10 BEST Things to do in Hanoi, Vietnam

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Are you interested in the best things to do in Hanoi? You’ve come to the right place!

Hanoi is a city we’ve had the pleasure of visiting multiple times, and it never gets old. Its mix of rich history, buzzing energy, and incredible food keeps us coming back time and time again.

After exploring temples, day-tripping to epic places like Hạ Long Bay, sipping far too many cups of Vietnamese coffee (ever tried it with jam and wine?), and navigating those famously chaotic streets, we’ve narrowed down to the absolute best experiences and can’t wait to share them with you. 

So keep reading for our list of the top 10 things to do in Hanoi, tried and tested just for you!

Things to do in Hanoi, Vietnam

1. Cruise around Hanoi in a restored army jeep

• Price: $55 – $57 USD
• Duration: 4 hours
• Time: 7:30 am, 12:20 pm, 4:50 pm
• Highlights: Explore Hanoi in a restored army jeep, see famous landmarks, learn about Hanoi’s history and culture, meet some locals, and have a traditional Vietnamese lunch
• Inclusions: Experienced driver and guide, food and drinks, rain poncho
• Rating: 5 stars (check out the 9,000+ reviews here)
• Free cancellation: Yes

I must admit, when I first arrived in Hanoi I was overwhelmed. The street signs were confusing, there was a language barrier, and I couldn’t even cross the street due to the large amount of motorbike traffic! 

So to get better acquainted with the city, we booked this half-day sightseeing tour, and I was so glad we did! 

Our tour guide picked us up right from our hotel and took us around Hanoi in a fun open-air restored army jeep. We visited both the new and old areas of Hanoi while learning about Vietnamese culture and history – it really helped me to feel more comfortable in this large and busy city!

Our guides were so knowledgeable and took us to some areas off the beaten tourist path to get a sense of the real Hanoi. We even met a war veteran and learned his story – it was such a moving experience!

One of the highlights for me was going to the famous “train street”. It’s exactly how it sounds, it’s a small street, and the train passes through right down the middle. You can literally sit and have a coffee and the train will pass by just a few feet away!

I think everyone should do this tour when they first arrive in Hanoi! It will help you to get your bearings and you will visit places you never would have found on your own. There are a few different departure times per day and prices start at only $55 USD, which is a pretty great deal considering this is the highest-rated tour in Hanoi – look at the 9,000+ 5-star review here! 

Check availability and book this popular sightseeing tour here!

2. Take a cruise in Ha Long Bay

• Price: $56 USD
• Duration: 11 to 12 hours
• Time: 8 am
• Highlights: Cruise around Ha Long Bay on a premium boat, visit a cave and Titop Island, climb to a panoramic viewpoint, go kayaking, and enjoy a delicious buffet lunch
• Inclusions: Tour guide, roundtrip transportation, day cruise, cave and Titop Island entry fee, kayaking, buffet lunch
• Rating: 5 stars (check out the 2,200+ reviews here)
• Free cancellation: Yes

Ha Long Bay is somewhere you MUST see when visiting Vietnam, and the best way to do it from Hanoi is on this awesome day cruise!

Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located a couple hours from Hanoi. It is famous for its dramatic landscapes full of approximately 1,600 large limestone cliffs emerging from the sea – it’s truly unlike anywhere else in the world! 

There is no better way to explore this area than on a boat, cruising around through the incredible rock formations. This cruise brought us to one of the islands where we got to go into Sung Sot Cave. It was such a neat experience walking through the cave and marveling at all the stalagmites and stalactites!

We also stopped at Titop Island, where we had the option to relax on the sandy beach or take a short climb up to Titop Peak for stunning panoramic views of the bay. The day ended watching the sunset from the top deck of the boat with a beer in hand – does it get any better than that?!

This day trip only costs $56 USD per person, which is such a good deal considering it includes transportation from Hanoi, a buffet lunch, the cruise, entrance fees to the cave and island, and kayaking! Don’t wait too long to book it though, with over 2,000 5-star reviews, it’s guaranteed to book up!

