Best things to do in Hanoi 

Are you planning your trip to Vietnam this holiday? If so, you must not miss Hanoi, our dear capital city located in the North. OK, but what to do and where to visit in Hanoi, then? Don’t worry, Hanoi e.buddies is here to help you out. In today’s “Travel tips” section, we’re gonna suggest to you the best things to experience in Hanoi. 

Are you excited? Without further ado, let’s get started!

#1: Explore interesting local spots

Hanoi is famous for its 1000-year-old history with ups and downs. If you are a history lover and want to gain a thorough understanding of the city’s development through different time periods, here are some destinations for you, namely Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Temple of Literature, Hoa Lo Prison, Ancient House at no. 87 Ma May Street, Vietnam National Museum of History, The Big Church, Long Bien Bridge, etc. Get ready to immerse yourself in the historical atmosphere of Hanoi that you’ll never forget. You will be greatly impressed by the rustic but legendary beauty of the city.

Need somewhere more hustling? The Hanoi’s Old Quarter is the right place for you. Each street in the Old Quarter will bring you a lot of excitement and joy while walking through. Ta Hien Beer street is one example. Wandering along the notorious beer street – Ta Hien Street at night, you’ll have a chance to join the locals to drink fine glasses of beer and eat mouth-watering snacks while making new friends. Also, make sure that you try out shopping at Dong Xuan market, our largest local indoor market located in Hanoi’s Old Quarter, where you will get excited and overwhelmed by a wide range of quality goods in different sizes and colors.

There are still tons of places around Hanoi worth visiting, but our one-page article wouldn’t be enough. You don’t need to remember them all, as our friendly buddies will take care of that part for you. Just need to follow our friendly buddies ^^

#2: Enjoy delicious local food

Have anyone told you that Hanoi is one of Vietnam’s greatest food paradises? Yeah, that’s right. The city’s food has done a great job of reflecting and presenting the essence of Vietnamese cuisine. Our way of cooking is well-known for fresh ingredients, minimal use of dairy and oil, complementary textures, and reliance on herbs and vegetables. The harmony and uniqueness inside each dish will make you crave more after the first bite.

Three most iconic and popular dishes

Mentioning Vietnamese cuisine in general, Hanoi’s cuisine in particular, you may have already heard of pho (phở), banh mi (bánh mì), and bun cha (bún chả), our three most iconic and popular dishes. And of course, they are must-try dishes. If you haven’t tasted them, it means your trip to Vietnam has not been complete. Pho is a kind of hearty noodle soup made with freshly made noodles in wonderful savory beef and pork broth, while Banh mi is a distinctive, flavorful Vietnamese “sandwich” made with a number of ingredients such as pate, pork sausages, fried eggs, cucumbers, pickled daikon, pickled carrots, and coriander. Regarding bun cha, the dish consists of yummy grilled pork patties, rice vermicelli served with Vietnamese dipping sauce, and fresh herbs. 

Dishes should not miss out

Besides the three dishes above, there are other numerous dishes that you should not miss out because Vietnamese cuisine has a whole lot to offer. Let us just name some of them below. 

– Banh xeo ( Vietnamese sizzling pancake)

– Cha ca (Vietnamese grilled fish)

– Bun rieu cua (Vietnamese crab noodle soup)

– Xoi xeo (Vietnamese sticky rice with hand-cut mung bean)

– Banh goi (Vietnamese pillow cakes) 

– Banh cuon (Vietnamese steamed rice rolls)

– Nem chua ran (fried fermented pork)

– Banh tom (Vietnamese shrimp cake)

– Nem nuong Nha Trang (Vietnamese grilled pork rolls)

– Bun dau mam tom (Bun Dau Mam Tom)

– Nem ran (Vietnamese fried spring rolls)

– Mien luon (Eel glass noodle soup)

– Com tam (Broken rice) 

– Goi cuon tom thit (Vietnamese fresh spring rolls), etc

Oh, and don’t forget our desserts and drinks, too. Our city offers you a wide selection of drinks and desserts that can satisfy even the most demanding tourist. Check out some of the list below as our suggestions:

– All kinds of yogurts with different topping selections (Sua chua thach la nep, sua chua nep cam, sua chua tran chau, and sua chua caramen, etc)

– All kinds of che – a sweet Vietnamese soup (Che do den, che chuoi, che Thai, che buoi, che ba mau, che khoai mon, che dau xanh, che ngo, and che sau, etc)

– Tao pho (Tofu pudding)

– Banh troi tau (Sticky rice balls in ginger syrup)

– Cafe (Vietnamese black coffee, famous Egg coffee, etc)

#3: Hang out with local people

When traveling to an alien country, there is nothing greater than having some local friends who can accompany and show you around. They will let you see the best parts of Hanoi city in a local way. The idea that you have a chance to learn some pieces of Vietnamese and practice right away or enjoy local food and drinks, and experience local things is so appealing, isn’t it? Actually, it’s not that hard for you to make friends or even become close friends with our local people. Let us give you some tips for your first attempt.

Hoan Kiem Lake

If this is your first time coming here, making friends with the locals around Hoan Kiem lake would be a good idea. Hoan Kiem lake is located right in the center of the city and next to a bustling area called the Old Quarter, hence there are a lot of activities around here, especially during weekends. The sidewalk along the lake is a great place for the locals to do some physical activities like jogging, dancing, or doing tai-chi. At weekends, loads of people, from the young to the old, single to married, come here for entertainment. 

Normally, there would be some exciting performances held here every weekend. You can naturally join local people in those activities and say “hi” to them, high chances are they will friendly reply and even start a conversation with you. Knowing some basic Vietnamese will make you get a local friend more quickly because we are always impressed with foreign tourists who can speak even a bit of Vietnamese. There are also a lot of people coming to the lake to meet foreign tourists to practice English, so we guarantee that you’ll definitely have opportunities to make new Vietnamese friends. Just need to be nice, friendly, and open.

Ta Hien street

Another ideal place to make friends with the locals for the first time is Ta Hien street. As we mentioned above, it is also known as Beer street in Hanoi because, along the street, you’ll find endless restaurants that serve good Vietnamese beer and different types of snacks and street food. The street is lit up all night long and the restaurants only close when the sun rises. This is the place where Hanoians often come to hang out, drink beer eat good food, and have fun together. So, mind that place if you want to get some local friends and have fun.

What else can you do to have some local friends around? Yeah, you guessed it right. One simpler way is reaching out for us, Hanoi e.buddies. Whenever you need a local buddy, we’re here to help. Hanoi e.buddies is a volunteer student tour guide organization in Hanoi dedicated to spreading the genuine beauty and culture of our 1000-year-old capital city to beloved international friends. If you want to discover Hanoi with friends, we are here to be your friends. The best part is, our tours are completely free and customized ^^. We make sure that we won’t make you disappointed when choosing us as your buddies. So let’s not hesitate more and contact us for free tours around Hanoi with our friendly buddies! 

Above are some of our suggestions on the best things to do in Hanoi city. Hope that you have had some good ideas in mind for what to see and experience once getting here. Have a nice trip our friends!

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