Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, is a city of lakes, tree-lined boulevards and busy old streets on the Red River delta in the north. It was founded as Thăng Long, the "ascending dragon", when Emperor Lý Thái Tổ made it his capital in 1010, and its thousand years of history run from Confucian temples and the ruins of an imperial citadel to a French-built opera house and the mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh.
Visitors come for the energy of the Old Quarter, for street food eaten on low pavement stools, for museums and pagodas, and as a gateway to Ha Long Bay, Ninh Bình and the northern mountains. Unlike the south, Hanoi has real seasons, with a cool winter and a hot, humid summer. Apartments, serviced flats and narrow townhouses are common around Hoàn Kiếm Lake and West Lake, suiting short city breaks and longer stays alike.
The Old Quarter, north of Hoàn Kiếm Lake, is the classic base: narrow streets once given over to single trades, food stalls on every corner and the lake a short walk away. It is lively and noisy, and many buildings are tall, slender tube houses. Around the lake, and in the French Quarter to its south and east, wide boulevards, colonial villas and the Opera House give a calmer, more spacious feel.
Ba Đình, to the west, holds the government district, the mausoleum and the citadel, and is quieter at night. Tây Hồ, around West Lake, is popular with expatriates and families for its lakeside paths, cafés and larger apartments and houses, though it is a taxi ride from the centre.
Under Vietnamese law, the place where a foreigner stays must declare that stay to the local police, so have your passport ready when you check in.
At the start of the 20th century Hanoi's commercial heart was known as the "36 streets", each dedicated to a trade such as silk, jewellery or bamboo, and many street names still begin with Hàng, meaning goods. Walking these lanes you pass temples, communal houses and shops spilling onto the pavement.
Hoàn Kiếm Lake, the Lake of the Returned Sword, takes its name from the legend of Emperor Lê Lợi, who returned a magic sword to a golden turtle here after defeating the Ming. The red Thê Húc Bridge leads to Ngọc Sơn Temple on its islet, and the small Turtle Tower rises from the water. On weekend evenings the streets around the lake are closed to traffic and fill with families. South of the lake, the French Quarter has the Opera House and the Vietnamese Women's Museum.
The Temple of Literature, founded in 1070 and dedicated to Confucius, housed the Imperial Academy, opened in 1076 as the country's first national university. Its courtyards hold 82 stone stelae carved with the names of graduates of the royal examinations, added to UNESCO's Memory of the World register in 2011.
Nearby, the central sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long, a World Heritage Site since 2010, keeps gates, foundations and the Hanoi Flag Tower of 1812. In Ba Đình Square, where Ho Chi Minh declared independence in 1945, stands his mausoleum, with the One Pillar Pagoda close by. Hanoi was the capital of French Indochina from 1902 to 1945 and became the capital of reunified Vietnam in 1976; the Hỏa Lò prison relic and the city's military history museum tell parts of that story.
Phở is closely tied to Hanoi, and a steaming bowl of beef or chicken noodle soup is the classic breakfast. Bún chả, grilled pork patties with rice noodles and herbs in a sweet and sour dipping broth, is the city's favourite lunch, and chả cá, turmeric-marinated fish fried with dill at the table, is another local speciality. Bánh cuốn, delicate steamed rice rolls, and xôi, sticky rice with toppings, are sold from early morning.
Coffee is a ritual. Try cà phê trứng, egg coffee, with whipped egg yolk and sugar over strong coffee, a Hanoi speciality, or iced coffee with condensed milk. Many of the best dishes come from small stalls that cook just one thing, served to diners on low stools, and in the evening fresh draught beer called bia hơi is poured on street corners.
Ha Long Bay, in the Gulf of Tonkin east of Hanoi, is a seascape of well over a thousand limestone islands and islets, inscribed by UNESCO in 1994 and extended in 2023 to include the Cát Bà archipelago. It is several hours away by road, and many visitors spend a night on a cruise boat rather than going there and back in a day.
To the south, the Tràng An Landscape Complex in Ninh Bình, a mixed natural and cultural World Heritage Site since 2014, combines karst peaks, caves explored by rowing boat and the temples of Hoa Lư, the capital before Thăng Long; Tam Cốc–Bích Động is part of the same landscape. Closer to the city, Bát Tràng is a pottery village and Đường Lâm keeps old laterite houses. Sa Pa, in the northern mountains, is an overnight trip by train or bus.
Nội Bài International Airport (HAN) is about 35 kilometres north-east of downtown Hanoi and is reached over the Nhật Tân Bridge; taxis, ride-hailing cars and public buses link it with the Old Quarter. Hanoi is also the northern end of the North–South Railway, with trains to Huế, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City.
In the city, ride-hailing apps for cars and motorbikes, metered taxis and buses are the main options, and the first metro lines serve parts of the west of the city. Walking is the best way to see the Old Quarter, though pavements are often taken up by parked motorbikes and stalls, so you will sometimes walk in the street. Cross roads at a slow, steady pace, and only ride a scooter if you hold a licence that is valid in Vietnam.
Hanoi has a humid subtropical climate with four distinct seasons. Summer, from about May to September, is hot and humid, with heavy downpours and the occasional tropical storm. Autumn, roughly October and November, brings mild, dry days and clear skies and is a favourite time for many visitors. Winter, from December to February, can be surprisingly cool and grey, with fine drizzle, so pack a warm layer; spring warms up from March.
The average annual temperature is about 23.6°C and the city receives around 1,600 millimetres of rain a year. Tết, the Lunar New Year in January or February, brings peach-blossom markets and family celebrations, but many shops and restaurants close for several days, so plan ahead if you travel then.
October and November are often the most pleasant months, mild and dry with clear skies, and March and April are also comfortable. Summer, from about May to September, is hot, humid and wet, and winter, from December to February, is cool and often grey, though still fine for sightseeing.
The Old Quarter is the most popular base, with street food and sights on the doorstep. The streets around Hoàn Kiếm Lake and the French Quarter are calmer and more spacious, Ba Đình is quiet and close to the citadel, and Tây Hồ by West Lake suits families and longer stays.
Nội Bài International Airport (HAN) is about 35 kilometres north-east of downtown Hanoi. The drive over the Nhật Tân Bridge usually takes under an hour, depending on traffic, by taxi or ride-hailing car, and public buses also connect the airport with the city centre.
Two or three days cover the Old Quarter, Hoàn Kiếm Lake, the Temple of Literature, the citadel and the mausoleum area, with plenty of time for food. Add two more days for Ha Long Bay or Ninh Bình, or longer if you plan to head into the mountains around Sa Pa.
It is possible, but Ha Long Bay is several hours from Hanoi by road, so a day trip means a long day with limited time on the water. Many visitors prefer an overnight cruise, or stay in Ha Long or on Cát Bà Island to explore the bay at a gentler pace.
It can be cooler than many visitors expect. From December to February the weather is often grey and damp, with fine drizzle and chilly evenings, and many older houses have little heating. Pack a jacket and warm layers, especially if you continue to the northern mountains.
Hanoi is known for its Old Quarter of trade streets, the legend-filled Hoàn Kiếm Lake, the Temple of Literature and the Imperial Citadel, and for street food such as phở, bún chả and egg coffee. It is also the gateway to Ha Long Bay, Ninh Bình and the northern mountains.
Researched and written with AI assistance, then fact-checked against the sources below. Last checked .