Hanoi Travel Guide: Vietnam's Timeless Capital
A first-timer's guide to Hanoi — the Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake, street food, top sights and day trips to Halong Bay, Ninh Binh and Sapa. Vietnam's capital is a thousand-year-old city of tree-lined boulevards, lakeside temples and an Old Quarter that never slows down. Hanoi rewards travellers who wander, sip egg coffee and dive into its legendary street food. Here is what to see, eat and do in Hanoi, plus the best day trips from the city. The Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake The heart of Hanoi is its Old Quarter — 36 ancient streets, each once dedicated to a trade, now packed with shops, cafés and food stalls. Circle Hoan Kiem Lake at dawn to watch locals exercise, then get pleasantly lost in the lanes with an egg coffee in hand. Top sights The Temple of Literature, Vietnam's first university. The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Presidential Palace grounds. The famous Train Street , where trains squeeze past cafés. Water-puppet theatre, a uniquely northern art form. Street food to try Hanoi is a street-food capital. Seek out pho , bun cha (grilled pork with noodles), banh cuon and, of course, egg coffee. Eating on tiny plastic stools is part of the experience. Day trips from Hanoi Hanoi is the springboard to northern Vietnam. Popular trips include Halong Bay cruises , the karst landscapes of Ninh Binh, and the rice terraces of Sapa — many reachable by overnight train . Frequently asked questions How many days do you need in Hanoi? Two to three days covers the Old Quarter, main sigh…
- Published
- 2026-08-08
- Author
- Betel Hospitality Team
