Ride-hailing apps
Grab and Xanh SM book cars and motorbike taxis with the fare shown before you confirm. Show the driver our Vietnamese address card if the pin is off.
Hanoi, lake by lake.
Today's exchange rate, how far Ninh Binh, Ha Long and Sa Pa are, the bun cha, sticky rice and vegetarian kitchens locals swear by, the Old Quarter in a few bites, and a pocket map for walking the old streets or riding pillion around the lakes. Put together by Toward Local's hosts, with every address checked on Google Maps on 16 October 2026.
You don't visit Hanoi. You unlock it.
From the lake to the iron bridge
5.5 km · 7 stops · about 1 h 15 min of walking
Walk it with the map →
5.5 km · 7 stops · about 1 h 15 min of walking
- Right now in Hanoi
- --:-- · …Loading what locals are doing at this hour…
- Vietcombank rate today
- 1 USD = …Counters pay less for worn or torn notes
- Weather this month
- …
- WhatsApp a local
- +84 334 370 563Mr Tim · we usually reply within a few hours
Money, distances and the right season
Three things to sort before your first bowl of bun cha: what your cash is worth, how long the trips out of Hanoi take, and which months each place is at its best.
Today's exchange guide
Vietnam uses the dong (VND, ₫)
Rates below are Vietcombank's cash buying rates, the price one of Vietnam's biggest banks pays for foreign banknotes today.
Expect a little less at the counter. Exchange counters, hotels and gold shops check every note. Torn, taped, stained or written-on bills, very worn notes and older series are bought below this rate, and badly damaged ones can be refused. Bring clean, recent notes.
USD
At the Vietcombank rate: …Counters pay less for worn or damaged notes.
₫
That's about …
Know your notes
Changing and spending
- Change cash at banks, the airport or licensed exchange counters, and keep the receipt.
- Crisp notes get the best rate. Keep your cash flat and dry, and don't write on it.
- ATMs are everywhere in the Old Quarter. Most charge a fee per withdrawal, and your home bank may add its own.
- Cards and QR payments work in malls, hotels and many cafés. Street stalls, markets and bia hoi corners want cash.
- The 20,000₫ and 500,000₫ notes are both blue. Count the zeros before you hand one over.
How far from Hanoi, and when to go
Road distances measured from Hoan Kiem Lake on OpenStreetMap
DestinationHours from Hoan Kiem Lake (scale 0–8 h)Best months
Hanoi itself
You're here · hot, stormy summers and a cool, grey winter
Jan: Good, with some rain, heat or chillFeb: Good, with some rain, heat or chillMar: Good, with some rain, heat or chillApr: Best timeMay: Good, with some rain, heat or chillJun: Wet or stormyJul: Wet or stormyAug: Wet or stormySep: Good, with some rain, heat or chillOct: Best timeNov: Best timeDec: Best time
Bat Trang pottery village
Across the Red River · 15 km
Jan: Good, with some rain, heat or chillFeb: Good, with some rain, heat or chillMar: Good, with some rain, heat or chillApr: Best timeMay: Good, with some rain, heat or chillJun: Wet or stormyJul: Wet or stormyAug: Wet or stormySep: Good, with some rain, heat or chillOct: Best timeNov: Best timeDec: Best time
Noi Bai airport (HAN)
27 km north
Jan: Good, with some rain, heat or chillFeb: Good, with some rain, heat or chillMar: Good, with some rain, heat or chillApr: Best timeMay: Good, with some rain, heat or chillJun: Wet or stormyJul: Wet or stormyAug: Wet or stormySep: Good, with some rain, heat or chillOct: Best timeNov: Best timeDec: Best time
Duong Lam ancient village
Laterite houses near Son Tay · 45 km west
Jan: Good, with some rain, heat or chillFeb: Good, with some rain, heat or chillMar: Good, with some rain, heat or chillApr: Best timeMay: Good, with some rain, heat or chillJun: Wet or stormyJul: Wet or stormyAug: Wet or stormySep: Good, with some rain, heat or chillOct: Best timeNov: Best timeDec: Best time
Perfume Pagoda
A cave temple reached by river · 65 km to the pier
Jan: Good, with some rain, heat or chillFeb: Special seasonMar: Special seasonApr: Special seasonMay: Good, with some rain, heat or chillJun: Wet or stormyJul: Wet or stormyAug: Wet or stormySep: Good, with some rain, heat or chillOct: Best timeNov: Best timeDec: Best time
Jan: Good, with some rain, heat or chillFeb: Good, with some rain, heat or chillMar: Best timeApr: Best timeMay: Special seasonJun: Good, with some rain, heat or chillJul: Good, with some rain, heat or chillAug: Wet or stormySep: Wet or stormyOct: Good, with some rain, heat or chillNov: Best timeDec: Good, with some rain, heat or chill
Jan: Good, with some rain, heat or chillFeb: Special seasonMar: Special seasonApr: Best timeMay: Good, with some rain, heat or chillJun: Good, with some rain, heat or chillJul: Wet or stormyAug: Wet or stormySep: Special seasonOct: Best timeNov: Best timeDec: Best time
Jan: Good, with some rain, heat or chillFeb: Good, with some rain, heat or chillMar: Good, with some rain, heat or chillApr: Best timeMay: Best timeJun: Good, with some rain, heat or chillJul: Wet or stormyAug: Wet or stormySep: Wet or stormyOct: Best timeNov: Best timeDec: Good, with some rain, heat or chill
Jan: Good, with some rain, heat or chillFeb: Good, with some rain, heat or chillMar: Best timeApr: Best timeMay: Best timeJun: Good, with some rain, heat or chillJul: Wet or stormyAug: Wet or stormySep: Good, with some rain, heat or chillOct: Best timeNov: Best timeDec: Good, with some rain, heat or chill
Jan: Special seasonFeb: Special seasonMar: Good, with some rain, heat or chillApr: Good, with some rain, heat or chillMay: Good, with some rain, heat or chillJun: Good, with some rain, heat or chillJul: Wet or stormyAug: Wet or stormySep: Good, with some rain, heat or chillOct: Best timeNov: Special seasonDec: Special season
