13 unique Hanoi tips that will enhance your experience

What do you do when your travel plans go south, and you are battling illness instead of ticking off experiences on your bucket list? You make the best of it. Continue reading for my 13 best Hanoi tips and what to do in Hanoi without visiting its main tourist attractions.

Vietnam has been on my bucket list for years. And finally, in January 2024 it was going to happen. 15 days of solo travel from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City was booked and planned. What could possibly go wrong?

Probably a lot of things. I was aware of the cold weather in the north, chances of getting scammed, rain in Hue and Hoi An, food poisoning, pickpocketing, and delayed transport – all of them events I could prepare and take precautions for. What I wasn’t prepared for was getting hospitalised with a kidney infection on my first morning there.

You can get the essence of Hanoi without visiting the main attractions

My original plan for the days I had in the Vietnamese capital was filled to the brim with interesting attractions. Because of my UNESCO World Heritage project, a visit to Imperial Citadel of Thang Long was on top. The Temple of Literature, early morning walks around Hoan Kiem Lake, Tran Quoc Pagoda, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, train street, Ngoc Son Temple, St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Hoa Lo Prison, and experiencing Hanoi’s water puppet theatre tradition were other things on my list.

Sure, I want to do all those things at some point. But I will claim that Hanoi’s heart and essence are not narrowed down to some specific places. You can find it while strolling aimlessly around the Old Quarter, popping by a local temple, chatting with the taxi driver and other people you meet along the way, or simply sipping coffee in a random café.

My many hours in the hospital bed didn’t just lead to recovery. It also gave me plenty of opportunities to chat with the nurses and doctors about their lives and traditions.

1. Join a street food tour

This is one you find on most Hanoi travel tips lists. Even though I’m not a big foodie, joining a street food tour on my first night in Hanoi was something I really wanted to do. And it was also one of the few experiences on my list that I got to do.

Why? Because Vietnam (and Hanoi) is famous for its cuisine and the street food scene in Hanoi is something completely else than what I find in Norway. With a guided tour, you are certain to end up at popular places and you get to taste stuff that you most likely wouldn’t walking around on your own.

In addition to tasting and learning about the food and culinary traditions, the guides will normally share a lot more information about Hanoi and life in Vietnam. A perfect start to a visit to Hanoi!

Did I mention that they also show you how to cross the road? An essential skill you need to learn to explore the city.

2. Learn from the locals

-“Those are trees for Tet, the Lunar New Year’s celebration”. I’m in a car on my way from the airport and the driver is pointing at a small tree with orange fruits strapped to a motorcycle. For the rest of the journey, he pointed and explained about all the beautiful flower displays and decorative items we saw along the road. Giving me lots of valuable information about the most important holiday in Vietnam already before I checked into my hotel.

The people born and living in Hanoi are your best source of information. Not everyone you meet speaks English, but I found that surprisingly many communicated rather well.

Take the opportunity and ask questions when you can. The bellboy at the hotel? Stop for a quick chat on your way in or out. The waiter? Ask her about the food. Taxi driver? Ask about things you see outside. The school kids coming up to you to practice English on the shores of Hoan Kiem lake? Slow down for a few minutes and chat with them. A win-win situation where they practice their language, and you can learn something new.

Not to forget, book a guided tour with a local. I had planned to get a free guided tour of Thang Long with Hanoi Kids. They offer a variety of tours led by students and the only payment is what you decide to tip in the end.

3. The best area to stay in Hanoi for first-time visitors

Hanoi is a large city with almost 5.5 million people and stretching across a large area. As a tourist, especially on your first visit, chances are high that you are planning to explore the city’s main attractions. The absolute best areas to stay in for first-time visitors to Hanoi are in the Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem district. Not only are you within walking distance of a lot of attractions, but this area is the pulsating heart of Hanoi.

The Old Quarter is a maze of streets with an eclectic vibe of crumbling, colonial-style buildings, fancy hotel facades, street sellers, souvenir shops, cute individual design stores, and thousands of motorbikes. Plus, culinary options for all tastes and budgets!

