Things to Do in Hanoi, Vietnam on a Budget

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Vietnam’s capitol, Hanoi, is a bustling city with a lot to explore. Cost of living is fairly cheap so there are many things to do in Hanoi on a budget. Despite not loving big cities and traffic, we have really enjoyed our past two visits to Hanoi where we have expat friends who graciously host us and share Hanoi’s treasures with us.

Below is a map of things to do in Hanoi, including our favorite cafes and several other attractions or activities that we mention in the post:

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Eat in Hanoi

Southeast Asia is known for tasty, affordable food, and Hanoi has plenty of good food to offer. Just about everything you can think of is available in Hanoi – from traditional Northern Vietnamese street food to Domino’s Pizza to sushi. Vietnamese meals, especially if it’s in an open-air shop, can be found for under $1 per person, meanwhile the “expat food” tends to come with an “expat price.” Below are just a few examples of what and where you can eat in Hanoi on a budget.

Phở

Phở-nomenal: The Many Types of Phở in Hanoi, Vietnam | Intentional Travelers

Phở is perhaps the most ubiquitous of Vietnamese dishes you’ll find in North America. Last year, we learned that there are several types of phở available in Hanoi – only one of which comes in a savory broth. One of our favorites is Phở Cuốn, a wrapped version which you dip in delicious fish sauce.

Where to get it: 111 Trúc Bạch, Ba Đình along the lake (see map above for photo)
Cost: 250,000 vnd for three dishes and four drinks for four adults (about $2.80 per person)


Bún chả

Things to Do in Hanoi, Vietnam on a Budget | Intentional Travelers

Bún chả features vermicelli rice noodles and pork meatballs, served with greens/herbs and a dipping sauce. President Obama recently had this classic Hanoi dish with Anthony Bourdain, so you can now follow his footsteps (although the restaurant where they ate has since hiked up the price). We got ours down the street from our friends’ house on Pháo Đài Láng.


Baked Goods

Things to Do in Hanoi, Vietnam on a Budget | Intentional Travelers

France occupied Vietnam for over a century and despite the obvious downsides of colonialism, one of the blessings is a fusion of food cultures and a trail of bakeries across the country. You’ll find baguette sandwiches (bánh mì) everywhere as well as other delicious pastries. During our recent stay, we frequented a little bakery/stall on Pháo Đài Láng and tried several different things. We’re not sure what this one is called but it’s a very soft, fluffy white bread, coated in a sweet-savory sauce and topped with dried meat shavings. It might sound strange but it was delicious!

Where to get it: Towards the middle of Pháo Đài Láng on the north side of the street
Cost: 7,000 vnd (about 30 cents US)


Xôi xéo

Things to Do in Hanoi, Vietnam on a Budget | Intentional Travelers

This is fast food for breakfast, Hanoi street food style. Xôi xéo (sounds like “soy say-o”) is sold on street corners and in the markets first thing in the morning. Ingredients include sticky rice, turmeric powder, mung bean, fried shallot, and dried meat shavings – all wrapped up in a banana leaf and old newspaper. It’s tasty, filling, and once we discovered it, we had it for breakfast almost every day!

Cost: 10,000 vnd each (about 45 cents US)


Coconut Ice CreamThings to Do in Hanoi, Vietnam on a Budget | Intentional Travelers

If you’re looking for a special treat and a way to cool off, try a coconut ice cream. It’s literally ice cream inside a coconut (we’re still not clear if dairy milk is involved or just coconut milk) and, yes, there is ice cream inside as well as on top.

Where to get it: There are three shops next to each other on 36 Nguyễn Chí Thanh, Ngọc Khánh
Cost: 50,000 vnd (a bit of a splurge but still affordable at about $2.25)


Non-Vietnamese Alternatives

No matter how much you love Vietnamese food, when you’re an expat living in Hanoi year-round, sometimes you just crave something different. We get it. While these restaurants are nowhere near as cheap as street food, you won’t pay any more than you would in the States.

Things to Do in Hanoi, Vietnam on a Budget | Intentional Travelers

Street Sushi still gives you a local vibe – this place is a car wash and parking lot by day, but every night they bring out their tiny tables and boat-shaped portable kitchen. Prices are about a third of your average sushi cost in the States, and it’s pretty tasty too!

Things to Do in Hanoi, Vietnam on a Budget | Intentional TravelersChez Xuan is great for fair-weather days with just enough trees and open space to make you forget you’re in the city. We joined a group of expat families there for a meal of tasty french-inspired flatbreads and specialty burgers, paying about $12 for our two lunches. Another expat favorite, with outdoor space for romping children, is the Moose & Roo Smokehouse. They serve high-quality burgers and “pub fare” in a unique, outdoor-covered-sports-bar set up.


Drink Coffee in Hanoi

Though we’re typically not big coffee drinkers, we are when we’re in Vietnam! There are so many amazing cafes and different coffee concoctions in this country. Cà phê sữa (coffee with sweetened condensed milk) is most typical and can be ordered hot or iced. Another specialty of Hanoi is the sweet, creamy egg coffee and Cong Cà phê’s delicious coconut icecream with coffee poured over. We wrote more about coffee and cafes in Hanoi in this post: 4 Cool Cafes and Coffee Treats in Hanoi, Vietnam.

caphe-cuoi-ngo-2


Explore Hanoi

For our slow-paced, budget travel style, we typically don’t visit a ton of big attractions. Instead, we focus on getting a feel for local life and find activities that are either free or provide a really great value.

