Hanoi City Guide
Things to Do in Hanoi: Sights, Free Picks and What Each Costs
Things to do in Hanoi gather in four parts of the city: the lake and the French Quarter, the Old Quarter, the Ba Dinh complex of the Mausoleum and the Citadel, and West Lake in the north. This page sorts seventeen places by area, gives the entry fee and opening hours where the sight publishes them, marks which ones cost nothing and says how long each deserves. It also shows the tours that cover several sights in one outing, so you can decide what to see alone and what to book. Hanoi tours compares every type, and the Hanoi map pins the same places.
Quick answer The short list, what it costs and what to book, in four lines
Hanoi's short list is seventeen places, and most of them cost nothing to walk. The three ticketed sights with a published fee are Hoa Lo Prison at $1.94 (VND 50,000), the Temple of Literature at $2.72 (VND 70,000) and the Imperial Citadel at $3.89 (VND 100,000), all open 08:00 to 17:00 every day. Guided tours that string several sights together start from $7.
Key takeaways
- Want one outing that covers the big names? A small-group walk through the lake, the Mausoleum area and Hoa Lo Prison costs $28 plus about $4 in cash for tickets, and the half-day or full-day city tour costs $28 too.
- Only one evening? Book a water puppet show at $7 and walk the lake. On weekends the lake streets close to traffic from 19:00 to midnight on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
- Going to the Mausoleum? It is closed on Mondays and Fridays from 1 November to 31 March, so check its visiting days before you fix the day.
- Want the free list? Free things to do in Hanoi covers the lake, the Old Quarter, the markets and West Lake, with what each one is for.
Which Hanoi Tours Cover Several Sights in One Go?
Six listings that put several of the sights below on one route, from a $7 show ticket to a $50.55 war-history morning. Prices are the platform listings in US dollars per person, and the operator confirms the final amount at checkout. Every Hanoi tour type is compared on the tours page, and the city tour page lists the walking and coach options in full.
from $28
Hanoi City Highlights Walking Tour: Landmarks & History
Small group walk through Hanoi landmarks and Train Street. Bring about $4 in cash for entry tickets. Private version has hotel pickup.
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from $28
Hanoi: Half-Day or Full-Day City Tour with Local Guide
Hanoi city tour covering Ho Chi Minh Complex, Temple of Literature and Hoa Lo Prison, with hotel pickup. 4.3 from 26 reviews.
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from $17
Hanoi: Guided Street Food Tour with Train Street Experience
Three-hour Old Quarter food walk with 4-6 dishes and a Train Street drink, from $17. 3,282 reviews.
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from $29
Hanoi Military Jeep Tour: Highlights, Hidden Gems & Train Street
Open Jeep loop of Hanoi with hotel pickup. The 4-hour version adds a local meal and beer. 995 reviews.
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from $43.81
Hoa Lo Prison and Little Paris Tour in Hanoi (French Quarter)
3-hour French Quarter walk ending with Hoa Lo Prison, ticket and guide included, for up to 15.
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from $7
Hanoi: Water Puppet Show Tickets
Reserved water puppet show tickets collected at an Old Quarter office, with several show times. 9,963 reviews.
Check AvailabilityPrices, ratings and details are the platform's own. Dollar figures are the listed prices. The platform bills in your account's currency.
Hanoi Attractions Grouped by Area
Filter to the area you are staying in, or follow the list from the lake outward. Fees are the sight's own adult figure, converted at 1,000 VND = $0.03887, and the times are our estimates because almost no sight publishes one. Where no fee is printed, the card says to pay at the gate.
Around Hoan Kiem Lake and the French Quarter
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Hoan Kiem Lake
Lake and walking street Free45-60 minbook-ahead tier 1 of 3
The small lake in the middle of the old city, with Ngoc Son Temple on an island at its north end and a path all the way round. From 19:00 to midnight on Friday, Saturday and Sunday the streets beside it close to traffic and fill with walkers.
Tip: Taxis and ride-hailing cannot reach the lake edge during the weekend hours, so get out a few streets away.
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Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre
Show from $750 minbook-ahead tier 2 of 3
A 50-minute water puppet show at 57B Dinh Tien Hoang, beside the lake, with 300 seats and 5 to 7 shows a day. Our listings sell the ticket at $7.
