Hanoi

Best Things To Do

Water puppet theatre is an ancient art form in Vietnam which appeals to all ages. These shows are colorful, entertaining and accompanied by traditional Vietnamese music. It’s advisable to book tickets in advance for the best seats. The show is performed throughout the week, three times on a Sunday and twice Monday through Saturday.

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City guide section

Top picks in Hanoi

Showing 1–24 of 35 places

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Thanglong Water Puppet Theatre

Water puppet theatre is an ancient art form in Vietnam which appeals to all ages. These shows are colorful, entertaining and accompanied by traditional Vietnamese music.

Paddleboats

The paddleboats can be found at the boat launches along Thanh Nien and with a little work you can sail out onto Truc Bach or West Lake in your own private plastic goose.

Municipal Water Puppet Theater

Another water puppet theatre show in Hanoi is the municipal show, with performances held regularly, and popular with the locals.

Ho Tay Water Park & Moon Park

Five kilometers north of the city centre, this is an excellent day out with children on a hot day. The park opens early and stays open till 9pm.

Central Circus

The huge tent, which is a permanent fixture at the northern end of Lenin Park, is home to Hanoi's Central Circus. Shows are held Wednesday through Saturday at 8pm and on Sunday mornings at 9am.

St Joseph's Cathedral

St Joseph's Cathedral, also known as Nha Tha Lon, is the oldest Roman Catholic Church in Hanoi and was consecrated on the night of Christmas in 1886.

Ba Da Pagoda

Ba Da Pagoda was originally called Sung Khanh Pagoda and was built in 1056 AD, during the Ly Thanh Ton Dynasty. The original temple has long disappeared and has been called many names throughout its history.

Hoa Lo Prison

Constructed by the French in 1896; mainly to house political prisoners it was taken over by the Vietnamese in 1954. S. Sen. John McCain, Pete Peterson, the ambassador to Vietnam, and Lt.

Revolutionary Museum

Popular among war buffs and historians, the revolutionary museum chronicles the rise of the Communist Party and its leader Ho Chi Minh.

Quan Su Pagoda

Constructed in the 15th century the pagoda became the headquarters of the Tonkin Buddhist Association in 1934, and today it is headquarters for the Vietnam Central Buddhist Congregation.

Hanoi Opera House

The Hanoi Opera House, also called Nha Hat Lon Ha Noi or Hanoi Municipal Theatre, is a landmark of the French Quarter of Hanoi.

National Museum of Vietnamese History

Housed in a building that was the French consulate until 1910, it is now a museum in varying degrees; the collection includes prehistoric artifacts and carvings to funerary jars and some very fine examples of t

Dong Xuan Market

This large three-story market is slightly to the north of Hanoi's Old Quarter and offers a varied selection of merchandise.

Museum of Vietnamese Revolution

The Museum of Vietnamese Revolution documents the country's various struggles for independence and the history of the Communist Party.

Den Ngoc Son

Also known as the Temple of the Jade Mound; Den Ngoc Son is a small temple on an islet in the middle of Hoan Kiem Lake. The temple is open daily from 8am to 6pm, and there is an admission charge.

Hoan Kiem Lake

The lake is the city's most popular strolling ground and large groups can be seen in the mornings walking or jogging along the lake or taking part in tai chi exercises.

Thanh Ha Communal House

Located on Hang Duong Street in the Old Quarter, the communal house dates back to the 13th century and still functions as a temple, with altars to deities and small shrines in niches on the wall.

Golden Bell Theatre

The Golden Bell Theatre is a heritage building located on Silver Street, one of the oldest streets in Hanoi. The theatre has the Vietnamese revolution closely interwoven into its history.

Den Huong Tuong

The temple is said to be over a thousand years old, having been founded in the 9th century, and it still stands as one of the grandest temples in Hanoi's Old Quarter.

Old East Gate

Cua O Quan Chong, or the Old East Gate, is the only one of the original sixteen gates that provided access to the old city still standing.

Eastern Gate Pagoda

Also known as Chua Cau Dong; this magnificent, elaborately ornate temple is said to be nearly a thousand years old with some of its statues and dating back 400 years.

Co Luong Temple

A small temple; it is located at the end of a small and is recognizable by the two colorfully garbed door guards flanking its entrance.

Bach Ma Pagoda

Den Bach Ma, or Temple of the White Horse, is over a thousand years old, having been founded in the 9th century; although nothing remains today from its founding days.

West Lake

Ho Tay, or West Lake, is the largest lake in Hanoi and is popularly known as the Lake of Mists. During medieval times, kings as well as warlords had their palaces built on its banks while in more recent times t