1. The Most “Romantic” Time

Autumn (August – November): This is when Hanoi is breathtakingly beautiful. The sky is clear blue, the cool autumn breeze, the fragrant milk flower scent, and the yellow leaves falling all over the streets. This is the ideal season for you to stroll around the city.

Spring (March – April): Warm weather, light drizzle makes everything sprout and flourish. The streets seem to wear new clothes with blooming flowers, creating a very youthful vitality.

2. Transportation

As the “heart” of the country, you can reach Hanoi by any means. To explore the inner city, try these delightful experiences:

• Rickshaw or Vintage Vespa: Slowly enjoy the view of 36 streets through mossy alleys.
• Double-decker bus: A new perspective from above to overview historical sites with flexible ticket prices from 130,000 VND.
• Motorbike/Bicycle: For those who want to weave through every corner of the Capital on their own.

3. Secure Accommodation

Hanoi boasts a diverse accommodation system, from “backpacker” dorms in the old quarter to luxurious 5-star hotels with Indochinese architecture.

Pho

Coming to Hanoi, you cannot miss pho, especially beef pho, which usually has two main types: cooked and rare. Cooked beef consists of beef pieces boiled in broth, while rare beef is thinly sliced meat quickly blanched in boiling water. Then, the seller will arrange those slices of meat on the pho noodles, pour the broth, and serve the diners.

Some reference addresses are Pho Thin, Bat Dan, Tu Lun, Pho Lam on Hang Vai Street, Pho Tram on Yen Ninh Street.

Types of Noodles

Hanoians have many noodle dishes. The most distinctive are bun cha, bun thang, bun oc, bun moc, bun doc mung…

Bun cha – a dish often eaten at lunch. Similar to grilled meat noodles in the South and Central regions, but the grilled meat for bun in Hanoi is more elaborately marinated.

Those who like old flavors can visit bun cha shops on Hang Ma and Hang Dong Streets. Those who like bamboo-skewered bun cha can find it at Buoi Market, Dong Xuan Market. Or visit bun shops on Ngoc Khanh, Giang Vo, Le Van Huu, Hang Manh, all of which are famous in Hanoi.

Cha Ca La Vong

Cha Ca La Vong was born in 1871, invented by the Doan family. From a rustic dish, cha ca gradually became a culinary essence of Ha Thanh to this day.

The fish meat is carefully deboned, sweet and fragrant, and soaked in spices. Dill and scallions are cut into pieces and stirred in the hot fish pan. When eating, combine with grilled rice paper, noodles, and shrimp paste – an indispensable element that creates a rich flavor. Some suggested addresses: Cha Ca La Vong at 14 Cha Ca Street; Cha Ca Thang Long at 21 Duong Thanh; Cha Ca Lao Ngu at 171 Thai Ha…

Egg Coffee

Coffee is a characteristic of Hanoi, with many long-standing shops in the old quarter.

Egg coffee is one of Hanoi’s specialties made from whipped eggs blended with Vietnamese coffee. Egg coffee has a slightly yellow color served in a small cup. Diners always have an extra small spoon to enjoy the cream foam on top as a “starter” before drinking the coffee below.

Famous egg coffee includes Dinh, Giang, Cafe Pho Co, Loading T, All Day Coffee… Each cup costs from 25,000 VND.

7. Meaningful Gifts

O mai Hang Duong: A characteristic gift with sour and spicy dracontomelon.

Com cake Hang Than: Soft and fragrant with the scent of new rice.

West Lake Lotus Tea: A noble gift meticulously infused from West Lake lotus seeds.

Van Phuc Silk & Bat Trang Pottery: Exquisite handcrafted products, deeply embodying the soul of Vietnamese craft villages.

8. Small Notes

• Dress formally when visiting the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum.
• In winter, wear a thick coat due to the tropical monsoon climate, cold and divided into two distinct phases: early dry cold and late humid cold with drizzle.
• It is recommended to book services early through Intergolf during peak season.