Places to visit in Hanoi, Vietnam - 2023 Hanoi Travel

1. Hanoi Old Quarter

Hanoi Old Quarter surely on the top of the list. You definitely must hear about Hanoi Old Quarter lots if you know about Vietnam. It becomes one of the reasons that Hanoi attract so many tourists over the year.

The ancient streets of Hanoi are not too wide, but the streets here are interwoven together like the chessboard. No matter how tired we are, we may have a walking tour of all the streets, especially from Friday night to Sunday night. Each street is a place to preserve the historical memory of the capital, as well as preserve memories of the lives of people who have lived, worked and built the country.

Over thousands of years, Hanoi Old Quarter has retained its traditional values. People often say 36 streets of Hanoi but in fact, there are more than 36 streets starting with “Hang” (it’s mean products). Each street will have its own unique features that you probably can discover in one day. You may try some must-eat street foods, dessert, bars in Hanoi, see the cooking class, go to the cultural exchange centers

Come to the old quarter, you get lost in a bustling city but also extremely ancient with thousands of years old. If you do not go through Hanoi Old Quarter like you have not yet arrived in Hanoi. Here are a lot of activities as well as good food for you to try, make sure you want to come back for the second time.

2. Hanoi Opera House

Hanoi Opera House is a great work that the French colonial government built in the early twentieth century. Through the historical ups and downs, the Hanoi Opera House exists as a symbol of freedom, architecture, culture, and politics of the 1,000-year-old capital. Opera House is of historical value, architecture is very important in the cultural life of the people of Hanoi.

In the early stages of Independence Day, the theater is home to the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Meanwhile, the area around the theater was the fierce battle between the Viet Minh and the French military, Japan.

You may buy an entrance ticket to some concerts and special shows. We sure that you will admire the typical colonial architecture of the theater. Walk around the immense garden in front of the theater to see the fullness of every corner of this grand, imposing structure with Gothic and neo-classical lines interspersed.

Unfortunately, guests can only enter the theater when buying tickets for a show. Although the theater itself is a great architectural work, only when there are some performances in the theater, the audience can really enjoy all the elegance in design.

Address: 01 Trang Tien, Hanoi

Phone: 024 3933 0113

3. St. Joseph’s Cathedral

St. Joseph’s Cathedral is always at the top of the list of famous churches because it is one of the oldest works of the capital. However, it is still full of noble, ancient, as well as unique features, typical in architecture and becomes a symbol of Hanoi.

The Cathedral was built in 1884 and was inaugurated right on Christmas Day in 1887. This is one of the first Western architecture built in Hanoi. Over the years, the Cathedral has been described as a “witness” over the past three centuries, witnessing “the change of the capital” every day.

It is one of the architectural works that have a strange appeal to any visitor when coming to Hanoi, because of the unique and charming architecture. The church is designed in the style of European Gothic medieval architecture (prevailing in the 12th and the Renaissance), imitating the Notre Dame Cathedral with large, arches to the sky. This is not only the center of Hanoi’s Catholics and surrounding areas but also an indispensable destination in the journey of each visitor when they visit the land of the thousand years of civilization.

Address: 40 Hang Chung, Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Phone: 024 3933 0113

4. Hoan Kiem Lake – Ngoc Son temple

Hoan Kiem Lake probably is the first destination you set food on when you traveling to Hanoi. Today, the area is the best place to do from  Fridays to Sundays, when nearby traffic is banned from 7 pm to midnight and a public-square, funfair vibe takes over. There have lots of traditional activities over the weekend for you to enjoy. However, even when you go there on the day of the week, it is also exciting. You can enjoy the fresh air near the lake, surrounded by lots of people and interesting activities.

Peaceful and quiet, the lake surrounds Ngoc Son Temple, a pagoda sitting in the center on a small island. Ngoc Son Temple was built in the 18th century on Jade Island in the center of the ‘Lake of the Returned Sword’ or Hoan Kiem Lake. Legend story describes how the emperor was once given a magical sword. It helped the Vietnamese defeat the Chinese Ming Dynasty and the sword was returned to the Golden Turtle God.

It is open from 8:00 to 18:00 and you have to buy a ticket to go in. If your hotel is not provided for your ticket, you can buy it at the gate. From the shore, the “The Huc” bridge (Welcoming Morning Sunlight Bridge) leads to the island. Buildings of the temple include the Pen Tower, the ink-slab, the Moon Contemplation Pavilion and the Pavilion against Waves, all of which have symbolic meaning.

5. Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Ba Dinh Square is one of the most desirable places in Hanoi. It is the final resting place of Ho Chi Minh, the most iconic president of Vietnam, known to his people as ‘Uncle Ho’. His body is preserved here in a glass case. For visitors, a trip to Uncle Ho’s body final resting place can be a memorable experience; it’s a part of a unique history.

