What are the must-sees and must-dos in Hanoi?

Question

I will be travelling to Hanoi in late Oct 2007, spending 4 days there.

Answer 1

If you will be there on a Sunday, go to an English Club meeting. There is one that meets from 5 to 7:30PM and they love visitors.  It is Hanoi Youth English Club - 26 Hang Bai in the school. You will get a chance to meet some very friendly university students and young professionals that love to talk with foreigners.

Hoan Kiem Lake in the center of town is lovely in the morning. The water puppet show, very close to the lake.

The old town. Lan Ong Street (medicinal plants and things).

Answer 2

Top must-sees in Hanoi, I answered here:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

must-dos:

+ you can walk or take a cyclo tour around Hoan Kiem lake as well as the Old Quarter

+ see Water Puppet at Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre (next to Hoan Kiem lake)

+ stroll along from Hoan Kiem lake through Hang Ngang str.- Hang Dao str. -...- Dong Xuan market at night if you are in Hanoi at the weekend, many people (especially the youth) gather here to gaze at many colorful things, to relax, to chit chat with friend, to buy something @ night market, to look at everybody of course... very lively & fascinating.

+ take part in a tour along the Red river to visit the trade villages like Bat Trang ceramic village...

+ enjoy local life with: Pho (at Bat Dan str., in Old Quarter area), cafe (eg: Trung Nguyen cafe - a Vietnam's cafe brand) in the morning, not expensive.

+ obviously, 4-day tour's not enough for you to experience Hanoi, but with your limit time, you should visit must-sees (link above) & do must-dos in the 1st & 2nd day. The 3rd day, you can take a bus to have a tour to Ha Long Bay (the wellknown world heritage) if you've never been there, 1 day's enough.

The last day, you can visit other places in Hanoi (ex: temples/pagodas: Quan Thanh temple, Quan Su, Tran Quoc, Tay Ho pagoda's recommend...many local people go these places to worship Buddha, to pray for their relation, for love, for happiness, for peace, for health... in the First day (11-10) or Mid-day (25-10) of a Lunar month) in Hanoi.

* Ha Long Bay tour, you can buy ticket easily from many tour operators in the Old Quarter like: Sinh cafe, Kim cafe, etc ...

** Red river tour, you can browse the website http://www.dulichsonghong.com/home/ to find more infor.

have a nice trip (-:

Answer 3

i'd go for the tunnels and sample their cuisine.

Answer 4

There is plenty do to in Hanoi and your 4 days will be busy or if you like, relaxing!  

Lots of Museums depending on your interests.

Visit Ho Chi Minh.

Cruise around Hoan Kiem Lake early morning.

Join the locals for a bowl of Pho in morning, hit the cafes. Cyclo ride or walk around th old Quarter.

Time permitting, go to Halong Bay. You can do 1 and 2 day tours. 1 day tour is a bit rushed, but if you have only 4 days....?

It hard to give advice, as I don't know what u like! So grab a guide book and check out things listed.

Hanoi also has some good shopping, great places to eat and some ok bars.

Have fun!

Answer 5

I've heard that Vietnam is becoming a great travel destination. I was born there and not have been back to visit since my birth.  If you go to Yahoo travel and plug in the destination, Yahoo has a list towards the bottom of the page of what to see and restaurants they recommend. I'm sorry I'm unable to give you a first-hand account.