Book this cruise now and get FREE cancellation 24 hours before you go!

3. Go on a motorbike food tour

• Price: $69 USD
• Duration: 4 hours
• Time: 1 pm or 6 pm
• Highlights: Cruise around Hanoi on the back of a top-of-the-line scooter, try authentic Vietnamese dishes from the best local spots, learn all about Vietnamese culture and cuisine
• Inclusions: Old Quarter hotel pick-up/drop-off, scooter transportation, professional guide/driver, all food and drink samples, alcoholic beverages, safety gear
• Rating: 5 stars (check out the 1,000+ reviews here)
• Free cancellation: Yes

If there is one main thing Vietnam is famous for, it’s motorbikes! They are deeply ingrained in the Vietnamese culture and you will see them literally everywhere (did you know the country has over 60 million registered motorbikes?!)

So if you want to experience Hanoi like a local, the best way to do it is on this motorbike food tour! It combines the thrill of a scooter ride with some of the most delicious food in Hanoi – what more could you ask for!

When I first booked this tour I was a bit nervous about traveling around on a motorbike, but the bike is driven by reliable professionals who get you from point A to B safely. You just get to relax on the back and enjoy the ride!

Vietnamese food is my absolute favorite type of cuisine, so I was in heaven during this tour. We tried a variety of local dishes including the best Banh Cuon (steamed rolled cake) in town and traditional Vietnamese egg coffee – which actually tastes like tiramisu!

Visiting the local spots and seeing different parts of the city was so much fun. We even got a front-row seat to watch a cooking demonstration by a professional chef.

The tour costs $69 USD, which includes everything: the scooter, your driver/guide, all food and drinks (including alcoholic beverages), helmets, and even raincoats if needed. It was my favorite activity that we did in Hanoi, and I know I’m not alone – just look at the hundreds of 5-star reviews!

Book my favorite Hanoi food tour here in advance before it sells out!

4. Learn all about Vietnamese coffee, then make it!

• Price: $30 USD
• Duration: 3 hours
• Time: 9 am or 2 pm
• Highlights: Learn about the coffee-making process from industry experts, get hands-on experience making and sampling 5 different types of Vietnamese coffees
• Inclusions: Hotel pick-up/drop-off, coffee expert, all coffee-making supplies and ingredients, herbal welcome drink, pastry
• Rating: 5 stars (check out the 1,200+ reviews here)
• Free cancellation: Yes

If there is anything I love more than Vietnamese food, it’s Vietnamese coffee! Seriously, if you’ve never tried it before (or even if you have), you have to go to this Hanoi coffee workshop!

At this workshop, you will learn all about Vietnamese coffee from some of Hanoi’s top coffee experts. They explained the entire coffee process from growing the beans to how to brew the perfect cup. In fact, we even learned how to tell the difference between authentic and counterfeit coffee (I’m not going to tell you, you have to attend the workshop to find out!).

Next, we made 5 different types of Vietnamese coffee including the famous Vietnamese egg coffee and my personal favorite, coconut coffee! We even made Vietnamese jam and wine coffee, which I had never heard of before. It had such a unique and fruity flavor!

This tour runs twice daily, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. I highly recommend doing the morning workshop because then you’ll be all caffeinated and ready to go for the rest of the day. I had such a caffeine rush afterward!

It’s a very affordable experience at only $30 USD, and only lasts for 3 hours, making it super easy to fit into any busy travel itinerary. This workshop has over 1,300 5-star reviews, making it the best thing to do in Hanoi for any coffee lover!

Book this top-rated coffee in advance here, before it sells out!

