Hanoi is organised chaos with a fantastic culinary scene and an interesting Old Quarter, where French and typically Asian architecture blend together.

I really enjoyed Hanoi, even though I hadn’t expected much from the city. It’s the ideal place for a two-day acclimatisation period before travelling around Vietnam, or conversely, to bid farewell to this fascinating Asian country.

Hanoi doesn’t have a modern city centre like Bangkok. Nor does it have that many major sights. Yet you won’t get bored here. And our practical guide will help you with that.

As well as the sections on this page, I’ve also written a few other practical blog posts:

• 👉 How many days should you spend in Hanoi?
• 👉My tips for cafés, bistros and street food
• 👉 What’s the best way to get from the airport to the city centre?

The 10 best hotels in Hanoi