Jan: Good, with some rain, heat or chillFeb: Good, with some rain, heat or chillMar: Best timeApr: Best timeMay: Best timeJun: Good, with some rain, heat or chillJul: Wet or stormyAug: Wet or stormySep: Special seasonOct: Best timeNov: Best timeDec: Good, with some rain, heat or chill
Jan: Good, with some rain, heat or chillFeb: Special seasonMar: Best timeApr: Best timeMay: Good, with some rain, heat or chillJun: Wet or stormyJul: Wet or stormyAug: Wet or stormySep: Good, with some rain, heat or chillOct: Special seasonNov: Special seasonDec: Good, with some rain, heat or chill
Jan: Special seasonFeb: Good, with some rain, heat or chillMar: Good, with some rain, heat or chillApr: Good, with some rain, heat or chillMay: Special seasonJun: Special seasonJul: Wet or stormyAug: Wet or stormySep: Special seasonOct: Special seasonNov: Good, with some rain, heat or chillDec: Special season
Cao Bang & Ban Gioc
A waterfall on the border · 270 km to Cao Bang city
More in our Beyond Hanoi guide ↗Jan: Good, with some rain, heat or chillFeb: Good, with some rain, heat or chillMar: Good, with some rain, heat or chillApr: Best timeMay: Good, with some rain, heat or chillJun: Good, with some rain, heat or chillJul: Wet or stormyAug: Good, with some rain, heat or chillSep: Special seasonOct: Best timeNov: Best timeDec: Good, with some rain, heat or chill
Hoi An & Da Nang
About 770 km south · our hosts ride here
Our Hoi An guide ↗Our Da Nang guide ↗Hoi An tours ↗Da Nang tours ↗Jan: Good, with some rain, heat or chillFeb: Best timeMar: Best timeApr: Best timeMay: Best timeJun: Best timeJul: Best timeAug: Best timeSep: Good, with some rain, heat or chillOct: Wet or stormyNov: Wet or stormyDec: Good, with some rain, heat or chill
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
About 1,600 km south · our hosts ride here
Our Saigon guide ↗Ho Chi Minh City tours ↗Jan: Best timeFeb: Best timeMar: Best timeApr: Best timeMay: Good, with some rain, heat or chillJun: Good, with some rain, heat or chillJul: Good, with some rain, heat or chillAug: Good, with some rain, heat or chillSep: Good, with some rain, heat or chillOct: Good, with some rain, heat or chillNov: Good, with some rain, heat or chillDec: Best time
By road
Boat
Direct flight
Best months
Good, with some rain, heat or chill
Wet or stormy
Special season (see notes)
Four real seasons. Hanoi has a winter: December to February is 14–20°C and often grey, so pack a jacket. May to August is 33–35°C and humid, with heavy downpours. April, October and November are the easy months.
Mountains and bays in summer. June to September is hot, wet and stormy. Landslides can close mountain roads in the north, and Ha Long boats stay in port when a storm is forecast.
Golden rice. The terraces of Sa Pa and Mu Cang Chai turn gold from about mid-September to early October; in Ninh Binh the harvest comes in late May and early June.
Flowers. Pink buckwheat covers the Ha Giang plateau from October to December, Moc Chau's plum and peach blossom comes around Tet, and Hanoi's streets fill with peach-blossom and kumquat trees in the weeks before Lunar New Year.
Pilgrim season. The Perfume Pagoda festival runs from the 6th day of Tet to the end of the third lunar month (about 11 February to early May in 2027), and Yen Tu's spring festival opens on the 10th day of the first lunar month.
Tet. Lunar New Year falls on 6 February 2027. Trains, buses and flights sell out and many family-run eateries close for several days; the Old Quarter is at its most festive in the week before.
Times are by car on today's roads and expressways and stretch at weekends and holidays. Flight times don't include the 45–60 minutes to Noi Bai airport. Mountain roads close after heavy rain, mostly from June to September, and Ha Long boats stay in port when a storm is forecast, so keep a spare day in summer.
Getting around Hanoi
The airport is 27 km north
Noi Bai International Airport (HAN) is 45–60 minutes from the Old Quarter by car; taxis and app cars cost roughly 300,000–450,000₫. Airport bus 86 runs from Hanoi Station around Hoan Kiem Lake to both terminals, about every half hour from early morning to late evening.
Ride as a passenger
An International Driving Permit issued under the 1949 convention isn't valid in Vietnam, and riding without a valid licence can void your travel insurance. Sit behind a licensed local driver instead. Emergency: 113 police · 114 fire · 115 ambulance.
Trains leave from the centre
Hanoi Station on Le Duan Street, 2 km from the lake, runs the night trains to Lao Cai for Sa Pa and the line south to Ninh Binh (2–2.5 hours), Hue and Da Nang. Overnight sleepers save a hotel night.
Crossing the street
Walk at a slow, steady pace and let the motorbikes flow around you: don't stop suddenly or run. Old Quarter pavements double as parking, so you'll often walk along the edge of the road.
Dress for four seasons
Hanoi has a real winter: December to February is 14–20°C and often grey, so pack a jacket. May to August is 33–35°C and humid. Temples and the mausoleum ask for covered shoulders and knees.
Where Hanoi eats
Twenty-four places grouped by what you're craving: bun cha, sticky rice, pho (just two, as promised), noodles beyond pho, turmeric fish and family cooking, and seven vegetarian kitchens. Most are in the MICHELIN Guide Vietnam 2026, and every card shows the place's Google Maps rating. Ratings, hours and pins are from each listing on 16 October 2026; only places rated 4.0 or higher made the list.
