I hadn’t planned on spending 10 days in Hanoi. The original idea had been to make our way leisurely up the coast of Vietnam and spend a couple of days here before flying home. But a pesky monsoon hit us hard in Ho Chi Minh and, being shameless sun-seekers, we decided to jump on a flight to the sunnier end of the country. This turned out to be a great decision (and not only because of the weather).
From the unmissable views of serene Halong Bay to the chaotic, labyrinth-like lanes of the old quarter, there is so much to see and do in happening Hanoi. Here’s a list of the top things not to miss in this culturally rich capital, and they’re all budget-friendly!
Table of Contents hide
1) Cruise Your Way Through Towering Limestone Islands In A Junk Boat
2) Pet A Furry Friend At Hanoi’S Very Own Cat Cafe
3) Tickle Your Tastebuds With A Walking Food Tour Of The Old Quarter
4) Try An Authentic Cooking Class
5) Take A Stroll Through The Tranquil Temple Of Literature, Vietnam’S Oldest University
6) Discover The Ancient Legend Of HoàN KiêM, ‘Lake Of The Restored Sword’
7) Gape At The Traffic Mayhem From A Safe Distance At The City View Cafe
8) Take In The French Colonial Architecture And Shop Til You Drop In The Labyrinthine Old Quarter
9) Discover Hanoi’S Secret Nightlife
10) Cool Off In The Rooftop Pool At The Apricot Hotel
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1) Cruise Your Way Through Towering Limestone Islands In A Junk Boat
Halong Bay had to be top of the list didn’t it really? It is a UNESCO world heritage site after all. Almost 2000 rainforest-topped islands make up this breathtaking place. These little limestone islands were formed by dragons according to legend and Ha Long literally translates from ancient Vietnamese as descending dragon.
There are a lot of different boat trips to choose from so take a bit of time to shop around and try to pick one that’s relevant to your age range and interests. (You don’t want to find yourself on a banana-boat booze cruise with a rowdy group of pimply 18-year-olds unless that’s your thing of course.) We opted for a 3 day, 2-night tour that included one night on the boat and one on pretty Cat Ba island.
The itineraries tend to be very similar, mostly involving kayaking, floating villages, and stop-offs at various picturesque islands to find the best photo ops. Our tour included onboard cooking lessons, cycling around Cat Ba island, cave exploring, and kayaking trips into deep, hidden lagoons. No matter which tour you choose, you’re in for an unforgettable experience.
Book Your Tour: 2 Day Royal Halong Bay Cruise
2) Pet A Furry Friend At Hanoi’S Very Own Cat Cafe
I had heard through the backpacker grapevine that Hanoi had its very own cat cafe, but when I asked around I was met with blank looks. But after finding a vague address online and wandering around the city for hours we eventually found one. To call it a cafe is generous. They don’t actually have a coffee machine or serve any food. But what they lack in beverage options, they make up for in cats. A lot of cats.
The general idea: come in, sit down, wait for a cat to sit on you, relax! It’s meant to be pretty therapeutic apparently. If you’re a cat person anyway.We spent an unnecessary amount of time here one afternoon, but it’s hard to leave when you’ve got a cute, little furry thing snoring peacefully on your lap!
3) Tickle Your Tastebuds With A Walking Food Tour Of The Old Quarter
That’s you walking by the way, not the food. Though in Vietnam you can never be sure…There’s more to Vietnamese food than just phở! The variety of dishes on offer here is huge, but for a truly authentic taste of Hanoi, you’ll need to avoid the lure of touristy restaurants.
Your guide will take you to all the secret places that you’d have a hard time discovering on your own; down a side alley, through a nondescript storefront, up to several flights of rickety stairs into a hidden restaurant. Be prepared to try such delicacies as deep-fried duck tongue and Hanoi’s famous egg coffee. (So much nicer than it sounds).
Awesome Travel offer a great food tour that takes you to 8 different places around the old quarter for around £10. The trip involves a lot of walking and takes around 3 hours. Make sure you go on an empty stomach, you’ll be absolutely stuffed by the end of the evening!
4) Try An Authentic Cooking Class
If you’re into the culinary side of things a cooking class is a great way to spend an evening. Blue Butterfly Cooking Class is one of the most popular choices, with the class beginning in the markets with your guide, who introduces you to the different spices and herbs before purchasing the fresh produce to bring back to the kitchen.
