Hanoi

Exploring Hanoi How to get to Hanoi Where to Stay

Discover Hanoi

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Hanoi is a vibrant city worth visiting for a few days. It’s the second-largest city in Vietnam and that is also why the busy roads and traffic can be overwhelming for some.

Still, Hanoi is still more relaxed than Ho Chi Minh. You will find here a number of museums, ancient pagodas, parks and lakes to escape from Hanoi’s busy traffic.

The wide streets, the large villas and the Vietnamese baguette (Banh Mi) still reflect the influence of the France occupation from 1873 to 1940.

Most tourists stay in the Old Quarter because it is in the centre of Hanoi and within walking distance of many sights in the city. When you stay in this area, you will experience Vietnamese culture from the moment you walk out of your hotel.

You can spend your days visiting Hoan Kiem Lake and French Hoa Lo Prison or the monumental Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. In the evening, you can wander around the night market and try some local Vietnamese food (Bun Cha!).

Need inspiration for what to do after your visit to Hanoi? We recommend spending a few days in the north to explore the gorgeous rice fields in Sapa. The night train from Hanoi to Lao Cai is a convenient way to travel your way up north without wasting your valuable daytime.

How to get to Hanoi

Leaving from	Duration	Prices from		See details
Hanoi Airport	1-1.5 hours	from 10,000 VND ($0.40)		Hanoi Airport to Hanoi
Sapa	5.5-9 hours	from 226,000 VND ($9.50)		Sapa to Hanoi
Cat Ba	3.5-4 hours	from 275,000 VND ($11.50)		Cat Ba to Hanoi
Ninh Binh	1.5-2.5 hours	from 85,000 VND ($3.60)		Ninh Binh to Hanoi
Phong Nha	3-9 hours	from 281,000 VND ($11.50)		Phong Nha to Hanoi
Ho Chi Minh	4 hours	991,000 VND ($42)		Ho Chi Minh to Hanoi
Hoi An	3-18.5 hours	from 520,000 VND ($22)		Hoi An to Hanoi
Hue	3-13.5 hours	from 390,000 VND ($16.50)		Hue to Hanoi
Halong Bay	45 minutes-7 hours	from 90,000 VND ($3.80)		Halong Bay to Hanoi
Ha Giang	5.5-6 hours	from 268,000 VND ($11)		Ha Giang to Hanoi

 

Our favourite places to stay in Hanoi

Nova Luxury Hotel

Just landed in Hanoi? In this hotel, you will get the best night of sleep you had since ages. The friendly staff will give you a warm welcome and serve a wonderful breakfast buffet the next morning! Located in the middle of the center, but completely isolated from all the noise.

Double rooms with city view from: $42

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Visiting Halong Bay

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For many travellers, Halong Bay is one of the highlights of Vietnam. The stunning landscape and breathtaking views over the limestone rocks look almost unreal!

To experience Halong Bay in the best way, you can book a boat cruise departing from Hanoi. Organized tours departing from Hanoi are often cheaper than tours sold by agencies in Halong Bay and another advantage is that you don't need to organize your transport to get there.

We recommend to book your boat tour online to get the best prices and be certain that you book with a trusted company. I already spoke to many travellers who booked boat trips from a random agency on the street and were very disappointed by the service and conditions of this boat.

See here our recommendtion of well-rated boat cruises

• Halong Bay Day trip (from $39 pp)
• Halong Bay Cruise (from $185 for 2 pers)

*Both tours include free pick-up and drop-off in Hanoi.

Want to have a broader choice of tours? Check out Halongbaytours for more boat cruises around Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay (Cat Ba).