Hanging in Hanoi: 9 surprising sights for a trip to Vietnam

Hanoi is a fascinating destination. At first glance, the city centre may seem nothing more than a maze of incredibly busy alleys, but this is just part of the charm. The capital of Vietnam offers a host of unique attractions, with some quiet spots hidden away here and there for the occasional breather. Trot Op! lined them all up for you in the ultimate travel guide to Hanoi.

On one of the countless dusty little street markets of Hanoi, I was suddenly confronted with the tragedy of life in its purest form. A fish had leaped out of the basket of the day’s catch and was, gasping for breath, futilely trying to find its way back to a river that was no longer there – like a drowning sailor diving to the bottom of the ocean to escape the sharks. A sad and intriguing spectacle it was, but otherwise completely unrelated to my story. It’s called setting the mood guys. On to the order of the day now.

 

Hanging in Hanoi: 9 surprising sights for a trip to Vietnam

You’d have to have some serious eye issues to call Hanoi the most beautiful city in the world. The old centre is almost shockingly busy and loud; the smog often lingers over the rooftops like a hazy curtain and if you’re not careful crossing the street, you might find yourself waking up in the hospital a few hours later. Hanoi is an interesting destination nonetheless, with several fantastic sights awaiting exploration. What the city lacks in beauty, it more than makes up for with character.

“Hanoi is an interesting destination. What the Vietnamese capital lacks in beauty, it more than makes up for with character.”

Authenticity is the keyword everything in Hanoi revolves around. The city exudes a raw and mesmerising authenticity. After the war, Vietnam was more or less isolated from the outside world until the 1990s. The transition that came afterwards, was a rapid one. As a result, past and present are mixed and mingled everywhere, and the standard street scene is one of overwhelming activity. There’s something piquing your curiosity on every street corner; everywhere you go there are scents and flavours to experience, and you only have to step outside to find yourself in a pandemonium of colours and sounds (mostly the sound of honking though). Hanoi is a city to experience; a destination to surrender to and wander aimlessly around in. Don’t overthink it and just throw yourself right into the circus. And with the following nine tips, you’re basically there.

 

1. Lose your way in Hanoi Old Quarter (Hoan Kiem District)

The heart of Hanoi, and the most interesting district to explore, is the old city centre. It’s a maze of streets and alleys, where both merchandise and little terraces are scattered haphazardly on the sidewalk. This means, as a pedestrian, you’ll almost constantly have to walk on the roadway, amidst a never-ending stream of scooters (more on those later). The old town is by far the most atmospheric part of Hanoi, and every walk is an adventure. Here you’ll find hidden little temples, quirky shops, and a bunch of colonial buildings from the French era. It’s absolute chaos, but in the best possible way. My home away from home was Babylon Garden Hostel, right in the middle of one of the busiest neighbourhoods. They had a rooftop bar with a terrace (and an indoor pool on the ground floor I felt a little too iffy about to check out). Watching the insanity on the streets unfold beneath me with a cold beer in hand as the sun was setting, was one of my favourite ways to end the day in Hanoi. Quick tip for those who love colours: the longest ceramic mural in the world was built up around a substantial part of the old town: two and a half miles of colourful mosaics depicting the history of Vietnam.

 

2. Shopping and street food in Hanoi

The street food culture is one of the best things about Hanoi. You can literally eat all day and almost everywhere, and what you get is usually very good. Of course, you can also dine fancily in Hanoi, but you’ll find dirt-cheap eateries with a few plastic chairs and tables outside all around town. They may look somewhat dubious, but if there’s a queue of locals lining up, you know you’re in for a treat. Pho, banh mi, bun cha or a whole Hanoi BBQ: they have it all, and it’ll all make you quite happy. Personally, I’d avoid thit cho (dog meat), but the chance of randomly coming across it in Hanoi is pretty slim anyway.

“Street food in Hanoi is fantastic: you can eat all day and almost everywhere, and what you’re served is usually dirt cheap and delicious.”