- DirectionsOpens Google Maps with a route from where you're standing. Tap the motorbike icon for two-wheeler routes.
- Show driverShows the address in large Vietnamese for your Grab or taxi driver.
- On our mapJumps to the pocket map below, with the place highlighted.
- Before you goDownload Hanoi for offline use in Google Maps, and carry some cash: street stalls rarely take cards.
Bun chabun cha · grilled pork & noodles · 4
Hanoi's lunch: pork belly and pork patties grilled over charcoal, served in a warm, sweet-sour fish-sauce broth with green papaya, a basket of cold rice noodles and a heap of herbs. Dip, slurp, repeat. Add a crisp fried spring roll (nem).
The 'Obama' bun chaMICHELIN Guide 20264.1 · 12,402 Google reviews
Bun Cha Huong Lien
Where Barack Obama and Anthony Bourdain sat down to bun cha and beer in 2016; the table they used is kept behind glass. Most guests order the 'Obama combo': bun cha, a fried seafood roll and a bottle of Hanoi beer. Pay in cash at the door on the way out.
- Hours
- 08:00–20:00 daily
- Address
- 24 Le Van Huu
South of Hoan Kiem Lake · 15 min walk
Grilled to orderMICHELIN Bib Gourmand 20264.2 · 612 Google reviews
Tuyet Bun Cha 34
A MICHELIN Bib Gourmand stall north of the Old Quarter where the pork is chargrilled as you order. Dip the noodles in the warm broth and add an extra spring roll for crunch. Come for lunch: it closes at 5:30pm.
- Hours
- 08:30–17:30 daily
- Address
- 34 Hang Than
North of the Old Quarter · 10 min by motorbike
Open until 10pmMICHELIN Bib Gourmand 20264.4 · 5,329 Google reviews
Bun Cha Ta
Bib Gourmand bun cha in the Old Quarter that keeps going until late: smoky grilled pork, well-seasoned patties and smooth noodles, with crab or chicken spring rolls on the side. Vegetarians get rice noodles with fried tofu in tomato sauce and veggie spring rolls.
- Hours
- 08:00–22:00 daily
- Address
- 21 Nguyen Huu Huan
Old Quarter · 5 min walk from the lake
Bun cha, sit-downMICHELIN Bib Gourmand 20264.6 · 1,184 Google reviews
The East
A smart two-storey townhouse on Tong Duy Tan, the busy food street west of the Old Quarter, where bun cha Hanoi is the signature. Start with crab spring rolls and finish with Vietnamese flan. Local ceramics are for sale too.
- Hours
- 11:00–14:30 · 17:30–22:00 daily
- Address
- 5B Tong Duy Tan
Tong Duy Tan food street · 10 min walk from the lake
Sticky ricexoi · xoi xeo · xoi ga · 3
Steamed sticky rice with toppings, eaten from breakfast to late at night. Xoi xeo, yellow sticky rice with mashed mung bean and crispy fried shallots, is the Hanoi classic; add braised pork, Chinese sausage, chicken or a fried egg.
Sticky rice until midnight4.0 · 4,616 Google reviews
Xoi Yen
Hanoi's best-known sticky-rice shop, busy from breakfast to midnight. Choose your base (xoi xeo is the classic) and pile on toppings: braised pork, Chinese sausage, chicken, pâté or a fried egg. Upstairs seating if the street tables are full.
- Hours
- 06:00–24:00 daily
- Address
- 35B Nguyen Huu Huan
Old Quarter · 5 min walk from the lake
Chicken sticky riceMICHELIN Bib Gourmand 20264.2 · 572 Google reviews
Pho Ha Hang Hom
A MICHELIN Bib Gourmand chicken specialist, buzzing from morning to midnight. Its xoi ga, sticky rice with free-range chicken and extras such as egg, is the dish to order and often sells out; the chicken pho is a fine back-up.
- Hours
- 06:00–23:30 daily
- Address
- 15 Hang Hom
Old Quarter · near Hang Gai
Morning to lunch4.7 · 319 Google reviews
Xoi May
A small, highly rated sticky-rice shop south of the lake, open from dawn until lunchtime. Point at the toppings you want: the one breakfast stop on this list, for a morning near the Opera House.
- Hours
- 05:30–13:30 daily
- Address
- 51 Hang Bai
South of Hoan Kiem Lake · 10 min walk
Pho, just twopho bo · pho ga · 2
Hanoi is where pho grew up, and the northern bowl is clear, gentle and all about the broth. One beef shop and one chicken shop, both open well past breakfast, so you can fit pho in whenever you like.
Beef phoMICHELIN Bib Gourmand 20264.1 · 12,342 Google reviews
Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su
The original shop of a famous name: Hanoi has look-alikes, so check the address. Ten kinds of beef pho, from rare slices to brisket and flank, made in an open kitchen behind glass. Open from breakfast to evening.
- Hours
- 06:00–21:45 (Mon & Thu to 21:00)
- Address
- 10 Ly Quoc Su
Old Quarter · near St Joseph's Cathedral
Chicken pho until midnightMICHELIN Bib Gourmand 20264.4 · 3,609 Google reviews
Pho Ga Nguyet
Chicken pho since 2009, behind a blue-and-white front. Pick your cut (locals love the thigh) and have it in soup or as dry noodles. Open until midnight, it's the classic late bowl after a night out.
- Hours
- 06:30–24:00 daily
- Address
- 5B Phu Doan
Old Quarter · 5 min walk from the Cathedral
Beyond phomien luon · banh cuon · bun dau · 4
Hanoi's other noodles: glass noodles with crispy eel, paper-thin steamed rice rolls, a fish noodle soup from Hung Yen and bun dau, the tray of noodles, fried tofu and shrimp paste that office workers queue for at lunch.
