Vietnam / Practical city guide

Hanoi

Get oriented, plan your arrival, and find practical answers for your trip.

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Hanoi, Vietnam — Hanoi skyline with Ba Vi Mountain

21.02° N
105.84° E

Country / area: Vietnam
Time zone identifier: Asia/Bangkok
Currency reference: VND
Geographic source: GeoNames ↗

Geographic data is source-imported. Transport, payment, and entry details need current verification. Read our source notes ↗

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Your Hanoi guidebook

Hanoi / Money & payments

Cash or Card in Hanoi: Which One You Actually Need Where

Deciding between cash and cards in Hanoi depends on where you're spending, not a blanket rule. Use this breakdown of street food, markets, hotels, and malls to know which one wins each time.

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Hanoi / Food

Vietnam's second-place coffee claim, checked against the figures

Vietnam is second by production and by bean exports in USDA's 2026/27 table, and first in robusta. What that means for the cup you order in Hanoi.

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Hanoi / Practical information

How Many French Colonial Buildings Are Left in Hanoi, Counted

Hanoi's official inventory lists 1,216 pre-1954 villas in three protection tiers under Decision 1845/QD-UBND. What each tier permits, and which buildings you can enter.

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Hanoi / Day trips

Halong Bay Day Trip from Hanoi: Is It Worth the Drive

A day trip to Halong Bay from Hanoi means roughly 7-8 hours of travel for 3-4 hours on the water. Here's how to judge whether that trade works for you.

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Hanoi / Late-night travel

Arriving in Hanoi Late at Night: Your Real Options

What actually works if your flight lands in Hanoi after midnight, from taxi pickup to waiting it out at the airport. Compares cost, safety, and sleep tradeoffs for each choice.

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Hanoi / Layovers

Noi Bai Layover Planning: What To Do By Connection Length

How to plan a layover at Hanoi's Noi Bai Airport based on how many hours you actually have. The right call changes with layover length, visa status, and airline minimum connection time.

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Hanoi / Airports

Noi Bai Airport to Hanoi Old Quarter: Taxi, Bus, or Shuttle

Compares the real ways to reach Hanoi's Old Quarter from Noi Bai Airport, by cost, comfort, and reliability. Helps you pick based on luggage, arrival time, and how much certainty you need.

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Hanoi / Food

What to Eat in Hanoi: Northern Dishes and When to Order Them

The northern Vietnamese dishes Hanoi is known for, what is actually in each one, and the hours they are served. Includes which sell out by mid-morning.

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Hanoi / Practical information

What Hanoi's 36 Streets Are, and How to Walk the Old Quarter

Hanoi's 36 streets are guild streets named for the trade once worked there, and the number is not a count. How to read the shopfronts and walk them as one loop.

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Hanoi / Practical information

Is Hanoi's Temple of Literature Worth Visiting, and What Is It?

What the Temple of Literature in Hanoi is, courtyard by courtyard, and how long a visit really takes. Includes who finds it moving and who finds it thin.

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Hanoi / Tax refunds

How VAT Refunds Work for Tourists Departing Vietnam via Hanoi

This checklist explains how tourists generally claim a VAT refund leaving Vietnam through Hanoi's Noi Bai Airport, separating what happens before check-in from what happens after security.

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