Art & observation
City Guide · Volume I
Hà
Nội
The capital that hums — ancient pagodas, French boulevards, the clatter of a thousand scooters, and pho at dawn.
Arrive · Mar 26
Depart · Mar 28
2 Nights
Hoan Kiem District · Northern Vietnam
Scroll to explore
01
What to See & Do
Hanoi's Essential Experiences
Two days barely scratches the surface. These are the unmissable moments — chosen to fit between your Railway Walking Tour and Gulf of Tonkin transfer.
Highlights
Points of Interest
Included in Tour · Day 1 Morning
Life Along the Railway Walking Tour
Your included guided tour begins at Hang Da Market before winding through the city's famous "Railway Street" — Tran Phu — where locals live and work inches from passing trains. Continues to Hanoi Station and Long Bien Bridge, a French-era engineering relic bombed repeatedly during the war but still standing.
⚠ Train timing is not guaranteed. Train-watching is best on weekdays; Long Bien market closes weekends.
Free · Steps from Hotel · All Day
Hoan Kiem Lake & Ngoc Son Temple
Directly across from your hotel, this legendary lake is Hanoi's living room. Locals do tai chi at sunrise, couples stroll at dusk. The red wooden Huc Bridge leads to Ngoc Son Temple on a small island — the 50,000 VND entry is worth it for the lake views. Early morning is magical.
📷 Golden hour shoot: Huc Bridge reflections at 6am, before crowds arrive
Old Quarter · Free
The Old Quarter Labyrinth
Just north of Hoan Kiem Lake, the 36 ancient guild streets (each named for its original trade) form one of Asia's most vibrant historic urban districts. Duck into 87 Ma May Street's Ancient House for a glimpse of 19th-century merchant life. Art Vietnam gallery at 7 Nguyen Khac Nhu shows exceptional contemporary Vietnamese photography — visited by Bill Clinton in 2000.
📷 Prime street photography territory — see Section 4 for specific spots
Ba Dinh District · Tue/Wed/Thu/Sat/Sun · 7:30–11:30am · Free
Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum Complex
A profoundly moving experience — witness the pilgrimage of rural Vietnamese who travel lifetimes to see their revered leader. Dress modestly, keep hands visible, no photography inside. The changing of the guard rivals Buckingham Palace in precision. Behind: a museum, his simple stilt house, and the grand Presidential Palace he refused to inhabit.
⚠ Closed Fridays. Arrive by 8:30am to avoid long queues. ~3km from hotel, take a taxi.
Dong Da District · Daily 8am–5pm · ~70,000 VND
Temple of Literature
Vietnam's first university, founded 1070 AD. Five serene courtyards contain lotus ponds, ancient stone stelae listing the names of 1,300 years of scholar-graduates, and some of Hanoi's most peaceful architectural spaces. Calligraphers still practice here on weekends. The light through the gates at mid-morning is extraordinary.
📷 The Khue Van Pavilion reflected in Thien Quang Well — one of Hanoi's great compositions
Hoan Kiem · Evenings · ~100,000 VND
Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre
A 1,000-year-old North Vietnamese folk art form — puppets perform on water while musicians play traditional instruments from behind a bamboo curtain. Located at the north end of Hoan Kiem Lake. Shows run about an hour. Book tickets as soon as you arrive; performances sell out nightly, especially for tourists.
⚠ Book immediately upon check-in. Front-row seats get splashed — part of the charm.
Ba Dinh · ~100,000 VND
Imperial Citadel of Thang Long
UNESCO World Heritage Site and Hanoi's political heart for over a millennium. The excavated foundations reveal dynasty upon dynasty — Ly, Tran, Le — layered beneath each other. Don't miss the archaeological site across the road from the main citadel, which contains extraordinary artifacts from 1,500 years of continuous occupation.
Hoan Kiem · Free
Vietnamese Women's Museum
One of Hanoi's finest and most underrated museums, at 36 Ly Thuong Kiet. Thoughtful exhibits on women street vendors, family life, and the crucial (and often uncelebrated) roles women played in the Vietnam War — through photographs, personal artifacts, and video testimony.
02
On Foot from The Apricot
A Walking Route Through Hoan Kiem
The Apricot's location is ideal — most of what matters in Hanoi is walkable from your front door. This route covers the Old Quarter and lakeside highlights in a half-day.
