Hanoi - Post Report Question and Answers
What are some interesting/fun things to do in the area? Can you recommend any “hidden gems"?
Other than the cultural sites, the city has an abundance of cafes and people watching can be interesting. This city is a combination of frenetic activity and lounging about. The hot weather in summer contributes to this, and you tend to see people sitting around a lot, napping their days away. - Aug 2021
Around town, there are countless things to do, whether touristic, shopping, and culinary (too many to list). There are a lot more festivals, fairs, concerts, and other events than there used to be - be sure to join one of the many Facebook groups to be in the loop. One challenge with kids is a lack of green space - you'll spend many weekends inside shopping malls at one of their play areas which gets old after a while. - Dec 2019
We wander around Old Quarter and Tay Ho a lot. There is something about watching the people and traffic go by. If the weather is nice, visiting the botanical gardens or Temple of Literature is in order. The malls also have indoor trampolines. - Apr 2018
Chicken BBQ street on Ly Van Phuc -- go to the larger stall at the end of the road. Pho Bat Dan has the best Pho in Hanoi and is located on Bat Dan street in the Old Quarter. Xoi Yen (look it up on Google) has the best Vietnamese sticky rice. Find a hole-in-the-wall coffee shop and have famous Vietnamese egg coffee. Try local Vietnamese desserts, which are wonderfully sweet and tasty. Buy a scooter and explore the city -- after a rain drive down the government quarter's beautiful tree-lined boulevards and admire the French-inspired architecture. - Dec 2017
Most spend their time in Hanoi in or around the Old Quarter shopping and eating. If there's a 3-day weekend, flights out of Hanoi are cheap and most take advantage. - May 2016
The mountainous provinces (not Sa Pa) are the real undiscovered gems of Vietnam. Google Ha Giang and you will see what I mean. Beaches are ok. Con Dao and Phu Quoc islands are supposed to be nice though I never made it to either. - Aug 2014
People watching: this is a busy town. Have a drink at one of the hundred Bia Hoi restaurants; discover the remains of the French architecture. Travel around the country to discover Ha Long Bay, Sapa, Hoi An, Saigon, and the ethnic minorities. Visit the temples, museums, go to see a water-puppets show. Travel across South-East Asia. Join the Hanoi Hash House Harrier and run/ walk in the countryside every weekend, enjoying a much needed bowl of almost fresh air. Dine out every day for less than US$5/head. Take a Vietnamese cuisine class. Taste snake dishes. Go wild shopping in the different artisans’ villages (silks, cloths, pottery, arts, music instruments). Join the Women’s Club or one of the many NGO’s and get involved. Cultural life is somewhat limited to a few museums, a scarce opera program and some cinemas of questionable qualities (but they show international blockbusters in English version with Vietnamese subtitles). Nightlife is said to be good but very young. - Dec 2011
Temple of Literature, Ethnology Museum, Old Quarter, exploring the street food, "Hanoi Hilton" and military museum, history museum. The famous Halong Bay (with the iconic limestone pillars of islands) is about 3 hours away by car. - Aug 2011
Visit with friends, play tennis, check out the French architecture, and visit museums. - May 2010
Vietnam is a great country to travel in - mountains, beaches, cultural spots. - Dec 2009
Plenty of fun day-trips, plenty of sighseeing activities in the city. Cat Ba and Ha Long are 3 hours away. Sapa is on overnight train trip away. - Feb 2009
Vietnam is still a back-packers paradise and hotels and travel inside Vietnam can still be done cheaply. Get out and experience the country and history. There are good museums on the unique aspects of Vietnam, the history, the War, ethnic groups, etc. There is the water puppet theater. There are great sites in the countryside and some of the best beaches in Southeast which are not yet cover with mega resorts or hordes of tourists. For those wanting a taste of modernity, Bangkok is less than 1 hour and 20 minute flight away and roundtrip tickets are less than US$300.Ho Chi Minh City is also modern, though not as nice as Bangkok and a great place to visit. Women find that there are decent hair saloons that give wonderful head massages, manicures, pedicures, and other beautification rituals at low prices. - Sep 2008
Here in the North, not many. As previously stated, Hanoi offers little for entertaining children. There are few clubs as we would define them in the U.S. Karaoke is very popular with the Vietnamese. If you go out with the local staff, you can be guaranteed the night will end at a karaoke club. There are many 4 and 5 star beach resorts in Vietnam but they all are in the Central and Southern parts of the country. - May 2008
