Places to Visit in Hanoi: 20 Tourist Attractions, Timings and Entry Fees

Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam and has been the seat of power, under one name or another, since 1010. Its streets carry Chinese, French and Russian influence in layers: Confucian temples, French villas and opera, Soviet-era ministries. It sits in the Red River delta, about 2 hours by air from Bangkok and 4 to 5 hours nonstop from Delhi, Mumbai or Bangalore.

Status checked on 3 November 2026. The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum reopened on 3 November after a two-month restoration that began on 4 September. The Hanoi Opera House has been shut since 31 January 2026 for about two years of restoration, so it is an outside-only stop. Train Street still has its cafés, but fewer trains run since March 2026 and police check some entrances.

Hanoi tourist places at a glance

Fees are for adult foreign visitors in November 2026. Rupee figures use Rs 1 = 270 VND, the rate on 3 November 2026.

Around Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old Quarter

This is the Hanoi most people picture, and all six places in this zone are a walk from each other. Base yourself here, and you can do the whole zone across a morning and an evening on foot.

1. Hoan Kiem Lake, Ngoc Son Temple and The Huc Bridge

Hoan Kiem Lake sits at the centre of the city, and its name translates as "Lake of the Returned Sword". The legend says Emperor Le Loi was handed a magic sword to drive out the Ming, and a golden turtle rose from the lake to take it back once the war was won. That story is still the storyline of many water puppet shows at the theatre on the lake's north-east corner. The lake's real softshell turtles were its most famous residents, but the last one died in January 2016.

Cross the red-painted The Huc Bridge to Jade Island and Ngoc Son, the Temple of the Jade Mountain, dedicated to General Tran Hung Dao. Entry is 30,000 VND (Rs 110); a rise to 50,000 VND has been proposed. Come at dusk, when the bridge and the Turtle Tower in the water are lit up. From Friday evening to Sunday midnight, the streets around the lake close to traffic and become a walking street. Our Hoan Kiem Lake guide covers the walk around the shore.

2. Hanoi Old Quarter

The Old Quarter grew up under the Ly and Tran dynasties as the trading town just east of the Citadel of Thang Long, and its lanes still carry the names of the guilds that worked them. Hang Gai sells silk, Hang Bac silver and Hang Ma paper lanterns and votive goods. People call it the 36 streets, though there are more than that now. Duck into Bach Ma Temple on Hang Buom, the oldest temple in the quarter, and the restored merchant's house at 87 Ma May.

Walk it in the morning, when the pavement cafés are full and the motorbikes are slower. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from about 6 or 7 pm, the Hanoi Weekend Night Market runs from Hang Dao north to Dong Xuan. Our Old Quarter guide breaks it down street by street, and the places to visit in Hanoi Old Quarter blog lists the cafés and lanes worth a detour. The bar lane on Ta Hien comes alive after 8 pm; see our Ta Hien Beer Street guide.

3. Dong Xuan Market

Dong Xuan is Hanoi's biggest covered market, founded in 1889 at the northern edge of the Old Quarter. Three floors sell fabric, dried fruit, tea, coffee, kitchenware and cheap souvenirs at wholesale prices, from about 6 am to 6 pm. It is a working market more than a sight, which is the point. The ground-floor food stalls at the back serve bun rieu and fried spring rolls to traders at lunchtime. Read our Dong Xuan Market guide before you go, and our shopping in Hanoi guide for what to pay.

4. Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre

Water puppetry began in the flooded rice fields of the Red River delta, with puppeteers standing waist-deep behind a bamboo screen. The Thang Long theatre at 57B Dinh Tien Hoang, on the lake's north-east corner, stages the classic 50-minute show of village life, dragons and the sword legend, with a live band playing traditional instruments. Tickets are 100,000, 150,000 or 200,000 VND (Rs 370 to Rs 740) depending on the seat. There are several shows each afternoon and evening, and the evening ones sell out in peak season, so buy at the box office in the morning. See our water puppet show guide.

5. Hanoi Train Street

Train Street is the stretch of track that runs a metre or two from people's front doors between Tran Phu and Phung Hung streets. Cafés set stools along the rails, and when a train is due, owners pull everyone back to the wall as it squeezes past. On 27 February 2026, the national and city governments agreed to cut passenger trains on this line and suspend freight, so there are fewer trains to see than in past years. Police check some entrances, and access can change from day to day.

If you go, sit inside a café, ask the owner when the next train is due, and stay behind the line they show you. Keep your phone in your hand, not held out over the rails, because the carriages pass close enough to knock it away. Visiting is free, but you are expected to buy a drink, and egg coffee is the usual order.

