Hanoi travel guide: What to do like a local?
- quynhanh hophan
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
If you have 5–10 days in Northern Vietnam and want a mix of culture, history, and nature, this Hanoi travel guide will help you experience the city through a local lens.
How to get from Noi Bai Airport to Hanoi city?
Landing at Noi Bai Airport can feel like a quick sensory reset. Even though I grew up in Vietnam, everytime I land I still need a bit of time to adjust: The humidity, the noise, the sudden rush of people. A very warm but not so gentle welcome, so be prepared!
Get the taxi: Use Grab App (similar to Uber). Be careful with people offering taxi services as soon as you walk out of airport. Just say no thanks and keep walking. A Grab ride into Ha Noi city center usually costs around €20, depending on traffic, and takes about 40–60 minutes.
Get the bus: I’ve taken the bus once, but the schedules and bus stops are not very clear. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend it after a long flight unless you’re traveling light and want your first small adventure right away.
Hanoi Travel Guide: Things to Do Like a Local
Ha Noi can feel like a sensory overload for first time visitors. The first thing you may notice is the sound: from the scooter, people talking overexcitingly and the smell: grilled meat, humidity and exhaust all layered together. It feels chaotic and rushed and it takes to actually live like a local people. Thats why we have a saying: If you live in Hanoi, don't rush!
Old Quater: A must-see in Ha Noi
The Ha Noi old quarter is made up of 36 small streets is the symbol of old Ha Noi. Historically, each street specialized in one craft or product — leather, cakes, fabrics, metalwork for example and that structure still shapes the neighborhood and how people run their shops today.
What surprises visitors is what sits behind the front stores. Houses here are narrow and deep, with crooked angles and long entryways. It’s not unusual for three generations to live under one roof in a space that might be only 20 square meters. Part of it is tradition. Part of it is also practical: this area is expensive, and people stay because family and place matter.
To me, Old Quarter is not a touristy chaos but more of a window into how this city actually lives and functions.
Hoàn Kiếm Lake
This is the place where the Old Quarter breathes. It is the "green place" for local people come to walk, exercise and socialize. You’ll see older people doing group exercises, dance practice with music playing from speakers, and younger people just sitting and talking. It's also a favorite place for photos shoots for people wearing traditional vietnamess dress. What I like about the lake is that these two worlds overlap naturally. It feels both local and visitor-friendly at once.
In the middle of the lake you’ll see a small tower, and behind it is one of Hanoi’s best-known legends: a turtle and a king, tied to a story of victory and returning a sacred sword. Even if you don’t know the full tale, you can feel how much mythology still lives inside everyday places here.
Hoa Lo Prision - A brief look into history
It is located a bit outside of the old quarter. It used to be an infamous prison during French colonization, capturing communists and later used as the Hoa Lo Maison for western soliders. The visit can feel heavy, but also grounding — a reminder of the sacrifices made by previous generations.
Audio guides are available in multiple languages. The tour can take 2 hours and cost 2 euros!
Vietnam Museum of Ethnology - A journey through Vietnamese diverse culture
Vietnam has 54 ethnics, so this museum is one of the easiest ways to learn about the diversity without travelling the whole country. It has both indoor and outdoor exhibitions, offering a good view of how this look like with all rituals, customs and how daily life can look like. It’s affordable, well-organized, and surprisingly engaging even if you’re not usually a “museum person.”
Bat Trang pottery village - Easy half day trip from Ha Noi
After a few days in the city, Bát Tràng Pottery Village offers a refreshing change of pace.
Located about an hour southeast of Hanoi, this centuries-old craft village is known for ceramic production dating back hundreds of years.
You can visit the pottery museum, wander through narrow alleys, watch artisans painting ceramics by hand, or even try making your own pottery. There’s also a large ceramic market filled with bowls, vases, tea sets, house decorations etc. Just take your time. Not everything sold here is locally made, so finding an authentic piece becomes part of the experience
What to eat like a local?
Pho for breakfast
Start with phở early, when the broth is freshest and the streets are still waking up. You will it with savory churros, deeping in the broth! Strange but heavenly amazing combination.
Where: Try Phở Thìn or Phở Lý Quốc Sư (Michellin guide!)
Cà phê (coffee) break
Vietnam has a big coffee culture and Vietnamese coffee is strong, sweet, and slow. It’s also one of the easiest ways to pause in a city that doesn’t pause.
Where: At Ca Phe Cong next to Hoan Kiem Lake. Grab a balcony seat if you can and watch the rythym of the city moving below.
Bún chả - A Hanoi classic
By lunchtime, the air starts to smell smoky. That’s usually your sign. Bún chả is grilled pork served with noodles and herbs, and it’s one of the most classic Hanoi dishes.
Where: Bun cha Hang Quat
Time for a sip!
Hidden inside a narrow alley, Leo’s Cocktail & Co is a cozy escape once the city slows down. A perfect end to a long walking day.
Want to try all street food in one go?
Nhà Hàng Ngon gathers Vietnamese street food favorites in one place — ideal if you want variety without navigating street stalls.
Don’t be surprised to find people eating on tiny plastic chairs right on the sidewalk. It may look simple, but some of Hanoi’s best meals happen exactly there.
Hanoi is often the first encounter travelers have with Vietnam. It is intense, vibrant, and unforgettable. It’s a city that teaches you how to cross the street, how to slow down, and how to experience life a little closer to the ground.
In the next post, we’ll leave the city behind and explore the natural beauty in other areas of Vietnam. Stay tuned!
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