Tip: The audio guide is not in the fare. Two listings put it at $1.94 (VND 50,000) a show, paid at the theatre.
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Hoa Lo Prison
Prison museum from $1.9460-90 minbook-ahead tier 1 of 3
The French-built prison turned museum, known abroad as the Hanoi Hilton. It is open 08:00 to 17:00 every day, including public holidays and Tet, at VND 50,000.
Tip: Children under 16 are free. The official site lists no night tour.
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St. Joseph's Cathedral
Church 15-20 minbook-ahead tier 1 of 3
A Gothic Revival church from the late 19th century on Nha Chung Street, a few minutes west of the lake. Most visitors come for the facade and the cafes on the lanes around it.
Tip: No visiting hours are published. If the gate is shut, the facade and the square in front are the sight.
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Hanoi Opera House
Building 15-20 minbook-ahead tier 1 of 3
The colonial opera house at the head of Trang Tien street on August Revolution Square. You see it from outside unless you buy a ticket to a performance.
Tip: No official visiting hours are published for a walk inside. Plan on the exterior and the square.
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Vietnamese Women's Museum
Museum 60-90 minbook-ahead tier 1 of 3
A four-storey museum at 36 Ly Thuong Kiet on the history and daily life of Vietnamese women, open 08:00 to 17:00 every day of the week.
Tip: No ticket price is printed on the museum's site, so pay at the desk.
The Old Quarter and the Red River side
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Hanoi Old Quarter
Neighbourhood Free2-3 hbook-ahead tier 1 of 3
The old trading streets north of the lake, where many streets still carry the name of the trade that once filled them, like Hang Ma (paper offerings). Walk it for the shops, the food stalls and the temples tucked between them.
Tip: Streets are narrow and the motorbike flow does not stop for walkers. Cross slowly and at a steady pace.
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Hanoi Train Street
Railway lane Free30-45 minbook-ahead tier 1 of 3
A lane of cafes beside a working railway line. It is not an official attraction, and access changes without notice.
Tip: Never stand on the track. Read the current status on its own page before you plan around it.
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Dong Xuan Market
Market Free45-60 minbook-ahead tier 1 of 3
The largest covered market in Hanoi, built by the French in 1889 and rebuilt after a fire in 1994. Traders sell clothes, household goods and food, much of it wholesale.
Tip: No opening hours are published for the market, so go in the morning.
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Long Bien Bridge
Bridge Free30-45 minbook-ahead tier 1 of 3
The steel railway bridge over the Red River opened in 1903 and was bombed in 1967 and 1972. You walk or ride across it for the river view.
Tip: Trains and motorbikes share the deck. Keep to the edge and never step onto the rails.
Ba Dinh: the Mausoleum, the Citadel and the Temple of Literature
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Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
Mausoleum and square 60-90 minbook-ahead tier 2 of 3
The mausoleum on Ba Dinh Square, with the stilt house, the Presidential Palace grounds and the One Pillar Pagoda in the same complex.
Tip: Closed Monday and Friday from 1 November to 31 March, mornings only the rest of the week. Dress neatly and stay silent inside.
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One Pillar Pagoda
Pagoda 15-20 minbook-ahead tier 1 of 3
A small pagoda on a single stone pillar in a pond, first built in 1049, next to the Mausoleum complex.
Tip: No entry fee or hours are published for the pagoda. It is a short stop, so pair it with the Mausoleum visit.
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Imperial Citadel of Thang Long
Citadel from $3.8990-120 minbook-ahead tier 1 of 3
The archaeological site of the royal citadel at 19C Hoang Dieu, open 08:00 to 17:00 every day. The Kinh Thien Palace restoration started in 2026.
Tip: Children under 16 are free. A night tour exists, but its price and times are not printed on the homepage.
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Temple of Literature
Temple and university from $2.7260-120 minbook-ahead tier 1 of 3
Hanoi's temple to Confucius and the site of Vietnam's first national university. Five courtyards, the stelae of doctoral graduates and a day ticket at VND 70,000.
Tip: Open 08:00 to 17:00 every day. A night tour runs on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday evenings.
West Lake and the north-west
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West Lake
Lake Free1-2 hbook-ahead tier 1 of 3
The biggest freshwater lake in Hanoi, with 17 kilometres of shore and about 500 hectares of water. Cafes, temples and a lakeside road make it a long slow walk or a short taxi ride.