Originally each of the Old Quarter’s 36 streets was connected to a specific trade. This means that you on one street could find all the silk shops, while all the gold shops were in another and so on. While you still can see traces of this today, it’s now more of a mix.

“Staying here is like an invitation to experience the soul of Hanoi. All you need to do is step out on the streets.”

To me, staying in this area meant that I got to experience the real Hanoi. Even when my physical condition only let me stay out of bed for an hour or two at a time.

4. The best time of the week to visit Hanoi

Where to stay leads me on to my next Hanoi tips. If you can choose, try to arrive in Hanoi on a weekend. Especially if it’s your first entry point to Vietnam. Why, you may ask. Simply because Hanoi can feel a bit overwhelming at first, with traffic not following what you may assume are normal rules. Such as stopping at a red light. To cross a street, there is no other way than to dive into it and hope that you survive. More on that below.

So, what’s the thing about the weekend? From Friday afternoon until Monday morning, several streets by and near Hoan Kiem Lake are closed to traffic. Including the otherwise super busy roundabout on Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square.

Believe me, it feels way less intimidating to start exploring on your own when you don’t have to manage street crossing the minute you venture outside your hotel.  

5. Learn how to cross the street ASAP

Manoeuvring the traffic is probably the most dangerous activity you will do in Vietnam. At least it can feel like that!

As I wrote in the previous tip for Hanoi, traffic rules are not exactly the same as everywhere else. You may see crossovers painted on the road and even quite a few traffic lights. The difference is that no one stops. Coming from a country where drivers can be fined for not stopping at a cross-over when a pedestrian looks like they may want to cross, it’s certainly different.

So, what do you do? Keeping strictly to one side of the road is a bad strategy for exploring a city… Instead, you just have to jump right in and walk through it:

• Watch the traffic for a bit and see if you can find a pocket with fewer bikes and vehicles. Let at least large buses and vehicles pass first.
• Pick a point on the opposite side of the street and walk towards it.
• Walk at a slow, but steady pace. Do not run or stop.

If you keep the same slow pace, the bikes will move around you. But keep an eye on the traffic. In some cases, I found it wise to stop for cars that looked like they would hit me…

It sounds (and looks) intimidating, but I assure you get into it pretty fast.

My best tip is to follow a local the first few times!

6. Take full advantage of Hanoi’s coffee culture

Do you like coffee? If so, you are in for a treat in Hanoi.

Black coffee, coconut coffee, salt coffee, ice coffee, and egg coffee. These are some of the types of coffee that you find on a Vietnamese coffee bar menu. And coffee bars are found on every second corner.

Not only are there many cafés, but most of them also look so unique and charming that you almost want to stop at every one of them. The cafés also are not just for tourists, they are filled with locals taking their time to enjoy the black gold.

Did you know that Vietnam is the world’s second-largest coffee producer? I didn’t. It was the French who brought the coffee here in the first place, but the Vietnamese have adopted it and adapted it to become their very own coffee culture.

While you can get the regular americano, latte and cappuccinos here too, I strongly advise you try some of the local types. Egg coffee is much better than it may sound!

7. Go people-watching by Hoan Kiem Lake on weekend evenings

We can all agree that people-watching is fun, right? Especially when visiting cities. And while Hanoi’s many cafés are great for this, the weekend walking street in the evenings is even better!

After I got out of the hospital, I went on a stroll to stock up on water every evening. And nowhere else has going out to buy essentials been this much fun. There was something fun to see everywhere. From kids zooming around in small electric cars next to the lake to women selling the most colourful (to me unidentified) snacks to youths performing on the streets.

And then there was the group of middle-aged men and women you can see in the picture. They were dancing line-dance in all seriousness to what I assume was some kind of Vietnamese techno-pop (I don’t know if that’s even a thing, but it’s the best way I can describe it) blasting from large speakers. They looked like they had so much fun that I was seriously contemplating joining them.

