Top 29 best places to visit in Hanoi Vietnam

After proclaiming independence from China in 1010, Hanoi, called "Thang Long" at that time, was established as the capital of Vietnam under the First Dynasty of Ly. Throughout the Ly, Tran and Le Dynasties ruling over Vietnam, Hanoi was developed as the capital covered with splendid palaces and temples until it was left abandoned when the capital was moved to Hue in 1831. The name of Hanoi was then used to call the city on the bank of the Red River.

Along with European architectural works, historical vestiges from the ancient times also contribute to the number of places of interest to visit in Hanoi, enhancing its typical beauty despite great devastation during the wartimes. It is composed of the Old Quarter and the French Quarter. Embellishing the city are many lakes, the largest ones are Hoan Kiem Lake, West Lake Hanoi, and Truc Bach Lake. All of them are lined with roads under verdant shadows, providing a romantic ambiance for the city.

Production of traditional handicrafts is still active in Hanoi such as bronze mounding, silver carving, lacquer, and embroidery, making Hanoi the center of arts in some traditional villages of top places to visit in Hanoi such as Duong Lam Ancient Village, Bat Trang Ceramic Village. Follow Galatourist to discover top 29 best places to visit in Hanoi Vietnam below:

1. Hoan Kiem Lake (Restored Sword Lake) - Tranquil beauty in the heart of the city

Only coming here can you understand why it is regarded as one of the best places to visit in Hanoi. Lying in the heart of the Hanoi Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake embraces a miraculous legend of the city, telling about King Le Loi's relaxation trip by sampan on the lake after the victory over Chinese invasion. During his trip, a Golden Tortoise suddenly emerged to take back a holy sword given to the King by the God to protect the country against the enemy, and then disappeared into the lake, leading to its name today. In the middle of the lake, the Thap Rua (The Tortoise Tower) stands on an islet and becomes one of Hanoi best attractions.

Around the lake, the pleasant scene of local people, who go jogging, do their traditional exercises, eat ice creams or relax under the shade of trees dotted on the lake bank, has illustrated well the simple happiness of Hanoi people.

2. Ngoc Son Temple - The symbol for culture and spirit of Hanoi residents

Also known as the "Jade Mountain Temple", Ngoc Son Temple is situated not far from the Tortoise Tower and can be reached by a red-painted wooden bridge called The Huc Bridge or the Sunrise Bridge. The temple is built in the 19th century, dedicated to General Tran Hung Dao, a hero who fought against the Mongolian invasion in the 13th century.

The temple is also famous for the Pen Tower, which was built in the shape of a great brush to symbolize the Vietnamese spirit of literature. There is also the Ink Slab built with stones ana held up by three frogs.

3. The Huc Bridge - A unique attraction with the morning sunrise scenery

4. Hanoi Old Quarter - An area saving the nostalgia and memories of ancient Hanoi

 Click here to take part in Vietnam tour 14 days package at a cheap price

5. Dong Xuan Market - Goods and foods paradise for travelers

This is the most dynamic area of Hanoi with a number of shops displaying various kinds of goods. Located to the north of the Old Quarter, the market provides a variety of goods from basketry and carpets to local specialties.

Even the French wine and the Russian vodka are also sold here at a surprisingly cheap price with the guarantee of their origins. Stalls of colorful flowers enhance the liveliness of this market. Many kinds of traditional medicinal herbs are also available in this market. Especially, the market is one of the best places to visit in Hanoi for its special food.

6. Hanoi Opera House - An European architecture inspired by Opera Paris and Tuylory Castle

Located in the area of the Old Quarter at the heart of the city, Hanoi Opera House becomes attractive with the Europe architecture. The structure was built by French in 1901 when they took control of the country. It was inspired by some European famous constructions such as Opera Paris and Tuylory Castle and was open just for elites at that time. 

The interior decoration will certainly surprise visitors for its luxurious and ancient style, which makes it one of the interesting places to visit in Hanoi. The main area was covered with Italy white tiles, red carpet like the British Royal Palace. And the grandstand was built according to the inspiration of the Colosseum.