Tip: It is far larger than Hoan Kiem Lake. Choose one stretch instead of trying to walk it all.
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Tran Quoc Pagoda
Pagoda 20-30 minbook-ahead tier 1 of 3
The oldest Buddhist temple in Hanoi, on a small island by the south-eastern shore of West Lake.
Tip: No entry fee or hours are published for the pagoda. Dress for a temple, with shoulders and knees covered.
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Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
Museum 90-120 minbook-ahead tier 1 of 3
A museum of the 54 officially recognised ethnic groups of Vietnam, about 8 kilometres from the centre in Cau Giay district, with an open-air garden of houses.
Tip: It is reported closed on Mondays. Check before you go, and allow a taxi each way.
Numbers match the list. Tap a pin for the guide.
Coordinates come from Wikidata or Wikipedia. Sights that publish no fee or hours carry no figure here. The map page numbers the same places.
What Do Hanoi Attractions Cost?
Adult entry and hours for the sights that publish them, taken from each sight's own website and converted at 1,000 VND = $0.03887. Sights without a printed fee are left out of the table and described in the list above. The water puppet ticket is the platform price.
| Sight | Adult | Hours | Closed | Area | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hoa Lo Prison | $1.94 (VND 50,000) | 08:00-17:00 | None, open on Tet | Hoan Kiem | Details |
| Temple of Literature | $2.72 (VND 70,000) | 08:00-17:00 | None | Dong Da | Details |
| Imperial Citadel of Thang Long | $3.89 (VND 100,000) | 08:00-17:00 | None listed | Ba Dinh | Details |
| Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre | $7 (listing) | 5 to 7 shows a day | None, 365 days a year | Hoan Kiem | Check Availability |
| Vietnamese Women's Museum | No price printed | 08:00-17:00 | None, open daily | Hoan Kiem | Details |
| Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum | See its page | Morning only | Monday and Friday, 1 Nov to 31 Mar | Ba Dinh | Details |
Children under 16 enter Hoa Lo, the Temple of Literature and the Citadel free. Source: Hoa Lo Prison, Temple of Literature, Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, Vietnamese Women's Museum.
What Are the Best Things to Do in Hanoi?
The best things to do in Hanoi are a slow walk round Hoan Kiem Lake, an evening in the Old Quarter, the Temple of Literature, Hoa Lo Prison and a water puppet show. Add the Mausoleum complex if you are in town on a day it is open.
Hanoi rewards a loose schedule. The city has no single must-do ticket, and the best hours are the ones spent walking between places. The five picks above sit within a short taxi ride of each other, and two of them, the lake and the Old Quarter, cost nothing.
Start with a Hoan Kiem lake loop early, before the heat and the traffic build. The path round the lake takes about 45 minutes at a slow pace, and the red bridge to Ngoc Son Temple is the place to stop. From there the Old Quarter begins a few streets north. It is a grid of narrow shopfronts, and the rule is to walk with no plan for an hour and then eat.
The two history stops pair well. The Temple of Literature is the calm one, a set of shaded courtyards that explain how Vietnam trained its officials. Hoa Lo Prison is the heavier one, and it tells two stories: the French colonial prison and the later years when it held American pilots. Together they take about half a day, and a guided half-day tour covers both for about $28.
How to pick your five
Match the sights to what you came for. The first column is the reason for the trip and the next two are the pair of sights that answer it.
| If you want | Start with | Then add |
|---|---|---|
| A first-day walk | Hoan Kiem Lake | The Old Quarter on foot |
| Culture and history | Temple of Literature | Hoa Lo Prison |
| An evening out | Water puppet show | A food walk |
| Politics and the modern state | Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum | The Imperial Citadel next door |
| Something other than temples | A motorbike or jeep tour | A cooking class |
Source: Hoa Lo Prison, Temple of Literature.
What Are the Best Free Things to Do in Hanoi?
The best free things to do in Hanoi are walking Hoan Kiem Lake, the Old Quarter streets, Dong Xuan Market, Long Bien Bridge and the West Lake shore. None of them has a ticket office, and together they fill most of a day.
