One of the world’s great travel bargains, Hanoi offers a fascinating mix of colonial French and modern Vietnamese at prices that are hard to believe.
The capital of Vietnam is still far more traditional than the larger Saigon in the south. There aren’t a lot of must-see sites, but the pleasant (though chaotic) city center makes up for that, with excellent food and drink at very low prices.
Attractions cost almost nothing by Western standards, so your sightseeing budget goes a long way. As long as you avoid an organized bus tour then you can get by on a tiny budget. The popular overnight trips to Halong Bay and multi-day trips to Sapa can range in price greatly, and often the cheap versions are great, though it’s always a bit of a crap-shoot.
| Population | 6,500,000 |
| Area | 6,500,000 |
| Timezone | UTC+7 |
| Currency | Vietnam Dong |
| Airports | Noi Bai International (HAN) |
Most of the cheaper hotels are right in the Old City, and more up-market hotels tend to be in the nicer suburbs to the south and west. Standards are higher than you might expect, and many places have free Wi-Fi in the lobby or even in all the rooms.
The high season tends to be during the pleasant winter months, but the city also gets busy during summer vacation season. Generally speaking, hotel prices don’t change too much from one season to the next. You might save $5 per night in low season at budget places, and a bit more at 3-star and up hotels.
| Rating | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
 | 7.00 - 25.00 |
| 13.00 - 32.00 |
| 17.00 - 55.00 |
| 33.00 - 79.00 |
| 90.00 - 123.00 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Hostel Bed | 3.00 - 8.00 |
Hanoi has several interesting attractions relating to what they call the “American War” and they are all worth a visit.
The Water Puppet Show is an extremely popular show that is unique to Hanoi.
The embalmed body of Ho Chi Minh is another very popular attraction among Vietnamese and tourists alike.
Walking tours of central Hanoi are highly recommended as the area is compact enough to be able to see a lot and buses aren’t allowed in many places.
Bus tours of Hanoi can still be worthwhile, especially when included as part of a Ha Long Bay cruise.
| Location | Description | Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hoa Lo Prison (Hanoi Hilton) | This French-built prison is where John McCain, among others, did time during the Vietnam/American war. | Adults | 1.18 |
| Water Puppet Theater | This one-hour show is one of the city's top attractions. | Adults Child | 3.93 2.36 |
| Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (free) | See the great leader's preserved body while walking through this popular tomb. There is no fee. | Everyone | 0.00 |
Local food is extremely cheap by most standards, with full meals in tourist restaurants usually costing between US$2 and 3, with cold beer adding around $1 each. Other alcohol is more expensive, but still cheap compared to most places.
| Food Type | Description | Price(USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Budget breakfast | Pho (noodle soup) is cheap and everywhere for breakfast, but many Western options are available. | 1.26 - 2.36 |
| Budget lunch | Local Vietnamese specialties are cheapest | 2.16 - 3.93 |
| Budget dinner | Food at street stalls is cheap, but these prices are for sit-down restaurants | 3.93 - 6.88 |
| Bia hoi (fresh local beer) | The cheapest beer in the world has around 3% alcohol and tastes watery, but refreshing | 0.28 - 0.39 |
| Large bottled beer | Tiger, Hanoi, Saigon (all good lagers) | 0.79 - 1.10 |
| Bowl of pho soup | The most popular dish in the city, available everywhere around the clock | 0.79 - 1.26 |
| Fast food meal | Burger, fries, and soft drink at Lotteria chain | 2.36 |
| Vodka (.75L bottle) | Vodka Hanoi is one of the better local vodkas and it's easy to find in several sizes. It's good stuff and much cheaper than foreign brands. | 2.36 - 3.54 |
| Bahn Mi (Baguette sandwich) | A great and cheap meal is a large baguette filled with some fresh cheese or pate or fried egg plus veggies, which can be found street-side all over Hanoi. | 0.87 - 1.18 |
| Fresh fruit shake | Banana, mango, and many more fresh fruits are made into shakes and on every menu. | 0.79 - 1.10 |
| Type | Price(USD) |
|---|---|
| Taxi from airport to city center | 12.78 - 18.49 |
| Vietnam Airlines airport shuttle | 1.57 |
| 3km taxi ride in Hanoi | 1.81 - 2.75 |
| 3km moto-taxi ride in Hanoi | 1.44 - 1.65 |
Most visitors will fly into Noi Bai International Airport (HAN), which has well-priced connections from all over Asia. Shuttle buses from the airport into the city center are reasonably priced. Vietnam Airlines runs popular shuttle buses from the airport to their office in the city, and taxis from there are cheap.
Hanoi is also the northern terminus of the popular train line that connects the city with Saigon. It takes more than a full day to go between the two huge cities so most people stop at least once in between. Hoi An, which is near the Danang stop, is the highlight of Vietnam for many visitors and it’s close to the center between the other two.
Hanoi is a great walking city as long as you are staying in or near the Old Town center.
Motorbike taxis called ‘Xe Oms’ are a cheap way to get one person quickly across town if you are a bit of a thrill-seeker.
Normal taxis are also reasonably priced and are a better option for groups and those who are squeamish about riding pillion with someone who speaks almost no English.
| Month | High F | Low F | Precip (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 66 | 58 | 0.8 |
| February | 67 | 60 | 1.2 |
| March | 72 | 65 | 1.6 |
| April | 80 | 71 | 3.2 |
| May | 87 | 77 | 7.7 |
| June | 90 | 80 | 9.5 |
| July | 90 | 80 | 12.6 |
| August | 89 | 80 | 13.4 |
| September | 88 | 78 | 10 |
| October | 82 | 73 | 3.9 |
| November | 76 | 66 | 1.6 |
| December | 71 | 60 | 0.8 |
It’s nearly always humid in Hanoi, but of course that doesn’t matter much during the cooler winter months. Temperatures and conditions can vary drastically from one day to the next, especially during winter. Even the so-called “dry” season is usually fairly humid, though it doesn’t rain much, and during the “wet” months starting in June it can rain buckets and cause local flooding.
| 21 Mar | 6:00am | 6:08pm |
| 21 Jun | 5:16am | 6:41pm |
| 21 Sep | 5:45am | 5:54pm |
| 21 Dec | 6:49am | 5:20pm |