Eel glass noodlesMICHELIN Bib Gourmand 20264.1 · 1,373 Google reviews
Mien Luon Dong Thinh
More than 40 years of eel and little else: glass noodles in soup, or tossed dry with crispy shredded eel, herbs, peanuts and fried shallots. Eel congee and eel soup if you'd like it softer.
- Hours
- 06:30–22:00 daily
- Address
- 87 Hang Dieu
Old Quarter · west side
Steamed rice rollsMICHELIN Bib Gourmand 20264.3 · 785 Google reviews
Banh Cuon Thanh Van
A family recipe handed down through generations: rice sheets steamed to order, thin and soft, rolled around pork, shrimp or chicken, with a salty-sweet-sour dipping sauce. Try bun thang too, Hanoi's delicate noodle soup with many toppings.
- Hours
- 07:00–13:30 · 17:00–21:00 daily
- Address
- 14 Hang Ga
Old Quarter · north-west side
Crispy fish noodle soupMICHELIN Guide 20264.7 · 397 Google reviews
Hieu Luc Canh Ca Ro
A noodle soup from Hung Yen province, east of Hanoi: crispy fried climbing perch and bouncy fish cake over flat rice noodles or chewy red rice noodles, with mustard greens and spring onion.
- Hours
- 06:00–20:30 daily
- Address
- 39P Hai Ba Trung
French Quarter · 10 min walk south-west of the lake
Noodles, tofu & shrimp paste4.4 · 412 Google reviews
Bun Dau Goc Da
Bun dau mam tom comes on a tray: pressed rice noodles, fried tofu, herbs and a bowl of fermented shrimp paste whipped with lime and chilli. Pungent, and much loved. Not ready for the paste? Ask for fish sauce (nuoc mam) instead.
- Hours
- 07:30–23:00 daily
- Address
- 4 Ngo Gach
Old Quarter · near Dong Xuan Market
Cha ca & Hanoi at the tablecha ca · com nha · family cooking · 4
Sit-down meals: cha ca, turmeric fish that sizzles in a pan at your table with dill and spring onion, and family-style rice dishes the way Hanoi grandmothers cook them. Good for groups and for a first dinner in the city.
Turmeric fishMICHELIN Guide 20264.6 · 652 Google reviews
Cha Ca Anh Vu
A family-run cha ca house for more than 20 years. Turmeric-marinated catfish arrives sizzling, you toss it with dill and spring onion, then eat it with rice noodles, peanuts and herbs. Add fish spring rolls if you're hungry.
- Hours
- 10:30–14:30 · 17:00–21:30 daily
- Address
- 120 K1 Giang Vo
Giang Vo · 15 min by motorbike west of the lake
Hanoi family cookingMICHELIN Bib Gourmand 20264.0 · 861 Google reviews
1946 Cua Bac
A yellow-and-green townhouse down a narrow alley, with old wooden tables and vintage photos. Start with banana-blossom salad with beef, then share the signature crab and rice-porridge hotpot. English menu; book ahead.
- Hours
- 10:30–22:30 daily
- Address
- 3 Yen Thanh Alley, off 61 Cua Bac
Near Truc Bach Lake · 10 min by motorbike
Northern home cookingMICHELIN Bib Gourmand 20264.5 · 813 Google reviews
Xoi Com
Home cooking from northern Vietnam in a room styled like a Hanoi house of the 1980s. The menu changes every day, with dishes such as water spinach with garlic and fried tofu with spring onion, and staff explain it in simple English. Book ahead at meal times.
- Hours
- 10:00–14:00 · 17:00–21:00 (Fri–Sun to 21:30)
- Address
- 107, Lane 36 Lang Ha
Lang Ha · 20 min by motorbike west of the lake
All of Vietnam in one gardenMICHELIN Guide 20264.4 · 6,168 Google reviews
Quan An Ngon
A colonial villa with a busy courtyard and a long picture menu of dishes from all over Vietnam. A good first night if you want to try lots of small plates; don't miss the freshly steamed rice rolls.
- Hours
- 06:30–22:00 daily
- Address
- 18 Phan Boi Chau
Near Hanoi Station · 15 min walk from the lake
Vegetarian & veganchay · Buddhist vegetarian · 7
Hanoi has a long Buddhist vegetarian tradition, and these kitchens cook Vietnamese dishes without meat or fish: from MICHELIN-listed dining rooms to a small vegan pho and banh mi spot. Most are fully vegetarian; tell staff if you're vegan or avoid egg.
Buddhist vegetarianMICHELIN Bib Gourmand 20264.4 · 2,695 Google reviews
Uu Dam Chay
Buddhist art, statues and a calm, Zen dining room. The MICHELIN Bib Gourmand menu mixes Vietnamese, Thai and Western ideas, all meat-free: try the stir-fried mushrooms and tofu with a crisp rice cake, and a fresh juice.
- Hours
- 10:00–22:00 daily
- Address
- 55 Nguyen Du
By Thien Quang Lake · 15 min walk south of Hoan Kiem
Vegetarian set menusMICHELIN Guide 20264.6 · 338 Google reviews
Co Dam
A building of terracotta brick inspired by Buddhist and Cham temples, with a pond and a terracotta Buddha on the ground floor. Just two set menus, both creative takes on Vietnamese classics: a special vegetarian dinner.
- Hours
- 11:00–13:30 · 18:00–20:30 daily
- Address
- 68A Tran Hung Dao
French Quarter · near Hoa Lo Prison
Vegan in the Old Quarter4.8 · 1,122 Google reviews
Hue Nhien Vegan Kitchen
Opened in 2023 in the middle of the Old Quarter, with plant-based dishes inspired by Vietnamese home cooking. Central and open all day, so it's an easy stop between sights.
