Hanoi Attractions

Hanoi Old Quarter is a fascinating and vibrant area that draws people from all over the world.

West Lake: Hanoi’s largest freshwater lake, with plenty of historical places of interest, vast botanical gardens, lotus ponds, classy restaurants, chic cafes and night clubs.

Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre is located at 57B Dinh Tien Hoang Street – A traditional show which dates back to the Red River Delta of the old days.

Vietnamese Women’s Museum is managed by the Union of Vietnamese Women and states that their wish is ‘to enhance public knowledge and understanding of history and cultural heritage of Vietnamese women.’

Vietnam Museum of Ethnology aims to enlighten the visitor about life within ethnic minorities. The design represents the shape of the Tay Minority Dong Son Drum.

Located on an islet within West Lake, Tran Quoc Pagoda is a picturesque attraction and a cultural symbol of Vietnamese Buddhism since the 6th century.

Tay Ho Pagoda: A beautiful pagoda in the center of West Lake and one of the most popular worship places in Hanoi where people pray for good fortune to the Mother Goddess.

The French landmark that is a must-see around the Hoan Kiem is St Joseph’s Cathedral. It is called ‘the big church’ by the locals. It stands tall amongst the rows of houses and small merchant shops below. This place is the HQ for the Archdiocese of Vietnam.

Aptly named after its unique architectural design, One Pillar Pagoda stands tall on one pillar underneath which stabilises the structure. It is a Buddhist structure built in the 11th Century by Emperor Ty Thai Long. The Pagoda is one of Vietnams most iconic Buddhist Temples.

Old East Gate: The only remaining gate to the old city, this arched gate of the citadel of Thang Long survived to be a nostalgic remembrance of Hanoi’s lengthy history and fight against foreign aggressors.

Ngoc Son Temple is located at the northern end of Hoan Kiem Lake. It is situated on a small island which is connected by Cau The Huc Bridge. This temple is dedicated to Tran Hung Dao, who fought away the Chinese and Mongol invaders of the 13th century.

The Long Bien Bridge is an iconic sign of the Hanoian people’s determination and perseverance, completed in 1902 but repaired a number of times after it was demolished during the American War. At that time, at 1.68 km in length, it was one of the longest bridges in Asia and a strategic point of control over North Vietnam for French government.

National Museum of Vietnamese History is a former grand school of archelogy showing 1000’s of years of history.

Located on the 65th floor of the 272 meter high Lotte center, this Lotte Observation Deck offers panoramic views of the whole city of Hanoi.

Built as a dedication to the legendary Uncle Ho, the revolutionary. Various artefacts and stories piece together his life goal of bringing independence to Vietnam. The Ho Chi Minh Museum provides an insightful view and valuable information about the life of Ho Chi Minh.

This place has a variety of pavilions, halls and statues inside five courtyards. The Temple of Literature pays great homage to Confucianism. It was the site of the first University in Vietnam.

This statue from 1980 is one of the few left of Lenin, standsing in a small triangular park in the heart of Hanoi, opposite the Vietnam Military History Museum.

UNESCO World Heritage Site, The Imperial Citadel, was the center of regional political power for almost 13 centuries, and it bears historical and cultural importance.

Hoan Kiem Lake, or the lake of the returned sword as known by the locals, is the place to look for turtles. If spotted, they are said to bring you great fortune. This neighbourhood is loved by the local citizens of Hanoi.

Hoa Lo Prison Museum calmed down the treatment of all prisoners from 1969 onwards. American POW numbers increased, which created a new sense of community in the house. The prison was eventually closed in the 1990s and reopened as a museum.