Staying Fit in Hanoi, Vietnam

No matter where we go around the world, it’s important to us to maintain a regular exercise habit. This can sometimes be a challenge on the road, but thankfully in Hanoi, there weren’t too many barriers.

Our Morning Work Outs in Hanoi

Our morning work outs fell under one of two approaches:

1. Doing work out videos indoors that don’t require any equipment other than our laptop (check out our list of online work outs that are best for travel)

2. Joining the people of Hanoi out on the street and in the parks for a morning run

Our first experience running in Hanoi

As noted in our earlier post, How to Cross the Street in Hanoi Traffic, getting around can be somewhat daunting when you first arrive.

Nevertheless, we overcame any early concerns in order to maintain our morning exercise regimen. (And actually, once you’re familiar with how things run in the city, it’s very easy to get around.)

Our friends pointed us toward a nearby lake with a park around it as a safe place where we could jog in the mornings.

We woke up at dawn, thankful to find that traffic was very light so we had no trouble crossing the big intersection. When we arrived at the park, we were shocked to find it buzzing with activity.

Groups of 25 to 50 women were gathered in the open areas “dancercising” to music over a loudspeaker. It was quite a sight to see so many, young and old, thrusting hips and waving arms to a techno beat.

The path along the lake was full of walkers and a few joggers. Off the path, disperesed out every few yards, there were people stretching or wiggling their limbs.

Another group faced the water with soothing meditative music and practiced something that resembled tai chi.

The most interesting group was about twelve women, probably in their 60’s, who sometimes did an exercise that involved massaging their knees while laughing heartily out loud.

We could always hear them before we saw them, as we rounded the corner of the lake. I suppose it’s a good exercise for the diaphragm. I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself.

In two different areas, the park had permanent exercise equipment made of metal bars. Pull up bars I’d seen before, but there were even ones that were like a mechanical version of an elliptical, with variations to mobilize different parts of your body. 

In the first area, there were always young men on the equipment, looking like gymnasts in training. The second area was a mix of middle-age to elderly folks.

Most mornings there was also a game of soccer and volleyball (both played concrete), as well as small groups of people practicing badminton in random places.

The next morning we went for a run, we decided to explore another nearby lake that we had seen on the map. Sure enough, people were walking there, too. And others were stretching and loosening their limbs while looking out at the water.

There was even another set of dancercise ladies, with their leader calling out each move on a microphone from the median of the street.

Now that we’ve returned to Vietnam year after year, we’ve seen that exercise is a habit for many in Hanoi, especially the elderly.

It’s always nice for us to be in a place where running doesn’t make us stand out and where there are accessible, safe places to go – which isn’t always the case in every place we travel.

Hanoi Weekend Walking Street

One great new tradition in Hanoi for those who like to exercise is the Weekend Walking Street. We absolutely LOVE this concept!

The streets around Hoan Kiem Lake, central to the Old Town and tourist district, are closed off to vehicles every weekend. This way people can run or stroll around the lake in a pedestrian-only zone.

Walking Street is every weekend from Friday evening to late on Sunday. 

We saw many local walking and running groups on Saturday and Sunday morning, encouraging regular exercise as a community.

At night, the Night Market starts from the North end of the loop. Folk games, performers, and street vendors join in as well.

Benefits of Exercising While Traveling

1. Prevents stiffness and promotes circulation, which is especially important during long periods of sitting on planes and trains.

2. Releases endorphins, reducing stress.

Hanoi Vietnam Travel Resources

• • Compare and book Vietnam transit tickets on BookAway here >
  • Browse Experiences in Hanoi Vietnam here >
  • Book a local tour experience with Backstreet Academy here >

* Get access to our Vietnam Destinations guide here *

For further reading about Hanoi:

– Things to Do in Hanoi, Vietnam on a Budget
– How to Cross the Street in Hanoi Traffic2022
– 5 Unexpected Things We Learned in Hanoi2015
– Phở-nomenal: The Many Types of Phở in Hanoi, Vietnam
– 4 Cool Cafes and Coffee Treats in Hanoi, Vietnam

For other Vietnam destinations:

– 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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