- Hours
- 09:00–22:00 daily
- Address
- 39 Hang Quat
Old Quarter · 5 min walk from the lake
Vegan in an old house4.9 · 2,134 Google reviews
Dana Vegan House
A Vietnamese vegan restaurant in a traditional house on a quiet Old Quarter street, with a menu built around rice and regional ingredients from across the country.
- Hours
- 11:00–22:30 daily
- Address
- 12 Dong Thai
Old Quarter · near Dong Xuan Market
Modern vegetarian4.9 · 1,189 Google reviews
Hoi Vegetarian Dining
Creative plant-based cooking that mixes Vietnamese and global flavours, with more than 50 dishes on the menu. It's close to Truc Bach Lake and Quan Thanh Temple, so it fits a West Lake afternoon.
- Hours
- 11:00–14:00 · 18:00–21:30 daily
- Address
- 81 Quan Thanh
Near Truc Bach Lake · 10 min by motorbike
Vegetarian buffet4.5 · 2,046 Google reviews
Sadhu Vegetarian
A calm, stylish all-you-can-eat buffet of vegetarian and vegan dishes near Hanoi Station: an easy way to taste a lot of Vietnamese food in one sitting.
- Hours
- 10:30–22:00 daily
- Address
- 87 Ly Thuong Kiet
Near Hanoi Station · 15 min walk from the lake
Vegan pho & banh mi4.9 · 621 Google reviews
Tu Chau Veggie
A small daytime spot for vegan versions of two Hanoi staples: mixed pho, and banh mi with mushroom sauce. House-made kombucha to drink.
- Hours
- 07:00–17:00 (Fri from 08:30)
- Address
- 8 Nguyen Bieu
Near Quan Thanh Temple · 10 min by motorbike
Eating in the Old Quarter and around West Lake
The Old Quarter's 36 streets were named for the trades they once held, and they're still where Hanoi eats best on foot. Nine more addresses, one line each: five in the old streets, four around Truc Bach and West Lake.
Old Quarter, morning to night: egg coffee at Cafe Giang → banh mi on Hang Ca → beef noodles on Hang Dieu → sweet soup on Hang Can → rice wine at Highway4. West Lake afternoon: pho rolls in Truc Bach → snails on Quan Thanh → sunset on Thanh Nien Road → dinner at Chao Ban.
The Old Quarter5 places
-
The original egg coffee
Cafe Giang
Where egg coffee was invented in 1946. Order it hot: it comes in a bowl of warm water.
4.4 · 17,234 Google reviews07:00–22:30
-
Banh mi
Banh Mi 25
The Old Quarter's best-known baguette counter, filled to order with grilled meat, pâté and pickles.
4.5 · 17,677 Google reviews07:00–21:00
-
Dry beef noodles
Bun Bo Nam Bo Bach Phuong
A Hanoi favourite with a southern name: rice noodles, stir-fried beef, herbs, peanuts and crispy shallots.
4.5 · 7,935 Google reviews07:30–22:30
-
Sweet soups
Che Bon Mua
Sweet soups of beans, jellies and coconut milk over ice, open until 11pm.
4.0 · 2,914 Google reviews09:30–23:00
-
Tavern & rice wines
Highway4
A northern tavern for a slow evening: catfish spring rolls, oxtail stew in clay pots and fruit rice wines.
MICHELIN Guide 20264.2 · 973 Google reviews10:00–22:30
Truc Bach & West Lake4 places
-
Pho rolls · Truc Bach
Pho Cuon Chinh Thang
Said to be where pho cuon was born, in 2000: soft rice-noodle sheets rolled around beef and herbs.
MICHELIN Guide 20264.4 · 1,245 Google reviews10:00–14:30 · 16:30–21:00
-
Snails & shellfish
Oc Di Tu
Snails, clams and prawns, grilled or steamed with lemongrass, two streets from Truc Bach Lake.
MICHELIN Guide 20264.3 · 458 Google reviews10:30–22:00
-
Mothers' home cooking
Mammom
Nearly 100 home-style dishes from north, centre and south; the clam broth with tomato and pineapple is a star.
MICHELIN Bib Gourmand 20264.9 · 3,666 Google reviews11:00–14:00 · 17:30–22:00
-
Creative Vietnamese · Tay Ho
Chao Ban
'Hello, friend': crab spring rolls and the chef's own spins on Vietnamese recipes, near the West Lake shore.
MICHELIN Bib Gourmand 20264.9 · 1,032 Google reviews11:00–14:30 · 17:30–21:00
Not sure where to start? Tell our hosts what you like to eat and where you're staying, and we'll reply on WhatsApp with the places we'd pick.
Hanoi's photo spots, and how to reach them
Twenty-five places worth the photo, with the best time of day, what it costs and a one-tap route from wherever you're standing. Walking and riding times are estimates from Hoan Kiem Lake. Entry fees at city-run sites are Hanoi's official rates since 2024.
25 spots
Old Quarter & the riverSunrise
Hoan Kiem Lake & Turtle Tower
The lake at the heart of Hanoi, named for the legend of a magic sword that King Le Loi returned to a golden turtle. The little Turtle Tower stands on an islet in the middle, and at dawn the shore fills with tai chi, dancing and joggers.
- Cost
- Free
By Hoan Kiem Lake
From Friday evening to Sunday night the roads around the lake close to traffic and turn into a walking street.
Old Quarter & the riverEarly morning
Ngoc Son Temple & The Huc Bridge
Cross the red wooden The Huc Bridge to a temple on Jade Island honouring Tran Hung Dao, the general who drove back the Mongol invasions, and Van Xuong, the god of literature. A preserved giant turtle from the lake is on display inside.
- Hours
- 07:00–19:00 (Fri–Sun to 22:00)
- Cost
- 50,000₫
By Hoan Kiem Lake
Free on the first day of every lunar month. The bridge photographs best before 8am, before the crowds.