Address: Hung Vuong, Dien Bien, Ba Dinh, Hanoi

Phone: (+84) 243 845 5128

6. Vietnam Museum of Ethnology

Vietnam Museum of Ethnology has become an attractive destination not only for domestic tourists but also for international travelers. When visiting the museum, visitors will have the opportunity to learn about the history and culture of 54 ethnic minority brothers in Vietnam with a variety of cultural features.

The museum is divided into three main galleries. There are two spaces, one space for the temporary exhibition on the second floor, and one for the first floor to display the identity of 54 ethnic groups. The second exhibit area is the outdoor gallery. This is a green garden in which there are 10 folk works with different types of architecture. Finally, the Southeast Asian exhibit hall was built in 2008, which displays artifacts and images of Southeast Asian art.

• Address of Vietnam Museum of Ethnology: Nguyen Van Huyen Street, Cau Giay District, Hanoi
• Phone:
  – Emergency telephone number: 0983-710-000
  – The telephone number of Ethnographic Museum: 04-3836-0352
• Opening hours of the Museum of Ethnology
  – Opening hours: 8:30 to 17:30 every day except Mondays and Lunar New Year.
• Tickets to visit the Museum of Ethnology – Common fare: 2 US$/person

7. Imperial Citadel of Thang Long

Thang Long – Hanoi, the center of national politics, the center of national culture, where the soul of Vietnam, where depositing the values of history and culture of the nation. In the fall of 1010, King Ly Thai To moved the capital from Hoa Lu (Ninh Binh) to Dai La and changed its name to Thang Long.

In 2010, on the occasion of the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi, this relic has been recognized by the World Heritage Committee as a world cultural heritage. With three characteristics: the long history of culture throughout 13 centuries, the continuity of the heritage and the rich diversity of relics has made the outstanding values of Thang Long Royal.

• Time to visit: Weekdays (Monday to Monday).
• Open: From 8 am to 5 pm daily.

8. Vietnam Military History Museum

Vietnam’s Military History Museum is one of the six national museums and is the flagship museum of the military museum system. The Museum is currently displaying and preserving thousands of artifacts, including many precious objects.

Vietnam Military History Museum is one of the seven national museums with the largest number of exhibits and visitors. Through authentic and original artifacts, the museum truly becomes a cultural and historical center, an attractive place for visitors to study the history of the Vietnamese military.

Address: 28A Dien Bien Phu Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi

9. West Lake

Beside Hoan Kiem lake, West Lake is a unique place in Hanoi. It is surrounded by Tay Ho district. Accessible within a 15-minute drive from Hanoi Old Quarter, many locals and tourists come here to get away from the busy city. This place provides a great natural beauty with plenty of quiet spots. The actual history of West Lake remains a mystery, though one legend claims that it was formed when the Dragon King Lac Long Quan drowned a wicked fox spirit with nine tails in his lair. Another folklore source claims that the lake was formed when a large Chinese buffalo mistakenly confused a pagoda temple bell with its mothers call and ran so fiercely into a small hollow that the lake was made.

West Lake is a beautiful place, especial in the afternoon: there are boats for hire and lunch on a floating restaurant makes a novel dining option. Notable points of interest at West Lake include Tran Quoc Pagoda which was built in the 6th century, making it becomes Vietnam’s oldest temple. The other main attraction is Quan Thanh Temple, which is located at the West Lake crossroads of Thanh Nien Street and Quan Thanh Street. Quan Thanh Temple is open for all to enter with sightseers encouraged to pray for health, luck, and happiness during their visit.

You also just come here and take a breath to enjoy the fresh air and sightseeing. Additionally, it is good to make a memory photo album to remain your amazing experiences in Vietnam.

10. Temple of Literature

Known as the first university in Vietnam, Temple of Literature is a well-known historical monument in the capital. Temple of Literature is a highlight of Hanoi culture before, now and forever.

Temple of Literature was built in the year 1070 in the reign of King Ly Thanh Tong to worship Confucianism, then became the place for examinations, aiming to foster talents, training talented people to appoint mandarins, join in the construction of the country.

Today, the Temple of Literature is also the place where the poetry community is organized. It is a place of praise for excellent and excellent students and is a popular sightseeing destination that attracts a large number of domestic and international visitors traveling to Hanoi.

In the Lunar New Year, with the hope of a happy new year, people will come here to ask “ong do” (the old teacher in ancient times) for a word. They believe that the word will bring them happiness, luck, and talent.

The Temple of Literature is located in the heart of Hanoi, surrounded by four main streets of Dong Da district, Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Ton Duc Thang Street, Van Mieu Street, and Quoc Tu Giam Street. The main gate of the Temple of Literature is at 58 Van Mieu Street. Guests can take a public bus, taxi or rent a motorbike.

The opening ceremony of Van Mieu Quoc Tu Giam has two different time frames. In the spring (from 15 April to 15 October), the Temple of Literature is open from 7:30 to 18:00. In the autumn and autumn (from October 16 to April 14 of the following year), the Temple of Literature is open from 8:00 to 18:00.

Tickets for Van Mieu Quoc Tu Giam are 2 US$/person.

For other activities, you may see about Hoa Lo Prison – The prison in the center of Hanoi