Self-Guided Route
Hotel to Old Quarter & Beyond
Total distance: ~3–4 km · Time: 2–3 hours · Best in the morning. Note: Hanoi traffic is intense — cross streets slowly and steadily; don't run, and scooters will flow around you.
S
The Apricot Hotel
136 Hang Trong · Your Start Point
Begin with breakfast at the hotel. Grab a coffee from the rooftop bar first if it's open — the lake views are spectacular at dawn. Head out the front entrance facing Hoan Kiem Lake.
01
Hoan Kiem Lake Circumnavigation
~800m · 10 min walk · Turn left out of hotel
Walk the lakeside path counterclockwise. The Huc Bridge (red wooden arch) connects to Ngoc Son Temple on its small island — worth the short detour. Watch the tai chi practitioners on the south bank at daybreak. The full loop takes about 30 minutes at a stroll.
→ From north end of lake, cross Dinh Tien Hoang into the Old Quarter
02
Hang Dao & the Guild Streets
Old Quarter · ~5 min from lake north end
Enter the Old Quarter on Hang Dao (Silk Street). Each "Hang" street is named for its original trade: Hang Bac (silver), Hang Buom (sails), Hang Gai (hemp/silk). The density of commerce, sound, and visual texture here is extraordinary — a photographer's dream. Keep your lens cap off.
→ Head west on Hang Be, then north on Ma May
03
Ancient House at 87 Ma May
87 Ma May St · ~15 min from lake · Small entry fee
A perfectly preserved merchant's tube house from the late 1800s. The characteristic narrow-and-deep layout (built to minimize taxable street frontage) reveals how generations of families lived, worked, and traded from the same structure. A quiet contrast to the street chaos outside.
→ Continue north, then left on Hang Ma (paper goods street, festive year-round)
04
Art Vietnam Gallery
7 Nguyen Khac Nhu · Old Quarter
One of Hanoi's most respected contemporary art spaces, specializing in modern Vietnamese painting and photography. The collection rotates regularly. Private viewings can be arranged. As a photographer and designer, you'll likely want to linger here.
→ Walk south back toward the lake via Hang Trong (your hotel street)
05
Hang Trong Café Stop
Multiple cafés on Hang Trong & Dinh Liet
Hanoi's egg coffee (cà phê trứng) was invented here — a rich, custard-like foam of whipped egg yolk and condensed milk over strong Vietnamese coffee. Café Dinh at 13 Dinh Tien Hoang is a classic. Pull up a plastic stool and watch the lake and traffic simultaneously.
E
Return to The Apricot
136 Hang Trong · ~2 min walk
You're practically home. This evening, consider the Water Puppet Theatre (north end of the lake, 5-min walk). Dinner in the Old Quarter is steps away in any direction.
03
Must-Try Dishes
The Hanoi Table
Hanoi's cuisine is distinct from the south — subtler, less sweet, and deeply aromatic. The north invented pho. These dishes define the city.
Regional Food
What to Eat in Hanoi
Beef Noodle Soup
Phở Bò
Hanoi-style pho is the original — clear, deeply fragrant beef broth simmered 12+ hours with star anise, cinnamon, and charred ginger. Served with thin rice noodles and choice of beef cuts. The north serves it with fewer garnishes than the south; the broth does the talking. A bowl at 6am beside a steamed-up window is a defining Hanoi experience.
Grilled Pork with Noodles
Bún Chả
Charcoal-grilled pork patties and belly, served alongside cold rice vermicelli, fresh herbs, and a sweet-sharp dipping broth. The smoke from street-side bún chả grills is one of Hanoi's defining aromas. Made internationally famous when Obama ate it with Anthony Bourdain at Bún Chả Hương Liên. A lunchtime institution.
Turmeric Fish with Dill
Chả Cá Lã Vọng
A Hanoi original, and one of the great dishes of Vietnam. Marinated catfish fried tableside with fresh dill and spring onions, served over noodles with shrimp paste and peanuts. The dish is so iconic that the street where it originated — Cha Ca Street — was renamed after it. Seek it out for at least one dinner.
Egg Coffee
Cà Phê Trứng
Invented in Hanoi in the 1940s when milk was scarce. Strong Vietnamese drip coffee topped with a thick, creamy foam made from whipped egg yolk, condensed milk, and sugar. Served hot in a small cup nestled in warm water, or iced in summer. More dessert than morning beverage — but absolutely essential.