Old Quarter & the riverMorning
Dong Xuan Market & the trading streets
Hanoi's biggest covered market, behind a French-era facade at the top of the Old Quarter. The streets around it are still named for what they once sold: silk on Hang Gai, silver on Hang Bac, paper offerings on Hang Ma.
- Cost
- Free to wander
~20 min walk~5 min by motorbike
Go before 9am, when motorbikes piled high with goods squeeze down every lane. Keep your bag in front of you in the crowds.
Old Quarter & the riverDaytime
Heritage House, 87 Ma May
A restored Old Quarter tube house: long, narrow rooms opening onto small courtyards, showing how merchant families lived above and behind their shops.
- Hours
- 08:00–12:00 · 13:30–17:30 daily
- Cost
- Small entry fee
~10 min walk~3 min by motorbike
It takes 20 minutes and is a good way to understand the streets you've been walking. Craft stalls sometimes set up inside.
Old Quarter & the riverDaytime
Bach Ma Temple
One of the four guardian temples of old Thang Long, founded in the 11th century and rebuilt in the 18th and 19th. Its name, White Horse, comes from the legend of a horse that showed the king where to build the city walls.
- Hours
- 09:00–17:30 · closed Mondays
- Cost
- Free
~15 min walk~4 min by motorbike
Step in from busy Hang Buom Street for a few quiet minutes. Dress modestly, as at every temple.
Old Quarter & the riverWhen a train is due
Hanoi Train Street
Cafés line a stretch of railway so narrow that trains pass within arm's reach of the doorsteps. Order a drink, sit on a low stool, and the owner will tell you when to pull your feet in.
- Cost
- Free to look · you buy a drink at a café
~15 min walk~3 min by motorbike
Police close access from time to time, and the future of the café strip is under review. Ask at your hotel on the day, and follow the café staff when a train comes.
Old Quarter & the riverMorning
Phung Hung Mural Street
Murals painted inside the brick arches of the old railway viaduct along Phung Hung Street, with scenes of old Hanoi from street vendors to the Long Bien Bridge.
- Cost
- Free
~20 min walk~5 min by motorbike
It pairs well with Train Street, a 10-minute walk south along the same tracks.
Old Quarter & the riverAfter 7pm
Ta Hien Beer Street
The Old Quarter's party corner: plastic stools spill into the street, bia hoi (fresh draught beer) flows, and the crowd is half local, half travellers.
- Cost
- Pay per glass or bottle
~10 min walk~3 min by motorbike
Loud and packed at weekends. For a quieter bia hoi with locals, try any corner a block or two away with a keg and low stools.
Old Quarter & the riverSunset
Long Bien Bridge
A steel bridge over the Red River, built by the French between 1898 and 1902 and bombed again and again in the American War. Trains still rumble down the middle, with motorbikes and a narrow footpath on each side.
- Cost
- Free
~25 min walk~5 min by motorbike
Walk out from the Old Quarter end for 20–30 minutes and back. Keep to the footpath: motorbikes use the lanes next to it.
Old Quarter & the riverMorning
Ceramic Mosaic Road
Almost 4 km of ceramic mosaics along the Red River dyke, made for Hanoi's 1,000th birthday in 2010 and listed by Guinness World Records as the longest ceramic mosaic in the world.
- Cost
- Free
~10 min walk~3 min by motorbike
It runs beside a busy road: look from the pavement, or ride past slowly as a passenger.
French QuarterLate afternoon
St Joseph's Cathedral
Hanoi's oldest church, a neo-Gothic cathedral from 1886 with twin bell towers modelled on Notre-Dame de Paris. The cafés around the square are perfect for watching the city go by.
- Hours
- Visitors 08:00–11:00 · 14:00–17:00, outside mass times
- Cost
- Free
By Hoan Kiem Lake
Dress modestly and keep quiet inside. When the main doors are shut, visitors use the side gate on Nha Chung Street.
French QuarterDusk
Hanoi Opera House
A grand performance hall that opened in 1911, modelled on the Palais Garnier in Paris. The steps and the square in front glow after dark.
- Cost
- Free outside · show tickets vary
~15 min walk~3 min by motorbike
Check the season's programme: symphony, ballet, opera and traditional shows are staged inside.
French QuarterMorning
Hoa Lo Prison
Built by the French in the 1890s for Vietnamese political prisoners, and later nicknamed the 'Hanoi Hilton' by American pilots held there. The gatehouse and part of the prison survive as a museum.
- Hours
- 08:00–17:00 daily
- Cost
- 50,000₫
~10 min walk~3 min by motorbike
Allow about an hour. Some rooms are harrowing, so it's not for small children.
French QuarterA rainy afternoon
Vietnamese Women's Museum
Four floors on the lives of Vietnamese women: marriage and family, their roles in history, the street vendors of Hanoi and fashion from 54 ethnic groups. One of the best-curated museums in the city.
- Hours
- 08:00–17:00 daily
- Cost
- 40,000₫
~10 min walk~3 min by motorbike
The street-vendor exhibition is a great primer before you head into the Old Quarter.
Ba Dinh & the Citadel08:00, at opening
Temple of Literature
Built in 1070 to honour Confucius, and from 1076 home to Vietnam's first university. Five walled courtyards lead past 82 stone stelae carried on the backs of turtles, carved with the names of doctoral laureates.
- Hours
- 08:00–17:00 daily
- Cost
- 70,000₫
~30 min walk~10 min by motorbike
Come at opening or late in the afternoon to miss the school groups. In spring, graduates in gowns arrive for photos.
Ba Dinh & the CitadelMorning
Imperial Citadel of Thang Long
The seat of Vietnamese dynasties for more than a thousand years and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2010. See the Doan Mon gate, the dragon steps of Kinh Thien Palace and the dig that uncovered older palaces across the road.
