After spending weeks exploring more of Korea, the adventures continued in a brand new country for me, Vietnam! #51 that I have been to, achieved in December of 2025. It was about a four hour flight from Busan to Hanoi, a relatively cheap one on Vietjet Airlines. It’s a budge airline so just be sure to pack your own snacks and drinks, but otherwise was a comfortable ride.
Once you land in Vietnam, call yourself a Grab (the Uber of Asia) and enjoy the wild ride — watching the traffic in Vietnam is an experience all in itself!
Hanoi Luxury Budget Accommodation
May de Ville Corner Hotel
A nice, simple hotel with a great breakfast buffet, rooftop pool, and comfortable rooms is the May de Ville in Hanoi. There are several locations, we opted for the Corner one, as it was close to a lot of the attractions but just outside enough to feel more local and less crazy than the Old Town. My only complaint is that the walls were quite thin, you could hear chatter in the hallway and other doors closing even if the people weren’t slamming them, so the earplugs they provided were helpful. And the price was right — this hotel was only about $50 a night!
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
Home to the embalmed body of the leader Ho Chi Minh, this mausoleum is an interesting visit while in Hanoi. It’s free to the public, and open every day except Monday and Wednesday, and note that it does close fairly early so it’s something to do first thing in the morning if you’re interested. While the massive lines for this may seem intimidating, they move very quickly and in an organized fashion. No photos of the body are allowed, and you must keep moving, walking past in an orderly way. I did find it sad that Ho Chi Minh explicitly asked to be cremated in his will, but his body was embalmed against his wishes.
It’s not a museum in the sense with much to read about, so I would recommend learning more about the history of Ho Chi Minh and his political achievements and significance in Vietnam. Also — note that the mausoleum is closed during certain months of the year, as the body has to be preserved and maintained, and is sent to Russia for special procedures to do so.
Imperial Citadel
After the Mausoleum, head to the Imperial Citadel, which is walkable and essentially within the same park area in the city center. It’s home to many buildings, dating back to 1010, all of various significance in Vietnam’s history. It was mostly an important military site, but some of the buildings served as royal residences. Take some time to wander around and check out various mini museums with artifact displays that are around the park.
See the Water Puppet Show
I had never heard of water puppets before, and this show was a cool cultural experience to enjoy in Hanoi! Get your tickets early as they can sell out, the Thang Long water puppet theater is fairly small and it’s a popular, top-rated thing to do in Hanoi. It’s all in Vietnamese, but the live music with singers and the ornately decorated (and maneuvered) water puppets was a really cool experience and story to observe, even if you don’t fully understand what is going on. Definitely worth it!
Den Ngon Son Temple & Ho Hoan Kiáşżm Lake
Sitting on the edge of the “Old Town” part of Hanoi is Hoan Kiem Lake, known for its spiritual significance for the city and is home to various temples along the shore. Unfortunately while we were in Hanoi, the pollution levels were remarkably bad, so all my photos are fairly hazy. The lake was nonetheless a good focal point and place to check out, and the Den Ngon Son temple (take the red bridge to access) was definitely worth a walk around. I really enjoy seeing different buddhist temples and this one was beautifully ornate. You can also learn about the special Hoan Kiem turtle, a species of the lake that went extinct in 2016.
Tran Quoc Pagoda
Another pagoda worth a visit and a wander, the Tran Quoc is located a short 10 minute grab bike ride from the old quarter of Hanoi. Make sure you dress appropriately – no showing shoulders or knees allowed, but there will be vendors selling scarves and sarongs to cover up outside the temple if you forget. I really enjoyed this one, there were many cool shrines to check out and it was very peaceful despite being right near busy roads in the city.
Hoa Lo Prison
An infamous prison, built for Vietnamese political prisoners during French occupation, and later used for American POWs during the war, this museum is a must see for anyone interested in the somber history of Vietnam. It’s quite sad and striking — the French were brutal to the Vietnamese people who fought for their independence, and learning more about American POWs who were held here, including John McCain, was also sobering. It’s a bit of an embarrassing reality to be an American in Vietnam; I felt a lot of guilt for what these people suffered at the behest of my government, even though it happened long before I was ever born. The tour of the prison is absolutely worth it, just note it’s something to take your time and realize it’s important, but sad.