6. Long Bien Bridge

Long Bien is the steel bridge over the Red River that the French finished in 1902. It was bombed repeatedly during the war and patched back together each time. Walk the narrow pedestrian lane beside the single rail line, about 15 minutes from the Old Quarter, for a view over the river, banana plantations and the city skyline. Go at sunrise or around 5 pm. Passenger trains still cross, though fewer since 2026, and scooters use the outer lanes, so keep to the walkway.

French Quarter landmarks

South and east of Hoan Kiem Lake, the streets widen and the buildings turn into yellow-painted villas. This is the quarter the French built after 1880, and it holds four of the city's best history stops.

7. St Joseph's Cathedral

St Joseph's, finished in 1886, is a neo-Gothic church with two square bell towers that looks like a darker Notre-Dame. It stands at the end of Nha Chung, a five-minute walk west of the lake. The gates open at Mass times, roughly early morning and early evening every day, and the square in front is free to visit at any hour. Locals sit on stools across the road with iced lemon tea (tra chanh), and it is the best people-watching corner in the city. On Christmas Eve, the square is the busiest place in Hanoi.

8. Hoa Lo Prison

The French built Hoa Lo in 1896 to hold Vietnamese political prisoners. During the American war it held captured US pilots, among them the future senator John McCain, and the prisoners nicknamed it the "Hanoi Hilton". Most of the prison was demolished in the 1990s, and the surviving gatehouse and cell blocks are now a museum with the original guillotine, shackles and recreated cells. It opens daily from 8 am to 5 pm, and entry is 50,000 VND (Rs 185). The audio guide is worth renting. A night tour runs on some weekend evenings and sells out, so book through the museum's own channels.

9. Hanoi Opera House

The Opera House was completed in 1911 and modelled on the Palais Garnier in Paris. It is the centrepiece of the French Quarter and the end of Trang Tien street. It closed on 31 January 2026 for a restoration expected to take about two years, so there are no shows or tours inside for now. Come after dark, when the facade is lit, and walk the square. The National Museum of Vietnamese History is two minutes away at 1 Trang Tien if you want a museum stop.

10. Vietnamese Women's Museum

The Women's Museum at 36 Ly Thuong Kiet is the most surprising museum in the city. Four floors cover marriage and family, women's roles in the war, street vendors and ethnic dress from all over Vietnam, with clear English captions. Plan about 90 minutes. Entry is about 40,000 VND (Rs 150), and it opens about 8 am to 5 pm. It is a 10-minute walk from Hoa Lo, so pair the two in one morning.

Ba Dinh: the Ho Chi Minh complex and imperial Hanoi

Ba Dinh is the political heart of Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh read the declaration of independence on Ba Dinh Square on 2 September 1945, and the Mausoleum, the palace grounds, the One Pillar Pagoda and the Citadel all sit within a 1 km walk of it. Start before 8 am.

11. Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

Ho Chi Minh led the revolution and the war for independence, and he is still deeply venerated in Vietnam. His embalmed body lies in the grey granite Mausoleum on Ba Dinh Square so the public can pay their respects. Entry is free. It opens only in the morning, from 8 am between November and March and 7:30 am between April and October, until about 11 am, and it is closed every Monday and Friday. It also closes for about two months of upkeep most years. In 2026 it was shut from 4 September and reopened on 3 November.

There are strict rules here, enforced by guards, and the line moves in silence. Cover your knees and shoulders, take off your hat, keep your hands out of your pockets and do not cut the queue. Bags and cameras are checked in before you enter. The Ho Chi Minh Museum next door is a separate building with its own ticket.

12. One Pillar Pagoda

The One Pillar Pagoda is a small wooden shrine set on a single stone pillar 1.25 m wide, rising from a square lotus pond. It was designed to look like a lotus blossom, the Buddhist symbol of purity, because the flower stays clean even in a muddy pond. Emperor Ly Thai Tong built it in 1049, in gratitude for the son he had prayed for. It has been rebuilt several times after attacks, most recently in 1955 after French troops destroyed it in 1954. Entry is free, and it takes 20 minutes. Read our One Pillar Pagoda guide.

13. Temple of Literature

The Temple of Literature (Van Mieu) is Hanoi's most visited temple and one of its most sacred places, for learning as much as for faith. Emperor Ly Thanh Tong built it in 1070 in honour of Confucius, and in 1076 it became Vietnam's first university. Its five courtyards follow the layout of Confucius's birthplace temple at Qufu in Shandong, China. The Khue Van Cac pavilion at its centre is printed on the 100,000-dong note.

