Accordingly, travellers coming to this S-shaped country cannot ignore Ha Noi and a chance to explore every corner of the northern city, where street vendors are full with local specialties, the cafés and restaurants are vibrant, contemporary scenes. Ha Noi offers visitors numerous sightseeing ideas and attractions to reflect on the great history of Vietnam such as the Temple of Literature and Vietnam Museum of Ethnology. At the end of the day, simply chilling by Hoan Kiem Lake, having a moment of shimmering light of dawn embraces the city.

1. Explore Ha Noi Old Town Quarter

While paying a visit to the capital of Vietnam, visitors would prefer to stroll around the Old Quarter of Ha Noi. “This labyrinthine quarter of narrow alleys is the commercial heartbeat of town and has a history that stretches back 1,000 years”. The backstreets here are a great opportunity to soak up the buzz of Ha Noi street life.

PlanetWare further mentioned St. Joseph's Cathedral (Nha Tho Street), a relic of French Colonial rule, located right in the heart of the old quarter. The Cathedral was built in 1886 in neo-Gothic architectural style.

Feeling hungry after the street wondrous? There are plenty of street food and pavement vendors selling fruits and vegetables awaiting visitors to have a taste.

2. Stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake

Hoan Kiem Lake is one of the well-known spots in the capital of Vietnam, located on the southern edge of the old town quarter. Some famous scenic spots that attract the most attention from tourists can be named Ngoc Son Temple via The Huc red bridge, Turtle Tower, etc.

3. Admire the Temple of Literature

Heading down to the west, visitors can pay a visit to the Temple of Literature, considered as the first university of Vietnam. Located to the south of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, Temple of Literature was founded in 1070, almost 1000 years ago, by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong. It is one of several temples in Vietnam which worship Confucius, sages and scholars.

4. Visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum has long been considered as the first place to come for the first time travellers to Ha Noi thanks to its tremendous historical value. Located on the large Ba Dinh Square, this building is one of the most important sights in the country. Vietnamese people come there to pay respect to the Greatest President and the beloved Father of the nation.

The planetware also introduces within the complex, it is the Ho Chi Minh Museum, which has an eclectic collection containing Ho Chi Minh's personal memorabilia as well as plenty of information on the history of the Vietnamese Revolution. Besides, worth a visit is the stilt house, once home to Ho Chi Minh, which is excellently preserved, and the One Pillar Pagoda, a reconstruction from the original 11th century. 

5. See the Exhibits inside the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology

This is a perfect spot for museum fans and history lovers. The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in Ha Noi preserve and display many cultural artefacts of 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam including traditional costumes, jewellery, daily utensils, ritual artefacts or intangible cultural values.

In the outdoor area, the museum recreates typical works of ethnic minorities such as the communal house of the Ba Na people, the long house of the Ede people, the stilt house of the Tay people…

6. Visit Hoa Lo Prison Museum

After over 120 years since the construction, Hoa Lo Prison has been preserved, restored and embellished to become a place to visit with historical significance, and at the same time a place to educate about patriotism, revolutionary tradition and national pride. Visitors will experience images that recreate the reality that political prisoners have suffered during their incarceration. Recently, Hoa Lo Prison launched a night tour of Hoa Lo Prison museum allowing a peek into its horrific historic stories and highlighting the resilience and fighting spirit of Vietnamese soldiers.

7. Watch a Show at the Water Puppet Theatre

One of the famous traditional Vietnamese art forms that visitors should enjoy at least once is a water puppetry show. This traditional art form first evolved in Vietnam's rural areas during the months of the monsoon paddy field flooding.

Coming to the Water Puppet Theatre, audiences immerse to the large pool of water stage with water-spitting dragons, fireworks and a soundtrack of traditional Vietnamese music.

Address: Dinh Tien Hoang Street, Ha Noi

8. Explore the Imperial Citadel

Ha Noi's Imperial Citadel area achieved UNESCO World Heritage Site recognition in 2010 for its long role in Ha Noi's past, with the culture and history of over 1,000 years as a power centre, preserving architectural works and diversification of valuable relics and antiquities.