7. Hanoi Water Puppet Show - The visual art form you must see in Hanoi

The performance is held on a lake, also the stage, and the characters are puppets controlled by artists who are immersing in the water behind. The atmosphere is covered by the music and the applause when a new character, like a dragon, surprisingly arises from the water. Especially, English subtitles may be available so that foreigners can enjoy the contents of the stories.

8. St. Joseph's Cathedral Hanoi - Enjoy the magical light art in an ancient structure

9. Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum - A permanent sepal and a solemn destination

The construction of Ho Chi Minh mausoleum started in 1973 despite his request for cremation. The mausoleum was built on the site where Ho Chi Minh read his Declaration of Vietnam's independence on 2 September 1945. On the same day 24 years later, he left forever. His body is well preserved in a glass coffin. This site should not be missed when you visit Hanoi.

Situated behind the mausoleum, a wooden house built on stilts was the place where Uncle Ho used to live from 1958 to 1969. The house was built with the style of Vietnamese ethnic minorities and has been preserved from the day when Ho Chi Minh went far away forever. Nowadays, these heritages are always places of interest to visit in Hanoi.

Visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in the itinerary of 7 days Vietnam classic tour

10. One Pillar Pagoda - An upright lotus standing for thousand years of Vietnamese culture

One Pillar Pagoda was built by the Emperor Ly Thai Tong in 1049 in order to thank the Goddess of Mercy for giving him a son. The pagoda belongs to the heritage group of Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. It was built of wood on a single stone pillar, designed to resemble a lotus blossom, a symbol of purity. It is the special construction that attracts tourists to pay a visit here.
One note when you have a visit to this place is your choice of clothes. Because it is a place of solemnity, tourists should wear gentle and formal sets. 

11. The Temple of Literature - The first university in Vietnam

The Temple of Literature Hanoi was constructed with the traditional Vietnamese architecture in 1070, dedicated to a Confucian cult that broke the Buddhist monopoly in education.

The temple was then regarded as the first university in Vietnam. Throughout a 900-year history, thousands of Vietnamese elites graduated from this university. On the temple's grounds, there can be seen a lot of Vietnamese structures such as Khue Van Pavilion served as the meeting place of scholars in the past, the Worshipping Hall as well as the statue of Confucius. Nowadays, it has been on the top list of interesting places to visit in Hanoi with thousands of tourists coming here every year.

12. West Lake - The largest open view in Hanoi capital city

West Lake is the largest lake in Hanoi capital city, known for its peaceful scenery and special food surroundings. You can take part in jogging, biking around the lake; take a visit to some small restaurants to enjoy Shrimp Cake, Clear Cake, Iced Cream,...; join water games at the Water Park. Moreover, it is a pity if you come here without check-in at some artistically decorated cafes and shops. Especially, there are flower areas like Flower Valley and Lotus Lakes nearby, which will certainly catch your eyes for the first time seeing. If you would like to discover the culture and history of the location, then visit Tran Quoc Pagoda on the lake.

13. Tran Quoc Pagoda - A perfect combination between the solemnity and peaceful scenery

Tran Quoc Pagoda was built 1500 years ago. It is the most ancient pagoda in Hanoi and one of the most ancient ones in Vietnam. Located on the West Lake, it looks like a lotus reflected on the water mirror. The pagoda is the combination of the solemn atmosphere and the peace of the scenery. It was built in a garden which is full of old trees, and the surroundings are many different towers which are all worth discovering. Many famous politicians all over the world have come here when visiting Vietnam like Indian President Prasat, Rusian President Dmitri Medvedev,... Moreover, the attraction welcomes hundreds of foreign visitors each day.

