A Handful of Things To Do in Hanoi

Apart from markets and great nightlife, there's a lot to do in Hanoi. You can learn about the country's history, try local food and just walk around the lakes and french colonial landmarks to take it all in. Below is just a handful of things you could do here, but once you get to Hanoi, it's certain you'll do so much more than you expect.

Hoa Lu Prison

Initially used by the French, Hoa Lu Prison was later used by the Vietnamese for the American Prisoners of War. One of the captives was John McCain who can be seen in photographs around the exhibits. It's another way to learn a bit more about the Vietnam war. However, it's not very big so can be done as part of a day around the city.

Try an egg coffee

Forget about your caramel macchiato or your skinny latte. What you need to try is an egg coffee. It may sound weird, and most people are sceptical at first when they hear that the coffee is made with an egg yolk. You can opt to have it hot or iced or with flavour but this will change your life. Whilst you're in Hanoi, you need to give this Vietnamese delicacy a go!

Get locked in a bar at curfew

The bars around Hanoi are supposed to shut at curfew and the police patrol the streets to 'enforce' this. I use the term enforce loosely, as what you find is the bars/clubs turn off their music, put their shutters down and just wait until the police have passed. You find yourself in the quickest lock in and it's the weirdest experience. The whole thing lasts around 2 minutes but it's a bizarre moment that you will not get anywhere else.

Take a trip to Halong Bay

Around a 3 hour drive away from Hanoi, you can opt to do this as a day trip or you can stay on an overnight boat and wake up to the many limestone islands. It's a UNESCO World Heritage sight and cannot be missed with around 1600 islands to see. You can kayak around or get a bamboo boat to discover secret coves. No trip to Vietnam is complete without seeing this place.

Do a street food tour

There's a lot of street food around Hanoi and you can do this on a bicycle or on the back of a motorbike. Most of these bike tours will take you to see the West Lake and the differing roads of Hanoi too whilst trying a real Pho bowl, making your own rice spring rolls and seeing the local food markets on the streets of Hanoi.


Visit the Train Street

A narrow street that many tourists come to visit, you will see local businesses pack up their things and everyone move out the way for a train to pass by that just fits the width of the street. It's so bizarre and has questionable health and safety, but is definitely something worth seeing whilst you're in Hanoi