15 Best Tourist Places in Hanoi, Vietnam for Your First Trip

Are you planning an international trip to Vietnam and wondering which places you should actually visit? Hanoi is considered the best place that is actually worth visiting. Every street in Hanoi seems to have a story, from temples, busy markets, colonial buildings, peaceful lake markets, museums, and food streets. Choosing a Vietnam tour package offers you complete experiences that can easily keep first-time travellers busy for several days. 

Hanoi is not just a start exploring Vietnam; it is a destination in its own right, with more than a thousand years of history & blend of traditional Vietnamese culture and modern city lifestyle. Also, the Old Quarter, historical sites, lakes, neighbourhoods, and lakes around the city offer you a special feel. 

If you want to visit Hanoi for the first time, this detailed guide will help you to explore the best 15 of the tourist places in Hanoi that you can add to your itinerary.

What Are The Best Tourist Places In Hanoi You Can Visit?

Visiting Hanoi offers you plenty of attractions, but first-time visitors usually expect the best combination of culture, history, architecture, local life, food, and relaxing places. The following attractions provide a good introduction to the city without making your trip feel more like a rushed checklist. 

1. Hoan Kiem Lake

When you just arrive in Hanoi, Vietnam, and want to explore, you can start at Hoan Kiem Lake, because Hoan Kiem Lake is the place where you immediately feel for hanoi. In the early morning time you can see locals exercising and walking around the lake, and in the evening time it brings a completely different atmosphere as people come out to relax and spend time together. 

The lake is magnificent by itself, but its position is what makes it truly valuable for tourists. There are also several other attractions in close proximity, so if desired, one can use Hoan Kiem Lake as a starting point for a sightseeing trip.

While in the area, take a walk along the lake, visit Ngoc Son Temple, and then stroll the nearby streets. Try not to be too concerned about sticking to your plan.

2. Hanoi Old Quarter

When you start exploring Vietnam from Hoan Kiem Lake, the Old Quarter gives you a complete Hanoi experience. Hanoi Old Quarter is full of narrow streets and small shops, cafes, restaurants, and market stalls. This can look chaotic at first, but spending more and more time, you start to understand the rhythm of the city. You can look out for:

• Traditional local shops and markets

• Vietnamese Small cafés

• Street-food stalls

• Historic houses

• Craft and shopping streets

• Busy evening streets

3. Ngoc Son Temple

This is a small island in Hoan Kiem Lake; its most recognisable landmark of Hanoi’s Ngoc Son Temple. Access the place by walking through the remarkable red Huc Bridge, which is quite attractive above the clear blue lake. The actual size of the temple is rather small to spend hours visiting, but going there is necessary due to its history, architecture and tranquil atmosphere.

The best way to incorporate it into your itinerary is to drop by it when you are looking around Hoan Kiem Lake.

4. Temple of Literature

This is one of the most famous places that becomes more interesting once you want to know what you are looking at. This was established in 1070; it was dedicated to Confucius and later became linked to the first university in the country. The whole area is designed with ancient courtyards, gardens, gates, and stone slabs where the scholarly history of Vietnam can be seen.

5. Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

This is one of the most historic sites of Hanoi; it stands at Ba Dinh Square, an area closely associated with modern Vietnamese history. The main aspect of the exploration of this place is not just sighting the mausoleum. It has many significant sites around, such as the Presidential Palace area, Ho Chi Minh’s past home, and One Pillar Pagoda. Thus, it is easy for a group to tour the Ba Dinh area.

6. One Pillar Pagoda

This is one of the distinctive sights in Hanoi because it is a small pillar of the Pagoda. The construction of the pagoda, which was erected in the eleventh century, was done most artistically in the design of a blossoming lotus flower rising from the water. It is, in fact, a rare building since you will hardly come across many temples like this in Vietnam. Visiting the pagoda is not going to take much of your time. In fact, it is a perfect destination after the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Ba Dinh Square.