Hanoi Train Street
While a bit of a tourist trap, the iconic Hanoi train street is still worth a visit. Grab a drink at a local cafe about 10 minutes before the train’s scheduled passing, and sit and enjoy the atmosphere. The train passed way faster than I expected — I can see why they’ve had issues with tourists putting themselves in dangerous conditions. It’s not a slow, puttering locomotive. Check the schedule beforehand and just be aware that every cafe worker will be trying to pull you in — I picked a spot at the start of the street where the woman was very nice and not too pushy.
Eating & Drinking in Hanoi
Food Must Do in Hanoi — Hanoi Street Food Tour
I love a food tour, and this one in Hanoi was excellent! Our guide, Apple, was super kind and knowledgeable about the cuisine of Vietnam, cultural significance of different dishes, and would explain how different foods were made. We tried a bunch of different delicious items — Bahn Mi, Bun Cha, coconut ice cream with pandan sticky rice, Vietnamese egg coffee, and more. Even tried a more “intense” dish — Chả rươi, or a sandworm omelet! Book a tour with Hanoi Street Food Tour — they can cater to vegetarians and vegans if needed, and it’s just such a wonderful way to learn more from a local, try a bunch of great food, and explore a city.
Luk Lak
An award-winning Vietnamese spot, Luk Lak is an elegant space to enjoy a delicious Vietnamese dinner in Hanoi. While it’s far fancier than street food, the price is still very affordable. I had the bun cha and it was delicious. It’s also a nice, quiet and calm space, great if you’re traveling with people who need a break from bustling street vendors and crowded outdoor seating areas. Luk Lak has been featured in the Michelin Guide, and was a great dining experience in Hanoi.
Egg Coffee at Cafe Giang
No trip to Vietnam is complete without trying an egg coffee – coffee topped with whipped egg yolks and sugar. It’s creamy and delicious, and a staple in Vietnam. The coffee here is super strong, too. Robusta beans are the standard, and they pack a higher caffeine content. Cafe Giang is said to be the original spot for this drink — started in 1946 when milk was scarce. It is a must-try, and the old cafe is an awesome spot to visit. Even during the busy morning rush we were able to find a tiny table and stools to sit at to enjoy our coffees. They also have matcha and other styles of Vietnamese coffee here.
Vietnamese Coffee at Cafe Dinh
Another top spot for Vietnamese coffee is Cafe Dinh, a super rustic cafe in the old town of Hanoi. Here, I had the Vietnamese coffee with sweetened condensed milk – Ca Phe Sua, on ice. It’s sweet, it’s strong, it’s delicious and the idea way to power up in the early afternoon when you’ve been walking around and exploring the city. Cafe Dinh is very close to the Water Puppet Show theater, so you can enjoy a drink here before heading for your scheduled showtime.
Phở Thìn
We ate a ton of good pho, basically any side street vendor in Hanoi will serve you up a delicious bowl of broth and noodles, but this spot gets an honorable mention just for the overall experience. Behold the huge vats of pho at the entrance, with a gangster-like cashier taking in handfuls of Dong cash, and a man with bulging biceps stirring it up, ladling huge scoops of broth for hungry customers. This spot is located outside the old city, in a more residential “local” area of Hanoi, and is 100% worth a visit. The broth is rich, almost oily, with chunks of beef and tons of noodles. Don’t miss out. It’s very close to the May de Ville Corner Hotel, and if we were staying longer in Hanoi, we would’ve absolutely come back for another meal.
Hanoi was a really wonderful city to explore and a great introduction to Vietnam. After exploring for a few days, we were off on our 2-day 1-night boat trip in Ha Long Bay, and you can read my review of that here.
Tell me your favorite things you’ve done in Hanoi that I missed in the comments — I already can’t wait to get back to Vietnam.