5. Explore Hanoi’s hidden gems on a private tour

• Price: $28 – $54 USD
• Duration: 4 to 5 hours
• Time: Multiple departure times throughout the day
• Highlights: Go on a private tour around Hanoi, visit the city’s top historical landmarks and unique attractions, and get personalized attention from your knowledgeable guide
• Inclusions: English-speaking guide, entrance fees for attractions, private transportation, tea/coffee, hotel pick-up/drop-off
• Rating: 4.5 stars (check out the 150+ reviews here)
• Free cancellation: Yes

Don’t get me wrong, we love group tours, but sometimes it’s nice to have a more personalized experience. And that’s exactly what we got on this half-day private city tour! 

Having been to Hanoi a few times, I can confidently say that the best way to explore is with a guide. Navigating this busy city with a language barrier can be very difficult on your own, but with a private guide and transport, you’ll be seeing the city’s top highlights in no time. 

This tour made things so easy. Our guide picked us up from our hotel and took us to all of the best sites including Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, where the body of this iconic leader is actually preserved and laid to rest. 

We also visited the picturesque Temple of Literature, went shopping at Dong Xuan Market, had a coffee on Train Street, and marveled at the Hanoi Opera House. It was certainly a full day of exploring!

We loved how flexible our guide was on this private tour. We were able to stay at certain stops longer than others if we wanted and it was so nice having him there to answer all of our questions about Hanoi and Vietnamese culture. 

In order to book this private tour you must have a group of 2 to 14 people. The price varies depending on the number of people in your group but can be as low as $28 USD per person.

Check availability and reserve this private VIP tour here!

6. Bicycle through the city and countryside

• Price: $59 USD
• Duration: 4.5 hours
• Time: 8 am or 1 pm
• Highlights: Explore the countryside of Hanoi on a peddle bike, learn about Vietnamese culture from your local guide, visit markets, historical landmarks, and villages
• Inclusions: Professional guide, bike, helmet, lunch, bottled water, coffee/tea, alcoholic beverages
• Rating: 5 stars (check out the 250+ reviews here)
• Free cancellation: Yes

If hopping on the back of a motorbike seems a bit too intense, this regular bike tour may be more your speed! 

It’s a fun half-day spent cycling through Hanoi’s countryside taking in breathtaking views of the Red River and the farmer’s fields. It was honestly such a nice change getting out of the busy city and into the tranquil countryside!

This tour made some really interesting stops such as the Long Bien Bridge, which is the oldest bridge in Hanoi, and the Co Loa Ancient Citadel, where we learned how Vietnam used to defend itself against foreign invaders.

The highlight of the day for me was visiting Hoi Phu village, which is known for creating beautiful broomsticks out of broom grass. The locals here were so friendly and inviting!

This tour departs twice a day, but we recommend doing the morning option as it can get pretty hot in Hanoi in the afternoon. It’s a nice leisurely ride, but it is quite far, so as long as you have a bit of cycling experience, you’ll have a great time! 

Read the HUNDREDS of great reviews and secure your spot here!

7. Learn how to cook traditional Vietnamese food

• Price: $45 USD
• Duration: 4.5 hours
• Time: 9 am or 3 pm
• Highlights: Learn to cook 4 authentic Vietnamese dishes, visit a local market to buy fresh ingredients, enjoy specialty beverages throughout
• Inclusions: Hotel pick-up/drop-off, local guide, lunch or dinner, unlimited wine and herbal tea, seasonal fruit, luggage storage, recipe book
• Rating: 5 stars (check out the 3,100+ reviews here)
• Free cancellation: Yes

If you’ve been reading along till now, you already know how much I LOVE Vietnamese food! I honestly probably order it at least once a week back home in Canada.

So I figured while I’m here I should probably learn how to cook some for myself (so that I can save a bit of money ordering out), and I booked this traditional cooking class!

The class was so educational and a ton of fun. It started with a visit to a local market where we picked up the fresh ingredients needed to make 4 different Vietnamese dishes. Then the fun really began when we headed to a beautiful villa for the cooking lesson. 

The host led us through an easy-to-follow process making traditional dishes such as BBQ pork and fried spring rolls. And of course, we got to try our delicious creations at the end! 