7. Imperial Citadel of Thang Long

Hanoi's history goes back more than 1,000 years. One of the best places to learn about that history is the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and includes archaeological remains, ancient structures, gates, etc., representing various phases of Hanoi's history.

8. Hoa Lo Prison Museum

The museum was built when Vietnam was still a French colony, so it represents a difficult history of Vietnam, later associated with the American prisoners of war. Photographs and exhibits are presented in order to describe the various periods of the prison's history. The visit requires time and an open mind to read the provided information.

9. Hanoi Opera House

Hanoi's architecture shows a combination of styles, and one clear indication is the Hanoi Opera House. The magnificent building is located in the French Quarter, standing out from the narrow streets and old architecture of the Old Quarter. Even if you are not attending a show, it is still worth seeing the building and walking around its surroundings.

10. St. Joseph's Cathedral

If you take a stroll in Hanoi’s centre, you will stumble upon St. Joseph’s Cathedral, one of the most distinctive places of worship in the city. Because of its Gothic-style architecture, the cathedral is hard to miss, but its appeal also lies in the vivaciousness of the company in its vicinity.

11. West Lake

Following some time spent at the bustling Old Quarter, perhaps you are looking for a place that is less frenzied. That is exactly what West Lake, or Tay Ho, offers. It is much bigger than Hoan Kiem Lake and has many cafés, restaurants, homes and beautiful streets around it, making it a great destination for walking and cycling.

12. Tran Quoc Pagoda

This is located in West Lake. Tran Quoc Pagoda is Hanoi's oldest lake and most well-known Buddhist temple. What makes the pagoda particularly appealing is its setting. You feel tranquillity despite being in a bustling capital, thanks to the lake surrounding it. It’s convenient to combine West Lake sightseeing with Tran Quoc Pagoda, which means you do not have to make a separate trip to Hanoi.

13. Vietnam Museum of Ethnology

Vietnam consists of 54 acknowledged ethnic groups and has the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, where one can learn invaluable information about their traditions and culture.

In this museum, there are different displays that tell a lot about garments, rites, crafts, and the daily life of the people. The outdoor exhibition is also very exciting as it contains samples of traditional architecture.

14. Dong Xuan Market

Dong Xuan Market is a must-visit place in Hanoi if you are a fan of racing. This Market is located not far from the Old Quarter, and it is considered one of the main markets of Hanoi. It is bustling, practical, and it differs greatly from the refined shopping arenas which can be found everywhere else in tourist destinations.

15. Hanoi Train Street

Before starting your trip, you may have already come across pictures of Hanoi Train Street. The train track travels through an extremely narrow residential area where several apartments and cafes can be found almost right next to the railway. 

How Many Days Are Enough To Explore Hanoi?

When you first travel to Vietnam, a three- to four-day Vietnam tour package is a comfortable starting point. These three days give you enough time to see the major attractions without jumping around the entire trip between places. If you choose a 4- to 6-day Vietnam tour package, it is even better. You can easily slow down, explore neighbourhoods properly and enjoy Hanoi's food and café culture.

How Can You Plan A Hanoi Trip Easily?

When you plan your first international trip, it sounds exciting but also feels stressful because managing everything from flight tickets, accommodation and travel is not easy. That’s why you need to choose a leading travel company in India, such as Dream Travel Yaari; they offer you the best Vietnam Hanoi tour packages from India. You can also customize tour packages as per your family, friends, and special ones' tour preferences. 

Final Thoughts

Hanoi is an ideal destination for travellers who are curious to learn. Both Hoan Kiem Lake, with its serene nature, and the Old Quarter, together with famous cultural places like the Temple of Literature and the Imperial Citadel, provide the ideal environment for travellers. Moreover, Hanoi is also a place that is rich in culture, monuments, and the Vietnamese way of life. So, it is better to start your trip from these 15 most important places and have some extra time for spontaneous discoveries.