Explore the Top 14 Reasons to Love Hanoi

Undoubtedly, if you're Vietnamese, you must be familiar with this place. It's where the beloved father of the Vietnamese nation rests peacefully, overseeing the life, development, and prosperity of the country from his eternal abode, often referred to as the 'sun in the mausoleum.'

The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the eternal residence of President Ho Chi Minh in historic Ba Dinh Square, is consistently maintained, enhanced, and warmly welcomes fellow citizens and international visitors who come to pay respects. It embodies deep gratitude towards the great man of a nation that has always aspired for freedom and independence.

It can be said that the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is like the heart of Hanoi. Situated to the north of the city center, near West Lake, you can reach the mausoleum by bus or taxi. The mausoleum opens in the morning, closes for lunch, and is closed all day on Mondays and Fridays. Admission is free. Remember to check the opening hours and arrive early to avoid long waits to pay respects.

In Hanoi, stepping out of the house and onto the street, the presence of sidewalk iced tea is immediate. On every street and deep into small alleys, you'll encounter sidewalk iced tea. With just a water jug, a teapot, a few chairs, and the cheerful smile of the owner along with some stories, wherever there's sidewalk iced tea, life seems more joyful and delightful. Simple in preparation, welcoming to all customers, sidewalk iced tea is friendly and unexpectedly uncomplicated.

For the people of Hanoi, sidewalk iced tea is like an essential part, becoming a constant cultural habit that defines the unique folk culture. Hanoians are known for their sophistication in dining and lifestyle, yet somehow sidewalk iced tea remains immensely popular. Why is sidewalk iced tea loved to such an extent? People seek sidewalk iced tea as a habit, sipping the bitterness, followed by a gradual sweetness that cools down to the very core, immersing themselves in endless “headless and tailless” stories…

Savor a cup of sidewalk iced tea by the sidewalk beverage stall and witness the vibrancy and simplicity of the city – what could be more wonderful!

Number 30 Hoang Dieu Street is the place where General Vo Nguyen Giap lived with his family for many decades. When the General passed away, there was a long line of people waiting to pay their respects. Perhaps, this is one of the houses within the inner city of Hanoi with the most greenery. In front of the house, there is a spacious garden with ancient trees standing proudly, silently witnessing the changes of time. You can hear the melodious chirping of birds.

Similar to that 'sun,' this house is where a giant 'torch' has 'ceased to shine' after many years of burning the 'wild grass full of mud.' That 'torch,' along with that 'sun,' illuminated life for the S-shaped land. This is also a place where millions of hearts across Vietnam have turned their attention. This house will forever preserve the silhouette of a legend, a great general of the Vietnamese people. It is a place that is very close to many, especially veterans, former youth volunteers, artists, journalists...

Morning exercise has long been a way of life for the people of Hanoi, whether in winter or summer, under the sun or rain. At 4:00 or 5:00 in the morning, people of all ages gather by Hoan Kiem Lake to exercise, breathe in the fresh air, and jog a few laps around the lake. These images have become very familiar in the culture of Hanoi. The fresh and comfortable atmosphere of Hoan Kiem Lake makes it a popular place for exercise. Various activities take place, from jogging and cycling to practicing Qigong...

Walking along the path by Hoan Kiem Lake from the early morning lights, you will witness simple, warm, and beautiful scenes of tranquility. Elderly people practice Qigong slowly, young men and women exercise to improve their health, and somewhere in the distance, the sound of announcements and the noise of bicycles echo slowly... The gentle and peaceful images of Hanoi make one feel a pure stream of vitality flowing in the body to welcome a new day, a new week full of blessings.

It's a Hanoi with less dust, fewer vehicles, with clean air and a peaceful scenery, as if we just stepped onto a boat floating upstream to the past two decades ago.

During holidays, some travel, some go back to their hometowns, temporarily leaving the bustling city and busy work behind for some rest. Big cities like Hanoi, usually noisy and bustling, become surprisingly tranquil these days.

Many joke: If only every day were a holiday to avoid the hustle and bustle, no waiting. Indeed, the streets, usually crowded with people and vehicles, these holiday days take on a different appearance. Quiet and refreshing. The familiar architecture, the streets around the season, the unchanged clusters of trees and flowers, but the long holiday returns a serene and deep Hanoi.

No more scenes of people lining up step by step on the road, Hanoi is spacious and vast. A truly peaceful, deserted Hanoi during the holidays. A silent, strange Hanoi that is surprisingly mesmerizing.

