Source image: Unsplash
Entry fee: Free
Time needed: 3–4 hours
Things to do: Explore 36 old streets, Try street food, Night market
Source image: Unsplash
Entry fee: Free (Mausoleum), 40,000–80,000 VND (Museum & House-on-stilts)
Time needed: 2–3 hours
Things to do: Visit the Mausoleum, museum, Presidential Palace grounds, photo spots
Source image: Unsplash
Entry fee: ~30,000 VND
Time needed: 1.5–2 hours
Things to do: Explore Vietnam’s first university, enjoy peaceful gardens, joining activities about calligraphy art
Source image: Agoda
Entry fee: ~50,000 VND
Time needed: 1–1.5 hours
Things to do: French colonial history & Vietnam War stories, join “Sacred Night” tour (with extra fee)
Source image: VietnamVisa
Entry fee: 120,000–200,000 VND
Time needed: 50–60 minutes
Venue: Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre, 57 Dinh Tien Hoang Street, near Hoan Kiem Lake
Things to do: Enjoy Vietnam’s unique traditional water puppet performance; Watch stories about rural life, legends, and festivals
Source image: Hotel De Syloia
Entry fee: ~30,000 VND
Time needed: 2 hours
Things to do: Explore archaeological sites, D67 bunker, royal relics
Source image: Wikipedia
Entry fee: ~40,000 VND
Time needed: 2–3 hours
Things to do: Visit indoor and outdoor exhibitions of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups
Source image: VietJetAir
Entry fee: Free; workshop 40,000–80,000 VND
Time needed: 6–8 hours (full day)
Things to do: Pottery classes, visit Pottery Museum, shop ceramics
Source image: Ohana Travel
Prices
Bus Hanoi - Ninh Binh: 150,000 - 200,000
Trang An Boat Ride: 250,000 VND
Mua Cave: 100,000 VND
Bai Dinh Pagoda: 30,000–60,000 VND
Hoa Lu Ancient Capital: 20,000 VND
Time: Full day (1.5–2 hours drive)
Activities: Boat tour, viewpoint hike, pagoda tour, rural cycling
Source image: iVIVU
Prices
Bus Hanoi - Ha Long: 250,000 - 300,000 VND
Day cruise: 500,000–700,000 VND
Overnight cruise: 2,500,000–5,000,000+ VND
Sun World Park: 300,000–500,000 VND
Time: Full day or 2D1N
Activities: Cave visits, kayaking, swimming, sunset deck.
Source image: VnExpress
Price: 50,000–80,000 VND
Where to try:
Phở Thìn Bờ Hồ (61 Đinh Tiên Hoàng) – famous smoky-style broth
Phở 10 Lý Quốc Sư (multiple branches) – clean, consistent flavor
Source image: Nước Mắm Khải Hoàn Phú Quốc
Price: 50,000–70,000 VND
Where to try:
Bún Chả Hương Liên (24 Lê Văn Hưu) – “Obama Combo”
Bún Chả Đắc Kim (1 Hàng Mành)
Source image: Báo Thanh Niên
Price: 25,000–40,000 VND
Where to try:
Bánh Mì 25 (25 Hàng Cá)
Bánh Mì P (12 Hàng Buồm)
Source image: Vinpearl
Price: 60,000–80,000 VND
Where to try:
Bún Bò Nam Bộ Bách Phương (73-75 Hàng Điếu) – authentic & reliable
Source image: The Food Dictator
Price: 150,000–250,000 VND per person
Where to try:
Chả Cá Lã Vọng (14 Chả Cá Street) – original shop
Chả Cá Thăng Long (multiple locations) – more affordable
Source image: XÔI MỘC
Price: 20,000–40,000 VND
Where to try:
Xôi Yến (35B Nguyễn Hữu Huân) – most famous in Hanoi
Xôi Cát Lâm – late-night favorite
Source image: Duncan Lu
Price: 40,000–60,000 VND
Where to try:
Bún Thang Bà Đức (48 Cầu Gỗ)
Bún Thang Hàng Hòm (16 Hàng Hòm)
Source image: Hungry Huy
Price: 30,000–45,000 VND
Where to try:
Bánh Cuốn Gia An (chain) – famous for quality
Bánh Cuốn Bà Hoành (66 Tô Hiến Thành)
Source image: Rapido
Price: 30,000–50,000 VND
Where to try:
Café Giảng (39 Nguyễn Hữu Huân) – original inventor
Đinh Café (13 Đinh Tiên Hoàng) – lakeside view
Source image: Vinpearl
Price: 50,000–80,000 VND
Where to try:
Uu Dam Chay (34 Hàng Bài) – upscale, beautifully decorated
Loving Hut (various locations) – affordable
Minh Chay – creative vegan version of Vietnamese classics
Vegito (Hà Nội) – cozy & local-friendly
The official currency of Vietnam is the Vietnamese đồng (VND).
Commonly used banknotes include: 1,000 – 2,000 – 5,000 – 10,000 – 20,000 – 50,000 – 100,000 – 200,000 – 500,000 VND. Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard) are widely accepted in hotels and large shops, but smaller stores and local markets typically prefer cash or Internet Banking (QR code). ATMs are widely available throughout Hanoi. Currency exchange services are available at NOI BAI Airport, major banks, and licensed exchange counters in the city.
