Four Days in Hanoi, Vietnam
part travel guide, part photo journal
Hi friends! Happy Sunday! Hopefully I’ve caught you relaxing, enjoying a cup of tea or coffee, with a few spare moments to read my latest travel guide: Four Days in Hanoi, Vietnam! In case you missed it, Husband and I spent two weeks exploring Hanoi, Hội An, and Huế back in September, and I have so many fun travel guides coming your way about the trip! Today’s guide is the first of two Hanoi specific posts - the next will deal exclusively with all things food & drink! -, these will be followed by two Huế posts - again, one tourist/one food -, and then finally one huge guide to Hội An, covering everything all at once. I know — it’s gonna be great! Shall we get started?
Everything we know and love about Hanoi is detailed below, divided into the usual breakdown; fun facts / how to get there / where we stayed / where we tourist-ed. If you’re reading this in your email inbox, you might notice the post ends abruptly before you can read to the very bottom where I sign off and have related posts. If that is indeed the case, please click here to read the webpage version instead!
Oh, PS! If you’re planning your own trip to Vietnam, you might want to start at this post: Two Weeks in Vietnam | Our Top Tips & Itinerary.
hanoi fun facts
Some fun informational tidbits for your next pub quiz!
every big Vietnamese city has its own signature coffee, and Hanoi’s is egg coffee. Invented in the city during the French War of 1946, egg coffee was born out of necessity during a milk shortage! I was more than a little grossed out at the thought of trying this pre-trip, but it was actually so tasty - who knew!
Hanoi is home to one of the cheapest beers in the world, bia hoi. The beer, which has only around 3 or 4% alcohol content, is especially popular at the more impromptu/less-proper spots, and one glass typically costs around ₫1,000 or €0.30! It is brewed daily and has a short shelf life, but oh my lord, it is so refreshing and delicious! We enjoyed many a glass during our time in town 😉
the city’s Long Biên Bridge, which crosses over the gigantic Red River, is seen as a symbol of Vietnamese resilience and courage. The bridge was heavily bombed during the war with the US, but repaired time and time again. Today, it still stands tall and proud, a little rusty perhaps, but a very cool sight regardless!
under French rule, property tax in Hanoi used to be charged on the width of the building - meaning, the wider the house, the higher the tax bill. As a result, the city is filled with crazy buildings that tower high into the sky, but are super narrow at the base. Crazy!
PS, don’t worry! There are a few more location-specific fun facts littered throughout the rest of this post 😉
getting there
Hanoi was our first and last destination in Vietnam, meaning we made our way there from Dublin. Here’s the deets on how we did it:
we booked our flights to Vietnam with Qatar Airways. It was our first time flying with Qatar, and while we both thought everything was fiiine onboard, we were expecting more from 2024’s No. 1 Airline. The movie selection was outdated, we had screen and earphone issues on two separate flights, and neither of us were bowled over by the helpfulness or friendliness of the staff. Overall, we found it nowhere near as great as ANA Airlines, who we flew to Japan with earlier this year.
from Dublin, the first leg of our journey was a 7-hour flight to Doha’s Hamad International. The sun was setting over Doha as we started our descent and oh my lord, the view of the city skyline was so beautiful! I really wish we’d had time to extend our layovers for some light exploring around Doha, but it wasn’t feasible this time. Next time for sure, it looks gorgeous!
upon landing in Doha, everyone was required to go through security again before getting to the gates. A bit of a pain, yes, but no biggie; we both thought all of the airport staff - which, by the way, there were so many of! how delightfully efficient! - were super friendly and helpful. Our layover was only 2-hours long, so we essentially just had time to marvel at the modernness of everything, find the gate, and sit for a bit.
from Doha, we flew another 7-hours into Hanoi’s Nội Bài International. Upon landing, there are lengthy queues to get through visa control, but needs must. We both had all of our documents in order and no issues getting through, but we did see some people being denied entry and sent back to a ‘visa office’ in the airport. For more visa info, click here for my top Vietnam tips.
from the airport, we’d pre-arranged a private driver to collect us and bring us directly to our hotel. We did this with every single hotel on our trip, and I would absolutely recommend it to anyone visiting Vietnam; it took so much travel stress off our shoulders! The drive into the city took about 45-minutes mid-morning, but the same route two weeks later took 1-hour at evening rush hour. If you’re wondering about public transport, click here for info on buses to/from the airport.