Every time 'Tet comes, spring arrives', Hanoi becomes vibrant with people returning to their hometowns to visit family, others going to the supermarket to buy sweets to welcome guests for the 'New Year wishes', and children laughing and playing together, creating a lively atmosphere. Tet in Hanoi has a flavor very different from Tet anywhere else, with the chilly cold and the red color of cherry blossoms against the gloomy sky.

It's worth mentioning a new tradition that emerged in Hanoi after 1955 and has become a legacy. It is the tradition of welcoming the New Year around Hoan Kiem Lake. Then, during the period of fireworks on the lake, the New Year's Eve at Hoan Kiem Lake is truly a city-wide festival. Thanks to this event, Hanoi has developed a new and beautiful tradition: every New Year's Eve, people pour into Hoan Kiem Lake to welcome the lively and bustling spring.

The peaceful flavor of the last day of the year with cleaning, tidying up the house with parents and relatives, busy preparing the altar. The quiet flavor of the early morning of the 1st day filled with the fragrance of incense, empty streets without a shadow of a vehicle.

Since 1st September 2016, many streets around Hoan Kiem Lake (Hanoi) have been organized to become pedestrian streets to serve the needs of locals and tourists. The pedestrian time starts from 7:00 PM on Friday to 12:00 AM on Sunday every week in the area around Hoan Kiem Lake and the adjacent Old Quarter.

Whether you are a distant traveler or a Hanoi resident, you will love the evenings by Hoan Kiem Lake, singing with groups of young people, middle-aged men, or the elderly. You will also be impressed by a stage performing traditional Vietnamese music, or Ta Hien Street with its weekend live music performances. Street art in Hanoi includes not only hip hop and graffiti but also free music groups that attract many people to stay and enjoy street art with various styles, from traditional Vietnamese folk to pop music, hip hop, Latin dances, and even the most vibrant dance groups. So, if you also love such youthful activities, don't hesitate to visit the parks and join the young people there.

Winter in Hanoi brings a myriad of dishes that can easily captivate your senses, but is there any dish more enchanting than a bowl of pho with piping hot and fragrant broth? Amidst the cold, gloomy streets of winter, where the morning sky is painted in various shades of gray, and the biting cold seems to penetrate through every layer of clothing, finding refuge becomes a hurried necessity. Nowhere is as fitting as a pho stall, for just passing by it, in this harsh weather, makes you feel like you're being warmed, awakening senses you thought were frozen.

The small pho stalls tucked away on the long streets of Hanoi are like a sanctuary for pho enthusiasts. You come here to enter a space with people who love pho as much as you do, in need of warmth for a freezing winter's stomach. You come here to appreciate the graceful movements of the seller with a bowl of pho, a handful of fresh rice noodles, some raw beef slices neatly arranged, a few cooked beef slices placed beside them, a cluster of scallions, onions, and then a ladle full of rich broth poured generously into the bowl. The sequence of actions is swift and decisive, understanding the diners' hearts, not wanting them to wait long. Each beating heart, each action, all in harmony, just for the sake of eating pho. What more do you need on such a chilly day?

In the minds of Hanoians, the Tet flower market is not at Quang An, Tay Ho, Hang Dau… but at Hang Luoc flower market. People from all flower-growing regions bring peach blossoms, kumquat trees, and various types of Tet flowers to gather at this market, creating a lively atmosphere filled with the Tet spirit of the capital. The freshest and most beautiful flowers are all here. Unlike Quang Ba market, where flowers are usually piled up in large and small heaps, at Hang Luoc market, it seems like the flowers are carefully selected before being displayed in separate sections. The most abundant are traditional flowers such as peach blossoms, kumquat trees, chrysanthemums, apricot blossoms, daisies, violets, hydrangeas, and more, among which peach blossoms attract many buyers from distant places.

Hanoians, especially the elderly, see the Hang Luoc flower street as an elegant pastime before the Tet holiday. Sometimes, they visit the market every day for a week to admire the flowers, only choosing the branches they want on the 30th day. Here, people enjoy the pleasure of admiring the flowers or experiencing the unique Tet culture in this thousand-year-old literary land... Hanoians go to the flower market more for sightseeing than for shopping. It's like a hobby. Therefore, perhaps only Hanoians say they are 'going to enjoy the flower market' rather than 'going to buy flowers' like many other places.

The season of jacaranda flowers blooming across the sky every March is an image full of romance and poetry, making those far away can't help but yearn for Hanoi. In Hanoi, jacaranda trees are most abundant on Phan Dinh Phung, Hoang Hoa Tham, Phan Chu Trinh, Giang Vo, or Thanh Nien street.... Moreover, you can also come across a few jacaranda trees on Lang street or the sprawling jacaranda tree in the middle of the Mecori Dormitory yard on Luong The Vinh street.

