City: Hanoi
Top Things to do in Hanoi
10 Free Things to do in Hanoi That You Shouldn't Miss
The charming Vietnamese capital has aged well, preserving the Old Quarter, monuments and colonial architecture, while making room for modern developments alongside. Hanoi may have shrugged off several former names, including Thang Long, or "ascending dragon," but it hasn't forgotten its past, as sites such as Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and Hoa Lo Prison attest. Lakes, parks, shady boulevards and more than 600 temples and pagodas add to the appeal of this city, which is easily explored by taxi.
Restaurants in Hanoi
1. Lake of the Restored Sword (Hoan Kiem Lake)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 13,508 reviews
A rare breed of turtle enjoys this popular lake almost as much as countless locals and tourists. Hoan Kiem Lake is a dynamic daily tableau, from morning walks amid locals doing exercises on the shore, to young couples water-gazing on park benches, to the multiple shopping and sight-seeing opportunities in the vicinity. Centrally located in the city, Hoan Kiem Lake serves as a massive home base, and provides endless people-watching and recreational opportunities on the edge of the Old Quarter.
Reviewed By travelwithanda - Slovenia, null
If you only have a day or two to spend in Hanoi, I recommend you to walk around the Hoan Kiem lake. This way you will be able to see it all: the hustle and bustle of the Old Quarter with milions of crazy motorcycles, beautiful and well maintained parks and gardens, temples and monuments, local people and tourists, old and new buildings... it is really hard to describe it, you need to live it. The walk around the lake takes about 30 minutes, but add at least 30 for photo stops. I can't wait to go back.
2. Hanoi Ceramic Mosaic Mural
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 640 reviews
Reviewed By DavidE232 - Hanoi, Vietnam
The largest mosaic in the world entrances visitors for over 10 years along Au Co, the dyke road wall. Artists from many nations and organizations completed this majestic celebration of Hanoi's 1000 year anniversary under the leadership of artist Thu Thuy, certainly one of the finest public artists in the world.
3. Hanoi Police Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 287 reviews
Reviewed By adventuresofkaymay - Mount Isa, Australia
This is a nice little museum which is free entry. It is well set out in date range as you walk around. The pictures and items on display are great to see and read stories about. There is small children size dress ups in the museum shop to try on.
4. Hoan Kiem Lake Walking Street
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 57 reviews
Reviewed By Steve_of_N21 - London, United Kingdom
The Hoan Kiem Lake Walking Street is actually a series of streets around and close to Hoan Kiem Lake that officially close to traffic every weekend thus making them walking Streets. They include Dinh Tien Hoang Street, Hang Khay Street, Trang Tien Street, Le Thach Street and Tran Nguyen Han Street amongst others, that provide a traffic free walk way all around the lake and the adjacent Ly Thai To Park as well as some of the popular shopping streets that lead down to the lake. As you can imagine this is a popular walkway with both locals and tourists at the weekend and can get quite busy, especially at the top end of the lake and on the east side close to Ly Thai To Park which attract a lot of street food vendors and hawkers selling all manor of Vietnamese souvenirs. If you are lucky you might also catch some events taking place and the walking street is regularly used as the starting and ending point for any fun runs or professional road running races that take place in Hanoi , as it was for the Sunday we visited when a 10Km fun run was being held. If you want to do a complete circumference of the lake then it will take about 30 minutes walking time. But allow longer for distractions and it took us 2 1/2 hours to get round, but then that did include a beer in one of the roof top bars overlooking the lake at the North end.
5. Phung Hung Mural Street
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 14 reviews
Reviewed By chiangmaicharlies - Chiang Mai, Thailand
A long stretch of murals, each one within one of the arches under the train tracks along Phung Hung Street. They each projected a part of Hanoi's history or iconic images of Vietnam. Locals seem to love them and whenever I was there, they were taking photos of them or posing in front of them. Some are three dimensional and there's also a few sculptures included. When I visited there was also a photographic display along the same stretch of road. Sadly this was being taken down at the time, but perhaps they often put such displays here. Highly recommended.
6. Hang Gai Street (Street of Hemp)
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 595 reviews
Silks, silver and souvenirs draw tourists to this popular street market.
Reviewed By 2012Suzy
I love the Hien Boutique at 40 Hang Gai Street. Great service and great prices that match quality of fabric and tailoring. I love my linen pants and want to buy another pair!
7. St. Joseph's Cathedral
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 2,871 reviews
Entering this majestic church is like walking into 1886, as little has changed since it first opened its doors.
Reviewed By livettp
It's structure and definitely the stained glass windows are stunning. I happened to go to 1 day there was really a wedding party and this was prepared to accept the public. Privileged. It is worth obtaining a glance plus one may get lots of cafe/restaurants near by to combine with morning tea or maybe lunch.
8. Huu Tiep Lake and the Downed B-52
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 251 reviews
Reviewed By njan45 - Kochi (Cochin), India
You have to walk through a number of narrow Vietnamese lanes or use a bike taxi or Tuk Tuk to reach this place. The lake has shrunk over the years but in that remains the greatest Memorial to the Vietnam War. The downed B 52 bomber ! Reminds you the number of human lives it destroyed before. This is by far the best memorial for the courageous Vietnamese people !! A must visit site.
9. West Lake
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 1,776 reviews
The largest lake n Hanoi is a popular spot for gathering, surrounded by many shops, restaurants, gardens, and hotels. It features the Trấn Quốc Pagoda, Vietnamese for "Stabilizing the Nation."
Reviewed By _cmonzella - Westfield, United States
This is the lake where North Vietnamese citizens pulled John McCain out of the water after his plane crashed while on a bombing mission in 1967. We had hired a local guide who explained the nearby sculpture marking that event and also took us to the prison where McCain was held for six years, called by his fellow-captives as the Hanoi Hilton.
10. Thap Rua Tower
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 629 reviews
Reviewed By KimGTravels - Pacific Grove, United States
Also known as "Turtle Tower", this lovely Temple was built in 1886, on the former site of Ta Vong Temple from the 17th or 18th century. Erected to commemorate Le Loi, later Emperor, who is regarded as one of the greatest national heroes of Vietnam, this Temple shines like a jewel when illuminated at dark. Leading the freedom movement, Lo Lie and his fighters liberated his people from the Chinese Ming army, who occupied Vietnam, waging battles from 1418-1426, when he successfully delivered his beloved people to freedom. While boating on "Luc Thuy" or "Green Water Lake", a fisherman "caught" the sword inscribed with the words "Thuan Thien" or "The Will of Heaven" which was presented to the Emperor to assist in the ultimate Ming defeat. Following the victory, while boating on the lake, a giant golden turtle surfaced from the water, requesting the sword be returned to the Dragon King. The Lake was renamed "Hoan Kiem Lake" or "The Lake of Returned Sword" either when the sword was graciously returned by the Emperor or taken by the giant golden turtle. In 1886 a (traitor) musician received permission from the French government to erect this beautiful monument, where he secretly laid his father to rest. The body was later removed. Now just the turtles bask in the sun along the shores of the little island. So much additional history to read about.
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