There were only 10 people maximum allowed in the class which we really appreciated. The small group size allowed the host to help everyone as needed, and we all got to know each other quite well – the unlimited wine definitely helped with that too!

This fun cooking class costs $45 USD and includes everything you need to cook a 4-course Vietnamese meal, plus wine and transportation. Whether you’re new to cooking or comfortable in the kitchen, we are positive you will have a great time in this class (and I think the 3,000+ people who left 5-star reviews would agree with me!)

Check availability and secure your spot on this popular tour here!

8. Escape the city and enjoy the outdoors in Ninh Binh

• Price: $86 USD
• Duration: 11 hours
• Time: 7:30 am
• Highlights: Explore the northern province of Nihn Bihn, climb up the famous Mua Caves, go boating through the caves of Tam Coc, visit ancient pagodas & temples, have a delicious local lunch
• Inclusions: Roundtrip transportation from Old Quarter Hanoi, English-speaking guide, entrance fees, lunch, bicycle use
• Rating: 5 stars (check out the 4,600+ reviews here)
• Free cancellation: Yes

Known as the “Ha Long Bay on land” Ninh Bình is a scenic province in northern Vietnam known for its breathtaking landscapes of limestone cliffs, lush rice paddies, and tranquil rivers. If you love the outdoors, it’s a destination you can’t miss while traveling Vietnam!

Located about 100 kilometers south of Hanoi, getting to Ninh Bình on your own can be a bit difficult. But don’t worry, this day trip from Hanoi makes things super easy! It takes care of the organizing for you, so you can just relax and enjoy a full day of adventure. 

The day starts with a visit to Mua Caves, where you can climb 500 steps up to the top of a hill for some amazing panoramic views of the city, mountains, and river below. Then visit Tom Coc, where you will go on a boat ride through 3 caves – the stalagmites and stalactites are stunning!

Another highlight of the day is the bike ride through rice fields and small villages to the ancient Bich Dong Pagoda, which was built back in 1428! 

This full-day adventure costs only $86 USD per person, which we think is a really great deal considering it has over 4,500 5-star reviews and is one of the absolute best things to do from Hanoi. So if you’re looking for a day full of natural beauty and authentic cultural experience, make sure this tour is on your itinerary! 

Book this epic day trip to Ninh Bihn here before it sells out!

9. Go hiking in Sapa on a 2-day tour from Hanoi

• Price: Around $109 USD
• Duration: 2 days
• Time: Varies depending on the option selected
• Highlights: 2-day of guided hike through Northern Vietnam’s amazing landscapes, meet locals from ethnic minority villages, stay overnight at a homestay in a hillside village
• Inclusions: Roundtrip transportation from Hanoi, hotel pick-up from Old Quarter, English-speaking guide, all meals, bottled water, overnight accommodation
• Rating: 5 stars (check out the 1,800+ reviews here)
• Free cancellation: Yes

I went on this 2-day hiking tour in Sapa on my first trip to Vietnam, and to this day it is still one of my all-time favorite Vietnam experiences! 

Sapa is a quaint town located in Nothern Vietnam, widely known for its great multi-day treks through picturesque rice terraces, bamboo forests, and authentic ethnic minority villages. It looks like it was cut straight out of a National Geographic magazine! 

Located about 6 hours from Hanoi, Sapa can be challenging to get to, which is why visiting with this tour is best. It organizes absolutely everything for you from transportation to meals and comfortable accommodation. 

You can choose to leave Hanoi in the morning and arrive in Sapa in the afternoon, or you can leave the night before on a sleeper bus and arrive in Sapa in the morning. This is the option we did and we highly recommend it because we got to trek in the morning before it got too hot and had more time to enjoy the village in the afternoon. 

The trek itself is moderately challenging, with a 9 km (5.6 mile) trek on the first day before arriving in Ta Van Village. Here, you will stay in a comfortable homestay and enjoy some delicious home-cooked meals before trekking another 4 km (2.5 miles) back on the second day. 

