Hanoi flights and travel guide

Vietnam’s capital is the beautiful and ancient city of Hanoi. Its stately presence has been influential in Southeast Asia for some few thousand years and the appealing city that stands today still reflects much of this grandeur. Hanoi's architecture is a fascinating mix. French-colonial style villas stand alongside temples dating back to the 11th century. Indeed, it is the abundance of spiritual buildings – the city has more than 600 temples – along with a calm way of life that often appeals to tourists booking flights to Hanoi. Much less brash than Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi is centred around a lake and its Old Quarter, with narrow streets and large colonial buildings, is appealing to most travellers. However, the city is not just a museum. Though once it was the quiet outpost in Vietnam, today the pace of life is picking up. Businessmen proliferate and tourists are visiting in greater numbers to see the city’s attractions.

Many travellers arrive on Hanoi flights to explore the surrounding areas. The city is a great base from which to visit Ha Long Bay or as a starting point to make a journey south along the length of Vietnam.

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Hanoi Climate

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When to Fly to Hanoi

Peak Season:
Reservations for Tet, the lunar New Year, must be made far in advance. Most businesses close for the holiday, including museums and shops. The holiday lasts for a week and falls between January 19 and February 20.

The tourist season peaks again from late June through August and October through Tet. The most pleasant time to visit is September to December when it is less humid.

Off Season:
Hanoi is a year-round destination, and when you visit depends mostly on your weather preferences. There are fewer tourists January (except for Tet) through March when it is wet and chilly. April through May are drizzly but not yet hot.

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Getting Downtown Hanoi

Airport minibuses and metered taxis are available outside arrivals for transport to the city centre. Make sure the taxi driver is wearing an official name badge and that the meter is on.

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Getting Around Hanoi

The fastest and safest way around Hanoi is by taxi, and all taxis are metered. You can pick one up at a stand or call for one. The competition between cab companies is fierce, which means prompt service.

Another popular option is to hire a car and driver through a tour operator, tourist café, or travel agency. For a more adventurous ride, hail a motorbike taxi.

Bicycles are easily rented from hotels and cafes in the centre of town. Make sure the bike has a lock and bring your own helmet. You can get the tires pumped up at almost any street corner. Motorcycles are also easily rented; however, the leading cause of injury and death to foreigners in Vietnam is motorcycle accidents.

Cyclos (pedicabs) can be flagged down, but avoid them at night. Negotiate the fare before boarding. Many of the cyclo drivers in Hanoi do not speak English, so carry a map and be prepared to point to your destination.

Walking can be hazardous, so watch and learn from the locals. When crossing a street, maintain a steady, calm pace.

The public buses are extremely cheap, but slow, crowded, poorly marked, and the drivers do not speak English.

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Hanoi Insider Information

• Food in Hanoi is rather different to the Vietnamese food you get in the West. Specialities include grubs, scorpions, whole roasted pigeons, dumplings, noodles and fried chicken legs. Don’t be put off by appearances (or descriptions) and give some of the more unusual offerings a taste. The food stalls on the streets of the Old Quarter smell delicious and serve almost everything you can imagine.
• The Thang Long water puppet theatre is situated on the Hoan Kiem Lake. The performances tell Vietnamese folk stories with hand puppets – all of the action taking place above a pool of water behind which the puppeteers hide. It’s a wonderful way to learn a bit about the Vietnamese culture. If you purchase a first class ticket, you’ll get a front row seat and be given a free CD of the music played.
• One of the biggest festivals in Vietnam is Tet, the celebration of a lunar new year. Falling between January and February, celebrations go on for a week and nowhere are they bigger and better than in Hanoi. Houses are decorated with kumquat trees and the streets are lined with flower blossoms. It’s a wonderful event to see, but if you are going to be in the city during the time of the festival be aware that many services, including transport, will be closed. Book your hotel in advance and don’t try and catch a train – they almost certainly won’t be running.
• One of the foods associated with Tet is called banh chung. It is a sticky square rice cake stuffed with bean paste and wrapped in a banana leaf, which represents the earth. Thoroughly delicious.
•  The Museum of Ethnology was created to research and teach about the diverse ethnic groups that make up the population of Vietnam. The museum was opened in 1990 and has since proved very popular with visitors. Vietnam has 54 different ethnic groups and the museum teaches about their individual cultures. With exhibits, reconstructions and a year-long programme of events, there is plenty to see for half a day.

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Hanoi Airports

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