Hanoi

Central Hanoi, 1 km S of Hoan Kiem Lake

This often overlooked museum has benefited from an extensive renovation of its permanent exhibitions. The modernised interior is well laid out with information in Vietnamese, English and French, and contains a huge amount of information on…

No 1 Trang Tien Street and 216 Tran Quang Khai Street

Actually two museums: one covers Vietnam from prehistoric times to 1945 and the other covers 1945 to present. This museum gives a very informed and detailed account of the Vietnamese struggle against first the French (starting in 1858—on…

opposite Temple of Literature

Only party-approved art is shown here with information in English and Vietnamese. On three floors of a colonial building, with another three galleries in the west wing.

19 Ngoc Ha St, Ba Dinh

This gleaming white museum and its gloriously ham-handed iconography is the perfect chaser to the solemnity of the mausoleum. The building, completed in 1990, is intended to evoke a white lotus.

· Free

The city down south may have his name, but only Hanoi has the man himself, entombed in distinctly Lenin-esque fashion. Against his wishes, but that's how it goes.

1 Bach Thao, Ba Dinh

The exit from the mausoleum takes you right into the grounds of the, uh, vestige, where Ho Chi Minh lived and worked from 1954 until his death in 1969.

on the bund road in the Tay Ho District

Hidden Hanoi runs walking tours and cooking classes. There are many options including the 1-hr walking tour of the local market, followed by the 3-hr cooking class.

on the 6th floor of the Vincom City Towers

The movies are relatively new, perhaps one or two months later than in the US. The movies are not dubbed although there are subtitles so both non-Vietnamese speakers and locals can enjoy them.

close to Truc Bac lake

Cooking school, retail outlet and beautiful courtyard cafe with an excellent menu of Asian and Western favourites. Hands-on cooking classes and short courses in a relaxed atmosphere.

So 40 Ngo 76 An Duong

200-m² climbing surface, a 50-m² café & terrace to chill out, and a climbing pro-shop. Also a great place for finding out where to climb immediately outside of Hanoi.

Fully equipped facilities to learn Vietnamese cooking. A typical day will commence with a visit to the morning market accompanied by an instructor to select ingredients for your cooking lesson.

30 Cua Dong, Hoan Kiem

Nice, not too expensive spa with a range of services, including massages, manicures/pedicures, facials. They will pay for your one-way taxi fare to the spa. Friendly staff.

about ten minutes across the river from the city centre, take Bus 10, 15 or 17 and get off at the large mall" just beyond Gia Lâm station, and walk 500 m down the road at the right of the mall

The suburb of Le Mat (aka Snake Village) has numerous restaurants specializing in cobra foodstuffs. Live cobras are stored on the premises much the same way one would find live lobsters at a Western seafood restaurant.

16 P. Hàng Bè

Simple Vietnamese home-cooked food. Also amazing vegan food. The fried tofu in tomato sauce and grilled eggplant are delicious. Also a cute date spot.

25 P. Hàng Cá

Vietnamese Sandwiches. This is a good restaurant for a quick bite to eat near Dong Xuan Market. Lovely place and mouth watering food.

98 P. Hàng Bạc

Vietnamese Sandwiches. This place is open from early morning and serves great bahn mi. Nice staff with good English skills.

32 Đ. Trần Nhật Duật

The sandwich is very delicious and crispy. Pretty crowded. You can also eat there at 3am and it will feel delicious.

200 m NW of lake

Run by an Australian couple. Private en suite rooms and shared rooms. Air-con, cable TV. Fully informed and equipped travel service for all destinations in Vietnam. Friendly English speaking staff.

46 Hang Ga St, Hoan Kiem

Rooms are clean and furnished with air conditioning, TV, sofa chairs, a minibar, a dresser, and a bathroom with hot and cold taps and a bath tub. High-speed Wi-Fi is available as well.

20 m from the corner of Bia Hoi

Central 3-star. The rooms are spacious, safe, and renovated. Some rooms have wardrobes. The floors are hard tiled and very clean. LCD TV and refrigerator.

5 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem

17 rooms and dormitory with city view, air-con, satellite TV, telephone, minibar, en suite bath with tub and shower. Relaxation room on the 1st floor complete with a pool table, a dart board and a library.

600 m north of Hoan Kiem Lake

Basic 2-star in tall, ramshackle building with no lift. The rooms have comfortable beds, good hot water pressure for showers and air-con/fan combos. Amenities include satellite TV, free Internet and bathtub. Helpful staff with good English.

14 Bat Su St

A small hotel very popular with backpackers. Friendly and reliable staff. All rooms air-con with en suite toilet and shower. Has a sister establishment, Hanoi Guesthouse 2.