Been through ups and downs, most of the architecture of the Imperial Citadel has been preserved and restored on the old ruins. This is not only a place to preserve the antiquities of the ancient dynasties, but also a place to preserve the cultural values and long history of the nation. The “Deciphering Thang Long Imperial Citadel” night tour is a new and attractive tourism product for visitors who want to have a different experience of the relic by visiting it at night.

Address: Hoang Dieu Street

9. Boat Trip to the Perfume Pagoda Complex

The Perfume Pagoda Complex is considered as an important place of pilgrimage for Vietnamese visitors. It is set on the slopes and cliff tops of Huong Tich Mountain, this Buddhist temple complex (also known as Huong Pagoda or Perfume Pagoda) with several pagodas. To access the Pagoda, visitors must take a one-hour boat ride on a river rimmed with lush karst mountain scenery all along the way to Huong Tich Mountain, then take a cable car to admire aerial views from above or hike up the slopes.

Address: located in Huong Son Commune, My Duc District, 60-kilometer south from the city-centre of Ha Noi

10. View Vietnam Military History Museum

Located in Dien Bien Phu Street, one of the main streets of Ha Noi, the Military History Museum displays an eclectic mix of weaponry and military machines including downed French and US planes, tanks, and a Soviet MiG fighter plane.

Inside the building is a huge amount of documents, pictures and artefacts about Vietnam's military history through each period along with exhibits of weaponry, which will be of interest to those with a penchant for Vietnam's 20th century history.

11. Visit Vietnam Fine Art Museum

Art lovers and museum fans should not miss this place, affirmed Planet Ware. The museum holds a collection of Vietnamese artistry from the prehistoric age right up to the country's contemporary artists. The treasures on permanent display here include prehistoric art - early history, applied art, folk art, contemporary art, artistic ceramics…

In addition, the museum's archives also have a number of carefully stored and preserved artefacts such as sculptures, paintings, ceramics, traditional and foreign art collections…

Address: Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Ha Noi

12. Take in the City Views at West Lake

The West Lake is the largest lake in Ha Noi, with 15km of shoreline. Local people coming here to exercise or simply cycling around the shore ring.

There are 2 famous temples in the vicinity where attract a lot of people to visit and worship, Tay Ho Temple dedicated to the mother goddess and Tran Quoc Pagoda is one of the oldest still-standing temples in Vietnam.

For most visitors, West Lake is a fantastic place to get a skyline view of Ha Noi while having a feast on fresh seafood at one of the many restaurants that sit close to the shore.

13. Admire Hanoi's Memorial House

To satisfy the curiosity of locals’ daily life, pay a visit to Ma May ancient house. The house has been preserved and embellished to serve as a place to visit, to exhibit, to introduce the cultural beauties of the old town, and to provide information about Ha Noi's history.

The house has plenty of traditional architectural features, set between courtyards to give outdoor space and set out according to the ancient tradition of feng shui, which allows good energy flow into the house, described by PlanetWare.

The Ma May ancient house is open daily for visitors. On weekends, visitors can enjoy Tru singing performed by Thang Long parish.

Address: Ma May Street

14. Day Trip to Co Loa Citadel

16 kilometres northeast of central Ha Noi, Co Loa Citadel is a great place for a day trip. It is one of the most important archaeological sites in the surrounding area and has been a site of habitation since the Bronze Age. It was once the capital to the northern Vietnamese Kingdom of Au Lac in the 3rd Century BCE. Currently, in the Co Loa relic site, many historical, architectural and artistic relics are preserved such as the Thuong (Upper) Temple worshipping An Duong Vuong, My Chau Temple, Co Loa Pagoda, Co Loa Communal House… Besides, in the temples, there are many archaeological artefacts such as bronze statues, bronze arrows, finely carved porcelain items.

15. Shop in the Artisan Villages of Ha Noi's Hinterland

There are countless craft villages on the outskirts of Ha Noi that visitors can pass by and have a look. For those who are looking for unique souvenirs, traditional craft villages are perfect places to come.

For silk products, head to the village of Van Phuc, 10 kilometres southwest from central Ha Noi. The silk clothing and accessories for sale in the shops here are all produced by Van Phuc's many weavers.

About 16 kilometres southeast of the central city, here lies Bat Trang Pottery Village. Visitors can find plenty of ceramic products here but at cheaper prices.

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