Top suggested must see places in the Hanoi old quarter

In this current developing period, every city is modernizing. Hanoi city has many achievements in the last 10 years. Many roads, modern high buildings were built. The life is also bustling together with the development of urbanization. However, you can still find the place that the time stood still despite of the bustle of each street. That is the Hanoi old quarter.
You will discover some features of Hanoian life in this old quarter.

1/ Ancient house in Ma May street:
This ancient house located in the Hanoi Old quarter. It is ideal for discovery the culture and daily life activities of the elegant Hanoi people. The ancient house was built in the XIX century with the Vietnamese traditional style. Now it is conserved well. The house is opened regularly for the tourists to visit.
Address: 87 Ma May street, Hanoi.
Open time: From 8.00 – 12.00 and 1.30 – 20.00.
Entrance fee: 10 000 VND

Ma May ancient house - Hanoi old quarter

2/ Ngoc Son temple and Hoan Kiem Lake:
Hoan Kiem Lake is the heart of Hanoi capital where anyone coming to Hanoi should visit once. The Lake is not only beautiful, open air for walking but also the tourist destination which associated with the historical and spiritual tradition of Hanoi city.
Surrounding the lake is the garden with trees, flowers. That create a peaceful beauty of the lake. Visiting Hoan Kiem Lake means you will have visit many attractive places such as Ngoc Son Temple, which is located in an Island connect to the bank by a red bridge that is The Huc bridge. Enjoy Highland coffee by the lake or famous Trang Tien ice cream that makes an impression in the heart of each tourist.
Address: Right in the city center the heart of Hanoi capital.
Open time: Open air, All day.
Ticket price: Free for Hoan Kiem Lake, Ngoc Son temple is 30 000 VND(1.5 USD)

Hoan Kiem Lake - Ngoc Son Temple

3/ Dong Xuan market:
Built in 1889, this is the biggest market in Hanoi old quarter where there are a lot of goods and most of them are clothes and many other types of household goods as well as a  place to enjoy the local foods. In Dong Xuan market, you will see the bustling shopping and this is a good way to understand more about the Hanoi old quarter. Dong Xuan market is a place that could not be missed for a trip to Hanoi.
Address: Dong Xuan street – Hanoi.
Open time: 6.00 -18.00
Ticket price: No

Dong Xuan Market in Hanoi Old Quarter

4/ Bach Ma temple or White house temple:
Bach Ma temple worships a god that helped Vietnam defeated the northern enemy. Bach Ma means White house, that was following the legend that our king built the citadel but was always fail. One day, there was a white house appeared. The king built the citadel that followed the house footprint. He built the citadel successfully. Then, to thank the god and the horse, the king built the temple and named ” Bach Ma” or White horse.
Address: 76 Hang Buom street, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi.
Open time:8.00-11.00pm and from 14.00 – 20.00
Ticket Price: No

Bach Ma temple

5/ Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre:
This is a 38 years old theatre and attracts many tourist so that they got the record “ the only Asia Theatre that performs water puppetry all 365 days of the year”.
Thang Long water puppet group has brought water art to perform in many countries around the world such as US, Japan, Switzerland…
The Theatre with 250 seats are always full with 7 performances per day.
You can book tickets at the ticket counter some hours/some days before the show time.
Address: 57B Dinh Tien Hoang Str, Hanoi.( By the Hoan Kiem Lake)
Open time: 8.30 -21.15
Tickets: 100 000 VND and VIP ticket is 200 000 VND ( 5 – 9 USD)

6/ Hanoi Cathedral:
With a beautiful ancient French architecture. Hanoi cathedral, from long time ago, is an ideal place for visitors from all over to visit. For Catholics, Hanoi cathedral is a great place for ceremony and pray.
Address: 40 Nha Chung street, Hanoi.
Open time: Sunday: from 7.00 – 11.30 and 15.00 – 21.00. Monday to Saturday: from 8.00 – 11.00 and 14.00 – 20.00
Ticket price: No

Hanoi Cathedral

7/ Hoa Lo Prison:
Hoa Lo Prison formerly known as Maison Central means the central prison or in Vietnamese name for Hanoi Prison. This is an old prison located in the Hoa Lo Street, Hanoi. This prison was built by France in 1896 with the aim of serving as the central prison for both north and the center Vietnam, imprisoning mainly political prisoners and patriots against the colonial government. This is a good place to know more about the Vietnam history and the difficulties that the political prisoners had to face in this place.
Address: 1 Hoa Lo street, Hanoi
Open time: 8.00 – 17.00
Ticket price: 30 000 VND

Hoa Lo prison in Ha noi

8/ Hang Ma street:
Hang Ma street is one of 36 ancient streets in Hanoi. It has traditional handicraft making votive items to use in offering and the paper decorations. It is very colorful streets and you may learn more about Vietnamese culture from this street which is 339m from Hang Duong intersections to Phung Hung street. Hang Ma brings to Hanoi people a sense of nostalgia.
Open time: from morning to evening
Price ticket: No

Hang Ma Street - Hanoi old quarter

9/ Hanoi Night market at the weekend:
Hanoi old quarter Night Market is from 18.00 to 23.00 every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It is one of the busiest trading places with the quality of booths up to 4000. These goods here are very varied and diverse from clothes to shoes, household, handicrafts, souvenirs…with affordable price. This is a good place to explore the culture of local life.
Address: Along the Hang Ngang, Hang Dao street to Dong Xuan street.
Open time: 18.00 – 23.00 every Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Ticket Price: No

Hanoi night market

10/ Ta Hien street:
Enjoy the end of the day in Ta Hien, located in the heart of Hanoi, this is a small street, however, it is very busiest and the most bustle streets in the old quarter with many street bars, beers. Another new name is beer street or international crossroad. This place is listed as “ must see” when travelling to Hanoi. You will have so much fun with chatting with friends and making new friends.
Address: Ta Hien streets from the intersection of Hang Bac and Dinh Le street.
Ticket: No. just price for beers and some finger foods. From 5 USD will be nice.

Ta Hien Street - Hanoi old quarter

10 must see places above will make you busy all the day in the Hanoi old quarter.
and it will be very relaxed to enjoy time in Ta Hien street in the end of the day. You will get a lot of fun and comfort in this place. Let’s go and check it now.