Hanoi is a city you do on foot, so the free list is not a consolation prize. It is the main part of the visit, and the paid sights are short stops between the streets.
- Hoan Kiem Lake: the path round the water is open all day. On weekends the streets beside it become a pedestrian zone from 19:00 to midnight on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with street games and music. - The Old Quarter: the guild streets cost nothing to walk. Pay only for what you eat or buy. - Dong Xuan Market: walk through the covered hall to see the trade in cloth and household goods. - Long Bien Bridge: a long walk or ride above the Red River, best in the late afternoon. - West Lake: a long shoreline of cafes and small temples. Pick one stretch. - The outside of St. Joseph's Cathedral and the Opera House: both are worth a stop for the facade alone.
Three ticketed sights have a free layer too. Children under 16 enter the Temple of Literature, Hoa Lo Prison and the Imperial Citadel without paying, so a family spends far less than the adult prices suggest.
What free does not cover
Free entry does not mean free of rules. The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum has visiting days, a dress code and a bag deposit, and Hanoi Train Street is free to see but is not an approved attraction. Read both pages before you plan around either.
If you want a guide for the free streets, a small-group walk for up to six people costs $28, and student-led walks are priced from $4 per group.
Source: Temple of Literature, Hoa Lo Prison, Imperial Citadel of Thang Long.
What Is There to Do in Hanoi at Night?
At night in Hanoi you can watch a water puppet show, walk the closed lake streets on a weekend, eat a food walk or ride a Vespa after dark. The Temple of Literature also runs a night programme on three evenings.
The city does not shut early. Shops in the Old Quarter stay open into the evening and the street food is at its best after dark. Three organised options give the night a shape.
The weekend walking zone. From 19:00 to midnight on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the streets around Hoan Kiem Lake close to traffic. It is the easiest free night out in the city, and the water puppet theatre sits right beside it.
A show or a night tour. The Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre runs 5 to 7 shows a day, so there is usually an evening slot, and the show lasts 50 minutes. The Temple of Literature runs a night programme on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday from 18:30 to 22:00 with its own ticket.
A guided evening. A Vespa food tour after dark lasts about 4.5 hours and includes a four-course dinner and drinks for $69. For a lighter option, food walks start from $15 and run about three hours.
Source: Temple of Literature, Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre.
When Are Hanoi's Sights Closed?
The sight most likely to catch you out is the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, which closes on Mondays and Fridays from 1 November to 31 March and shuts for a long annual maintenance period. Most other sights here open every day.
The Mausoleum's cold-season visiting days are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday mornings, at 08:00 to 11:00 on Tuesday to Thursday and 08:00 to 11:30 on weekends and public holidays. The yearly maintenance closure in 2026 ran from 4 September to 2 November, and the Mausoleum reopened on 3 November. From 1 April the morning hours change and the sources disagree on the exact times, so read the Mausoleum page before you set the day.
The other sights are easier. Hoa Lo Prison, the Temple of Literature, the Imperial Citadel and the Women's Museum all open 08:00 to 17:00 every day. The water puppet theatre says it performs 365 days a year. Restoration of the Kinh Thien Palace at the Citadel began in 2026, so some of the site may be fenced off.
The Museum of Ethnology is reported closed on Mondays, so do not plan it for that day without checking. Hanoi Train Street has no official schedule at all, and access changes without notice.
Source: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum reporting by VietnamPlus, Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, Hoa Lo Prison.
How Many Days Do You Need to See Hanoi's Main Sights?
Two days cover Hanoi's main sights at an easy pace, and one day covers the short list if you start early. A third day is for a Ha Long Bay or Ninh Binh trip.
The central sights are close together, so the limit is energy and heat, not distance. Pick the plan that matches your time.
| Time you have | What fits | Plan |
|---|---|---|
| One day | The lake, the Old Quarter, the Temple of Literature, Hoa Lo and an evening show | Hanoi in one day |
| Two days | Adds the Ba Dinh complex, the Citadel and a food or motorbike tour | Hanoi in two days |
| Three days | Adds a day trip to Ha Long Bay or Ninh Binh | Hanoi in three days |
If the days are short, drop the outer sights first: the Museum of Ethnology, Tran Quoc Pagoda and West Lake are the ones that need a taxi. Day trips take a full day each, so count them as a separate day.
