Landmarks in Hanoi
- 01
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Complex
The granite mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh on Ba Dinh Square, with a museum and the leader's stilt house nearby. A solemn site with strict dress and conduct rules and limited opening days.
- Time needed
- 2 to 3 hours for the complex
- Walking
- Moderate
- Best time
- Morning, on an open day, as early as possible
- Tickets
- Entry to the mausoleum is free. It opens in the mornings on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, and closes each year for maintenance. Dress modestly, switch off phones, and expect no photography or food inside. Check current hours before you go.
- 02
Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple
A small lake at the heart of Hanoi, with a red wooden bridge leading to Ngoc Son Temple on Jade Islet. It is the city's main place for an easy walk and for watching local life.
- Time needed
- 1 to 2 hours
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Early morning or just before sunset
- Tickets
- The lake path is free. The temple on Jade Islet usually charges a small entry fee; check the current price at the gate and dress with shoulders and knees covered.
- 03
Imperial Citadel of Thang Long
The central sector of Hanoi's old royal citadel, a UNESCO site that holds the Doan Mon gate, the Dragon Steps of a lost palace and a wartime command bunker. A quiet, open-air history lesson.
- Time needed
- 1.5 to 2 hours
- Walking
- Moderate
- Best time
- Morning or late afternoon
- Tickets
- There is a ticket for the central sector. Check the current price, opening hours and any extra charge for exhibitions before you go; do not rely on printed listings.
- 04
West Lake (Ho Tay)
Hanoi's largest lake, about 17 km round the shore, with temples, cafes and a quieter feel than the Old Quarter. Tran Quoc Pagoda sits on a small island at its edge.
- Time needed
- Half a day for a short stretch
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Late afternoon, near sunset
- Tickets
- The lake is free. Individual temples and attractions around it may charge entry; check at the gate.
Museums in Hanoi
- 05
Hoa Lo Prison Museum
The surviving gatehouse and cells of a French colonial prison, later nicknamed the Hanoi Hilton by American prisoners of war. The displays focus mainly on the colonial period and Vietnamese political prisoners.
- Time needed
- About 1 hour
- Walking
- Moderate
- Best time
- Morning, when it is quieter
- Tickets
- There is an entry fee. Check the current price and opening hours before you go. Photography rules may vary by room.
- 06
Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
A well-designed museum on the country's 54 recognised ethnic groups, with an indoor gallery and an open-air garden of full-size houses. It is the best place in Hanoi to see Vietnam beyond the Kinh majority.
- Time needed
- 2 to 3 hours
- Walking
- Moderate
- Best time
- Morning, for the outdoor houses before the heat
- Tickets
- Ticket needed; check the current price, opening days and any special exhibitions on the museum's own pages before going. Some houses allow you to go inside only on certain days.
- 07
Vietnam National Museum of Fine Arts
The country's main art museum, in a 1937 building near the Temple of Literature, with Vietnamese art from ancient times to the present, including national treasures.
- Time needed
- 1 to 1.5 hours
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Midday, when it is hot outside
- Tickets
- Ticket needed. Opening hours and ticket price change, so check the day before. Photography rules vary by gallery.
- 08
Vietnamese Women's Museum
A well-organised museum near Hoan Kiem Lake covering women in the family, in history and in fashion, with costumes from many of Vietnam's ethnic communities.
- Time needed
- 1 to 1.5 hours
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Midday or afternoon heat
- Tickets
- Ticket needed. The museum has been renovated since 2010, and opening hours and prices change, so confirm on arrival.
Temples in Hanoi
- 09
Temple of Literature (Van Mieu)
A walled Confucian temple and the site of Vietnam's first national university, with courtyards, gates and stone turtle stelae listing graduates from royal exams. A calm, shaded visit in the middle of the city.
- Time needed
- 1 to 1.5 hours
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Morning on a weekday
- Tickets
- The official site lists daily opening hours and an adult ticket price, with a lower rate for visitors aged 60 and over who hold a Vietnamese ID. Foreign visitors should check the current price at the gate. An evening programme runs on selected days.
- 10
Tran Quoc Pagoda
Hanoi's oldest Buddhist temple, on a small island by the edge of West Lake. It holds a bodhi tree grown from a cutting of the tree at Bodh Gaya, a gift from India in 1959.
- Time needed
- 30 to 45 minutes
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Morning or late afternoon
- Tickets
- Entry has typically been free or very low cost, but confirm at the gate. Dress with shoulders and knees covered and remove shoes before entering the halls.
Neighbourhoods in Hanoi
- 11
Hanoi Old Quarter
The old merchant district north of Hoan Kiem Lake, where streets were named for the goods once sold there. Narrow shophouses, temples, markets and street food make it the natural place to start in Hanoi.
- Time needed
- 2 to 3 hours, more for food
- Walking
- Moderate
- Best time
- Early morning for calm; early evening for lights and street food
- Tickets
- The streets are free to walk. Small temples and the old house museums inside the quarter have their own entry arrangements; check on the day.
Places of worship in Hanoi
- 12
St Joseph's Cathedral
A Gothic Revival cathedral completed in 1886 near Hoan Kiem Lake, with twin towers modelled on Notre-Dame in Paris. Mass is held several times a day and the cafes opposite give good views.
- Time needed
- 20 to 30 minutes
- Walking
- Easy
- Best time
- Morning, or evening when the exterior is lit
- Tickets
- No ticket. It is an active church, so check Mass times before entering, dress modestly and avoid photography during worship.