14. Vietnam Museum of Ethnology - Discover Vietnam in a miniature version

Vietnam Museum of Ethnology was founded in 1995, worth being one of the top places to visit in Hanoi for both architecture and the huge system of artifacts. The place now holds 15.000 items in total, 12.000 documents and images in the indoor house. Moreover, the outdoor area presents patterns of 54 Vietnamese ethnology's typical architecture. Besides, the museum is responsible for presenting, performing and holding many programs to introduce, popularize and educate local residents as well as foreigners about the Vietnam culture and spirit. It opens every day except for Monday and Lunar New Year. 

15. Imperial Citadel of Thang Long - The climax of Vietnamese contemporary architecture

Imperial Citadel of Thang Long is the historical area first built in the 7th century and enlarged gradually. With the area of 18.395 hectares, the heritage includes the archaeological site 18 Hoang Dieu and the remained ones such as Doan Mon, Hanoi Flag Tower, Kinh Thien Palace, D67 House, Bac Mon, Hau Lau, City Wall and other eight gates built under Nguyen Dynasty. The Citadel becomes one of the most important heritages in Vietnam and has been recognized as a cultural heritage of the world. Come here for the capital's history discovery.

16. Hanoi train street - Enjoy a cup of coffee and wait for the train coming across

Hanoi train street is more and more famous among tourists for its exciting experience of watching the train come across. There are usually small cafes with artistic decoration alongside the railways. And travelers come here, due to the train schedule, to enjoy Vietnamese coffee, check in and wait for the train. However, although it is a unique site and attractive for photography-lovers, tourists have to pay more attention to the safety of their own. 

17. Long Bien Bridge - Check in on the horizontal Eiffel Tower in Hanoi

18. Hoa Lo Prison - Learn more about Vietnamese spirit in the Resistance Against Enemy

Hoa Lo Prison is known as the hell on the earth that the French built to deal with the Vietnamese Resistance. The name we see on the gate "Maison Centrale" means the Central Prison, which was one of the biggest prisons of the French in Indochina.
The heritage now reflects the dire reality at that time. You can see the Guillotines where the Vietnamese inmates were executed.  There is also a dark hell room where many prisoners became mad after a short time tortured. However, you also see the Vietnamese spirit here when they turned this prison into a "school", even some of them had found out the way escaping. It is this brave that turns a prison into one of the interesting places to visit in Hanoi.

19. Quan Thanh Temple - An impressive destination of sacredness

Quan Thanh Temple is one in four temples built for protecting the peace of Hanoi city. It was founded in 1010 when King Ly Thai To chose the city as the capital of the country. However, the appearance you see today is the result of the final reconstruction in 1893. The architecture of the site was following the Chinese style. The gate is noticeable with four main pillars and four Phoenixes. Especially, the cultural adaptation of Vietnam is showed by the presentation of the God Rahu statue.

20. Bach Ma Temple - Visit the most ancient temple in Hanoi

The temple was built in the IX century, then renamed as Bach Ma (White Horse) when King Ly Thai To chose Hanoi as the capital of Vietnam. It is said that the citadel building was only finished when a magical white horse went around and disappeared in the temple. The place keeps an ancient beauty with the mossy stone walls and the decorative items like ones at Guangdong Assembly Hall in Hoi An town on the windows. There are many small units arranged vertically in a closed space. Moreover, the temple also has Te Vuong Phi and Be Nui shrines. 

21. Vietnam Military History Museum - The reminder of Vietnam heroic struggles

Located at the center of Hanoi, Vietnam Military History Museum is one of the noticeable places to visit in Hanoi Vietnam. It belongs to seven national museums which have the greatest number of items presented and tourists visiting every year. With a system of unique artifacts, the place has been a cultural and historical center attracting thousands of domestic and foreign visitors. There are about two thousand items reflecting the history of building and protecting the country against strong enemies, through which Vietnamese spirit and intelligence are showed.

22. Fine Arts Museum Hanoi - The biggest artwork collection in Hanoi

Fine Arts Museum stays at the center of Hanoi. The place attracts thousands of visitors every year not only for its quality of the artifact collections but also for its artistic architecture and historical building. The museum was built in the French colonial period, but now it has been reconstruction into Vietnamese style. It is a large space for presentation, about three thousand square meters. Besides the main presentation area, there is also the area for children's creation and the area for food and drink.