2-weeks later, our return journey to Dublin was much the same, Nội Bài → Doha and then Doha → Dublin. However! One thing to keep in mind: getting through border control on the way out of Vietnam takes ages! We were in a queue at Nội Bài for over an hour, and it! was! so! tedious! Be sure to allow ample time for delays.
where we stayed
The way our flights worked out, we decided to split our time in Hanoi in two: three nights/four days at the beginning of our trip, and two days/one night at the end. We spent the initial stay based in the French Quarter, and the latter stay based in the Old Quarter. Details on both listed below!
AIRA BOUTIQUE HANOI HOTEL & SPA
OUR RATING: 10/10, would absolutely recommend.
ADDRESS: 38A P. Trần Phú, Điện Biên, Ba Đình, Hà Nội
NEARBY FOODIE STOP: Tranquil Books & Coffee - 19 Cao Bá Quát, a charming cafe with great pastries is just a 5-minute walk away! Read more here.
Our first hotel of the trip, and it set the bar really high! We spent three nights in this beautiful boutique hotel in the French Quarter, and it really impressed us! We opted for a ‘Double Room with Balcony’ and it was perfect: quiet, spacious, clean, with a view over the hectic streets below, and a bed so large we could barely find each other.
PROS: the shower we had here was the best we experienced in all of Vietnam, as was the air conditioning. A daily loaded mini-bar in the rooms is offered to guests free of charge; filled with fizzy drinks, waters, and a couple cans of beer. The service was so friendly and professional! We arrived at the hotel hours too early for check-in, and, after we’d set out to explore in the interim, one of the lovely ladies at reception texted us to say they’d got a room ready for us early if we wanted to come back to rest; it was so thoughtful! Another time, we had to ring down for help with our safe, and there was a handyman ringing our doorbell literally less than 1.5-minutes later to fix the issue - so efficient!
CONS: the rooftop bar was a litttttle tired looking, and the loud music / club atmosphere they were going for didn’t really match the vibe of the patrons. Other than that - no complaints!
THE ORIENTAL JADE HOTEL & SPA
OUR RATING: 9/10, would recommend.
ADDRESS: 92-94 P. Hàng Trống, Hàng Trống, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội
NEARBY FOODIE STOP: Pizza 4P’s Bao Khanh for life changingly delicious pizza, 3-minutes away, and Polite & Co. for cocktails, a mere 2-minutes away. Read more here on pizza, and here on cocktails.
Our most expensive hotel of the trip - as in, 1-night here cost more than 4-nights anywhere else we stayed - but also the most fancy-pants deliciously luxurious one! Recommended to me by a colleague in work, we opted to stay in a ‘Ruby City View’ room for our final night and it was so beautiful! Gorgeously decorated, very spacious and clean, complete with views over the surrounding streets of the Old Quarter.
PROS: welcome drinks were standard everywhere we stayed, but the one here - a fancy fruit juice/cocktail concoction - was a major level up. Breakfast was included, and the spread was the best we experienced in Vietnam. The staff were all friendly and helpful; one lovely lady even checked us in for our flight after a major Qatar app failure. The rooftop bar overlooks the nearby Hoàn Kiếm Lake, which is just as pretty in the day as the night!
CONS: the only real blip of our stay was that the soundproofing in the hotel wasn’t amazing. Noise from street and karaoke bars nearby boomed through the windows - and yes, I understand it is a noisy area, but other hotels manage! - and we could hear people chatting in the hallways etc. It wasn’t a huuuge deal, but it did bug me considering the price. However! When we mentioned this on a comment card at breakfast the next morning, the staff went above and beyond trying to convey their apologies - almost to the point where we were embarrassed having said it.
where we tourist-ed
Now we’re down to the good stuff: where we tourist-ed! Listed below are six of the spots that we stopped at for a light spot of culturing, and I would highly recommend hitting them all if you can! This is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what Hanoi has on offer, but most of our tourist-ing was centered around food, so..
