Hanoi travel guide: Old Quarter, where to stay, food & day trips

E By Emma · Updated 20 October 2026 · 3 min read

Airports

Hanoi Noi Bai (HAN)

Best time to go

October-December and March-April

Type

City

Hanoi is the most atmospheric city in Vietnam. Motorbikes pour through the narrow streets of the Old Quarter, people sit on tiny plastic stools eating noodles on the pavement, and at weekends the roads around Hoan Kiem Lake close to traffic and fill with families. It is also a city of grand French colonial buildings, temples and lakes, and the natural starting point for the north. For the wider picture, see our Vietnam guide.

Where to stay

• Old Quarter – the busy historic core north of Hoan Kiem Lake, with boutique hotels, street food and bars. Lively and central, but noisy.
• French Quarter – south of the lake, with wide, tree-lined avenues, the Opera House and smarter hotels, including the historic Sofitel Legend Metropole.
• Tay Ho (West Lake) – a quieter expat area with lakeside cafés and restaurants, about 15 minutes by taxi from the centre.
• Ba Dinh – the political heart, with the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and leafy streets, convenient for sightseeing.

Things to do

1. Hoan Kiem Lake – walk the lake at dawn, when locals practise tai chi, and cross the red bridge to Ngoc Son Temple.
2. Temple of Literature – Vietnam's first university, founded in 1070, with peaceful courtyards and stone steles.
3. Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and One Pillar Pagoda – the mausoleum opens in the mornings on most days and has a strict dress code; check opening times as it closes periodically for maintenance.
4. Hoa Lo Prison – the "Hanoi Hilton", now a museum covering the colonial era and the American War.
5. Water puppet theatre – a traditional art form performed on water, with shows near Hoan Kiem Lake every evening.
6. Street food – try bun cha, pho, banh mi and egg coffee. A guided food walk is a great first-night introduction.
7. Day trips – an overnight cruise on Ha Long Bay, the rice fields and river caves of Ninh Binh, or an overnight train or bus to Sapa.

Getting there and around

Vietnam Airlines flies direct from London Heathrow to Noi Bai (HAN) in about 13 hours, and there are many one-stop options. The airport is about 45 minutes from the Old Quarter by taxi or Grab, depending on traffic. Public bus 86 runs to the centre and the railway station and is very cheap.

The Old Quarter and the lake are best explored on foot, though pavements are often used for parking and cooking, so you will spend time on the road. Grab cars and motorbikes are cheap and avoid haggling. Cross the road slowly and steadily, and don't stop or run. A metro is gradually opening but is of limited use to visitors so far.

When to go

October to December is the best time, with dry, sunny days and comfortable temperatures. March and April are also pleasant. Summer (May to September) is hot, very humid and often stormy. From December to February Hanoi is cool, often around 15-20 °C, grey and drizzly, so pack a jacket. During Tet, the Lunar New Year in late January or February, many businesses close for several days.

Top attractions in Hanoi

Nature

Ha Long Bay

Nearly 2,000 limestone islands rising from emerald water, best explored on an overnight cruise from Hanoi.

Hanoi on the map

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