- Hours
- 08:00–17:00 daily
- Cost
- 100,000₫
~25 min walk~5 min by motorbike
Don't miss the wartime command bunker under building D67, open to visitors.
Ba Dinh & the CitadelMorning
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum & Ba Dinh Square
The granite mausoleum where Ho Chi Minh lies in state, on the square where he read Vietnam's Declaration of Independence on 2 September 1945. The Presidential Palace grounds and One Pillar Pagoda are next door.
- Hours
- Mornings only: Tue–Thu, Sat & Sun · closed Mon & Fri
- Cost
- Free
~35 min walk~10 min by motorbike
Cover shoulders and knees, leave big bags and cameras at the security check, and walk in silence. It closes for maintenance for several weeks most years.
Ba Dinh & the CitadelMorning
One Pillar Pagoda
A small wooden shrine on a single stone pillar in a lotus pond, first built in 1049 to look like a lotus rising from the water, and rebuilt after it was destroyed in 1954.
- Hours
- 07:00–18:00 daily
- Cost
- Free
~35 min walk~10 min by motorbike
It's a short walk from the mausoleum exit: see both in one morning.
West Lake & Truc BachLate afternoon
Tran Quoc Pagoda
Hanoi's oldest pagoda, with roots in the 6th century, on a small island off Thanh Nien Road. Its tall red stupa is reflected in West Lake at sunset.
- Hours
- 07:30–11:00 · 13:30–17:00 daily
- Cost
- Free
~45 min walk~10 min by motorbike
Cover shoulders and knees. Then stay for sunset on Thanh Nien Road, between West Lake and Truc Bach.
West Lake & Truc BachMorning
Quan Thanh Temple
The northern guardian temple of old Thang Long, home to a bronze statue of Tran Vu, the guardian god of the north, almost four metres tall and cast in 1677.
- Hours
- 08:00–17:00 daily
- Cost
- 10,000₫
~40 min walk~10 min by motorbike
It's on the corner of Thanh Nien Road, so it pairs well with Tran Quoc Pagoda and Truc Bach Lake.
West Lake & Truc BachSunset
Phu Tay Ho
A lakeside temple on a West Lake peninsula, dedicated to the Mother Goddess Lieu Hanh. Busiest with worshippers on the 1st and 15th of each lunar month.
- Hours
- 05:00–18:00 daily
- Cost
- Free
~20 min by motorbike
Dress modestly. The lake path around the temple is a lovely place to sit for sunset.
Further outHalf a day
Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
The story of Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups, with full-size village houses rebuilt in the garden, from a towering Bahnar communal house to a Giarai tomb.
- Hours
- Tue–Sun 08:30–17:30 · closed Mon
- Cost
- 40,000₫
~25 min by motorbike
Give it at least two hours, and save time for the garden: the houses are the highlight.
Further outSunset
Lotte Observation Deck
A 65th-floor deck with a glass floor and a 360-degree view over Hanoi's lakes, rooftops and the Red River.
- Hours
- 09:30–22:30 daily
- Cost
- Ticket sold on site
~20 min by motorbike
Clear evenings after rain give the longest views. Arrive half an hour before sunset and stay for the lights.
Further outMorning
Bat Trang Pottery Village
A pottery village on the far bank of the Red River, making ceramics for centuries: kilns, family workshops and a big pottery market where you can sit at a wheel yourself.
- Hours
- About 08:30–18:00
- Cost
- Free to wander · workshops charge for clay and firing
15 km south-east · 30–45 min by road
Weekday mornings are calmest. Bubble-wrap is easy to find for anything you buy.
Further outMorning
Duong Lam Ancient Village
Houses of laterite brick, a village gate and a communal house in a farming village that gave Vietnam two kings, Phung Hung and Ngo Quyen.
- Hours
- 08:00–17:00 daily
- Cost
- 20,000₫
45 km west · 1–1.25 h by road
Rent a bicycle in the village and try che lam, the local sweet of sticky rice, ginger and peanuts.
Must-try experiences in Hanoi
Eleven things to do between meals: three hands-on workshops, and the Hanoi moments a local would send a friend to, from tai chi at dawn to a flower market at 3am. All are easy to arrange yourself; prices, where shown, are for reference.
DIY: make it with your own hands
Hands-on, then drink, eat or keep what you made.
DIY
Whisk your own egg coffee
Egg coffee was born in Hanoi in 1946, when milk was scarce and Nguyen Van Giang, a bartender at the Metropole hotel, whipped egg yolk with sugar instead. Several Old Quarter cafés now run short hands-on classes in egg coffee and phin drip coffee. Taste the original at his family's café first, then make your own.
Classes usually take 1–1.5 h · Cafe Giang is open 07:00–22:30
DIY
Cook Hanoi food, starting at the market
Most cooking schools in the Old Quarter begin with a walk through a wet market for herbs and greens, then teach three or four Hanoi dishes before you sit down to eat them. Tell the school in advance if you're vegetarian.
Usually 3–4 hours, morning or afternoon
DIY
Throw a pot in Bat Trang
In the pottery village across the Red River, family workshops sit you at a wheel, help you shape a cup or bowl and let you paint it. Ask before you start whether your piece can be fired and collected, or take it home unfired.
30–45 min by road · workshops charge for clay, paint and firing
Things you can't leave Hanoi without doing
Free or close to it, and no booking needed.
Can't miss
Watch the water puppets
An art from the rice-field villages of the Red River delta: lacquered wooden puppets glide across a pool stage to live folk music, telling stories of farming, festivals and the legend of the lake outside.
Several shows a day, about 50 minutes · book at the box office or on the theatre's website
Can't miss
Join the lake at sunrise
From 5am the shores of Hoan Kiem fill with tai chi, aerobics, badminton and ballroom dancing. Walk the loop around the lake, then sit down for a bowl of pho.
