice stroll and soak up the beauty of Hanoi and it’s unique mixture of East and West.
- Fashionable West Lake has a sizable 17-kilometer shoreline, and is another great area to explore on foot.
WHERE TO EAT
- Looking for a great cafe? Try egg coffee at Hidden Gem Coffee (45,000 VND) instead of crowded chains.
- Not sure where to begin? Hanoi Street Food Tour is a great food tour (link) to sample a bit of everything for $25.
– Competitor: Hanoi Food Culture Tours ($30, includes vegan options). - Craving Western-style breakfast? Check out Lifted Coffee & Brunch.
LOCAL WISDOM
- Avoid discussing politics with locals unless they bring these topics up themselves, and even then, be cautious. Vietnam is still under Communist rule – while a vast discontent is brewing, avoid making citizens that live with this reality uncomfortable.
- Drink only bottled or filtered water.
- The traffic in Vietnam is some of the most dangerous in the world, and Hanoi is no exception. Be careful when crossing the street – and make sure you move predictably so traffic can move around you.
- Dangerous areas: scamming in this city tends to be very aggressive and in-your-face, and in some cases can turn violent. Stand up for yourself, but know when to remove yourself from volatile situations.
- Exercise caution when walking alone at night.
Recommended trip duration: 2-3 days