For many, the city of Hanoi is a gateway to northern Vietnam’s great adventures—the emerald islets of Ha Long Bay, the terraced hills of Sapa, the karst valleys of Ninh Bình—but it's well worth pausing here before venturing on. Over more than a thousand years, the country's capital has seen imperial dynasties raising Confucian temples, French colonists carving out tamarind-shaded boulevards and yellow-walled villas, and revolutionaries leaving behind slogans, statues, and scars of self-determination—resulting in a gritty yet graceful second city.
Though there are currently no direct flights from US cities to Hanoi (though there have been rumors of new routes to come), growing numbers of visitors are discovering why Hanoi deserves more than just a quick stop, whether for misty dawns at Hoan Kiem Lake, the clatter of spoons in pho stalls at sunrise, or the narrow, nerve-tingling thrill of Train Street, where locomotives pass close enough to ruffle your shirt.
Travelers come, too, for the craft—the centuries-old silk, pottery, and lacquer traditions still alive in the villages just beyond the city limits—and for a street food-driven culinary scene that remains defiantly local yet endlessly inventive thanks to the city’s mix of French flair and Vietnamese ingenuity. From classic culture beneath the Opera House's striking domed ceiling and cutting-edge art at Manzi, to boutique hotels and speakeasy-style cocktail bars lighting up the backstreets, here's where to begin to eat, stay, and play in Hanoi, Vietnam.
What to see in Hanoi
It’s near impossible to visit Hanoi without hearing about the city's Train Street. There are two of them, both tucked between narrow rows of homes where the railway line slices straight through residential alleys. The more famous one runs through the Old Quarter, a tight corridor of pastel facades, bunting and rail-side cafes that fall silent a few times a day as the train thunders past close enough to brush your knees. The other, near the station itself, is quieter and feels more authentic—a place to sip condensed-milk coffee with locals and watch daily life unfold just inches from the tracks.
Hoan Kiem Lake is the calm heart of the city, where retirees practice tai chi at dawn and couples circle the water under the trees at night. Cross the scarlet-hued Huc Bridge to Ngoc Son Temple, dedicated to a 13th-century general who once defended the capital, and you’ll catch reflections of red lacquer and temple eaves mirrored in the lake. From there, wander north into the Old Quarter, a tangle of 36 medieval guild streets still named for their original trades—silversmiths on Hang Bac, paper sellers on Hang Ma, silk merchants on Hang Gai.
West of the center, the Temple of Literature, founded in 1070, remains a peaceful Confucian sanctuary of courtyards, lotus ponds, and banyan trees, its carved steles honoring scholars who studied here nearly a millennium ago. A short walk south brings you to the Hoa Lo Prison Museum, a sobering landmark that tells Hanoi’s 20th-century story from French colonial rule to the Vietnam War through haunting cells and photographs.
In the French Quarter, grand boulevards, wrought-iron balconies, and yellow stucco recall the city’s colonial past, with the Hanoi Opera House, modeled on the Palais Garnier, still frequently staging ballets and orchestral symphonies beneath its spectacular domed ceiling. For a glimpse of modern culture, visit Manzi Art Space or the Vincom Centre for Contemporary Art (VCCA), where the country's new generation of artists and photographers exhibit bold, often political work that contrasts sharply with the French-era facades outside.
If you have half a day to spare, leave the city behind for the craft villages that fringe the capital. Over the centuries, each one specialized in a single skill, passed down through generations. Among the most famous is the Quang Phu Cau incense village, about 20 miles south of Hanoi. Records suggest incense making began here more than a hundred years ago, when traders discovered the region’s high-quality bamboo and favorable climate for drying. Today, hundreds of households still rely on the trade, turning simple stalks into offerings that travel to pagodas and family altars across the country.
Nearby, Chuong village—often called the “village of conical hats”—once supplied the royal court in Hue and merchants along the Red River Delta with Vietnam’s iconic palm-leaf creations. Each is assembled by hand from split bamboo and palm leaves, then carefully stitched together in open-air workshops dotted around the area.
Both make an easy half-day excursion from Hanoi—around an hour’s drive through untouched farmland and quaint local towns—and together capture how, long before the skyscrapers and scooters, the Red River Delta thrived on this network of artisans and traders.
Where to eat and drink in Hanoi
On almost every one of Hanoi's street corners, a wok hisses, a pot bubbles, and a handful of tiny plastic stools mark impromptu dining spaces. When post-war rationing made restaurant dining impossible for many families, people took their kitchens to the pavement, serving single-dish meals from baskets, bicycles, and rolling carts—creating a culinary culture that persists to this day.
The best stalls cluster where the old guilds once worked: Hang Buom for sweet snacks and grilled skewers, Tong Duy Tan for late-night noodles, and Cho Dong Xuan market for breakfast pho, fried dough sticks, and iced coffee among the morning crowds. In the French Quarter, you’ll find another pocket around Nguyen Du and Ly Quoc Su, where vendors balance baskets of herbs and broth on bicycles and serve meals that cost less than a cup of coffee.
The day begins early—by 6am, the pavements are already misty with steam from Pho Gia Truyen Bat Dan, where locals queue for bowls of beef broth cooked through the night and noodles cut fresh to order. A few blocks away, Banh Cuon Thanh Van turns rice batter into translucent rolls, which are filled with meat and mushrooms, brushed with scallion oil, and scattered with fried shallots.
