1. Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son temple:

Hoan Kiem (Lake of the Restored Sword) is where locals flock to unwind and it is one of the best things to do in Hanoi in the evening.

The legend of the lake is that Emperor Le Loi was rowing on the lake when the Golden Turtle God appeared and asked for his magic sword, which was lent to the emperor by the Dragon King God. The emperor returned the sword after defeating the Chinese and renamed the lake to commemorate the event.

The turtle temple (Thap Rùa), dedicated to the Turtle God, where you’ll occasionally see large endangered soft-shell turtles lying around, sits in the center of the lake but isn’t accessible.

The Red Huc (Morning Sunshine) bridge spans the lake and connects the temple to the Ngoc Son (Jade Mountain) temple, which is perched atop Jade island.

Address: Dinh Tien Hoang, Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem, Ha Noi 100000, Vietnam
Timings: 8 AM - 6 PM

2. Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

The mausoleum is located in front of Ba Dinh Square and is where Ho Chi Minh has been laid to rest.

Address: 2 Hung Vuong, Dien Ban, Ba Dinh, Ha Noi 100000, Vietnam
Timings: Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays 7.30 AM - 10.30 AM, Saturdays and Sundays 7.30 AM - 11 AM,
Closed Mondays and Fridays. Closed for a few months every year when the remains are sent for maintenance.

3. Temple of Literature

Van Mieu, also known as the Temple of Literature/Temple of Culture, is about a 15-minute walk away and houses the first national university of Vietnam.

Address: 58 Quoc Tu Giam, Van Mieu, Dong Da, Ha Noi 100000, Vietnam
Timings: April to October - 7.30 AM - 5:30 PM, October to April 8 AM - 5 PM

4. Saint Joseph’s Cathedral

Saint Joseph’s Cathedral, named after the patron saint of Vietnam. It is the oldest Church of Hanoi and was built in the Neo-Gothic style, featuring stained glass windows and massive arches, and is also known as the Hanoi Cathedral.

Address: 40 Nha Chung, Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem, Ha Noi, Vietnam
Timings: Monday - Saturday 8 AM - 11 AM, 2 PM - 5 PM, Sundays 7 AM - 10.30 AM, 3 PM - 9 PM

5. Hoa Lo Prison Memorial

Once done, located a couple of minutes walk from the Cathedral is the Hoa Lo Prison, also called the ‘Hanoi Hilton’ by the American prisoners of war that were kept imprisoned here.

Address: 1 Hoa Lo, Tran Hung Dao, Hoan Kiem, Ha Noi 100000, Vietnam
Timings: Open every day 8 AM - 5 PM, Lunch break 11.30 - 1.30 PM

6. West Lake and Tran Quoc pagoda

The oldest pagoda in Vietnam, Tran Quoc Pagoda, is located on the east bank of this lake, which is larger than Hoan Kiem. The pagoda, which was formerly known as ‘Khai Quoc’, has a number of tiny temples inside of it and provides a tranquil retreat from the city.

Address: Thanh Nien, Yen Phu, Tay Ho, Ha Noi 100000, Vietnam
Timings: 8 AM - 4 PM every day

7. Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre

The water puppet show starts off first with an orchestra played by using local Vietnamese instruments. This is then followed by the puppet show, a traditional art form that narrates a legend that covers some historic traditions like herding buffaloes, farming and fishing.

The entire show is conducted over water with the puppeteers handling the lacquered wood puppets which are supported by large underwater rods, from behind a screen. You’ll see characters like water faeries, dragons, fish and even a phoenix during the show.

Address: 57b Dinh Tien Hoang Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi – Vietnam.
Timings: 4 shows daily, 3 PM, 4.10 PM, 5.20 PM, 6.30 PM, 8 PM.

8. Old Quarter

The most well-known district in Hanoi is certainly the Old Quarter (the Hoan Kiem District). Within the Old Quarter, you can find most of the original street layout and architecture from ancient Hanoi. As you could imagine, the Old Quarter is filled with small blocks and alleyways, giving a glimpse into traditional Vietnamese customs. Each street once had merchants and households specializing in certain trades, and many streets are still actually named after those original businesses from over one thousand years ago. Today though, you’ll find local foods, souvenir shops, bars, and an overwhelming amount of tourists.

9. Long Bien Bridge

The Long Bien Bridge spans across the Red River and is a cantilever bridge that connects to the Long Bien district. There is a train track in the middle and it was finished in the early 20th century by French architects.

10. Vietnam Museum of Ethnology

Although it’s not in the city center, those who are interested to learn about Vietnam’s diverse ethnic communities shouldn’t miss the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology. It was opened in the 90s with recreation of various traditional houses and also artifacts.

Address: Nguyen Van Huyen str., Cau Giay Dist.,
Hanoi Opening times: Closed Monday, 8:30AM-5:30PM

11. Hanoi Opera House

Amid the flow of Hanoi’s history of 1000 years old, Hanoi Opera House proudly stands at the heart of central Hanoi as one of its most famous architectural and cultural symbol.