Talking about best places to visit in Hanoi, Vietnam, the fame of this S-shaped country as a tourist destination seems to get better every year, helping the country acquire a mainstream appeal. Vietnam, truly a jewel for visitors, is bestowed with many attractions to keep tourists glued to its beauty. Vietnam with its diverse landscapes can meet with the taste of almost every tourist easily.
A popular, must-see destination when planning for Vietnam holidays is Hanoi, the country’s rich capital. Hanoi houses a host of tourist highlights to help people get attracted easily to this place. A short Hanoi day tour is recommended for your vacation in Vietnam. We’ll show you the best places to visit in Hanoi when traveling to Vietnam in 2024 – 2025.
Discover Vietnam’s treasure in Hanoi
Read more:
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- Hanoi Nightlife – Top 4 things to do in Hanoi at night
- Top 3 must-see cultural museums in Hanoi
Why Hanoi?
As a highlight of your vacation to Northern Vietnam, Hanoi is a must-see place if you wish to get drenched in a cultural experience that’s rich and amazing. Hanoi packs everything from old monuments to historical masterpieces to lush, green parks and a well-appointed zoo. It’s a place where you can be kept busy for days together without having any time to get bored. This one’s simply a French-colonial city with lakes, scenic location and much more, which can be experienced only when here in-person.
Places to visit in Hanoi
Ten places, which you must visit when in this cultural capital of Vietnam, are
1. Get carried away at the Hoan Kiem Lake
- Hoan Kiem Lake
Often referred as the Lake of the Restored Sword, it’s a masterpiece of Hanoi’s culture and history which people just flock around to feel amazed. Hoan Kiem lake is one of the best places to visit in Hanoi, Vietnam.
2. Have rendezvous with the most picturesque place in Hanoi, Temple of Literature
- Temple of Literature
Originally constructed as a university in 1070, it depicts true Vietnamese style in a traditionally crafted architecture. Visiting this place will help you see a number of sites including the Well of Heavenly Clarity, pavilions, turtle steles, passageways, courtyards and more. Also, here many historical buildings can be discovered and the place has now become a memorial to literature and education.
3. See the Old Hanoi at the Old Quarter
- Hanoi Old Quarter
The place is an architectural glimpse of the Old Hanoi. The area is known for its merchants and artisans including silk shops and more. One can have local cuisines specialties here and there is even a night market in the heart of this place that can help you shop for clothes, food, souvenirs and more.
4. Travel time at the Hanoi Opera House
- Hanoi Opera House
Also famous as the Hanoi Opera House, here you can see French influence in design and construction which finished constructing in 1911. It’s a place which stands as a witness to the Revolution of Hanoi and can take you away to almost 100 years back’s, to bystander architectural excellence at its best. It’s a true copy of the Palais Garnier in Paris.
5. Get a glimpse of Buddhism at Tran Quoc Pagoda
- Tran Quoc Pagoda
Oldest Pagoda in Vietnam, it dates back to 1842 and is a symbol of Buddhism in the country. This is a place that offers amazing views and a great ambience to every visitor.
6. Hanoi Hilton: a museum that veils Hanoi’s past
- Hilton Hanoi Opera
Hanoi Hilton is a colloquial term denoting a notorious place that was used by French and then by North Vietnamese to torture and keep the prisoners. John McCain was a notable, long-time prisoner here and today a part of this serves as a museum for tourists.
7. See a place associated with many legends: West Lake
West Lake
The legend of Golden Buffalo is the most popular legend associated with the West Lake, which is the largest lake in Hanoi. It’s also known as Ho Tay and is situated in the northwest part of Hanoi.
8. Know more about Uncle Ho at Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
In front of Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
This Granite building holds a great significance for all those people who wish their beloved leader to live on forever. The remains of Uncle Ho here are kept very preserved and well-organized, security here is tight and appropriate dressing is a must in order to show respect for this great person. The remains are sent to Russia for maintenance, it’s thus advised to recheck before visiting to ensure that the Mausoleum is open to tourists.
9. See a remarkable landmark of Hanoi at The Presidential Palace
- The Presidential Palace
The Presidential Palace is a place where Ho Chi Minh refused to stay and was constructed by the French at the turn of the last century in an Italian Renaissance style. Today this acts like a government house and a small fee is charged to walk through the grounds here.
10. Seek good luck at the Perfume Pagoda
- Perfume Pagoda
Also, referred as the inner temple or Chua Huong, here you can see not few but many pagodas, each offering a different shrine mostly Buddhist. The Perfume Pagoda is for visitors looking for good luck from the stalactites and stalagmites inside the cave.
The bottom line
So, see history, culture and get drenched in beauty that’s unexplored when at Hanoi and do not forget to include this city and its best places to visit on your itinerary whenever planning Vietnam tours.