What Are the Most Unusual Things to Do in Hanoi?
The most unusual things to do in Hanoi are riding a vintage Vespa or army jeep through the backstreets, learning egg coffee from a barista and cooking five local dishes in a class. Each has its own listings on the Hanoi tours page.
A motorbike or jeep ride changes the scale of the city. A four-hour jeep loop from $29 covers the Old Quarter, the West Lake side and the Citadel area with hotel pickup, and a Vespa after dark adds dinner. If you would rather make something, a coffee class with five Hanoi coffees costs $24 and a cooking class with a market visit costs from $35 for 3.5 hours.
For a half day outside the centre, Bat Trang ceramic village is reached by jeep for $42. It is the one trip on the list that is not a temple, a museum or a market.
Do You Need a Tour for Things to Do in Hanoi?
No, the central sights are easy to do alone, but a guide is worth paying for on the Old Quarter food and on the half-day when you want the history explained. The cheaper sights charge less than $4 each.
Hoa Lo Prison, the Temple of Literature and the Citadel all sell tickets at the gate, and between them cost $8.55 for an adult. What a tour adds is the explanation, and the stops that are hard to arrange alone: food stalls, a market with a cook and the backstreets.
Pay for a guide in three cases. First, the Old Quarter, where a food walk such as this three-hour walk from $17 turns unlabelled stalls into a meal. Second, the war and colonial history, where a three-hour French Quarter walk ending at Hoa Lo gives the context the museum signs skip. Third, a day with a driver, such as the jeep tour. For everything else, a printed list and a lake-side morning are enough. See where to stay to pick a base near the sights.
Things to Do in Hanoi FAQ
What are the top things to do in Hanoi?
The top things to do in Hanoi are Hoan Kiem Lake, the Old Quarter, the Temple of Literature, Hoa Lo Prison and a water puppet show. A guided walk ties several of them together for $28, and the full list by area covers seventeen places. Hanoi's LGBT travel advice is on a separate page.
What can you do in Hanoi for free?
You can walk Hoan Kiem Lake, the Old Quarter, Dong Xuan Market, Long Bien Bridge and the West Lake shore for nothing. The lake streets turn pedestrian from 19:00 to midnight on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Children under 16 also enter the Temple of Literature, Hoa Lo Prison and the Imperial Citadel free. See free things to do. Women travelling alone can use the solo female guide for the practical side.
How much do the main Hanoi attractions cost?
Hoa Lo Prison is $1.94 (VND 50,000), the Temple of Literature $2.72 (VND 70,000) and the Imperial Citadel $3.89 (VND 100,000) for an adult. A water puppet ticket is $7 on our listing. The price table shows hours and closed days.
Which sights in Hanoi close on certain days?
The Mausoleum is the one to watch. From 1 November to 31 March it is open Tuesday to Thursday 08:00 to 11:00 and on Saturday and Sunday 08:00 to 11:30, and closed on Monday and Friday. Its 2026 maintenance closure ended on 3 November. The Mausoleum page has the details. Everything else listed on this page opens every day.
What can you do in Hanoi at night?
Watch a water puppet show, walk the closed lake streets on a weekend, join a food walk or ride a Vespa after dark. See the night section for hours. Going with children? Hanoi with kids picks the sights that suit them.
Can you still visit the railway cafe lane in Hanoi?
It is free to see but not an official attraction, and access changes without notice. Its own page explains what is banned and what to do instead.
How many days do you need in Hanoi?
Two days cover the main sights at an easy pace and three add a Ha Long Bay or Ninh Binh day trip. Use the one-day plan if you only have a day. Staying longer than three days? Ways to volunteer in Hanoi are listed separately.
Hanoi Videos
Three videos show the sights on this page at walking pace.
HANOI, VIETNAM | 12 Awesome Things To Do In & Around Hanoi
A run through the main sights and a few day trips, at walking pace.
Video: World Wild HeartsHanoi Vietnam 2026 Travel Guide: Places to Visit & Things to Do • Itinerary & Expenses • Budget Vlog
The same lake, temple and Old Quarter stops with the costs on screen.
Video: Angelica & Aileen WandersTop 10 Things to Do in Hanoi, Vietnam
A ten-sight list that overlaps the first two areas on this page.
Video: Wanderlust Wellman
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