Hanoi Travel Tips: What We Learned in Vietnam’s Capital

After a slow, lantern-lit week in Hội An, Hanoi hit us like a wave of motorbikes, horns, and energy. Vietnam’s capital is chaotic, historic, and full of great food, including for travelers who eat gluten-free.

Here’s our advice for making the most of Hanoi (Hà Nội), plus a few lessons we learned.

1. Plan for the Drive Into the City

Hanoi’s airport is much farther from the city than Ho Chi Minh City’s. Our Grab ride to the Old Quarter took about 45–50 minutes. After the calm of Hội An, being back in big-city traffic took some adjusting.

Our advice: Don’t schedule anything tight on arrival day. Book a private transfer or keep the Grab app ready, and give yourself time to settle in.

2. Read Every Review Before You Book

Our first Airbnb was an adventure.

The entrance was at the back of a crêperie. We grabbed a key from a lockbox on the front gate, squeezed our luggage past the crêpe stand and staff, entered a door code, then rode a lift so tiny that Justin had to make two trips with our bags.

Our second apartment was spacious, with a small kitchen and a washer/dryer. But I missed the reviews mentioning active construction next door, so midday naps were off the table.

Our advice: Search reviews for words like “construction,” “elevator,” “stairs,” and “noise,” and ask exactly how you’ll get inside. The Old Quarter is lively and loud. If you want easy arrivals and quiet, a hotel with staff may be worth the extra cost. Mid-trip, a place with a washer is a gift.

3. Allergy-Friendly Eating in Hanoi Takes a Little Research

Hanoi turned out to be very manageable for my gluten and dairy allergies, but it required planning.

On our first night, we walked to a poke restaurant tucked down a narrow alley and up three flights of stairs. The staff told us exactly which ingredients were gluten-free.

Later, my research led us to the Hanoi Social Club, a hip three-level restaurant with an eclectic international menu that worked for our gluten-free friend as well.

Our advice:

• Research before you land. Save gluten-free-friendly restaurants to Google Maps so you aren’t searching while hungry.

• Don’t judge by the entrance. Some of Hanoi’s best spots are hidden up alleys and staircases.

• Ask the staff. Places used to international travelers can often tell you what’s safe.

• Use Grab for delivery. You can order from allergy-friendly restaurants straight to your room.
  

If your allergy is serious, carry a written card describing it in Vietnamese and confirm with staff every time.

4. Build In a Rest Day

Lauren woke up one morning feeling terrible. I ordered breakfast through Grab from a gluten-free café, and she went back to bed. Rather than waste our limited time, we split up: I went sightseeing while Lauren rested.

Our advice: Long trips catch up with you. Leave some slack in your itinerary, pack basic medications from home, and don’t feel guilty about dividing and conquering.

5. Visit Hỏa Lò Prison With the Right Expectations

I found Hỏa Lò Prison, known to Americans as the “Hanoi Hilton,” educational and sobering.

Most of the museum focuses on the French colonial era, when the prison held, tortured, and executed Vietnamese revolutionaries. The section on American POWs tells a very different story, emphasizing humane treatment and leaving out the torture that former American prisoners have documented. The exhibits reflect the government’s official narrative. Both sides committed abuses against prisoners, civilians, and soldiers during a brutal war.

The museum was also crowded, and visitors didn’t hesitate to shove past each other in narrow exhibits.

Our advice: Go, but view it as Vietnam’s telling of its history. Expect crowds, be patient, and plan something lighter afterward.

6. Check Train Street Before You Go

We heard conflicting information about whether the most famous train street would be crowded, or even open to visitors. So we chose a quieter section, found a café, and grabbed a seat at an upstairs railing. When the train came through, it was loud and astonishingly close to the walls.

Our advice: Check current access before you go, sit at a café, and follow the staff’s instructions when the train approaches.

7. Book Water Puppet Tickets in Advance

We showed up at the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre to find every show sold out except the last one of the night. We bought tickets for the next day instead.

The show, about 50 minutes long, tells short stories from Vietnamese culture while puppeteers hidden behind a screen control the puppets on long bamboo poles underwater.

Our advice: Buy tickets a day or more ahead, and get the audio guide. Its short explanations made the stories much easier to follow.

8. Walk Hoàn Kiếm Lake After Dark

One of our favorite moments was simply walking around Hoàn Kiếm Lake at night, past the glowing red The Huc Bridge that leads to Ngọc Sơn Temple. Hanoi’s weather was also much more pleasant than what we’d experienced farther south.

Our advice: Make an evening lake walk part of your first night. It’s the easiest way to feel the city’s rhythm.

Planning Your Own Trip to Vietnam?

Hanoi rewards travelers who plan the details: the right neighborhood, the right restaurants, and room to rest. Hanoi also makes a great base for day trips to Ninh Bình and Hạ Long Bay. If you’d like help designing a Vietnam trip that fits your interests and dietary needs, WanderLux Travel would love to help.