Enjoy!
HANOI TRAIN STREET
OUR RATING: 10/10, a must-visit.
ADDRESS: 3 P. Trãn Phú, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội
ENTRANCE COST: free!
NEARBY FOODIE STOP: An An Coffee literally backs onto the tracks, so would be a prime seat at go-time! Alternatively, Odéon Bistro, 1-minute away, is off to the side slightly, offering a safer / more set-back option. Read more here on coffee, and here on beer.
Without a doubt, one of the most photographed and iconic spots in the city. And, honestly, for good reason — it’s insane! An absolutely teeny tiny street, lined with dozens of cafes and restaurants, dominated by big steel train tracks and, twice or three times a day, a ginormous high-speed passing train. It is truly mind boggling to witness - there are literally only centimetres to spare between the train and the hot spot seats!
I must say, before we visited Train Street, I didn’t reallllly get the hype. I mean, train tracks are everywhere, and there are plenty of other places in the world where trains run through towns or along streets etc., so this wasn’t too high on my Hanoi to-do list. However! I’ll happily eat my words here, because seeing this in real life totally blew my mind and I would absolutely recommend this as a must-see for any Hanoi visitor! So! Cool!
HOÀN KIẾM LAKE + NGỌC SƠN TEMPLE
OUR RATING: 10/10, would recommend.
ADDRESS: 2VJ2+7XC, P. Đinh Tiên Hoàng, Hàng Trống, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội
ENTRANCE COST: Hoàn Kiếm lake is free, entrance to Ngọc Sơn Temple is ₫30,000 per adult
NEARBY FOODIE STOP: Cafe Phố Cổ, a 7-minute walk away, has gorgeous views overlooking the lake and temple! Read more here.
Located centrally within the city, this lake is famous because of the legend of the Golden Turtle God. The story, which dates back to the 15th century, tells the tale of a magical sword being given to Lê Lợi, soon-to-be emperor of Vietnam, by the Golden Turtle God, Kim Quy. The story goes on to say that Lê Lợi, who used the sword to win a rebellion against Chinese invaders, was later boating on this very lake when the Golden Turtle God surfaced alongside him; Lê Lợi gave the sword back to the divine turtle, who promptly disappeared down into the depths of the lake. As a display of gratitude for the turtle’s help, Lê Lợi named the lake Hoàn Kiếm, which apparently translates to “Lake of the Returned Sword”. Neat story, ey?
We strolled around the edges of Hoàn Kiếm Lake a couple times to/from various other pitstops, and it is so lovely! The water is a striking green colour, the vibe around the park is very chilled out, and apparently if you get there early enough you can watch elderly locals practicing Tai Chi! We never quite made it out of bed early enough for that kind of thing, but regardless: would recommend.
Ngọc Sơn Temple is located on a small island within the lake. Connected to the mainland by the bright red Húc Bridge, we really enjoyed our wander around the grounds. There’s a nice viewing platform out over the lake and a peaceful spot for prayer - but the bizarre highlight for us was getting to see the preserved body of the Hoàn Kiếm Lake giant turtle! Yes, a giant turtle, preserved and on display inside the temple. What fun!
ST. JOSEPH CATHEDRAL
OUR RATING: 7/10, would recommend.
ADDRESS: 40 P. Nhà Chung, Hàng Trống, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội
ENTRANCE COST: free!
NEARBY FOODIE STOP: Vivienne Cafe Restaurant for coffee overlooking the plaza in front of the cathedral, 1-minute walk away. Read more here.
Built by the French in 1960, St. Joseph’s Cathedral is one of the earliest catholic churches in the whole country. While we found the outside of the cathedral very visually appealing - if a little out of place! - the inside is nowhere near as impressive. That said, it was nice to step in from the hustle and bustle for a handful of minutes, even if the interior is a little lacklustre.
We didn’t get to visit for mass, but Husband’s parents did way back in the autumn of 2002 and fondly recall that all the women were on one side and all the men were on the other. Times might have changed since then!
HỒ CHÍ MINH MAUSOLEUM + ONE PILLAR PAGODA
OUR RATING: 10/10, a must-visit.