Free · 05:00–06:30
Can't miss
Walk the lake on a weekend night
From Friday evening to Sunday night the roads around Hoan Kiem Lake close to traffic. Families, street musicians and children's games take over the space.
Free · Friday evening to Sunday midnight · paused on some holidays and events
Can't miss
Drink bia hoi on a plastic stool
Fresh draught beer, brewed daily and poured cold by the glass at corner bars all over the Old Quarter. Ta Hien Street is the loud version; any corner with a keg and low stools is the local one.
Cash only · pay per glass
Can't miss
Sip coffee by the train tracks
Sit at a café a step from the rails and wait for the train to squeeze past. Order something, and leave the timing to the staff.
Check on the day whether access is open · follow the café staff when a train is due
Can't miss
Cross Long Bien Bridge at sunset
Walk out over the Red River on the old steel bridge, with trains on the middle track, banana groves on the sandbanks below and the sun going down over the city behind you.
Free · 20–30 min each way on foot
Can't miss
Circle West Lake at sunset
The road around West Lake passes Tran Quoc Pagoda, Phu Tay Ho and lakeside cafés. Ride it as a passenger behind a motorbike-taxi driver, or hire a bicycle, and stop wherever the light is best.
Late afternoon · book a motorbike taxi in the Grab or Xanh SM app
Can't miss
Wander the night flower market
Hanoi's wholesale flower market comes alive in the middle of the night, when farmers' trucks unload roses, lilies and lotus for the city's florists. Bring a jacket in winter.
Free · busiest about 02:00–05:00, and in the days before Tet
Hosted by Toward Local
Hoi An, Da Nang or Saigon next? Ride with our hosts.
Toward Local's hosts ride in three cities further south. Hanoi isn't one of them yet, so everything in this guide is something you can do on your own. When your route reaches Hoi An, Da Nang or Saigon, sit behind a licensed local driver and let the food streets come to you, or whisk your own egg coffee in one of our workshops.
- You ride as a passenger. A licensed local driver rides; helmet included.
- Egg coffee, hands-on. Workshops in Da Nang and Saigon, with an English-speaking host.
- Stops follow the day: the weather, the traffic and what's cooking decide the route.
- 5.0 on Tripadvisor from 630 traveller reviews across Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, as shown on our website this month.
Six ways to ride, walk and whisk with us
Tap a tour for the full itinerary, or ask us on WhatsApp which one fits your route.
Hoi An · on footToward Local
Hoi An Old Town Authentic Food and Sightseeing Walking Tour
The old town on foot: White Rose dumplings, banh mi, cao lau and Vietnamese coffee by the river.
Hoi An · by motorbikeToward Local
Hoi An Old Town Authentic Street Food Tour by Motorbike
White Rose dumplings, banh mi and cao lau, then out to Tra Que vegetable village and the Cam Nam riverside.
Da Nang · by motorbikeToward Local
Da Nang Signature Local Street Food by Motorbike
Mi Quang, grilled-pork noodles, banh xeo and banh beo, with a drip-coffee stop and something sweet to finish.
Da Nang · workshopToward Local
Da Nang Egg Coffee Making Workshop
Whisk your own egg coffee with an English-speaking host, with an introduction to Vietnam's coffee culture.
Saigon · by motorbikeToward Local
Iconic Saigon By Night Foodie Tour on Motorbike
Saigon after dark from the back of a motorbike: street food at several stops, food alleys and local neighbourhoods.
Saigon · workshopToward Local
Ho Chi Minh City Cooking Class & Egg Coffee Workshop
Learn to make Vietnamese egg coffee, add a hands-on cooking class if you like, then enjoy what you made.
More free guides from our hosts
Same idea as this page, for the rest of your route.
Beyond Hanoi ↗Ninh Binh, Ha Long, Ha Giang, Sa Pa and the northern mountains
Hoi An Lantern by Lantern ↗Cao lau, the old town and a lantern-lit pocket map
Da Nang Bridge by Bridge ↗Turmeric noodles, the Dragon Bridge and a pocket map of the city
Beyond Da Nang ↗Hue, Phong Nha, Quy Nhon, Phu Yen and Da Lat
Nha Trang Bay by Bay ↗Fish noodle soup, mud baths and island days
Saigon Street by Street ↗Broken rice, Chinatown and walking routes in Ho Chi Minh City
Beyond Saigon ↗The Mekong Delta, Mui Ne, Phu Quoc and Con Dao
All our tours are listed on towardlocal.com: Hoi An tours · Da Nang tours · Ho Chi Minh City tours. Want a route built around your dates? Message us on WhatsApp.
Walk the old streets, or ride around the lakes
Two routes drawn on real Hanoi streets: a 5.5 km morning walk from Hoan Kiem Lake through the Old Quarter to Long Bien Bridge and back by the railway, and a 19 km ride as a passenger past the Temple of Literature, Ba Dinh Square and West Lake. Switch to "All places" to see every address on this page. Drag to move, pinch or use the buttons to zoom.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Help us make this guide better
Tell us what worked, what didn't and which places we missed. It goes straight to our team, and we read every message.
Your message
Sent by email to the Toward Local team.
What happens next: one of our hosts reads it. If you asked something, we reply by email or WhatsApp. We check the places you suggest before adding them to the guide.
Planning Hanoi? Message our hosts.
Toward Local is a small team of local hosts in Saigon, Da Nang and Hoi An. We don't run tours in Hanoi, but we're glad to answer questions about this guide and the north, and to plan your rides in the cities where we host. We usually reply within a few hours.
WhatsApp · Mr Tim+84 334 370 563
WhatsApp · Mr Vinh+84 934 146 935
EmailTowardlocal@gmail.com
Websitetowardlocal.com