By lunchtime, follow the smoke to Bun Cha Huong Lien, where charcoal-grilled patties float in a fish-sauce broth laced with green papaya and herbs—here, the centerpiece dish was immortalized by Barack Obama and Anthony Bourdain after their visit, though locals have been coming for decades. For something lighter, Bun Thang Cau Go serves a delicate broth of chicken, shrimp and egg, while Xoi Yen piles sticky rice high with mung beans and crisp shallots.
Coffee, meanwhile, fuels the city. Introduced by the French in the 19th century, it was transformed by scarcity during the 1940s, when milk was rationed and locals improvised with whisked egg yolks. The result—ca phe trung, or egg coffee—remains Hanoi’s most famous drink: rich, frothy and almost dessert-like. The original Cafe Giang still whips up its secret recipe in a narrow Old Quarter alley, while nearby Cafe Dinh serves its version from a crumbling balcony overlooking Hoan Kiem Lake. For a tropical twist, Cong Ca Phe, a nostalgic chain styled after wartime cafes, makes an excellent coconut coffee that's creamy and cold with a subtle sweetness.
The French Quarter brings a touch of polish without losing its soul. Home Hanoi Restaurant, set in a restored colonial villa, uplifts home-style dishes like caramelized catfish in claypot and banana-blossom salad. Nearby, Ngon Villa celebrates regional classics—Hue-style pancakes, Mekong curries, and central-coast seafood—beneath a canopy of lanterns. For high-concept dining, T.U.N.G Dining leads Vietnam’s modern tasting menu movement, pairing local ingredients and Nordic precision in a 20-course procession of culinary creativity.
After dark, the crowds drift to Ta Hien Street, Hanoi’s so-called “Beer Street”, where bia hoi — fresh, light draft beer brewed daily—is poured from metal kegs into plastic cups for a few thousand dong. For dessert, Che Ba Thin on Hang Bo has been ladling sweet coconut and mung-bean soups since the 1950s, and Kem Trang Tien near the Opera House scoops flavors like durian, coconut, and young green rice under its mint-green arches.
Back in the French Quarter, hidden just behind the Opera House, Binh Minh Jazz Club offers a smoky, sax-filled glimpse into the city’s bohemian side. Founded by legendary Vietnamese saxophonist Quyen Van Minh, it’s one of the oldest jazz clubs in Southeast Asia, hosting live performances most nights until late. Harder still to find is Anh Bar, tucked at the back of a narrow alleyway nearby, spreading across several dimly lit floors with soft seats, low lamps, and a piano that anchors the room.
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Where to stay in Hanoi
The swankiest stay in town is Capella Hanoi, designed by the legendary Bill Bensley and inspired by the opera house just next door. The 47-room boutique hotel is an ode to the roaring 1920s, scattered with pieces that Bensley sourced during his travels across Europe and Asia: gilt mirrors, feathered headpieces, vintage gramophones. Suites come with freestanding bathtubs on snazzy terraces overlooking the French Quarter, and guests can join a series of complimentary experiences including mixology workshops and guided architecture walks that reveal the neighborhood’s past.
Just across the street, the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi remains the city’s grand dame. Opened in 1901, its white-shuttered facade and wrought-iron balconies have welcomed everyone from Charlie Chaplin to Graham Greene. Rooms in the historic Metropole Wing retain their colonial detailing—parquet floors, claw-foot tubs—while the newer Opera Wing adds a lick of contemporary polish. The hotel’s bomb shelter, rediscovered in 2011, is now a small museum.
For a taste of the new city, check into the Lotte Hotel, which crowns a 65-story skyscraper above one of the capital’s top luxury malls in Ba Dinh District. The views stretch to the Red River, and the infinity pool on the 62nd floor feels like it’s swimming through the clouds. Travelers in search of something cheaper swear by Soleil Boutique Hotel, a charming four-star tucked in the Old Quarter that mixes timber floors with lacquer panels and splashes of indigo and gold. Looking ahead, Four Seasons Hanoi at Hoan Kiem Lake is set to open in 2026, with rooms and suites boasting picturesque views across Hoan Kiem Lake and the tree-lined boulevards just beyond.
How to get to Hanoi
There are no direct flights from the US to Hanoi (yet!), but there are some direct flights into Ho Chi Minh in the south of the country, and then it's just a short flight from there to the capital of Hanoi. Rumors have swirled of forthcoming direct flights from west coast cities, like Los Angeles and San Francisco, and hubs like Atlanta in Hanoi in late 2025 or 2026, but none have been confirmed to date.
Once you land, the Noi Bai airport is approximately 45 minutes from Hanoi's city center. Taxis or ride-hailing apps such as Grab are the fastest and most reliable ways to make the journey, with a fare of around VND 450,000-600,000 (roughly $20-25 USD) depending on traffic and time of day.
Vietnam currently offers visa-free entry for short-term tourism to citizens of 38 countries, but those from the US must obtain a visa or e-visa before traveling to Vietnam.
How to get around Hanoi
Hanoi moves mostly on two wheels. Scooters and bicycles weave through the city in a constant flow—and one of the biggest surprises for first-time Vietnam visitors is how to cross the road. Rather than waiting for a break in traffic or a green light, you simply walk and the scooters move around you. Keep a slow, steady pace—and if in doubt, follow the locals.
For most visitors, Grab—Southeast Asia’s equivalent of Uber—is the easiest and cheapest way to get around. The app works in Hanoi for both cars and motorbike taxis, with up-front pricing, cash-free payments, and journeys rarely costing more than a few dollars. Traditional metered taxis are also widely available, and a sleek new metro system is on the horizon by the end of the decade.
