Excursions
Places to explore
Hanoi Highlights
Old Quarter + Hoan Kiem Lake
Entry fee: Free
Time needed: 3–4 hours
Things to do: Explore 36 old streets, Try street food, Night market
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum & Ba Dinh Complex
Entry fee: Free (Mausoleum), 40,000–80,000 VND (Museum & House-on-stilts)
Time needed: 2–3 hours
Things to do: Visit the Mausoleum, museum, Presidential Palace grounds, photo spots
Temple of Literature (Văn Miếu – Quốc Tử Giám)
Entry fee: ~30,000 VND
Time needed: 1.5–2 hours
Things to do: Explore Vietnam’s first university, enjoy peaceful gardens, joining activities about calligraphy art
Hoa Lo Prison Museum ("Hanoi Hilton")
Entry fee: ~50,000 VND
Time needed: 1–1.5 hours
Things to do: French colonial history & Vietnam War stories, join “Sacred Night” tour (with extra fee)
Water Puppet Show (Recommended Cultural Experience)
Entry fee: 120,000–200,000 VND
Time needed: 50–60 minutes
Venue: Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre, 57 Dinh Tien Hoang Street, near Hoan Kiem Lake
Things to do: Enjoy Vietnam’s unique traditional water puppet performance; Watch stories about rural life, legends, and festivals
Thang Long Imperial Citadel (UNESCO Heritage)
Entry fee: ~30,000 VND
Time needed: 2 hours
Things to do: Explore archaeological sites, D67 bunker, royal relics
Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
Entry fee: ~40,000 VND
Time needed: 2–3 hours
Things to do: Visit indoor and outdoor exhibitions of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic groups
Bat Trang Pottery Village (15 km from Hanoi)
Entry fee: Free; workshop 40,000–80,000 VND
Time needed: 6–8 hours (full day)
Things to do: Pottery classes, visit Pottery Museum, shop ceramics
Surrounding Areas (Day Trips & Overnight Trips)
Ninh Binh (UNESCO Landscape)
Prices
Bus Hanoi - Ninh Binh: 150,000 - 200,000
Trang An Boat Ride: 250,000 VND
Mua Cave: 100,000 VND
Bai Dinh Pagoda: 30,000–60,000 VND
Hoa Lu Ancient Capital: 20,000 VND
Time: Full day (1.5–2 hours drive)
Activities: Boat tour, viewpoint hike, pagoda tour, rural cycling
Ha Long Bay (UNESCO Heritage)
Prices
Bus Hanoi - Ha Long: 250,000 - 300,000 VND
Day cruise: 500,000–700,000 VND
Overnight cruise: 2,500,000–5,000,000+ VND
Sun World Park: 300,000–500,000 VND
Time: Full day or 2D1N
Activities: Cave visits, kayaking, swimming, sunset deck.
Foods to enjoy
Phở (Vietnamese Noodle Soup)
Price: 50,000–80,000 VND
Where to try:
Phở Thìn Bờ Hồ (61 Đinh Tiên Hoàng) – famous smoky-style broth
Phở 10 Lý Quốc Sư (multiple branches) – clean, consistent flavor
Bún Chả (Grilled Pork with Noodles)
Price: 50,000–70,000 VND
Where to try:
Bún Chả Hương Liên (24 Lê Văn Hưu) – “Obama Combo”
Bún Chả Đắc Kim (1 Hàng Mành)
Bánh Mì (Vietnamese Baguette Sandwich)
Price: 25,000–40,000 VND
Where to try:
Bánh Mì 25 (25 Hàng Cá)
Bánh Mì P (12 Hàng Buồm)
Bún Bò Nam Bộ (Southern-Style Beef Noodles)
Price: 60,000–80,000 VND
Where to try:
Bún Bò Nam Bộ Bách Phương (73-75 Hàng Điếu) – authentic & reliable
Chả Cá Lã Vọng (Turmeric Dill Fish)
Price: 150,000–250,000 VND per person
Where to try:
Chả Cá Lã Vọng (14 Chả Cá Street) – original shop
Chả Cá Thăng Long (multiple locations) – more affordable
Xôi Xéo (Sticky Rice with Mung Bean & Fried Shallots)
Price: 20,000–40,000 VND
Where to try:
Xôi Yến (35B Nguyễn Hữu Huân) – most famous in Hanoi
Xôi Cát Lâm – late-night favorite
Bún Thang (Hanoi Chicken Noodle Soup)
Price: 40,000–60,000 VND
Where to try:
Bún Thang Bà Đức (48 Cầu Gỗ)
Bún Thang Hàng Hòm (16 Hàng Hòm)
Bánh Cuốn (Steamed Rice Rolls)
Price: 30,000–45,000 VND
Where to try:
Bánh Cuốn Gia An (chain) – famous for quality
Bánh Cuốn Bà Hoành (66 Tô Hiến Thành)
Egg Coffee (Cà Phê Trứng)
Price: 30,000–50,000 VND
Where to try:
Café Giảng (39 Nguyễn Hữu Huân) – original inventor
Đinh Café (13 Đinh Tiên Hoàng) – lakeside view
Vegan & Vegetarian Restaurants
Price: 50,000–80,000 VND
Where to try:
Uu Dam Chay (34 Hàng Bài) – upscale, beautifully decorated
Loving Hut (various locations) – affordable
Minh Chay – creative vegan version of Vietnamese classics
Vegito (Hà Nội) – cozy & local-friendly
Vietnamese Currency
The official currency of Vietnam is the Vietnamese đồng (VND)
Commonly used banknotes include: 1,000 – 2,000 – 5,000 – 10,000 – 20,000 – 50,000 – 100,000 – 200,000 – 500,000 VND Credit cards (Visa, Mastercard) are widely accepted in hotels and large shops, but smaller stores and local markets typically prefer cash or Internet Banking (QR code). ATMs are widely available throughout Hanoi. Currency exchange services are available at NOI BAI Airport, major banks, and licensed exchange counters in the city.
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