Things to do in Hanoi, Vietnam (including a trip to Ha Long Bay)

Taste bun cha

First of all, whether you are familiar with Vietnamese food or not, you have to taste Bun Cha when you visit Hanoi! It’s a local dish of grilled pork and white rice noodles with condiments on the side to be added as desired. We recommend trying this local dish at Bún chả Hương Liên for an authentic dining experience. Here you can add spices to make the dish as spicy as you like!

visit The note coffee shop

This cafe is a magical little spot where every surface is covered in post it notes. The notes contain handwritten messages from people all over the world. Take time to write your own message and find a place to stick it. It’s fun to look for other post it notes from someone from your country. During your visit order a Banh Mi to eat, which is a tasty french baguette style sandwich.

Visit THE TRAIN STREET

The train street is a narrow residential street where twice a day a high speed train passes through just a few feet from peoples’ homes. This place has become an intriguing spot for tourists and the locals have adapted their lives by providing tourists with stools to sit and drinks to buy. It is such a thrilling experience we highly recommend however if you visit please visit with caution. Unfortunately we heard the government have supposedly now closed this street. However we have read reviews on Tripadvisor that you still get access the street if a cafe owner takes you to their place.

Try egg coffee

Head to Cafe Giang to taste the local egg coffee. We know it maybe doesn’t sound the best, however it is surprisingly really good. It’s more like a dessert and is made with egg yolk, sugar, condensed milk and robusta coffee, yum!

enjoy a day trip to ha long bay

We highly recommend booking a day trip to experience the wonderful Ha Long Bay. It’s one of the new 7 Wonders of Nature and is a truly fascinating landscape in which photos will never do justice. Expect turquoise waters, beautiful lagoons, bamboo boats and floating fishing villages similar to the one featured in the Top Gear Vietnam Special. We booked our day trip with BC Family Tours via Viator. The tour included a cruise around the bay, a bamboo boat ride and a cave tour.

watch the city come alive at the weekend

Finally, every weekend the streets of the main city area are pedestrianised allowing locals and tourists space. For a city with as chaotic traffic as Hanoi, we think this is an amazing idea! A night market pops up and the city really comes alive. Wander the streets to watch street performances and see how the locals socialise.