Hanoi
One of the Oldest Capitals in the World
Vietnam's capital for over a thousand years — a city of lake-side temples, French colonial boulevards and the densest motorbike traffic on Earth. Hanoi sits where the Red River delta meets the Tonkin highlands, and it remains the cultural heart of the country.
A Thousand-Year Capital on the Red River
Hanoi was founded in 1010 AD by Emperor Ly Thai To, who relocated the Vietnamese capital from Hoa Lu and named the new city Thang Long ("Ascending Dragon"). It has been the country's political and cultural centre for most of the millennium since — a continuous capital longer than Beijing, Paris or London. The current name Hà Nội ("Inside the Rivers") was adopted in 1831.
The city's most distinctive feature is its 36-street Old Quarter, where each lane historically specialised in one craft — silk on Hàng Đào, silver on Hàng Bạc, fish on Hàng Cá. Most still bear those original names today. At the Quarter's southern edge sits Hoan Kiem Lake, where a giant soft-shell turtle handed Emperor Le Loi a sword to drive out the Ming Chinese in 1428 — and where the lake's last turtle of the same species died in 2016.
Hanoi also holds Vietnam's finest French colonial architecture — the Opera House (1911), Long Bien Bridge (1903, by Eiffel's firm), and the Metropole Hotel (1901). The city is the launching point for tours of Halong Bay, the rice-terraced highlands of Sapa, and the limestone karst country of Ninh Binh. Swotah Travel arranges Vietnam itineraries as multi-country add-ons to Nepal and South Asia trips.
Things to do in Hanoi
Standout experiences hand-picked by our local guides.
- 01Hoan Kiem Lake & Ngoc Son TempleThe mythological heart of Hanoi — a lake with a 13th-century temple on a small island connected by the red Huc Bridge.
- 02Old Quarter 36 StreetsA medieval-grid market quarter where each street specialised in one craft — silk, silver, fish, tin. Most original names intact.
- 03Temple of LiteratureVietnam's first university (1070) and Confucian academy. Five courtyards with stone steles listing every doctoral graduate from 1442-1779.
- 04Ho Chi Minh MausoleumVietnam's revolutionary founder lies in state, embalmed. Daily morning visits — strict silence, dress code, and timing.
- 05Hanoi Hilton (Hoa Lo Prison)The colonial-era prison where John McCain and other US POWs were held during the Vietnam War. Now a powerful museum.
- 06Train StreetA narrow lane where the active Hanoi-Saigon railway passes inches from front doors and cafés twice a day.
- 07Ha Long Bay Day TripUNESCO-listed limestone karst seascape — 1,600 islands rising from the Gulf of Tonkin, 3 hours by car from Hanoi.
- 08Bun Cha & Pho StreetsideHanoi-style grilled pork with rice noodles (bun cha) and chicken noodle soup (pho ga) — both invented here.
Best time to visit Hanoi
Hanoi's four seasons are pronounced — sub-tropical summer heat, winter chill and two perfect shoulder windows.
- ★ BEST SEASONSpringMarch – MayHanoi's spring is misty and atmospheric — light rain, flowering trees, and pleasant temperatures. March-April is the city's prettiest moment.17°C – 28°C
- MONSOONSummerJune – AugustHot, humid and prone to typhoons that can disrupt Halong Bay trips. Daytime sightseeing requires café breaks; evenings are warm and lively.24°C – 35°C
- ★ BEST SEASONAutumnSeptember – NovemberHanoi's most loved season. Dry, cool, golden-leaved boulevards and the year's best Halong Bay weather. Book early.18°C – 28°C
- GOODWinterDecember – FebruaryCool by South-East Asian standards. Tet (Lunar New Year, late Jan/early Feb) is the country's biggest holiday — pretty but most sites close.12°C – 19°C