23. Quang Ba Flower Market - Admire hundred kind of flowers showing their beauty at night

If you have time around West Lake Hanoi, then pay a visit to Quang Ba Market to admire the colorful sight of flowers there. It is the most famous flower wholesales market in North Vietnam. There are hundred kinds of flowers, including both domestic and imported ones. The market is most crowded at night, from 0.AM to 2.AM. After having a tour around the market, you can also have some special foods there at cheap prices. Hanoi's atmosphere at night may be something attractive for travelers all over the world.

24. Perfume Pagoda - A group of pagodas and temples hiring in the valley

Perfume Pagoda is a group of constructions located separately in the Yen Stream Valley. There are a lot of temples and pagodas so that you should visit just some of them according to the itinerary. To be more convenient, you can take a cable car to admire the overall view. The most suitable time to visit the places is in September, October and November, when the water lilies blossom and the field alongside the Yen River turns green. If you do not intend to take part in the crowded festival, do not come here in the first three months of the lunar new year. 

25. Duong Lam Ancient Village - An old village separated from the noise outside

Duong Lam Ancient Village is not famous for any traditional jobs, but it keeps own remark to tourists with a system of more than one hundred ancient houses. They were all built a hundred years ago and the bare red bricks made the construction special. You can feel the peaceful atmosphere from the moment going through the old village gate. Then feel free to pay a visit around the site, drop in any ancient house to discover the daily life here. Local residents are all ready to welcome you without any commercial purpose. There are only some small selves along the road selling local food such as dried sweet soup and peanut candy.

26. Bat Trang Ceramic Village - Have real experience of the pottery-making process

Bat Trang Ceramic Village is a traditional village specified for ceramic making. Travelers come here to admire thousands of pottery items at the Bat Trang Market. Moreover, you will experience creating your own products at cheap price. The local craftsmen will help you finish your item and you can bring home as a gift. In addition, the ancient architecture here is always lovable to photographers. The area is also famous for Squid and bamboo soup besides Hanoi special foods such as Noodle, Clear cake,...

27. Van Phuc Silk Village - A diverse collection of silk products presented

Van Phuc is a traditional village specified in silk weaving. The place was founded a thousand years ago, from which it has become the center providing high-quality silk products for great events in Vietnam. Tourists will be impressed by the old gate leading to rows of silk shops with colorful and diverse items. Now there has been a little modernization to welcome tourists, but the village still keeps it a traditional attraction with red brick rooftops and communal house. Pay a visit to an old weaving family to see the procedure in person.

28. Thay Pagoda - The place of peace and tranquillity 

Thay Pagoda is a group of pagoda and temple places of interest to visit in Hanoi. Located on a huge area of Sai Son mountain, it brings about a peaceful and solitude atmosphere to tourists. The place is famous for Monk Tu Dao Hanh, who played an important role in teaching, curing and creating the water puppet for local residents. If luckily, you will have the chance to see in person the puppet performance on the lake. Besides the unique architecture of the temples and pagodas, it is more impressive with two small bridges: one leading to the Tam Phu Temple, the other leading to the constructions on the mountain.

Read more: The exciting atmosphere of Thay Pagoda Festival in Hanoi

29. Tay Phuong Pagoda - A national sculpture and engraving masterpiece

Tay Phuong Pagoda is also known as Sung Phuc, which was built in the VIII century. This is the second oldest pagoda in Vietnam. Tourists should come here in the first days of the lunar new year to take part in the exciting festival held every year. On other days around the year, it captures an atmosphere of peace and quietness. The area has not been commercialized and the road to the site is separated from the surroundings. The attraction includes three parallel blocks: Bai Duong, Chinh Dien, Hau Cung. Besides, do not forget to admire the area of Arhat Statues.

Above are the Top 29 best places to visit in Hanoi that tourists should not ignore when coming to Vietnam. Hope you will have a great time here.