Discovering Hanoi
Hanoi (Hà Nội, "City within the Rivers") is the oldest continuously existing capital in Southeast Asia. Founded in 1010 by Emperor Lý Thái Tổ, the city celebrated its thousandth anniversary in 2010. And you can feel every single year: In the 36 streets of the Old Quarter, in the crumbling French villas, in the temples between skyscrapers.
Hanoi is the opposite of Saigon: where Ho Chi Minh City rushes forward, Hanoi pauses. The city is more conservative, traditional, intellectual. The Hanoians are proud of their cuisine (the best in the country, they say), their lakes, their literature, and their coffeehouse culture.
What first-time visitors immediately notice: the traffic. Millions of motorcycles flood every street, every sidewalk, every free space. The sidewalks are living rooms, kitchens, and workshops all at once. It's loud, chaotic, overwhelming — and after two days, you don't want to leave.
Plan at least 2–3 full days for Hanoi, plus day trips to the north.
Orientation
Hanoi spreads around the Hoàn-Kiếm Lake (Hồ Hoàn Kiếm), which serves as a compass:
- Old Quarter (Phố Cổ / 36 Streets): North of the lake. The medieval trading quarter, where each street is named after a commodity: Hàng Bạc (Silver), Hàng Gai (Silk), Hàng Mã (Paper). Hostels, street food, and nightlife are concentrated here.
- French Quarter: South and west of the lake. Wide boulevards, colonial villas, the opera house, luxury hotels (Sofitel Metropole). France ruled here from 1886 to 1954.
- Ba Đình: West. The political center with Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, One Pillar Pagoda, and the Presidential Palace. Large green spaces, quieter than the Old Quarter.
- Tây Hồ (Westlake): Northwest. Hanoi's largest lake with expat cafés, temples, and restaurants. The Trúc-Bạch Peninsula and Quán-Thánh Pagoda are highlights.
- Long Biên & beyond the Red River: Hardly touristy yet, but the Long Biên Bridge (built by Eiffel engineers, bombed in the war) is a photo motif.
💡 Tipp
The Old Quarter is tiny — everything is within 1 km². Just start walking and get lost. That's the best plan. For the rest of the city: Grab (GrabBike is faster than GrabCar in Hanoi's traffic).