The prices for this experience vary depending on the transportation and accommodation options you choose. You can choose to stay in the “stilt house” which has dorm beds with a shared washroom, or you can choose the bungalow option which has a private room and bathroom. There are even a few longer experiences available if you really want to explore the area in-depth!

Have a look at the different options and prices for this popular Sapa tour here!

10. Explore the countryside and villages on a thrilling motorbike tour

• Price: $55 USD
• Duration: 4.5 hours
• Time: 7:30 am or 12:30 pm
• Highlights: Explore Hanoi’s countryside on the back of a vintage motorbike, visit local villages, spend time at the Co Loa Ancient Citadel or Bat Trang ceramic village
• Inclusions: Professional guide/driver, motorcycle transportation, entry fees, rain poncho, all food and drinks
• Rating: 5 stars (check out the 600+ reviews here)
• Free cancellation: Yes

Hanoi itself is so much fun to explore, but there are also many interesting things to see just outside the city. And one of the best ways to see them is on this half-day motorbike tour!

Hop on the back of a vintage motorbike and get ready to explore Hanoi’s countryside with your professional driver. Relaxing on the back of the bike and taking in the beautiful scenery with the wind in my hair was so much fun. Plus the drivers were experts, and I never once felt unsafe! 

We love that this tour uses a motorbike for transportation, allowing you to cover more ground in a short amount of time. We got to visit many of the villages along the Red River Delta and learned a lot about the local way of life and culture, which was such a unique experience.

When booking, you can choose between two versions of this tour. The first option is Co Loa Ancient Citadel, a third-century BC archeological site that operates as a living museum. Or you can visit the famous Bat Trang ceramic village, renowned for its expertise in pottery-making.

I’ve been to both places and they are equally as amazing, so don’t worry, you can’t make a wrong decision! 

This tour costs only $55 USD per person, including all entry tickets and a meal. It has tons of awesome reviews, so make sure you secure your spot in advance! 

Reserve your spot here and receive FREE 24-hour cancellation!

Where to Stay in Hanoi, Vietnam

You’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to accommodations in Hanoi! There are a lot of great hotels, and you don’t always have to spend a fortune to get luxury (although there are those options if that’s your vibe!).

To help you choose, I’ve picked out three excellent hotels for a luxury, mid-range, or budget stay. 

Luxury – $$$

We often love staying at the JW Marriott Hotel when we travel abroad because you always know what you’re going to get – high quality! The JW Marriott hotels always offer the nicest rooms, super comfortable and clean, and friendly staff that meet all our needs. It’s just a quick tuk tuk ride from Hanoi’s top sights, and you can enjoy the 5 on property restaurants, spa, and pool.

They offer a range of room options, so prices can range from about $230 USD up to $800 USD. Check availability and book your stay on Booking.com!

Mid-range – $$

Aviary Hanoi Hotel & Travel is located right in Hanoi’s Old Quarter so you’re close to some of the best city sights. The staff stand out here, making sure all of your needs are met and they can help set up transportation around the city. You can get double or twin rooms, suites, or family rooms, and some come with a city view!

Prices range from $135 to $215 but if you book early you can snag a good deal. Book this stay on Booking.com.

Budget – $

Would you believe a name like Hanoi Posh Boutique Hotel is our budget option? It is! This hotel offers excellent quality at an affordable price, with rooms ranging from $40-$90 USD per night. It’s located in Hanoi’s Old Quarter, near the markets and Long Bien Bridge so it’s easy to get around the city. Check out all the options and book this stay on Booking.com.

For more options, check out all the hotels in Hanoi here!

Thanks for reading!

Hanoi, Vietnam is one of those places that you have to see to believe! Between the buzzing traffic, the amazing food, and friendly locals, I am always itching to get back here. I’m sure you’ll feel the same way, even if you only check a few items off this list!

If you found this guide helpful, be sure to check out our other Southeast Asia travel guides. We’ve traveled all over the world and love sharing our favorite places and experiences. Here are a few related blogs to help plan your next adventure – cheers!

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