ADDRESS: 1 Hùng Vương, Điện Biên, Ba Đình, Hà Nội
ENTRANCE COST: free!
NEARBY FOODIE STOP: Phở Thìn 35 Hùng Vương for a big steaming bowl of phở, 4-minutes away. Read more here.
Exactly what it says on the tin, the Hồ Chí Minh Mausoleum is the final resting place of Hồ Chí Minh, former prime minister and president of Vietnam. The communist leader, affectionately nicknamed ‘Uncle Ho’, is credited as the revolutionary who led the struggle to reunite Vietnam and eventually gain total independence.
We really enjoyed walking around the Mausoleum grounds - sadly, the interior was closed for restoration work when we were there - and taking in the exceptionally sturdy looking building. I especially enjoyed watching the impeccably dressed guards marching around on patrol.
Fun fact: the body of Uncle Ho is actually on display inside the mausoleum! I know I mentioned this in my Vietnam Top Tips & Itinerary, but come on! How bizarre. What is it with the Vietnamese need to preserve and showcase dead animals and people?!
Also located within the Mausoleum complex is the One Pillar Pagoda. The pagoda, which dates back to 1049 - although, what we see today obvz isn’t the original - was constructed by Emperor Ly Thai Tong in a show of gratitude to the Goddess of Mercy, whom he believed had granted him a male heir. The pagoda, which is made of wood on a lone stone pillar, is designed to resemble a lotus blossom.
To be totally honest, I was a little underwhelmed by the One Pillar Pagoda. Compared to some of the other pagodas you see around the place, rising multiple stories high into the sky, this one is so tiny and almost.. bland? It was also swamped by wannabe-influencers when we were there, so that probably didn’t help our first impressions.
HANOI FRENCH QUARTER / BA ĐÌNH DISTRICT
OUR RATING: 10/10, a must-visit.
ADDRESS: Ba Đình, Hà Nội
ENTRANCE COST: free!
NEARBY FOODIE STOP: Tầm Vị, a gorgeous & reasonably priced Michelin star restaurant, is located in the French Quarter! Read more here.
Located on the southeast side of Hoàn Kiếm Lake, Hanoi’s French Quarter is one of the most beautiful areas in the city. France colonized Vietnam in the late 19th century, and this side of town really showcases their style and influence: luxurious wide streets, colonial French-style houses and villas, many a brightly painted building, and some gorgeous leafy areas and parks. Considered the “fancy” side of town, this is where you’ll find most of the important government buildings such as embassies and the Presidential Palace etc.
HANOI OLD QUARTER / HOÀN KIẾM DISTRICT
OUR RATING: 10/10, a must-visit.
ADDRESS: Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội
ENTRANCE COST: free!
NEARBY FOODIE STOP: Cafe Giang, birthplace of the OG Vietnamese egg coffee, and Banh Mi 25, home to the best bánh mì in the city, are both located in the Old Quarter! Read more here on coffee, and here on bánh mì.
Located on the northwest side of Hoàn Kiếm Lake, Hanoi’s Old Quarter has such a different vibe than the French Quarter! Where the above is leafy and as calm as a city like Hanoi can realistically feel, the Old Quarter is almost the opposite: crowded, small, hectic streets, with more of a ramshackle-yet-charming feel. Made up of 36 interlocking streets, this district is said to be the busiest in the city, and I’d well believe it. Traditionally, each of the 36 streets belonged to a certain guild, and each street was named after whatever that guild was known for - one sold jewelry, one sold fabrics, etc.
Fun fact: the Old Quarter is the oldest continuously developed area in the whole of Vietnam! It dates back over 2000 years!
And there we have it: Four Days in Hanoi, Vietnam! Everything we got up to during our time in the hectic-yet-lovable capital city. Have you ever visited? Hit me up with any thoughts, comments, or recommendations of your own using the box below!
Hanoi foodie companion guide coming soon!
Vicki xo
*Date of trip: 7th - 11th, and 19th - 20th September, 2024*
related posts
Two Weeks in Vietnam | Our Top Tips & Itinerary
A Food & Drink Guide to Hanoi, Vietnam