Introduction
Hanoi is one of Asia’s most visually exciting cities. Its packed streets are also some of Asia's craziest. Watch your step as you negotiate the motorbikes and cars. Stop to look above and around the fray. Wander down alleys. You'll discover the real draw of Vietnam's capital - a frenetic clash of old and new that plays out along narrow lanes and tree lined boulevards peppered with fading temples and relics of French empire. Don't limit yourself to the Old Quarter - we reckon the streets of Ba Dinh District and the French Quarter are the best. Vietnam's capital is home to the country's best museums and some of its most important monuments too - Hanoi Citadel deserves special mention.
Our handpicked list of the best things to do in Hanoi was updated in August 2019.