Hanoi

Things to see and do

Ho Chi Minh Memorial Complex

Though Uncle Ho himself would have considered this a massive waste of land that could have been used for agriculture or production, a sizable complex constructed around a palace left over from the French era is devoted to the man in Hanoi. In fact, the man is still there and you can see him in ... read more
Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum

If you follow the flow of the complex, the first stop is to see the preserved remains of the man himself. After dedicating his life to the liberation of his country from foreign rule, and seeing it freed from French domination, Ho Chi Minh died before the next war -- the one with the United States ... read more
Presidential Palace and Ho Chi Minh's House on Stilts

Just to the north of Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum sits the presidential palace, appropriated from the French after they were routed and which you can't enter, and Ho Chi Minh's bungalow, often referred to as his House on Stilts. Set in a stretch of mango tree-filled parkland around a small pond, this is ... read more
One Pillar Pagoda

Another popular stop on the tour group trail, masses line up to climb the steps to the small shrine within the gazebo-like structure. For most Western visitors it may be enough to take a glance at it as they leave the Ho Chi Minh Museum. Originally built in 1049 of wood, the pagoda was vandalised ... read more
Ho Chi Minh Museum

Looking at the massive white lotus-shaped structure that houses the Ho Chi Minh Museum's collection, one might wonder how so much real estate could be dedicated to one man. You'll pass through airport-style security to gain access, and the first layer of exhibits is much what you'd expect: a ... read more
Temple of Literature

The Temple of Literature is an obligatory stop on any Hanoi tour. It's usually packed, but never so much that there isn't room to stroll around. It's a good site, but if you're not much for culture, it needn't be near the top of your list of things to do. This is the site of Vietnam's first ... read more
St Joseph's Cathedral

This Catholic cathedral was completed in 1887 by Monseigneur Pigneau de Behaine. It was closed in 1975 upon reunification of Vietnam, and was not reopened until 1985. The neo-gothic style of the cathedral looks somewhat out of place in the busy streets of Hanoi, although it is built in what is ... read more
Vietnam Military History Museum

The Vietnam Military History Museum, also known as the War or Army Museum, has a comprehensive and stimulating collection of war relics charting Vietnam's struggle for liberation. If you're only going to see one war museum in Vietnam this should be it. The museum is arranged in a series of ... read more
Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum

Set behind the Temple of Literature, this is a sight that's not usually on the tour group route, but should be. While not world-class, it's one of the best in Vietnam and a visit will provide a good insight into Vietnamese culture and history. The main building is a large, three-storey colonial ... read more
Hoan Kiem Lake

Hoan Kiem Lake, 'Lake of the Restored Sword', forms the centrepiece of Hanoi. The name of the lake comes from a legend in which Emperor Le Loi, worried about the advancing Chinese, was boating on the lake when a giant tortoise rose from the murky waters. The tortoise presented him with a magical ... read more
Ngoc Son Pagoda

At the northern end of Hoan Kiem Lake, just down the street from the Water Puppet Theatre, sits Ngoc Son Pagoda, or Pagoda of the Jade Mountain. It's on an islet accessed via an old red wooden bridge, the 'Bridge of the Rising Sun.' The site has been used as a temple since ancient times, but most ... read more
National Museum of Vietnamese History

The National Museum of Vietnamese History is housed in a magnificent example of Indochinese architecture, which was until 1910 the French consulate and the residence of the governor general. The building was also home to the Ecole Francaise d'Extreme Orient (EFEO), during which time it became a ... read more
West Lake

Also known as Ho Tay or Lake of Mist, this large lake covers a sizeable swath of northwest Hanoi. Legend states that the lake was formed by the footprint of a golden calf that was running towards the sound of a giant bell. In its heyday, the lake was lined by royal palaces which are now mostly ... read more
Hoa Lo Prison (Hanoi Hilton)

Few surviving historical vestiges attest as vividly and pointedly to Vietnam's complicated journey through the 20th century as Hoa Lo — better known as the Hanoi Hilton. The French simply called it Maison Centrale, and apparently razed one of the local outlying craft villages when they picked ... read more
Museum of the Vietnamese Revolution

If you're a sucker for endless rooms (well, 29 to be exact) of Communist Party communications, black and white photos of Vietnamese revolutionary heroes, old flags and a good dose of war snaps, then this is the place for you. Established in 1959, the more than 3,000 exhibits on display here trace ... read more
Ancient House at 87 Ma May St