Dive into a Neighborhood
Things to Do in Hanoi, Vietnam on a Budget | Intentional Travelers

caphe-cuoi-ngo-1

When we landed in Hanoi for the very first time, our friends shared the brilliant practice of going on a silent walk for our first experience of the city. Rather than react and comment and take pictures of everything, we walked a 20 minute loop around the neighborhood and just took it all in. There is so much going on in every corner of Hanoi. Wherever you are, get out and explore the neighborhood. In our end of town, we recommend starting at Pháo Đài Láng, a bustling market street.


Hoàn Kiếm Lake and Old Town

Things to Do in Hanoi, Vietnam on a Budget | Intentional Travelers

Most visitors will probably end up staying around the Old Town/French Quarter area, and it’s where you’ll see the highest concentration of foreigners and souvenirs. You could easily spend a day exploring, starting at Hoàn Kiếm Lake and heading out to the various monuments, pagodas, temples, and government buildings of your choice. If you’re on vacation or even a honeymoon in Vietnam, this is likely where you’ll spend the most time.

Things to Do in Hanoi, Vietnam on a Budget | Intentional Travelers


Temple of Literature

The Temple of Literature is dedicated to Confucius and Vietnam’s finest scholars. A great example of traditional Vietnamese architecture, it was also the site of Vietnam’s first university, which back then was exclusive to Vietnamese nobility. Entrance is 10,000 vnd (less than 50 cents US).


Work out at a Lake

Staying Fit in Hanoi, Vietnam | Intentional Travelers

If you like to stay active while you travel, you’ll be in good company in Hanoi. Locals flock to the many lakes throughout the city at sunrise to walk, jog, join a dancercize class, do calisthenics, or play badminton. Peak work out times seem to be just after the sun comes up, which avoids the heat of the day. To learn more about the fitness culture in Hanoi and our travel work out routine, check out this post: Staying Fit in Hanoi, Vietnam.


Get a Massage

This was a first for both of us. When we heard about Omamori Spa (business is temporarily closed), just a few blocks away from where we stayed in Hanoi, we had to give it a try. This spa is a part of BlinkLink, an organization that empowers Vietnamese blind people with the opportunity of high quality employment. A one-hour massage (Vietnamese whole body, back massage, or Swedish massage) is just 190,000 vnd – about $8.50 US.

While not a super fancy place, they do a good job setting the mood in the small space they have. You get a chance to shower off in private before the massage starts – which is smart for Hanoi’s hot, humid climate – and sip some green tea before and after. We both found this to be an extraordinary value for our money.

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Getting Around in Hanoi

Things to Do in Hanoi, Vietnam on a Budget | Intentional Travelers

For a sense of the amazingness that is Hanoi traffic, we recommend taking a look at the entertaining video of our first experience crossing the street in Vietnam. You could certainly rent a moped or a bicycle for cheap, but make sure you’re up for the challenge of navigating busy streets first!

While it’s not hard to find a taxi in Hanoi, visitors with access to a smartphone and wifi or cell data may prefer Uber or Grab (a local partner of Lyft). This way, you can set your starting and ending point without having to worry about your destination getting lost in translation. And no money has to change hands because everything goes through the smartphone app. No fares have to be negotiated. A ride across town is usually just a few dollars.

The city bus is another great option for budget travelers, at just 7,000 vnd (about 30 cents) per ride. Google Maps can help you find the best route to your destination. Then, just hang out at the bus stop and watch for the bus with the right number on the front. Pay the fare-taker (not the driver) after you get on, and try to have exact change.

We use cell data and Google Maps on our phone to track our location and make sure we get off at the right stop. For more info about getting around Hanoi, check out this TravelFish article.


Hanoi Vietnam Travel Resources

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✈️ Protect your Hanoi trip with Travel Insurance – We’ve started using Nomad Insurance by Safety Wing for affordable evacuation, international medical, and trip coverage.

 

 

Where to Stay in Hanoi

We stayed with our friends who were far removed from the tourist center. Most visitors stay near the French Quarter/Old Town and the Ho Hoan Kiem lake area for easy access to the main Hanoi attractions.

Find a cool apartment or homestay room to rent on Booking.com.


There are plenty more things to do in Hanoi, including dozens of tourist attractions that we haven’t covered. These are the things we’ve done, personally, and found to be worthwhile. If you have a recommendation of your own – or a question, please add it to the comments below.

You might also like:

Suggest Vietnam Itinerary for 10 days or more
A budget guide to Ninh Binh (with self-guided bicycle itinerary)
A budget guide to Mai Chau, Vietnam
A budget guide to Hue, Vietnam
A complete budget guide to Hoi An, Vietnam

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5 Comments

  1. I found the Pho in the north to be different than the south or central Vietnam. In the north I found it a bit more hearty and more of a winter style soup rather than the light fragrant style of the south. I’m a huge fan of Bun Cha as well. Hanoi was possibly as good or better than the food I had in Hoi An

  2. Great post ! Thankyou for sharing your information! It’s always good to know where to go eat and get massages while travelling! ?

    1. No bros. In Vietnamese, “Banh Pho” means the noodle and “pho” is the name of the food. If you want to ask for more soup, you use “Nuoc pho” (Nuoc = water)
      You also should check Da Nang, Hoi An. They have “Cao Lau”. You may like it if you like pho

      1. So apparently there is some debate about the exact language here – or perhaps it’s regional? Either way, in Hanoi, there are at least 5 different kinds of dishes we were able to try that all included pho in the name. Thank you, Ray and Daniel, for sharing!

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