🌿 Vegetarian Option
Crispy Pancake
Bánh Xèo
A sizzling rice-flour crêpe (the name means "sizzling cake") filled with bean sprouts and herbs — and optionally shrimp and pork. Wrap pieces in lettuce and rice paper, dip in nuoc cham. Many restaurants offer a vegetarian version without meat; ask for chay (vegetarian). The crispy edges are the point.
🌿 Often Vegetarian
Fresh Spring Rolls
Gỏi Cuốn
Translucent rice paper rolls filled with vermicelli, fresh herbs, and vegetables — the vegetarian version omits shrimp and pork entirely. Served with peanut dipping sauce. Light, bright, and endlessly snackable. A reliable, safe starter for the vegetarian traveler at almost any restaurant in the city.
Where to Eat
Recommended Restaurants
🌿 = strong vegetarian options · ⭐ = exceptional reviews
01
Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su
10 Ly Quoc Su · Hoan Kiem · 2-min walk from hotel
Michelin Bib Gourmand–recognized pho institution, open 6am daily. The broth is extraordinary — deeply clear, aromatic, balanced. Expect a queue; it moves fast. Go between 6:30–7:30am for shortest wait. Order pho tai (rare beef) and add the table's chili and garlic slowly. This is the bowl to judge all others by.
Pho
⭐ Michelin
02
Hoang's Restaurant
54 Hang Buom · Old Quarter · 8-min walk
Consistently rated among Hanoi's best for authentic Vietnamese food with excellent vegetarian options. The bun cha is exceptional; staff will show you how to properly assemble your rice paper rolls. Lively atmosphere, warm service. Advance booking recommended — it fills up nightly.
🌿 Veg Friendly
⭐ 4.9
03
MET Vietnamese Restaurant
110 Hang Bac · Old Quarter · 7-min walk
One of Hanoi's highest-rated restaurants overall, with an extensive menu spanning pho, bun cha, banh xeo, and fresh/fried spring rolls — all with vegetarian versions available. The vegan bun cha and fresh vegan spring rolls are standouts. Make a reservation; space is limited and demand is high.
🌿 Vegan/Veg
⭐ 4.9
04
Hong Hoai's Restaurant
20 Bat Dan · Hang Bo · Old Quarter · 10-min walk
A much-loved local restaurant with an enthusiastic staff who will guide you through proper banh xeo assembly and other traditional preparations. Order the coconut coffee. Excellent for cha ca (turmeric fish) and duck noodle soup. Strong vegetarian menu. The staff interaction here is genuinely part of the experience.
🌿 Veg Friendly
⭐ 4.9
05
Hồi Modern Vegetarian Dining
81 Quan Thanh · Ba Dinh · ~12-min taxi from hotel
Hanoi's finest dedicated vegetarian restaurant, housed in a charming French colonial villa that smells of cinnamon and lemongrass on entry. The 68-dish à-la-carte buffet concept lets you try an extraordinary range of creative Vietnamese vegetarian dishes. Standouts include the winged bean salad, lotus stem salad, and various lolot leaf rolls. Book in advance.
🌿 Fully Veg
⭐ 4.9
06
Sadhu Vegetarian Restaurant
87 Ly Thuong Kiet · Cua Nam · Hoan Kiem · 12-min walk
An elevated vegetarian concept with Indian, Vietnamese, Japanese and fusion influences — the result is something genuinely unlike any other restaurant in Vietnam. Reviewers describe it as a "once in a lifetime experience." The pandan drink and crispy rice crackers are essential openers. Worth dedicating an entire dinner to.
🌿 Fully Veg
⭐ Exceptional
For the Photographer's Eye
Street Photography Hotspots
Hanoi is one of Southeast Asia's great street photography cities. The density of human activity, the layered architecture, and the constant flow of motorbikes create a visual environment that rewards patience and a wide-angle lens. March light is warm and directional — ideal.
Dawn · 5:30–7:30am
Hoan Kiem Lake, North Bank
The lake at first light is surreal. Tai chi practitioners in slow motion against the misty water; the red Huc Bridge catching early warmth; fishermen on the banks. The mist often sits low until 7am. Almost no tourists at this hour — just Hanoians doing what they do every morning.
