1. Overview of Hanoi
Hanoi—the capital of a thousand years of culture—is an indispensable destination in the journey to explore Vietnam. With its beauty blending the ancient and the modern, this place always brings emotional experiences to visitors of all ages.
In 2025, Hanoi will continue to make a strong impression on the Asian tourism map with a series of attractive activities, creative cultural spaces, and unique festival programs. Visitors come here not only to admire historical relics or stroll in the Old Quarter but also to enjoy interesting things to do in Hanoi Vietnam, such as enjoying street food, SUP on West Lake, or admiring the city from the Lotte Skywalk observation deck.
From the quiet moments in ancient pagodas to the youthful pace of life in walking streets, Hanoi offers a colorful, vibrant, and attractive tourism picture—worthy of being an ideal stopover for every journey.
2. Discover The Top 15 Best Things To Do In Hanoi, Vietnam, In 2025
2.1. Visiting Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Ba Dinh Square—Sacred Symbols of the Country
Starting the trip by visiting the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum—the resting place of the beloved leader—you will feel the strong national spirit. Combining a visit to Ba Dinh Square and the Ho Chi Minh Museum will help you understand more deeply about the history of Vietnam.
- Address: 2 Hung Vuong, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi
- Opening hours: Mornings from Tuesday to Sunday
- Ticket price: Free (Vietnamese), $1.00 (international visitors)
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Relic Site. (Source: internet)
2.2. Explore Hanoi Old Quarter—Symphony of Tradition
Hanoi Old Quarter is a place that preserves the original beauty of Hanoi people’s lives. Streets such as Hang Dao, Hang Gai, and Ma May encapsulate the beauty of the culture, cuisine, and architecture of the French colonial period.
- Outstanding experience: Drink egg coffee at Giang, check in at the Great Church.
- Ideal time: Weekend to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the walking street
2.3. Temple of Literature—Thousand Years of Wisdom
If you are looking for a thing to do in Hanoi Vietnam that is both academic and spiritual, the Temple of Literature is a must-see. This building honors the spirit of learning and the tradition of respecting teachers.
- Address: 58 Quoc Tu Giam Street, Van Mieu Ward, Dong Da District, Hanoi
- Ticket price: $1.20
- Visiting hours: 7:30–17:00 daily
2.4. Join the “Ngoc Son – Mysterious Night” tour—experience spiritual culture in the heart of the Old Quarter.
Looking for a unique and emotional thing to do in Hanoi, Vietnam? Join the “Ngoc Son – Mysterious Night” tour—a 45-minute journey through lights, sounds, and legends at Ngoc Son Temple. More than just a visit, this experience immerses you in Vietnam’s spiritual heritage with artistic lighting, ca trù performance, and stories of the Divine Turtle and Treasured Sword, all set against the glowing red of The Huc Bridge.
- Time: Every Wednesday & Thursday, time slots: 19:00, 20:00, and 21:00
- Tour price: About $10.50
- Free admission ticket at night (weekend): The temple is open until 21:00 (Saturday & Sunday); regular ticket ~$1.20.
- Location: Ngoc Son Temple, Hoan Kiem Lake, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Artistic dance performance on The Huc bridge, Ngoc Son temple. (Source: internet)
2.5. Watching a traditional water puppet show at Thang Long Water Puppet
Water puppetry is a tradition dating back to the 11th century, originating in the villages of the Red River Delta in northern Vietnam. Water puppetry is a traditional folklore art bearing the imprint of the wet rice agricultural civilization.
Thang Long Water Puppet Theater is the place where Vietnamese water puppet shows take place. This art form attracts a lot of domestic and foreign tourists.
- Ticket price: $4.80–$8.00
- Duration: 45 minutes/show
2.6. Rowing Sup Boat to stroll West Lake
Boating is a fun and healthy recreational activity. Super boating is a hot activity, so it attracts a lot of people to play on weekends. In the vast space of West Lake, listening to the waves crashing under the side of the boat, feeling the cool wind, floating on the boat in the middle of the large lake, feeling all the troubles of life seem to disappear.
- Rental price: $6.00–$16.00 depending on the time
- Popular location: Paddle Station Café—29 Nguyen Dinh Thi, Tay Ho, Hanoi.
2.7. Check in at Saint Joseph’s Church—a Gothic architectural masterpiece.
Saint Joseph’s Church, also known as Hanoi Cathedral, is hundreds of years old and one of the first architectural works built by the French. Coming to this place, visitors will admire typical European medieval Gothic architecture, built to resemble Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.
- Address: 40, Nha Chung Street, Hang Trong Ward, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi.
2.8. Visit Tran Quoc Pagoda—the sacred ancient pagoda in the middle of West Lake.
Tran Quoc Pagoda in Hanoi has a very long cultural history of nearly 1500 years; the oldest is in Thang Long, Hanoi. Traveling to Tran Quoc Pagoda, visitors will discover and learn about Hanoi’s cultural beauty.
