Hanoi is the capital city of Vietnam, visited by more than 3 million tourists from all over the world every year. Even though it may look a bit messy and dirty at first glance, only few people can leave it without falling in love with it. Traffic is absolutely insane here and you’ll need a lot of courage to get to the other side of the road.
However, if you love Vietnamese cuisine and like to explore the culture of foreign countries, we guarantee that this is exactly what Hanoi offers in all its glory. In this article you will read about what to visit in Hanoi and especially which restaurants and cafes you should definitely not miss. So let’s get to it.
Where to stay
2 nights are all you need to explore the beauty of this city. The best place to live is the center of the old town ( Hoan Kiem), which has everything you need to see as a tourist. We stayed at the Hanoi Prime Garden Hotel Spa and paid 21 euros for one night for two. It wasn’t luxurious, but we were in the center of the action, the room was clean and most importantly – it was quiet. After a few days in Vietnam, you’ll know what we’re talking about. The Vietnamese love to honk and since the most common means of transport there is a motorbike, it can be quite annoying if you live on the main street.
Places to visit
Train Street Hanoi
The most famous tourist spot in Hanoi is definitely “Train Street”. It is a very narrow street with many restaurants and bars on both sides. However, a train passes through the middle of this street several times a day. So as long as you catch a good table, the train will pass about half a meter away from you. It’s definitely an experience of a lifetime, but… We consider this place to be one of the great disappointments of Vietnam. We heard a lot about it, saw a lot of videos and photos on social media and thought it would be something really special.
Chaos on the street
What put us off right from the start, however, were the annoying Vietnamese who were forcibly luring us into bars for a drink. It’s not so much that they wanted to get clients, but it’s the way they did it. Even before entering this street, you will be approached by several locals who will tell you that you cannot enter the street without first “swearing” to one of them, who will lead you to your table.
We find it completely redundant to choose a bar or restaurant we want to have a drink in without even seeing it, just based on some person who catches us at the entrance. So we tried to ignore those things, thanked them nicely and moved on. We made it to the street without it.
There is a good atmosphere on this street until the train is about to arrive. Then they all act like they’re out of their minds. Firstly, tourists trying to grab the best spots for photos and videos and secondly, Vietnamese people shouting at everyone to move aside, clearing tables and being really very unpleasant. The thing is that officially this concept is forbidden and if the police show up once in a while, everyone has to pack up and close down within a minute. We’re not surprised, because it’s really dangerous. So first they entice you by telling you that they’ll give you the best table and that there’s a train coming in a few minutes, but when the train arrives they pack up your table and tell you to stand up and wait.
Do you want to be fully prepared for your trip to Vietnam? Read 6 important tips before visiting Vietnam: what you need to know!
Tran Quoc Pagoda Hanoi
Another very popular place in Hanoi is to visit the pagodas around the lake. It’s a very nice historical place, where there is no entrance fee. The surroundings of the pagoda are very romantic and it is definitely something to see in the city. In front of the pagoda you will also find local stalls with various souvenirs. Along the lake, you can enjoy the local atmosphere as Vietnamese people sell various delicacies and old men catch fish.
Hoan Kiem Lake + Ngoc Son Temple
An ideal activity in Hanoi is a walk around Hoan Kiem Lake, which is located in the heart of the city, close to the center. This lake surrounds Ngoc Son Temple. The ideal time to visit this place is early in the morning or early evening, when the weather is ideal and you can avoid large crowds. Just a short walk from here is the Old Quarter town center, where you’ll find beautiful streets lined with restaurants and cafés, which we’ll talk about in more detail in the gastronomy section.
Museums in Hanoi
If you’re a culture lover, you’ll definitely find something for yourself here. There are some very interesting museums where you can learn a lot about the history of Vietnam, as well as about the ethnic groups that live in this country. The Ethnology Museum, the Vietnam Women’s Museum, and the Vietnam National History Museum are worth mentioning. There is a symbolic entrance fee (approx. 1.5-2€).
Tip for a trip from Hanoi!