Walking around the streets after dark is like being at a festival with lots of happy people of all ages, only all shows are for free.

When this is what it was like on a chilly January weekend, I can only imagine what it is like in warmer months. Weekend evenings are also the time for Hanoi’s night market, located just a few streets up from the lake. Next time, I’m definitely dropping by there too.

8. Drop into random temples

Before going, I had a long list of temples I wanted to drop by in Hanoi. Including Tran Quoc Pagoda, Temple of Literature, One Pillar Pagoda and Back Ma temple. Because of my circumstances, I didn’t see any of them. I didn’t even find the energy to cross the iconic red bridge to the Ngoc Son Temple even though I passed it every day…

What I on the other hand did, was walk into two other, small temples I knew nothing about. And while I surely want to visit the larger and more famous ones next time (I guess they are popular for a reason), I advise you to pop your head into other temples you walk past. Why? Because the lack of tourists gives a more authentic experience to it. They give you a peaceful break from the busy streets outside and a glimpse into an authentic part of Vietnamese culture.

Opposite the street from the Pen Tower and Ngoc Son’s red bridge, you find the small building holding the Ba Kieu Temple. It looks a bit anonymous at first, but as soon as you look through its doors a whole other world expands – shining with red and gold. Supposedly it’s one of the oldest temples worshiping the Mother Goddesses. It used to be larger, but the courtyard was demolished when the French expanded the street outside in the lathe 19^th century.

Kim Ngan Temple is located on Hang Bac street and was originally built as a communal house by silversmiths in the 15^th century. Kim Ngan Communal House was a place for trade and training for silver and goldsmiths and was important for the development of the craft street in the Thang Long Citadel’s era. Now, it’s both a spiritual place and for cultural activities.

9. Admire the mix of traditional and modern

Walking around the Hoan Kiem and Old Quarter area, you see skyscrapers peaking up in the distance. You see fancy cars driving among the thousands of motorbikes. You see crumbling but charming colonial buildings next to shiny, modern facades. You see businessmen and women eating from street food sellers. You see street vendors pushing their goods on old bikes past independent, cool boutiques.

All of this is Hanoi and I found it super interesting to see the mix of old and new. While traditions still stand strong, it’s easy to see that the economy is changing. Vietnam is actually one of the fastest-growing economies in Southeast Asia.

I hope you will take the time to just wander around (or sit down with a local coffee or beer) and admire how the Hanoians navigate between traditional and modern ways of life.

10. Drink beer, but not on beer street

Vietnam doesn’t only have a significant coffee culture; it also has a strong beer culture. Similar to people drinking coffee, you’ll also see groups of Vietnamese sitting on small stools drinking beer and socialising along the streets.

In Hanoi, you can get beer from international brands such as Tiger, Heineken, and Carlsberg, but I’d opt for a local variant. The most unique Vietnamese beer is Bia Hoi and trying it is on lots of tourists’ bucket lists. Including mine. Bia Hoi is a light draught beer that is made fresh every day and goes undrinkable in 24 hours. It usually contains a bit less alcohol than other beer and is often served in smaller restaurants in the Old Quarter. From what I’ve read, it’s often served warm with ice cubes to cool it.

Craft beer has also become very popular and in bars and restaurants, you can find a variety of different types and tastes. In many places, you can get beer paired with the food you order, just as with wine.

But why stay away from beer street? Well, Beer Street is not only one street but several streets in the middle of Hanoi’s Old Quarter that every night gets filled with small stools and tables. I walked through it a couple of times the first evening before I got ill, and I remember making mental notes about staying away from this area. It was completely packed with international tourists, waiters pushing you to sit and bars competing to have the loudest music.

Instead, find a small streetside restaurant with local guests to enjoy your beer. Or, use Google maps to find one of Hanoi’s many cool bars!

11. Download the Grab app

Grab is Asia’s answer to Uber and works as a charm, not only for getting around but also for food delivery. You see motorbike drivers with their signature logo on green jackets pretty much everywhere.