At the restaurant, you’ll be shown how to make traditional dishes such as pork spring rolls and banana flower salad. Afterward you’ll sit down and eat everything you’ve just cooked! At around £44 this is a bit on the pricey side, but it was my favourite experience in Hanoi and worth every penny!
5) Take A Stroll Through The Tranquil Temple Of Literature, Vietnam’S Oldest University
If history and architecture is your thing, you’ll love Temple of Literature. With the tranquil atmosphere and heady scent of incense in the air, it’s an escape from the hectic city surrounding it. Established as Vietnam’s very first university in 1076, this small temple complex is full of beautiful old architecture and shrines honouring Vietnam’s finest scholars. The entrance used to be reserved for those of noble birth only, but don’t worry, they let anyone in nowadays.
Look out for the bushes shaped like animals of the zodiac and the cute miniatures of Confucius and his students scattered around the well-pruned foliage. The temple is not just popular among tourists; often you’ll see recently graduated students in traditional dress having their photographs taken in front of the central pool, known as the ‘Well of Heavenly Clarity’. Admission costs only 30 000VD.
6) Discover The Ancient Legend Of HoàN KiêM, ‘Lake Of The Restored Sword’
Hoàn Kiếm Lake, is the physical and symbolical centre of the city. You can’t miss this huge body of water at the heart of the city. Its banks are popular with locals who enjoy a bit of tai chi at 6am, and if you’re lucky you might spot a turtle popping up for a breath of air. Legend goes that in the 15th century Emperor Ly Thai To was given a magical sword by the Golden Turtle God which helped him defeat the Chinese. After the victory, a large turtle swam up to the emperors’ boat and reclaimed the sword, disappearing into the depths of the lake to return it to its divine owner.
Here you can learn more about the legend at Ngoc Son Temple, (Temple of the Jade Mountain) which sits on a tiny island accessed by an ornate red bridge. It’s only 30,000VND to go inside, where you’ll find many locals come to worship and burn banknotes in a furnace as offerings. (Don’t risk burning yourself, the notes are fake!)
7) Gape At The Traffic Mayhem From A Safe Distance At The City View Cafe
Crossing the street anywhere in Hanoi is pretty daunting, but this intersection by the old quarter is something else. It’s chaos. There are no lines on the road, no roundabout, no rules of who goes first. It’s every man for himself, you snooze you lose.
Our food tour guide tried to teach us how to cross the road without getting squashed with his 3 golden rules:Don’t stop! Once you’ve started to cross just keep going, don’t hesitate, slow down or worst of all stop. The traffic will (hopefully) move around you.Don’t make eye contact with drivers.Buses rule the road! A bus will not stop if you are in the way if you see one coming, run!
If you can’t face crossing the road, watch the madness from above instead. You can’t miss the City View Cafe building overlooking the intersection next to the lake. Head all the way up to the top floor and grab a spot overlooking the chaos below with a cold drink.
8) Take In The French Colonial Architecture And Shop Til You Drop In The Labyrinthine Old Quarter
Grab a bag of delicious, deep-fried pastry ball things from a street vendor, search for the best phở in Hanoi or haggle over the price of a pointy hat that you’ll have to wear on the plane on the way home.
9) Discover Hanoi’S Secret Nightlife
Hanoi has notoriously strict laws regarding bars and clubs and most places will be closed by midnight. A ‘night out’ in the city will usually consist of sipping bia hoi perched on a plastic stool down a bustling lane in the old quarter. But after one evening doing just that, we met a group of Israeli guys who were heading to one of Hanoi’s ‘underground’ clubs.
A 10-minute taxi ride from downtown brings us to the Hero Club, an industrial-style nightclub with pulsing music, cage dancers, and of course, a selection of fresh fruit on the tables. However, we had only been inside for 5 minutes when the music turned off abruptly and the staff starting ushering everyone to the rear exit away from the police out front. We’d have to try our luck another night!
10) Cool Off In The Rooftop Pool At The Apricot Hotel
It’s hard to find a swimming pool in Hanoi. There are only a handful scattered about, mainly on the rooftops of the fancier hotels that are definitely not backpacker-budget friendly. But many hotels will let you use their pools for a fee, such as the ridiculously fancy Apricot Hotel. Just look at those chandeliers in the lobby! The hotel charges around £10 to use the pool.
We hope that this article has inspired you to visit Vietnam. If you have any questions about the destination or have your own travel tips to share please leave these in the comments below.
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We Are Travel Girls ContributorLaura Francis of BeautifulWildThings.com
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