Hanoi Old Quarter is the place to be for shopaholics as well. Bargains can be found on every street corner, but the most impressive place for souvenir hunting is Dong Xuan Market. This is one of the largest covered markets in the city, where you can haggle over everything on two floors: from souvenirs, clothes and fabrics to a whole zoo of animals to put in your pot at home. The animal market is obviously not for the most faint-hearted, but what you’ll see is simply what the reality of life is here. An interesting stop, albeit somewhat shocking in places.

 

3. Become a Vietnamese street crossing expert

One of the greatest adventures you can undertake in Hanoi is simply crossing the street. The traffic is insane, and the road code merely a suggestion. The biggest culprits are the millions of maniacs buzzing around on their little scooters, weaving through traffic honking like they’re insane. After a few days of getting hit with constant get-out-of-the-way-jerk honks, you’d have truly proven yourself to be a seasoned Zen master if you managed not to drag at least one of them down an alley for some corrective pummelling. I was able to restrain myself in the end, thus achieving the highest level of spiritual enlightenment in the process.

“One of the greatest adventures you can undertake in Hanoi is simply crossing the street. The traffic is downright insane, and the road code are merely a suggestion.”

Crossing the narrow streets in the city centre is usually not a problem, but sooner or later you’ll encounter a six-lane road you’ll eventually have to get past. That’s when you can show the world what you’re really made of. Traffic lights are scarce, and everyone seems to drive as if they’re deliberately trying to hit you. Yet the Vietnamese themselves seem totally unaware of the numerous near-death experiences that pepper their day. Simply following their example is the best idea. Just assess the traffic rhythm, say a little prayer, and then smoothly – without stopping (!!!) – navigate your way across. Beginners should probably take some nice granny going in the same direction by the hand on their first attempt. Guaranteed adventure, and it won’t cost you a penny.

 

4. Go people watching around Hoan Kiem Lake

Hanoi is a paradise for people watchers – especially on weekends. That’s when the streets around Hoan Kiem Lake – the actual heart of the city – are closed to all traffic and left to pedestrians. Groups of students come to take their prom photos; small children bump into each other in electric cars and public dance classes attract some serious crowds. When I took a walk here, no fewer than five hip-hop posses – scantily dressed and dancing provocatively – were shooting a video. You’ll meet a diverse audience here, and they’re interesting to mingle with. Vietnam is still an authoritarian state, but in practice it seems like no one pays much attention to it. One cheerful guy though, was walking around with a free hugs sign that was immediately confiscated by the authorities. Everything is free of charge under communist rule apparently, except for hugs. I gave him one anyway. Fight the power!

Around Hoan Kiem Lake lies a little park, and on an island in the water stands the Ngoc Son Temple: the most visited temple in Hanoi. It’s connected to the shore by an iconic red bridge. Nice place.

 

5. The Note Coffee: leave a post-it for your crush

Many bars in Vietnam limit themselves to a counter and a number of low plastic chairs on the sidewalk for beer drinking, but there are also plenty of coffee places to visit. One of them is The Note Coffee: a very cool joint near Hoon Kiem Lake. Their pastries are amazing, and so is their egg coffee. That’s the unofficial national drink and is basically coffee with some egg yolk in it – strange but surprisingly delicious. Even better than their coffee is the fact that all the walls, tables, chairs, ceilings, stairs, toilets, and on wilder days probably even the staff are covered in multiple layers of hastily scribbled post-its. You’ll find everything from dirty jokes and phone numbers to declarations of love and tragic cries for attention: pleasant reading material while having a cup of coffee. The whole place is also a cosy oasis of calm, with the city still bustling through the open window. I’ve attached some of the Dutch messages I read in the photos above. You never know whose sweetheart I can make happy with them a posteriori.

 

6. Hoa Lò Prison: visit the Hanoi Hilton and other museums in Hanoi

Before it became a museum, Hoa Lò Prison was the most notorious jailhouse in Vietnam. It was built by the French colonizers, who installed a brutal regime. During the Vietnam War, the complex was heavily used as well: this time to hold American prisoners of war, who cynically began calling it the Hanoi Hilton soon after.

“American prisoners of war were held in Hoa Lò Prison during the Vietnam War, who cynically began calling it the Hanoi Hilton.”