Through the app you can book transport by motorbike or car. And by looking at the Hanoi traffic, it’s safe to assume that a motorbike usually is the quickest option for short distances. Just make sure that the driver has an extra helmet for you before getting on.

The app also lists the fare of the distance, which means you don’t have to haggle about the price. It’s possible to add your credit card details to the app, but paying cash is normal.

While I didn’t use Grab for transport myself, I used it for food delivery on the 3 last nights when I was more or less bedridden. You can choose between all sorts of food and the whole process is very straightforward. On all three days, I got a message to pick up my order outside the hotel lobby approx. 20 minutes after ordering and I paid the driver in cash.

Do you rather want to take an ordinary taxi? Get your hotel reception or restaurant to call one and make sure you use the taxi company called G7. This is the company both my two different hotels and the hospital called for me. All the taxis I got used taximeters and felt completely safe.

12. If you get ill, go to Hanoi Family Medical Practice

My last Hanoi tip is one I hope you won’t need, but it is very important if you do. If you, like me, end up getting ill or injured in Hanoi, I highly recommend you go to Hanoi Family Medical Practice. It is a rather small, international hospital about 15 minutes by taxi from the Old Quarter. If your insurance company doesn’t coordinate an appointment for you, you can contact them by WhatsApp.

All doctors, nurses and administrative staff speak excellent English and from my experience and other reviews I have read, all treatment holds an the same standard as you would expect in Europe. They have specialists in a lot of different medical services and emergency medicine as well as general practice. And in case they cannot help, they will assist you to another hospital that can. Coming from all over the world, several of the doctors also speak other languages such as Japanese, Spanish and even Swedish.

You should also note that they have clinics in Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City too.

13. Essentials to fix before arrival

This is not just one but three Hanoi tips. And really, they are not just for Hanoi but for any overseas travel.

Let’s start with the most important one: Travel insurance. Never, ever travel without being insured. OK? I’ve always had travel insurance, but until this trip, I’ve never had to use it. Except for that one time in Scotland when my luggage got delayed, but buying some underwear, t-shirts and mascara wouldn’t have caused personal bankruptcy. Getting hospitalised for 6 days at a private, international hospital, on the other hand, could have might well have done just that.

Get that travel insurance and make sure to read the small script. You want insurance that gets you into an international private clinic, not one that just pays for the local hospital where no one speaks English, and you share a room with 7 other random, ill people.

Not as important as travel insurance but having a local SIM card is a hot tip for Hanoi. Google Maps works like a charm and a lot of hotels and tour agents communicate via WhatsApp. I got an e-sim from Airalo and it was super easy to set up. As soon as I left the aeroplane, I was able to text my driver.

And last, get some cash at the airport. Cash is still king in Hanoi and this means you won’t have to run around looking for an ATM as soon as you get to your hotel. There are both ATMs and currency exchange at the arrival hall.

Wrapping up my Hanoi tips

This is indeed a varied list of advice and tips for visiting Hanoi and I hope they can help you get the trip of your dreams. I also hope they show you that you don’t have to rush around exploring all the main attractions to get the essence of Hanoi or any other destination. At least for me, that was a valuable lesson.

I tend to fill my lists with so many things to do, that I hardly have time to just stop and look, smell and listen. Getting ill on this trip forced me to take it slow. Whenever I ventured out of my hotel, pain made me walk a lot slower than my normal pace and dizziness made me sit down at cafés now and then to breathe and get something to drink. And even then, I didn’t make it to the sights I had set out to do (except for Hanoi’s Mural Street).

Now, 3 weeks after returning home early, I’m still gutted I didn’t get the trip of my dreams. I was after all meant to explore no less than five World Heritage sites! At the same time, I’m feeling very content with how I got to know Hanoi by exploring in slow motion and talking to people.
I’m planning a new trip to Vietnam and believe me when I say that I will add more days to Hanoi than my original schedule had. It’s such a vibrant and mind-blowing city!