There are plenty of beautiful places to visit in Hanoi.
Hanoi has been recorded as the most affordable city to visit in the world by TripAdvisor in 2014 with the total TripIndex cost of $152.89. Til now, with many reasonable and beautiful places to visit in Hanoi, the city is still on the list of cheapest destinations worldwide.
1. Hoan Kiem Lake
Turtle Tower on Hoan Kiem Lake is also a symbol of Hanoi.
Topped among cheapest places to visit in Hanoi, Hoan Kiem Lake is a must-see thing which has long been symbolising the capital of Vietnam. Situated in the heart of the city, with its greenness and peaceful atmosphere, Hoan Kiem Lake is a nice site where local people and foreign tourists often come to relax and escape the noise of life. The surroundings of Hoan Kiem Lake have lots of impressive buildings and national heritages such typically as Ngoc Son Temple, The Huc Bridge, But Tower. There’s only a small fee required (of less than $2) when visiting Ngoc Son temple, otherwise, you’re free to walk!
2. The Old Quarter
The typical busy atmosphere of the streets inside Hanoi Old Quarter.
Cheap places to visit in Hanoi are also gathered in the Old Quarter. With some well-preserved ancient houses and the typical narrow alleys and streets, the area still has a vintage look of its since the 19th century. You can definitely opt for a short walk along the connecting streets and explore the tranquility inside. You will see how life goes in a corner of Hanoi, meet the people. You can buy anything you want with surprising cheap prices, but be sure to bargain 1/3. Also, be prepared to get lost: some foreigners said that the Old Quarter is a street matrix! But don’t worry so much, the answer to that matrix lying everywhere. It might be a good chance for you to have some talk with the local people!
3. Temple of Literature
This is also a beautiful and cheap places to visit in Hanoi. It is the first university of Vietnam, also a shrine to worship Confucius. In the ancient time, many auditions to find talents all over the country were held in this place. Today it has become a must-see among places to visit in Hanoi for both local people and tourists. More specially, lots of students also make a visit here before taking any big exam. The price for one ticket is less than $2 for adult and free for children under 3 years old.
4. Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
This site is suitable for everyone who is interested in exploring ethnology. Its rich sources, from religious events to special rituals of 54 Vietnam ethnic groups, are really precious materials. The museum currently has 3 main areas. The first one including galleries, offices, library and research facilities. The second one is an outdoor exhibition. The last one introduces the culture of international ethnologies, mostly Southeast Asia ethnics.
5. Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Complex
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is one of the must-see places to visit in Hanoi.
Other places to visit in Hanoi are Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and the Presidential Palace historical site. Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is a large memorial of the first president of Vietnam – Ho Chi Minh. It was built on 02 September 1973 at Ba Dinh Square, where formerly President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence. The mausoleum opens 5 days a week (closed on Monday and Friday). You’re free to visit the mausoleum. It will also cost you a small amount of money of more than $1 to enter the Presidential Palace. It contains of a simple traditional stilt house where President Ho Chi Minh used to live in the 1980s. Surrounding the house are a green space of a lush garden and a carp pond. There is also the palace built in 1900 used to welcome important international guests, and not open to public to visit.
6. One Pillar Pagoda
Also among free places to visit in Hanoi, located near Ho Chi Minh mausoleum complex, One Pillar Pagoda is an extremely unique architecture of Vietnam. It was built in 1049 under the Ly Dynasty, based on a strange dream of the King. The shape of the pagoda looks like a lotus flower blooming in the lake, which makes it a special symbol of Hanoi so far.
7. Thang Long Water Puppet Theater
Talk about places to visit in Hanoi, you cannot miss out the top stopover of many foreign tourists: Thang Long Water Puppet Theater. Situated alongside Hoan Kiem Lake, it holds daily puppet shows performed by Vietnamese artisans behind the backstage. Each show, lasts for about 2 hours, tells a typical story of Vietnam daily life and the traditional culture. The price for a stunning show like this is just around $3 – $4.
8. West Lake
End of the list places to visit in Hanoi is West Lake, the biggest lake in town. Not far from the city center, it is a favorite destination of not only locals but also many foreign tourists. Best time to visit West Lake is either at sunrise, when the air is fresh and you can go for a ride, or at sunset – time for nightlife activities! You can also visit Tran Quoc Pagoda at day time – one of the most sacred ancient temple of Hanoi.