The jacaranda flower season in Hanoi usually starts from late February, in the clear spring weather with drizzles and humidity. Jacaranda flowers form clusters and sprout from the leaf axils, usually appearing before the leaves are fully grown, emitting a light fragrance. The pure white color is hard to mix, bringing a unique beauty to the jacaranda flowers, captivating hearts. Just about a week after the flowers bloom, delicate jacaranda petals gracefully sway with the wind, creating a white path of flowers.

The pure white color of the jacaranda flowers amidst the colorful tree canopy enhances the vibrancy of the streets, adding to the ancient and romantic beauty of Hanoi. Jacaranda flowers bring a bright beauty with a very distinctive charm. Perhaps nowhere else can you find a jacaranda flower season as beautiful as in Hanoi.

Immersed in profound history, St. Joseph's Cathedral in Hanoi holds remarkable records. It stands as the first Catholic church built in Hanoi and boasts being the largest and most beautiful. At the time, excluding Hanoi Flag Tower, the cathedral was the tallest structure in the city.

People visit St. Joseph's Cathedral not only to capture photos and admire its intricate architecture but also to gather with friends for the last class photos, passing by the street-side water stalls, cozy cafes, and small eateries sprouting like mushrooms. The cathedral area is one of the liveliest spots in Hanoi, especially during the festive Christmas season.

Currently, St. Joseph's Cathedral remains one of Hanoi's most significant churches. It serves as both a religious site and an architecturally rich historical landmark, attracting tourists. Many visitors find joy in the evenings, listening to the echoing sounds of the cathedral bells, creating a cherished memory of Hanoi.

As summer arrives, Hanoi's young crowd forms a habit of rising early, strolling to West Lake to enjoy the breeze, witness the sunrise, and... admire lotus flowers. In the refreshing atmosphere, with the fragrance of lotus flowers lingering, and the picturesque scenery, you might find yourself forgetting the busy life outside.

Every year on President Ho Chi Minh's Birthday (May 19), the lotus season at West Lake begins. The lotus season coincidentally ends on Vietnam's National Day (September 2). In the last days of May, lotus flowers start to unveil their vibrant pink hues alongside fresh green leaves, welcoming visitors for admiration and photography.

This is the ideal time to capture photos with the most beautiful lotus flowers, as the young leaves are still a bright green. Towards the end of the season, older lotus leaves may turn gray, losing their youthful vibrancy. Moreover, there are open spaces of water where visitors can pose with lotus flowers and create lively pictures. Enthusiasts often immerse themselves in the water amidst the lotus pond for that perfect shot...

To welcome visitors for photography sessions with lotus flowers, pond owners have set up bamboo bridges and arranged various scenes like palm-leaf huts, pottery...

However, in some places offering services, the fees are as follows:

• Entrance ticket for photography: 50,000 VND/turn.
• Rental of pants, shirts, and vests: 150,000 – 200,000 VND/turn.
• Makeup and photography services priced from 150,000 to 200,000 VND/turn.

If you choose not to use the pond owner's services, a smartphone is sufficient for tourists to take selfies with lotus flowers.

Each season brings a unique and enchanting beauty to Hanoi. However, perhaps autumn is the season that captivates many, with its stunning fall sky scenery.

When talking about the characteristics of Hanoi's autumn, one cannot ignore the tree-lined streets, filled with falling golden leaves, such as Hoang Dieu Street, Phan Dinh Phung Street, or Thanh Nien Street,...

Among them, Phan Dinh Phung Street is considered one of the most beautiful streets in the capital. On both sides of the street, old dracontomelon trees stand tall. As Hanoi enters autumn, the sidewalks of Phan Dinh Phung Street are almost covered with the yellow of falling dracontomelon leaves. Especially, this place is very quiet, creating a charming natural scene. Wearing elegant ao dai amidst the silent, ancient trees is sure to provide you with a wonderful emotional experience, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, capturing beautiful frames.

On weekends, Hanoi becomes quiet, shedding its lively exterior, leaving behind peace and nostalgia. Instead of the usual hustle and bustle, there is now a palette of tranquility and longing. It seems like Hanoi is living at a slower pace.

Hanoi's autumn is a season that easily evokes memories and can make people sentimental when far away. Each autumn departure is a time to feel more affectionate towards one's life, to appreciate what one has, and to cherish what one holds in their hands.