A very famous place around Hanoi is a small village called Quảng Phú Cầu. In this village, scented sticks are produced, which are specific to Vietnamese culture. The locals turned it into a tourist attraction in the form of a “field of colored scented sticks“. When reviewing this place, you’ll come across two groups of people – those who absolutely love it and those for whom it was a huge disappointment. We belong to the first group because it was really something we had never seen before.
There is also a local bus to this place, which takes about two hours. The bus departs e.g. from station 12A Điện Biên Phủ and you will pay approximately 0.5 EUR. However, we visited this place on our last day so we didn’t have enough time. We booked a taxi through the Grab app, which took about an hour. The driver waited for us and then drove us to the airport. We paid a total of 40€ for the whole transfer.
The photos and videos from this place really look like from another planet. There are brightly colored sticks everywhere, with a path leading between them where you can walk. The entrance fee is 2,5€ per person and if you want they will lend you a typical Vietnamese hat or a fancy dress. You can even pay for a professional photo shoot. When you come here by taxi, however, make sure you visit the right place. The correct location is here.
Gastronomy in Hanoi
One of the reasons we love Hanoi is the gastronomy. Vietnamese cuisine is our favorite cuisine, but after almost three weeks in Vietnam, we discovered that it is not the same everywhere. In some of the less touristy places it was really hard to find a good restaurant. However, there was no shortage of this in Hanoi. If you spend only 2 or 3 days here, you have a lot to do to taste the best dishes. So get ready for several courses a day 🙂
Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su
The top unit among all Hanoi restaurants is the Michelin Pho-Bo for 2,5€. Be prepared to wait in line for a while, but it will definitely be worth it! You will have a choice of several types of Pho-Bo, which differ only in the way the meat is cooked. We usually had Tái or Chin. As the restaurant is quite small, it’s possible that you’ll be seated at a table with complete strangers, but this adds even more authenticity to the restaurant. We have returned to this place up to 3 times.
Banh Mi 25
Apart from soups, Banh Mi baguettes are typical for Vietnam and can be found on every corner. Definitely the best place is Banh Mi 25, which is usually full of people. Banh Mi is usually stuffed with paté, meat and vegetables. The specific ingredient is coriander – lots of coriander! For a baguette you will pay about 2€. They also have delicious breakfast options with avocado and egg. A lot of people also like the skillet pancakes, which not only look great, but taste great too!
Bun Bo Nam Bo Bo Bach Phurong
Vietnamese food that we also like to enjoy here in Slovakia is Bun Bo Nam Bo. However, not everywhere in Vietnam they do it the way we are used to. Even though it’s their national dish, it tasted really bad in a lot of restaurants. However, you will not leave this place disappointed. Again, this is a very local place where you can see right into the kitchen, but the food is really tip-top.
Café Pho Có
A typical Vietnamese coffee is coffee with condensed milk or so-called “egg coffee“. Yes you hear right, it’s coffee with beaten egg yolk. This café is perfect for your first tasting. You have to go through a local shop to get to it. You will then be taken to a beautiful lobby full of flowers, where you will be greeted by the staff. Downstairs you order and then you can choose one of the three floors of the café. The highest one offers a view of the whole city. The café is very nicely and authentically decorated and has an incredibly good atmosphere.
Cá Bóp Coffee
If you want to enjoy a great cup of coffee while watching the hustle and bustle of Vietnam’s big city, this is the place for you. It’s a bamboo café upstairs, with a very narrow staircase that Thomas almost couldn’t fit up 😀 The view from the café is really priceless though.
King Rotti
For those who have already visited Thailand, the name Rotti will probably be familiar. In Thailand, it’s all about their local pancakes. It’s no different in Vietnam, but Rotti is sold here in a completely different consistency. It is also a pancake batter, but in the form of a fluffy bun filled with the filling of your choice. They have both sweet and savory versions. We definitely recommend nutella and cheese!
Hot Pans
Another typical dish are the frying pans, on which you can grill your dinner according to your preferences. This kind of restaurant is very popular especially among locals. So if you happen to see a restaurant full of locals and there are no tourists, there’s no need to worry. You’ll probably enjoy the best and cheapest local Vietnamese food there. You can find this type of restaurant at every turn, but most of them are on P. Tạ Hiện Street , Hàng Buồm, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, Vietnam. On this street, among other things, you can enjoy great nightlife.
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