HanoiCapital
Vietnam · Country profile
Hanoi, the thousand-year-old capital of Vietnam, is a city of lakes, tree-lined boulevards and a dense, lively old quarter where the commerce of a whole district flows on mopeds through lanes that still carry the names of their medieval trades. The Hoan Kiem lake at the centre, the great Ba Dinh square and the colonial-era districts around the French quarter hold the monumental heart, while the old quarter, the 36 streets, swarms with the street food, the silk, the sugar and the souvenirs of the day. The city is the soul of the north, of the pho, of the long history, and of the fierce, gentle culture that runs beneath the roar of the engines.
About Hanoi
Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam. The city's documented population is around 8,532,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Vietnamese Đồng (VND) and Vietnamese is spoken; the dialling code is +84. It is served by 1 airport in our guide: Noi Bai International Airport.
The Old Quarter, the Lake and the Morning Pho
Hanoi is a dense, energetic capital where the mopeds, the lakes and the thousand-year history meet on every street, and the experience is immediate, chaotic and endlessly interesting. The old quarter packs the commerce, the street food and the colonial buildings into its narrow lanes, and the lake, the opera house and the mausoleum of the north hold the grander sights. The traffic is the legend — crossing the street is an act of faith — and the food is the glory, with the pho and the roadside tables carrying the whole culture. It is a city of constant surprises and of a gentle, resilient charm that stays with the visitor.
Crossing the Streets, Booking the Shows and the Northern Seasons
The best seasons are the spring and the autumn, when the city is warm and dry; the summer is hot, humid and stormy, and the winter is cool and drizzly. The old quarter, the lake and the monuments of the centre are walkable, and the motorbike taxi rides make the longer hops easy — agree the price first. The water-puppet theatre, the museum of the ethnology and the concerts of the opera house deserve the bookings ahead. The currency is the dong, cards work in the bigger places and the street food is cheap, fresh and extraordinary. Learn the traffic-crossing secret: move slowly and steadily and the mopeds flow around you.
The Egg Coffee, the Rice Rolls and the Lanes of the French Quarter
The old quarter is the great draw, and its lanes, each named for a medieval trade, are best explored on foot in the cool of the early morning. The egg coffee, the pho and the bún chả of the local tables are the city’s sacred foods, and the little old streets of the French quarter hold the coffee houses and the galleries of the modern art. The lake of the Hoan Kiem closes its traffic on the weekends, turning the whole ring into a pedestrian playground. The old quarter is compact and chaotic, and the temples, the pagodas and the hidden courtyards reward the wander. The north of the city spreads the lakes and the parks of the green suburbs.
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- Country
- Vietnam
- Population
- 8,532,000
- Coordinates
- 21.2212, 105.8072
- Capital
- Hanoi
- Region
- Asia
- Currency
- Vietnamese Đồng (VND)
- Languages
- Vietnamese
- Calling code
- +84
- Country code
- VN
Entry requirements for Vietnam
Visa status for travellers from common origins visiting Vietnam for tourism.
Getting to Hanoi
Airports we list for Hanoi:
Other airports in the area:
Cities in Vietnam
Other cities we cover in Vietnam:
Frequently asked questions
Is Hanoi the capital of Vietnam?
Yes — Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam.
What currency do I need in Hanoi?
The local currency is the Vietnamese Đồng (VND). Languages spoken in Vietnam include Vietnamese.
What is the dialling code for Vietnam?
The international dialling code for Vietnam is +84.
Which airport should I fly into for Hanoi?
Noi Bai International Airport (HAN) is the airport we list for Hanoi.
How far is Hanoi from the nearest airport?
Hanoi is about 1,160 km from Tan Son Nhat International Airport.
Do I need a visa to visit Vietnam?
It depends on your passport. For the origins we track, the current tourism visa status is Morocco (e-visa) and United States (e-visa). Check the entry requirements tool for your own nationality.
Flying out of Hanoi? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.