Look for the 82 stone stelae on the backs of stone turtles, carved with the names of doctoral graduates from 1442 onward. It opens from 8 am to 5 pm, not 24 hours as older guides claim, and entry is 70,000 VND (Rs 260). Students in graduation gowns crowd it from May to June. See our Temple of Literature guide and the Temple of Literature timings.

14. Imperial Citadel of Thang Long

The Citadel was the seat of Vietnamese emperors from 1010, when Ly Thai To moved the capital here, and later dynasties kept expanding it. Much of it was lost to wars and centuries of wear, but what remains shows how the royal court built. Highlights are the Doan Mon gate, the Kinh Thien palace steps with their stone dragons, the excavated foundations at 18 Hoang Dieu, and the underground command bunkers used during the American war. UNESCO listed it as a World Heritage Site in 2010. It opens every day from 8 am to 5 pm. Entry is 100,000 VND (Rs 370).

15. Presidential Palace and Ho Chi Minh's Stilt House

The mustard-yellow Presidential Palace was built between 1900 and 1906 for the French governor-general. Ho Chi Minh refused to live in it. Instead he lived in a simple two-room stilt house in the palace gardens beside a carp pond, from 1958 until 1969. You see the palace from outside and walk through the garden, his cars and the stilt house. The path runs straight on from the Mausoleum exit to the One Pillar Pagoda, all within about 300 m. The ticket is about 40,000 VND (Rs 150), and it opens in morning and afternoon sessions, so confirm at the counter.

West Lake and beyond the centre

The last five places spread out to the north and west. West Lake suits a late afternoon. Ethnology, Lotte and the Military History Museum each take a Grab ride from the Old Quarter.

16. West Lake (Ho Tay) and Quan Thanh Temple

West Lake is the largest lake in Hanoi, with a 17 km shoreline around about 500 hectares of water in Tay Ho district. It is free and open around the clock. Most visitors stick to the south-east corner, where Quan Thanh Temple, Truc Bach Lake and Thanh Nien road sit within a 15-minute walk. Quan Thanh is a Taoist temple, one of the four guardian temples of old Thang Long, with a bronze Tran Vu statue cast in 1677. Entry is 10,000 VND (Rs 37). Bicycles are for hire near Tran Quoc if you want to ride the shore. Our West Lake guide maps the cycle loop and sunset spots.

17. Tran Quoc Pagoda

Tran Quoc is the oldest pagoda in Hanoi, founded in the 6th century and moved to its islet in West Lake in 1615. Its 11-storey red stupa is the classic sunset photo. Indian visitors have a personal link to it. The bodhi tree in the courtyard grew from a cutting of the Bodh Gaya tree that President Rajendra Prasad presented in 1959. Entry is free. It opens from 7:30 am, closes for about two hours at midday, and lets the last visitors in around 5:30 pm, so come after 3 pm. Cover your shoulders and knees.

18. Vietnam Museum of Ethnology

The Museum of Ethnology in Cau Giay, about 8 km west of the Old Quarter, explains Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups better than anywhere else in the country. Indoors are costumes, tools and video. The real draw is the outdoor garden, with full-size houses you can climb into, including a Bahnar communal house, a Tay stilt house and an Ede longhouse. It opens 8:30 am to 5:30 pm, is closed on Mondays, and charges 40,000 VND (Rs 150). Give it 2 to 3 hours. Children love it, and it stages short water puppet shows outdoors on many days. Our Hanoi museums guide compares it with the city's other museums.

19. Lotte Observation Deck

The Lotte Center in Ba Dinh is a 65-floor tower with an observation deck on the top floor. The glass-floored Skywalk on the deck lets you stand over the drop. The view takes in West Lake, the Red River and, on a clear evening, the whole city lit up. Adult tickets are about 230,000 VND (Rs 850), and the deck stays open until about 10:30 pm. Go around 5 pm to see the city in daylight and after dark on one ticket. See our Lotte Center guide.

20. Vietnam Military History Museum

The Military History Museum moved in late 2024 from its old site near the flag tower to a large new complex on Thang Long Avenue in Nam Tu Liem. Indoor halls run from the early dynasties to 1975. Outside stand fighter jets, tanks and artillery from the wars. It has charged 40,000 VND (Rs 150) since April 2025, opens in morning and afternoon sessions, and is closed on Mondays and Fridays. It is about 30 minutes by Grab from the Old Quarter, so pair it with the Museum of Ethnology on the same day.

Day trips from Hanoi

These are not in the count of 20, but most first-time visitors add at least one, and Ha Long Bay is the usual pairing.

Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO site with 1,969 limestone islands. A day trip works, but an overnight cruise lets you see the bay at sunrise, when the day boats have gone. Browse Ha Long Bay tour packages.

Ninh Binh is often called Ha Long Bay on land. Trang An, also on the UNESCO list since 2014, has 2 to 3 hour rowing-boat trips through caves, and Tam Coc is the quieter fallback. See Ninh Binh tour packages and our Trang An guide.

Bat Trang has fired pottery for at least 500 years. City bus 47A runs from the Long Bien bus point for 7,000 to 10,000 VND (Rs 26 to Rs 37).

Free places to visit in Hanoi

You can spend a full day in Hanoi without buying a single ticket. These are free.

• Hoan Kiem Lake, The Huc Bridge from the shore, and the weekend walking street

• The Old Quarter, Bach Ma Temple (donation box) and the Friday to Sunday night market

• Dong Xuan Market

• Train Street (you pay only for your drink)

• Long Bien Bridge

• St Joseph's Cathedral and the square in front

• The Opera House facade and Trang Tien street

• The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and the One Pillar Pagoda

• West Lake, Truc Bach and Tran Quoc Pagoda

Hanoi at night and with kids

Hanoi's best evenings are out on the street. From Friday to Sunday, the lake becomes a walking street with folk games and live bands, and the night market runs north from Hang Dao. Long Bien Bridge, the lit-up Opera House facade and the view from the Lotte deck are the calm options. For bia hoi corners, rooftop bars and jazz, read our Hanoi nightlife guide.

With children, plan around four places: the 6:30 pm water puppet show, the outdoor houses at the Museum of Ethnology, a cycle along West Lake, and the Lotte Skywalk. The Hoan Kiem walking street on a weekend evening, with skipping ropes and street dancers, is the best free evening for families. The Mausoleum is fine for older children who can stay quiet in a line, but skip it with toddlers.

How many days in Hanoi? 1, 2 and 3 day routes

Two full days cover the city's main places to visit, and three let you add a day trip. Group your days by zone so you never cross town twice.

If your day 1 lands on a Monday or Friday, swap the Ba Dinh morning with the Old Quarter one, because the Mausoleum is shut on both days. Our Hanoi tour packages build these routes into 3 to 5 night trips with hotels, transfers and a Ha Long cruise.

Getting around between sights

The Hoan Kiem, Old Quarter and French Quarter places are a walk from each other. For Ba Dinh, West Lake and the outer museums, use Grab, Be or Xanh SM, which show the fare before you book.

Cross the road at a slow, steady pace and let the motorbikes flow around you. Stopping suddenly is what causes accidents.

Tips for Indian travellers

Getting there. Nonstop flights reach Hanoi's Noi Bai airport from Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore in about 4 to 5 hours, and Hanoi runs 1 hour 30 minutes ahead of India. See our guides for flights from Delhi, from Mumbai and from Bangalore, or the full how to reach Hanoi page. Indians need an e-visa, applied for online (see Vietnam visa for Indians). Noi Bai is also on the Digital Arrival Card list, so fill in the free form within three days before you land and treat it as required.

Money. Gate counters and street stalls take cash only. Carry 10,000, 20,000 and 50,000 VND notes, because small vendors cannot change a 500,000 note. Rs 1,000 is about 270,000 VND, which covers the Temple of Literature, the Citadel, Hoa Lo and Ngoc Son with change to spare.

Food. Ask for "chay" (vegetarian) at any stall, and look for the Buddhist vegetarian restaurants around Hoan Kiem Lake. Namaste Hanoi on Tho Nhuom has a long vegetarian menu; call ahead if you need Jain food. Our Indian restaurants in Vietnam guide lists more.

Dress. Cover knees and shoulders for the Mausoleum, the Temple of Literature and the pagodas. A light scarf in your day bag solves it.

When to go. October to December is the best time, with highs under 27 °C by November and little rain. May to September is hot and wet. Read our best time to visit Hanoi guide for month-by-month detail.

How we checked this page: our Vietnam desk checked every entry fee, opening hour and closure on this page against the official sites of the Thang Long Imperial Citadel and the Mausoleum Command, Vietnam News, Tuoi Tre and 2026 ticket listings in November 2026. Where a counter publishes no official price, the table says "about".

Beyond sightseeing

Places are only half of a Hanoi trip. For cooking classes, food walks, cycling and cruises, read our list of things to do in Hanoi. Our Hanoi street food guide says what to order where, from bun cha to egg coffee. If Hanoi is one stop on a longer trip, the places to visit in Vietnam hub covers Ha Long, Hoi An, Hue and Ho Chi Minh City.

Edited by TravelTriangle