Things to Do in Hanoi, Vietnam on a Budget

Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi, is a bustling city in the North 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 many visits to Hanoi. Initially we stayed with expat friends who graciously hosted us and showed us around. Every time we return to Vietnam, we uncover more of Hanoi’s treasures.

Updated: April 2024. Originally published: 2016.

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

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1. 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 “international food” tends to come with an “international price.”

Eating is definitely one of our favorite activities to do in Hanoi!

Scroll down to our Food and Restaurants section for recommendations of what and where you can eat in Hanoi on a budget.

2. 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.

Wherever you are in Hanoi, there’s sure to be coffeeshops nearby. Explore and find a cafe with a vibe you like!

3. Explore Old 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

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 and any local markets nearby.

4. Hoàn Kiếm Lake and Old Town

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.

Work out at a lake

Hanoi has little lakes all over the city. Wherever you’re staying, there’s likely to be a small body of water nearby.

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.

5. Visit Hanoi’s Historic Sites and Museums

Hanoi’s rich history began as the capital of the Ly Dynasty over a thousand years ago.

It became an imperial center and later endured French colonial rule. During the American War (known to Americans as the Vietnam War), Hanoi was the capital of North Vietnam.

There are many interesting monuments, temples, museums, and other historic attractions in Hanoi.

Here are just a few examples…

Hanoi Museum of Ethnology

This highly recommended museum would be interesting for all ages.

An impressive outdoor exhibit depicts ethnic minority village homes across Vietnam with life-size replicas of their huts and houses, built by the villagers themselves. It’s best to visit during mild weather, if possible, for the outdoor areas.

A large indoor exhibit includes handicrafts, clothing, and cultural customs of various ethnic groups in Southeast Asia with English, French, and Vietnamese descriptions. 

Entrance fee is less than $2 per adult. There is also a cafe restaurant and handicraft shops on site.

Vietnam Women’s Museum

Another recommended stop for your itinerary is the Women’s Museum, which features the life and history of the various tribes of women throughout Vietnam.

The collection gives a great overview of Vietnamese culture and history, with extensive exhibits including handicrafts, traditional clothing, worship, war heroes, and more.

Entrance is less than $2 per adult.

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 70,000 VND for adults.

6. Get a Massage

This was a first for both of us. When we heard about Omamori Spa, 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 is just 350,000 vnd – under $14 US.

They offer Vietnamese whole body, back massage, hot stone, Swedish massage with oil, or facials.

Another similar location we tried more recently is Tara Spa at P. Cổng Đục. A 90-minute massage was under $20.

While not super fancy places, they do a good job setting the mood in the small space they have.

At Omamori, you have 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

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! It’s not something I would recommend on your first time.

While it’s not hard to find a taxi in Hanoi, visitors with access to a smartphone and wifi or cell data may prefer Grab (a local rideshare like Uber or 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.

TIP: We use eSIMs and Google Maps on our phone to track our location and make sure we get off at the right stop. 

If you have our WorldWide Connectivity course (also available inside our Membership), review the modules on eSIM Best Practices and Managing Data Usage to get the most out of your eSIM!

Food and Restaurants in Hanoi

Don’t forget to check our curated map for the restaurant locations that we recommend.

Bún chả Ha Noi

This is probably our favorite Hanoi specialty.

Bún chả features vermicelli rice noodles and pork meatballs, served with greens/herbs and a dipping sauce/broth. There is also often a fried spring roll option.

President Obama 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 had our first bun cha down the street from our friends’ house on Pháo Đài Láng. More central locations we’ve enjoyed are on our map.

Where to get it: Bun Cha Dak Kim – 1 P. Hàng Mành
Cost: Around $3 per serving

Phở

Phở is perhaps the most ubiquitous of Vietnamese dishes you’ll find in North America. We learned that there are several types of phở available in Hanoi – only one of which comes in a savory broth.

The phở we are used to in the States, with its sweet hoisin or plum sauce, is actually from the South. So don’t be surprised if your phở soup in Hanoi taste different.

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 our map)
Cost: 250,000 vnd for three dishes and four drinks for four adults (about $2.80 per person)

Banh Mi and Baked Goods

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. The soft, fluffy white bread pictured above was coated in a sweet-savory sauce and topped with dried meat shavings or “floss”. It might sound strange but it was delicious!

As mentioned, there are countless stalls where you can find banh mi sandwiches, each with their own twist.

Where to get it: Bánh mì Phố – several locations in Old Town, or Banh mi 25 – 25 P. Hàng Cá
Cost: Less than $2 for most sandwiches

Xôi xéo

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/or old newspaper.

It’s tasty, filling, and once we discovered it, we have not stopped going back for breakfast!

Where to get it: 42 P. Hàng Hòm (Go early. There’s no menu, no English, no seating, and lots of locals.)
Cost: 10,000 vnd each (about 75 cents US)

Coconut Ice Cream

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 shops next to each other on 36 Nguyễn Chí Thanh, Ngọc Khánh but you can probably find it in more central locations too.
Cost: 50,000 vnd (about $2)

Non-Vietnamese Restaurants in Hanoi

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.

For healthy Western/fusion, we enjoyed the brunch items upstairs at Salt & Pepper (a.k.a. Muối Tiêu Quan).

This restaurant is found among a “restaurant row” on P. Tống Duy Tân, near to the Train Street. 

We have fond memories of Street Sushi from our early days visiting Hanoi with friends. Not sure if it’s still there, but this place was a car wash and parking lot by day. Then every night they’d bring out their tiny tables and boat-shaped portable kitchen.

Prices were about a third of your average sushi cost in the States, and it was pretty tasty too!

Hanoi Vietnam Travel Resources

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Where to Stay in Hanoi

We initially 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.

For a good value Airbnb in a convenient location with an excellent local host, you’ll love staying a Huong’s homestay.

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

TIP: 🛏️ When it comes to accommodations, finding the right balance between cost, location, and comfort is worth getting right. But it doesn’t have to take hours of online searching!

I’ll teach you how to pinpoint your own perfect accommodations efficiently and avoid disappointing stays in my Smart Stay Finder course.

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)
– Where to stay in Ninh Binh Vietnam
– 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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