Hanoi: first 5 things to do here

Hanoi is an interesting city with tons of activities waiting for visitors, let’s check out the first 5 things to do in this amazing city:

1. Go sightseeing

Hanoi is not a big city but there are countless of places for you to go sightseeing, especially the area surrounding Hoan Kiem lake with a bunch of famous spots located near one another as the lake itself, the Old Quarter, the lovely old Opera House…Besides, there are West lake, Temple of literature and so many other places to discover.

Hoan Kiem lake in the autumn

2. Discover the Old Quarter

A special place only few steps from Hoan Kiem lake, this is the place where you can learn about the vintage construction of Hanoi in the beginning of 20th century and also where you can find the best street food of Hanoi and find shops for souvenirs. If for some reason, walking is not a good option then hope on a “Xich lo” (cyclo) and enjoying the feeling of the higher class sitting on the “Xich Lo” in the 20th century, the driver will “walk” you through every street of the quarter.

Old quarter

3. Watch a Water Puppet Show

The recommended theater for the Water Pupet show is the one name Thang Long, address 57B Dinh Tien Hoang street, located in a dark green building lying at the interchange of Dinh Le and Dinh Tien Hoang street. This is the place where you will see puppets in the water perform Vietnamese traditions complete with Vietnamese talks and music. This ancient old art and form of entertainment is a Vietnamese unique traditional performance and therefore it will be something that you do not want to miss. It is not too expensive and time consuming then easy to fit into your busy travel schedule as well!

Water pupet

4. Join the night market

An unique experience. The night markets are open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday night only. The place runs from Hang Dao street to some other streets then ends at Dong Xuan market. This is the place where you can find tons of souvenirs, local brands and also international brands. Not only sell stuffs, food is also served here in tiny counters. You can find a wide range of street foot from local dishes to Korean, Japanese and Chinese dishes.

Night market

5. Enjoy the street foods

Street food is must-try thing in Hanoi. You can always find tiny food stalls on any street, grasp a chair, sit down and order some local dish. The stalls are amazingly cheap but the place where you can taste the authentic Vietnamese flavor that luxurious restaurant can’t offer.