Wide angle · Slow shutter for water · Mist diffuses harsh light
Morning · 7–10am
Railway Street (Tran Phu)
You'll visit this on your guided tour, but return with your camera afterward. The narrow gap between train tracks and house walls — sometimes less than a foot — creates extraordinary compressed compositions. Residents hang laundry, cook breakfast, and run shops within touching distance of passing trains. A study in adaptation and intimacy.
Telephoto to compress depth · Look for eye contact in narrow frame
Morning & Late Afternoon
Old Quarter Guild Streets
Hang Ma (paper goods), Hang Bac (silver), Hang Buom (sails) — each street has its own visual texture and color palette. The overhead tangle of power lines, the stacked merchandise, the motorbikes navigating impossible gaps, the vendors in conical hats: every frame is already composed. Best before 9am before tour groups arrive.
Shoot from low angle · Catch backlight through alley gaps · 35mm equiv ideal
Any Time · Covered Space
Dong Xuan Market Interior
Hanoi's largest covered market, northeast of the Old Quarter. Three floors of vendors selling everything from dried goods to live fish to synthetic fabrics. The interior light filtering through skylights and corrugated roofing creates beautiful, diffused pools. The vendors here are used to cameras but appreciate a smile and a nod first.
High ISO, embrace grain · Wait for shaft of window light to catch a face
Afternoon · Architecture
Long Bien Bridge
The French-built steel bridge (1902), bombed repeatedly during the Vietnam War but never fully destroyed. Still used daily by motorbikes, cyclists, and pedestrians — with train tracks running through the middle. The rusted, battle-scarred ironwork against the Red River and the Hanoi skyline creates powerful documentary frames. Part of your walking tour.
Shoot into afternoon backlight · Steel geometry + human scale contrast
Morning · Architecture
Temple of Literature Courtyards
Open at 8am; arrive at opening to find the space quiet. The Khue Van Pavilion reflected in the Thien Quang Well is one of Vietnam's most photographed architectural compositions for good reason — the symmetry, the surface texture of aged stone, the lotus-dotted water. Young couples often arrive in áo dài for wedding shoots; this creates its own candid opportunities.
Polarizer for water reflections · Look for calligraphers practicing at stone steles
Before You Go
Practical Notes
Getting Around
- Grab app (rideshare/taxi) — reliable, metered, English interface
- Walking is best for Old Quarter & lakeside
- Mausoleum complex is ~3km — take Grab
- Xe om (motorbike taxis) are faster but negotiate fare first
- Never step into traffic abruptly — walk steadily, let traffic flow around you
Money & Tipping
- Currency: Vietnamese Dong (VND) · ~25,000 VND = US$1
- ATMs widely available in Old Quarter
- Street food: 30,000–60,000 VND per dish
- Restaurant meals: 100,000–300,000 VND per person
- Tipping is not traditional but appreciated at ~10%
Visiting Etiquette
- Mausoleum: dress modestly (no shorts/sleeveless), no hands in pockets, no photos inside, no talking
- Mausoleum: closed every Friday — plan accordingly
- Temples: remove shoes when indicated
- Always ask before photographing individuals up close
- Bargaining is expected in markets, not in restaurants
Vegetarian Travel Tips
- Say "ăn chay" (vegetarian) or "không thịt" (no meat)
- Many dishes contain fish sauce — specify "không nước mắm" if avoiding
- Hoi Modern Vegetarian & Sadhu are fully dedicated veg restaurants
- MET and Hoang's have strong dedicated veg menus
- Buddhist restaurants near pagodas are fully vegetarian
Photography Tips
- March: warm, directional light; occasional haze creates atmosphere
- Hoan Kiem at 5:30am = mist, tai chi, golden calm
- Old Quarter at 7am = vendors setting up, low side-light
- Carry a lens cloth — humidity and dust are constant
- Charging tip at hotel's One36 rooftop bar at sunset
Your Schedule
- Mar 26: Arrive 22:30 · Transfer to Apricot Hotel
- Mar 27: Railway Walking Tour (from 8am) · Free afternoon
- Mar 28: Transfer to Gulf of Tonkin cruise jetty (morning)
- Hotel tel: +84 24 3828 9595
- Emergency: +1 617 223 4557 (Audley 24/7)