Vietnam's capital is a city of layered eras: imperial gates and temples from the Ly and Nguyen dynasties, grand French colonial villas and boulevards, and a fiercely modern pulse of scooters, coffee shops, and night markets. Hanoi rewards slow exploration on foot, from the narrow trading-guild streets of the Old Quarter to the calm, willow-fringed shores of Hoan Kiem Lake, where the city seems to pause for breath each morning.
As the gateway to northern Vietnam, Hanoi is also the natural starting or finishing point for a rail journey through the country's dramatic landscapes. Travellers joining the SJourney Vietnam Luxury Express typically begin or end their itinerary here, using a day or two in the capital to take in its temples, museums, and legendary food scene before or after heading out toward the coast and countryside by rail.
Whether you arrive for the history, the cuisine, or simply to soak up the atmosphere of the Old Quarter's 36 streets, Hanoi offers a vivid, walkable introduction to Vietnam that pairs naturally with the comfort and romance of luxury train travel.
- ✦Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple
- ✦Labyrinthine 36-street Old Quarter
- ✦Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex
- ✦Thousand-year-old Temple of Literature
- ✦Legendary pho and bun cha street food
- ✦Traditional water puppet theatre
- ✦Gateway city for the SJourney Vietnam Luxury Express
Places to See in Hanoi
Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple
The spiritual heart of the city, this small lake is home to the red wooden Huc Bridge leading to Ngoc Son Temple on its own islet. Locals gather here at dawn for tai chi, and the surrounding streets buzz with cafes and shops.
Old Quarter
A maze of 36 ancient guild streets, each historically named for the goods once traded there (Silk Street, Silver Street, and so on). It remains the best place to wander for street food, tailors, and everyday Hanoi life.
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Presidential Palace complex
The imposing granite mausoleum holds the embalmed body of Ho Chi Minh and anchors a complex that includes his modest stilt house and the mustard-yellow French colonial Presidential Palace.
Temple of Literature
Vietnam's first national university, founded in 1070, is a serene sequence of courtyards, ponds, and stone stelae honouring doctoral scholars, dedicated to Confucius.
Hoa Lo Prison ("Hanoi Hilton")
Originally built by the French colonial government to hold Vietnamese political prisoners, later used to detain American prisoners of war, this museum offers a sober look at the country's turbulent 20th century.
Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
An excellent introduction to the customs, dress, and architecture of Vietnam's 54 recognised ethnic groups, with full-scale traditional houses in its outdoor grounds.
St. Joseph's Cathedral
A neo-Gothic cathedral completed in 1886, its blackened stone towers rising above a lively quarter of cafes and boutiques.
Long Bien Bridge
Designed with input from Gustave Eiffel's company and opened in 1902, this steel cantilever bridge spans the Red River and offers views over the river's shifting sandbars.
Water Puppet Theatre
A uniquely Vietnamese art form dating back to the 11th century, performed on a water stage at the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre near Hoan Kiem Lake, accompanied by live traditional music.
Food & Gastronomy
Hanoi is widely regarded as the birthplace of Vietnam's most iconic dish and remains one of Southeast Asia's great street food capitals, with entire alleys built around a single specialty perfected over generations.
- Pho — the classic Hanoi beef noodle soup, its clear broth simmered for hours with charred ginger and star anise, served simply with rice noodles, herbs, and a squeeze of lime.
- Bun cha — grilled pork patties and pork belly served in a bowl of sweet-sour fish sauce broth alongside vermicelli noodles and fresh herbs, a Hanoi lunch institution.
- Cha ca La Vong — turmeric-and-dill marinated fish, sizzled tableside on a charcoal brazier and folded into noodles with peanuts and herbs, named for the century-old restaurant that popularised it.
- Banh cuon — delicate steamed rice-flour rolls filled with minced pork and wood-ear mushroom, dipped in nuoc cham.
- Egg coffee (ca phe trung) — a Hanoi invention pairing strong Vietnamese coffee with a whipped egg-yolk and condensed-milk topping, best sampled in the Old Quarter's historic cafes.
- Banh mi — the French-Vietnamese baguette sandwich, packed with pate, cold cuts, pickled vegetables, and chili.
- Dong Xuan Market — the city's largest indoor market, good for browsing local produce, dry goods, and a busy street-food court on its fringes.
Beer corner (Ta Hien and Luong Ngoc Quyen streets) is the classic spot for an evening glass of bia hoi, Hanoi's ultra-light draft beer, served fresh and cheap on tiny plastic stools.