- Entrance fee: $0.20
- Opening hours: 8:00 – 16:00 daily
- Address: 46 Thanh Nien, Yen Phu Ward, Tay Ho, Hanoi.
Visit Tran Quoc Pagoda – A thousand-year-old ancient temple by West Lake. (Source: internet)
2.9. Explore Thang Long Imperial Citadel—World Cultural Heritage
If you want to understand more about the ancient history of Hanoi, don’t miss the Thang Long Imperial Citadel complex. This is the place where feudal dynasties converged for more than 1,000 years.
- Ticket price: $1.20
- Highlights: Kinh Thien Palace, Flag Tower, Doan Mon
2.10. Hop-on Hop-off Double-Decker Bus Tour around Hanoi
In 2025, the form of city tour by double-decker bus will become popular with international tourists. This is the ideal thing to do in Hanoi Vietnam to explore the capital in an easy and economical way.
- 24-hour ticket: $20.00
- 4-hour ticket: $10.00–$13.00
2.11. Try making pottery in Bat Trang village—a unique creative experience.
Bat Trang pottery village is located on the banks of the Red River in Gia Lam district, Hanoi. The village has a history dating back to the Le Dynasty and is the oldest and most famous pottery village in Vietnam.
The most interesting thing about traveling to Bat Trang pottery village is that you can directly see the artisans making delicate ceramic products. Or, if you want, you can also manually mold the products to your liking. Pottery making is one of the interesting experiences that many young tourists have when they have the opportunity to visit Bat Trang.
- Workshop Ticket: $0.80
- Additional Product Fire Fee: $1.40–$2.00
- Guided Tour with Shuttle: $38.00–$58.00
Bat Trang pottery experience. (Source: internet)
2.12. Walking around Hanoi’s largest flower market, Quang Ba flower market
Quang Ba Flower Market is an attractive tourist destination not to be missed in Hanoi, the capital. With the shimmering scenery of countless blooming flowers, you will immediately have super-pretty check-in photos and buy yourself brilliant flower bouquets.
- Address: 236 Au Co Street, Quang An Ward, Tay Ho District, Hanoi City.
- Open: 2:00–5:00
2.13. Explore the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology—a cultural journey in the heart of Hanoi.
Only about 8 km from the city center, the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, located on Nguyen Van Huyen Street (Cau Giay District), is a must-see destination for those who love ethnic culture. Built in 1981, the museum covers an area of over 4 hectares, designed by Tay architect Ha Duc Linh and the interior by French architect Véronique Dollfus.
It houses thousands of valuable artifacts about the life, beliefs, and culture of 54 Vietnamese ethnic groups, from clothing and musical instruments to houses and rituals. This is an ideal destination for students and tourists on their journey to learn about Vietnamese national identity.
- Admission: $1.80 (adults), free for children under 6
- Opening hours: 8:30–17:30, closed Mondays
2.14. Drinking draft beer on Ta Hien Street—Experience Hanoi’s nightlife.
Ta Hien is the most vibrant nightlife street in the capital, where you can immerse yourself in the bustling atmosphere of hundreds of international tourists. Sitting and drinking draft beer with simple snacks is a thing to do Hanoi Vietnam that is full of the rustic, authentic identity and is indispensable in any journey to explore Hanoi.
- Draft beer price: only from $0.40 to $0.60/cup
- Rush hour: From 20:00 to late every day
2.15. Enjoying Hanoi cuisine—an indispensable experience
Hanoi cuisine is not just food but also a part of cultural heritage—a place where the quintessence of the whole North converges. Below are the most attractive dishes that you should not miss when coming to Hanoi.
Pho Bat Dan is the quintessential representative of Hanoi cuisine with clear, sweet broth from the bones, soft rice noodles, and thinly sliced rare beef.
- Address: 49 Bat Dan, Hoan Kiem | Price: $2.40–$4.00
Bun Cha Hang Quat, a world-famous dish, scores with fragrant grilled pork, sweet and sour fish sauce, and fresh herbs.
- Address: 74 Hang Quat, Hoan Kiem | Price: $2.00–$2.60
Cha Ca La Vong—a dish over 100 years old—brings the rich flavors of grilled catfish, dill, shrimp paste, and vermicelli.
- Address: 14 Cha Ca, Hoan Kiem | Price: $4.00–$6.00
Trang Tien ice cream is a “childhood specialty” of many generations of Hanoians with the taste of green rice, coconut milk, and cool green beans on the sidewalk.
- Address: 35 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem | Price: $0.40–$0.80
Pho Bat Dan – 100-year-old traditional pho in Hanoi. (Source: internet)
3. Conclusion:
With 15 outstanding experiences, the list of things to do in Hanoi in 2025 is a perfect combination of classic and modern culture, spirituality, entertainment, and cuisine. Don’t forget to save this article to start your journey to discover the inspiring capital of Vietnam!
4. Contact :
Phone: +84 965 721 426
Email: sales@asialuxurytravels.com
Website: https://asialuxurytravels.com/
Address: No. 9, Alley 31/7, Phan Dinh Giot Street, Thanh Xuan, Hanoi