Today, the cruelty of the French period is vividly depicted, while the exhibition on the Americans suggests they were actually staying at a hotel. There are photos showing them decorating the Christmas tree, enjoying good food, or casually playing football in the courtyard. The late John McCain was also imprisoned here for years. Reading the texts under his photos makes you wonder why he ever left at all, but those who heard the man speak about his experience know better. He was beaten so hard, was so malnourished, and subjected to so many mock executions, he never was able lift his arms above his head again, his hair turned completely white in a year, and he chose Sarah Palin as his running mate in 2008 – poor man. History is always written by the victors.

There are of course more museums to visit in Hanoi. These are the main ones:

–Vietnam National Museum of History: museum with a huge collection of artifacts, showcasing the entire history of Vietnam.

–Vietnam Museum of Ethnology: museum honouring Vietnam’s various ethnic groups, with exhibitions about their culture and traditions.

–Ho Chi Minh Museum: museum about the life of Ho Chi Minh, leader of North Vietnam and founder of the country as a modern nation. His gigantic mausoleum can be visited in Hanoi as well. There he now rests, albeit somewhat reluctantly. The man preferred to be cremated and have his ashes scattered over three different mountaintops. ‘Ho Chi Mind if we don’t?’ they said, and now he’s a tourist attraction.

–Vietnamese Women’s Museum: museum about the role and contributions of women to Vietnamese society.

–Vietnam Fine Arts Museum: museum with a large collection of Vietnamese art, from paintings to sculptures and ceramics.

 

7. Train spotting in the Hanoi Train Streets

Hanoi is not what you would call a fantastic example of urban planning. The so-called train streets are the main indicators of this fact. These are narrow alleys where a train comes roaring through a few times a day – just a few inches from the residents’ houses. Throughout the years it’s become a well-known sight attracting many tourists. The locals have long since adapted to both the train and the visitors. They’ve set up all sorts of improvised cafes, or just sell drinks from a cooler in their hallway. When the train approaches – the one at 3:30 p.m. is ideal for a visit – everyone leisurely strolls off the track, and it’s time to watch. You can wait for the train at different places, but the most photogenic spot is found when you enter Hanoi Train Track Café in Google Maps.

Since 2022, tourists have been barred from the train streets for safety reasons. However, you can still get there if you fancy it (and rightly so). This blog explains how.

 

8. Honor your literary heroes in the Temple of Literature

The number of well-preserved historical buildings in Hanoi is rather low. The Temple of Literature is an exception. This is a beautiful temple complex almost a thousand years old, built in honour of Confucius. It’s also the place where Vietnam’s first university was opened a few years later. The altars are still there and are a popular place for students to come and pray for good results even now. The five different courtyards are full of beautiful pagodas and ponds, making it a real haven of peace in the bustling city centre. Another nice historic place is the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long: an old fortress that was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site and served as the political centre of the country for more than a thousand years.

 

9. Take a day trip to Ha Long Bay

A few hours’ drive from Hanoi lies Ha Long Bay: Vietnam’s most famous natural treasure. It’s an enchanting and of course UNESCO World Heritage-listed landscape of hundreds of limestone islands rising photogenically from the water – think Avatar. There are countless hidden coves and extensive cave formations to explore, and dozens of colourful boats sail from island to island.

“A few hours’ drive from Hanoi lies Ha Long Bay: Vietnam’s most famous natural treasure. It’s an enchanting and UNESCO World Heritage-listed landscape of hundreds of limestone islands rising photogenically from the water.”

Unfortunately, the city built around it is slightly less enchanting and mainly attracts Chinese mass tourism. My advice is to keep Hanoi as your base of operations and book a two-day cruise with a good tour operator where you’ll stay overnight on the ship. Ha Long Bay is a natural wonder and a must for anyone planning a holiday in Hanoi, but the capital itself is much more atmospheric than the collection of hotels around the bay. With a good company, you’ll reach the quietest spots without contributing too much to mass tourism yourself. This could become a real problem here – if it isn’t one already. I was there in January, and even then dozens of tourist boats were operating in the bay. I don’t want to find out what high season looks like. Let’s hope everything stays adequately protected.

Interested in some other Asian destinations? Read my articles about Shanghai, Singapore, Taipei, Hong Kong, and New Delhi.