Dating back to the 19th century, this very special house is a stunning example of the type of architecture that prevailed throughout Hanoi before the concrete egg-carton style took over. If you plan on visiting Hoi An, or have already done so, you'll recognise this as a trader house in very much ... read more
Long Bien and Chuong Duong Bridges

These two bridges were for a long time the only land access points to Hanoi for many peasants living on the east side of the Red River (now new and less impressive but functional bridges are located to the north and south). Long Bien Bridge is a massive iron structure built by the French in the ... read more
Vietnam Museum of Ethnography

While somewhat inconveniently located, this museum is absolutely worth making the effort to reach. If you're planning on going trekking in the mountains to the north and northwest of Hanoi, this museum should be considered an essential research stop. The displays, labelled in English throughout, ... read more
The Vietnamese Women's Museum

Since January 2007, the Women's Museum has been undergoing an extensive expansion and renovation, and that was still the case in 2010. The ticket taker assured us that repairs would be complete by the end of the year, but that's what he said last year. What's left are two small exhibits: one on the ... read more
Thanh Long Water Puppet Theatre (Nha Hat Mua Roi Thang Long)

Hanoi's most popular site but opinions are divided. Some describe it as an hour of wonderment and magic but others describe it as 15 minutes of interesting puppetry followed by an interminable period of squirming in their seat and eyeing the exit do It's certainly great for kids, though you might ... read more
Bach Ma Temple

Bach Ma Temple has many virtues to recommend it as the place to get your temple creds if you don't have them yet. First, it's very conveniently located, on the corner of Hang Buom and Hang Giay, in the heart of the Old Quarter — it's right next to the steak joints on Hang Giay St. Chances are ... read more
Hanoi Opera House

Hanoi's majestic old Opera House, located in the French Quarter near the posh hotels, is an attraction in itself. While Western operas are occasionally mounted here, there are also performances by visiting classical orchestras, and a whole gamut of entertainments, such as puppet shows, ballets, and ... read more
Botanical Gardens

Located just above the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex northwest of the Old Quarter, the sprawling Botanical Gardens provide an excellent respite from the hue and cry of Hanoi's busy streets. They're well landscaped, featuring ample foliage to peep at and some cages with exotic birds and ... read more
Thu Le Park and Zoo

Some think Hanoi is a zoo, but it also has one. Priced to please, it's full of locals on any given day, with a cheerful holiday air about it that makes for a good place to go if you're getting harried by the tourist scene. Relax, you're on vacation! It's more park than zoo, with beautiful grounds ... read more
Around Hanoi

Hanoi's immediate surroundings are changing rapidly. Roads, factories, housing developments and even resorts are being furiously constructed everywhere. Traffic is heavy and getting heavier. And while the farms and rice fields are still there, they are being progressively encircled by a less ... read more
Thay and Tay Phuong Pagodas

If you haven't had a good mountainside pagoda experience, these two spots (with confusingly similar names) are some of the oldest and most historically important pagodas in Vietnam, reachable via an easy daytrip. The first of the two, Chua Thay or 'Master's Pagoda', is about 19km from Hanoi. Just ... read more
Co Loa Citadel

This is the easiest of the Hanoi daytrips, about 16km outside the city. The main draw here is that it's one of the oldest structures still extant from Vietnamese history (though Cham and Sa Huynh culture is much older). The ancient, spiral-shaped citadel dates back to the third century BC, with a ... read more
Ba Vi National Park

If you're planning to visit only one national park in Vietnam, other parks, like Bach Ma near Hue, should be higher up on your list than Ba Vi. Nevertheless, it's a beautiful park and if you just want a quiet getaway for a day or so, it's a fine choice. The main attraction at the park is the ... read more
The Ho Chi Minh Trail Museum

Located about 15km outside Hanoi, this is often a stop along the way to the Perfume Pagoda. The two-storey museum has seven galleries dedicated to the system of trails collectively known as the Ho Chi Minh Trail. It which stretched from northern Vietnam along the Laos border at a latitude parallel ... read more
Perfume Pagoda

The site is popular year round, but particularly from the middle of the second to the end of the third lunar months following Tet and on even days of the lunar calendar. But rather than avoid peak periods, we'd recommend embracing the madness. Junkets for foreigners start at 08:00 and get back ... read more