Hanoi is Vietnam's atmospheric capital, defined by its tangled Old Quarter, lakeside temples, and a thousand years of layered Chinese, French, and Vietnamese influence. It's the gateway to Halong Bay and Sapa, and home to some of the country's best street food, including bún chả and egg coffee.
✈️ Get deal alerts for Amsterdam → Hanoi — free
- 🏠 Deals from your home airport, first
- 🆓 Free to start — no credit card needed
- ⚡ Plus & Pro unlock all deals & features
How FairFares works
Not search results — real price drops, verified before they reach you.
Scan daily
3,000+ routes checked multiple times a day
Compare history
Each fare measured against months of price data
Score & rank
Only genuine drops surface — no fake "deals"
Alert you
Instant notification when your route drops
Quick facts
Timezone
Asia/Ho Chi_Minh
Currency
₫ VND
Language
Vietnamese
City transfer
~45 min
Taxi / Grab / Bus
Best time to visit
best weatherdeals available
Don't miss
Eat bun cha at Bun Cha Huong Lien on Ly Van Phuc (the exact restaurant where Obama and Bourdain sat) — go at 11am sharp when the charcoal grills are at peak heat, before the lunch rush fills every table.
Walk Hang Bong Street to the Train Street alley (Le Duan area) at 3:30pm on a weekday — the overnight train to Da Nang passes within arm's reach of café tables, an absurdly photogenic slice of Hanoi street life.
Book the evening water puppet show at Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre on Dinh Tien Hoang — performances run 40 minutes, buy tickets same-day at the box office for the front-centre rows, unforgettable and completely unique to northern Vietnam.
Climb to Café Pho Co on Hang Gai Street — a hidden café tucked through a silk shop corridor, four storeys up with the only rooftop view of Hoan Kiem Lake. Order egg coffee and arrive at golden hour (5-6pm).
Weekend itinerary · 3 days
Day 1
Old Quarter Morning Walk
Start at Dong Xuan Market at 7am when the wholesale traders are active — work south through the 36 guild streets (Hang Gai for silk, Hang Thiec for tin, Hang Ma for paper goods) toward Hoan Kiem Lake. The whole walk takes 90 minutes.
Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple
Arrive at the lake by 9am — cross the red Huc Bridge to Ngoc Son Temple on its island (entry 30,000 VND / €1.10). The lake is surrounded by frangipani trees and locals practising tai chi, at its best in morning light.
Water Puppet Evening Show
Book the 8pm performance at Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre on the lake's north shore — arrive 20 minutes early to get front-centre seats, the splashing is part of the experience.
Cha Ca Thang Long
The definitive Hanoi dish — cha ca (turmeric and dill grilled fish served at the table on a sizzling pan over charcoal, with noodles and peanuts). This branch on Duong Thanh is considered the most authentic version.
Day 2
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Complex
Queue opens at 7:30am Tuesday-Thursday and weekends — arrive by 7am for a short wait. The mausoleum itself is respectful and brief, but the surrounding complex (Ho's stilt house, the One Pillar Pagoda, the gardens) deserves a full 2 hours.
Temple of Literature
A 15-minute walk from the mausoleum — Vietnam's first university (founded 1070) with five courtyards, turtle-mounted stone steles engraved with doctoral candidates, and tranquil ponds. Go before the tour groups arrive.
Tay Ho (West Lake) Sunset
Grab to the Tay Ho neighbourhood — Hanoi's most relaxed expat and creative district, with café-lined alleys off Dang Thai Mai and prawn-cake restaurants on the lake shore. Walk the Thanh Nien causeway at sunset.
Banh Tom Ho Tay
On the West Lake shore — the famous Hanoi prawn cake (crispy shrimp and sweet potato fritters) made with local lake shrimp, dipped in sweet fish sauce. A local institution since the 1970s.
Day 3
Bun Cha Breakfast
Bun Cha Huong Lien opens at 9am — charcoal-grilled pork patties in a sweet-sour broth with noodles on the side. Order the 'Obama combo' (they still serve it), eat downstairs where the grill smoke and noise are loudest.
Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
Forty-five minutes by Grab from the Old Quarter — the best museum in the country, documenting Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups through full-scale reconstructed village buildings in the outdoor garden. Allow 3 hours.
Old Quarter Evening and Night Market
The Old Quarter pedestrian weekend night market runs Friday-Sunday from 6pm on Hang Dao Street — lanterns, street food, local craft goods, and Hanoian families out for the evening. End with egg coffee at Café Pho Co.
Pho Gia Truyen Bat Dan
The most famous pho bo spot in Hanoi — queue out the door by 6am, cash only, no menu, just specify rare or well-done beef. The broth is among the best in the world and it costs €1.50.
Travel tips
- →Stay in or near the Old Quarter for the best walking access
- →Book Halong Bay cruises through reputable operators only — quality varies hugely
- →Try the train-street cafés but check current access rules, they're often closed
More Weekend deals in Vietnam
Planning a trip to Hanoi?
Hanoi travel guide →