Temple of Literature
A Confucian temple founded in 1070 that housed Vietnam's first university.
- Category
- Historic site
- Duration
- 1.3 h
- Price
- $
- Best time
- Early morning
Tip: Go early in the morning to avoid crowds.
Show on mapCulture – Hanoi
Hanoi's culture blends Confucian and Buddhist traditions, a thousand years of royal heritage and French-era traces. Temples, water puppet shows and lunar-calendar festivals are part of daily city life.
Historic sites
- Thang Long Citadel – The thousand-year political centre of Vietnam, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
- Hỏa Lò Prison – A French-built prison later known to Americans as the "Hanoi Hilton".
- Long Bien Bridge – A steel bridge built by the French in 1902, bombed in the war and repaired.
Traditions
- Water puppetry – A folk art born in rice fields, with puppets dancing on the water.
- Ca trù – An old sung-poetry tradition for a female voice, lute and wooden drum.
- Ancestor worship and tea – Ancestor altars at home and offerings on lunar days are part of daily life.
Festivals
- Tết (Ay Yılbaşı) – The national holiday in late January or February, with flower markets and family visits.
- Mid-Autumn Festival – A children's festival with lantern parades, lion dances and mooncakes.
- Hung Kings Commemoration – A public holiday in spring honouring the country's legendary founding kings.
Etiquette
- Cover shoulders and knees at temples, and remove shoes where required.
- Avoid touching heads or pointing with your feet; both are seen as disrespectful.
- Bargaining is normal but stay friendly; ask the price first when eating.
- Stay quiet at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and official monuments, and keep hands out of pockets.
Map
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Places
Hanoi Eski Mahallesi
A thousand-year-old guild district of 36 streets, each once devoted to a single trade.
- Category
- Neighborhood
- Duration
- 3 h
- Price
- Free
- Best time
- Early morning
Tip: Exploring on foot is best; watch for traffic.
Show on mapThăng Long Water Puppet Theatre
Presents the thousand-year-old village art of water puppetry with live music.
- Category
- Performance
- Duration
- 50 min
- Price
- $$
- Best time
- Evening
Tip: Buying tickets ahead reduces waiting in line.
Show on mapHo Chi Minh Mausoleum
The monumental mausoleum on Ba Dinh Square where Ho Chi Minh's body is preserved.
- Category
- Landmark
- Duration
- 1 h
- Price
- Free
- Best time
- Early morning
Tip: Dress modestly, covering shoulders and knees.
Show on mapNgọc Sơn Tapınağı
A temple on an island in Hoan Kiem Lake, reached by the red Huc Bridge.
- Category
- Religious site
- Duration
- 40 min
- Price
- $
- Best time
- Early morning
Tip: Dress modestly, covering shoulders and knees.
Show on mapTrấn Quốc Pagoda
Hanoi's oldest Buddhist pagoda, on a small island in West Lake.
- Category
- Religious site
- Duration
- 45 min
- Price
- Free
- Best time
- Afternoon
Tip: Dress modestly, covering shoulders and knees.
Show on mapHanoi Opera House
A neoclassical theatre opened in 1911 and inspired by the Paris Opera.
- Category
- Landmark
- Duration
- 45 min
- Price
- $$
- Best time
- Evening
Tip: Buying tickets ahead reduces waiting in line.
Show on mapOne Pillar Pagoda
An iconic 11th-century pagoda standing on a single pillar in a lotus pond.
- Category
- Religious site
- Duration
- 30 min
- Price
- Free
- Best time
- Early morning
Tip: Dress modestly, covering shoulders and knees.
Show on mapBạch Mã Tapınağı
The oldest temple in the Old Quarter, dedicated to the White Horse, the city's guardian spirit.
- Category
- Religious site
- Duration
- 30 min
- Price
- Free
- Best time
- Early morning
Tip: Dress modestly, covering shoulders and knees.
Show on map
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Please verify with official sources before your visit.
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