The 12 things to do, ranked
| # | What | Price | Time | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hoan Kiem Lake and Huc Bridge | free | 1 h | everyone, ideally early morning |
| 2 | Old Quarter on foot | free | 2 h | everyone, streets by trade |
| 3 | Temple of Literature | 70,000 VND | 1 h | history, photos |
| 4 | Hoa Lo Prison | 50,000 VND | 1 to 1.5 h | history (hard content for children) |
| 5 | Thang Long Citadel | 100,000 VND | 1.5 h | UNESCO, history |
| 6 | Water puppets | depends on the show | 50 min | families, first evening |
| 7 | Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum | free | 1.5 h | mornings only, closed Monday and Friday |
| 8 | St Joseph's Cathedral and French Quarter | free | 1 h | architecture, cafés |
| 9 | West Lake at sunset | free | 2 h | couples, cycling |
| 10 | Train Street | a coffee | 1 h | access not guaranteed, see the page |
| 11 | Street food and egg coffee | a few euros | 2 h | food lovers |
| 12 | Weekend night market | free | 2 h | Friday to Sunday evening |
How long to stay
- 1 day: lake, Temple of Literature, Hoa Lo, puppets, see Hanoi in one day.
- 2 days: add the citadel, West Lake and a street food tour, see Hanoi in 2 days.
- 3 days: a day trip, Ha Long Bay or Ninh Binh.
Go with a guide?
A city tour groups the stops into half a day and saves Grab rides; see which city tour to choose. To sleep, see where to stay in Hanoi; for the best season, when to go.
Good to know
Hours and prices change, so confirm on the spot. Train Street closes and reopens depending on the authorities' decisions.
To book ahead, see also the water puppet show in Hanoi.
What to do in Hanoi in the evening
- Water puppet show (50 minutes): the classic first evening, best booked ahead; see the water puppet show.
- Weekend night market in the Old Quarter, Friday to Sunday evening, free.
- Street food and egg coffee around the Old Quarter, a few euros a head.
- Beer Street (Ta Hien), lively until late, with sidewalk stools and local beer.
Which sights are paid?
Hoan Kiem Lake, the Old Quarter, St Joseph's Cathedral, West Lake and the weekend night market are free. Paid entries are the Temple of Literature (70,000 VND), Hoa Lo Prison (50,000 VND), the Thang Long Citadel (100,000 VND) and the water puppet show. The mausoleum is free but only open in the morning, and closed on Monday and Friday.
Day trips from Hanoi
The two classic trips are Ha Long Bay (cruise, from a day trip to an overnight stay) and Ninh Binh (Trang An or Tam Coc by boat, Mua Cave viewpoint). Both take a full day from Hanoi. See Ha Long Bay from Hanoi and Ninh Binh day trip. Both trips are the most booked experiences from Hanoi on GetYourGuide, so book a few days ahead in high season.
FAQ
What to do in Hanoi in 2 days?
Day 1: lake, Old Quarter, Temple of Literature, puppet show. Day 2: Hoa Lo, citadel, West Lake at sunset and a street food tour. See Hanoi in 2 days.
Which sights are paid?
The Temple of Literature, Hoa Lo, the citadel and the puppet show. The lake, Old Quarter and cathedral are free.
What to do in the evening?
Puppet show, night market on weekends, street food, egg coffee and Beer Street.
Which day trips from Hanoi?
Ha Long Bay and Ninh Binh are the two most popular, each a full day.
