Sit on a plastic chair in front of one of the Bia Hoi (fresh beer) establishments which are invariably situated on the corners of many of Hanoi's 'Old Quarter' streets. This preservative-free light beer is the perfect drink to sip as you watch the city's frenetic life bustle by. The beer costs less than twenty cents and gives you an excuse to relax and take photos of the passing local characters. Should not be missed. Moreover, once you reach the Old Quarter, you will find that almost every corner is filled with stalls selling Pho (Vietnamese noodle) and cafe (the name is not limited only to coffee, but also tea, sweets and grocery items, and yes, even to Pho!).

Gym

If you want to do some mild weight training on a budget, head to 88 Hang Buom st, a short walk from Hoan Kiem Lake. The cost is 20,000VND per session as of November 2009. A local tells me he pays 130,000VND per month. Be aware however the gym is in very poor condition. The floor is hazardous and no one will spot you whilst benching so ensure your last rep you are able to place the bar back or go with a friend. The front of the gym is full of scooters and the rear wall has pictures of Uncle Ho exercising back in the day! Drinks are 10,000VND.

Museums

• Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (Open mornings only, 8-11AM; closed on afternoons, Mondays, and Fridays. Closed for three months every year - as of January 2010 he's back - for maintenance of the body. Admission 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. No talking, short pants, or other signs of disrespect allowed while viewing; photos are allowed only from outside, in the grand Ba Dinh Square. Purses are allowed into the tomb, but expect them to be searched by several bored soldiers along the way. Left luggage is handled in a complicated scheme: there is an office near the street for large bags, with separate windows for Vietnamese and foreigners, and a further office for cameras, which will be transported to a third office right outside the exit of the mausoleum. Items checked in at the first office, however, will stay there. Note that the mausoleum is closed for a couple months around the end of the year, when the body is taken abroad for maintenance.

• Ho Chi Minh Museum (19 Ngoc Ha St., Ba Dinh, Hanoi; tel. +84-4 846-3572, fax +84-4 843-9837; Open 8-11:30AM, 2-4PM, closed Monday and Friday afternoons. Admission 15,000 dong.) bthochiminh@hn.vnn.vn. Right around the corner, this gleaming white museum and its gloriously ham-handed iconography are the perfect chaser to the solemnity of the mausoleum. The building, completed in 1990, is intended to evoke a white lotus. Some photos and old letters are on display on the second floor, but the main exhibition space is on the third floor. It includes cars crashing through walls to represent the chaos of post-war American capitalism, soldiers charging around with electric plugs, a cave hideout re-imagined as the inside of Ho Chi Minh's brain, and several other postmodern confections integrated with the main story of the man's life and his country's struggle. One of the more informative museums in Vietnam, and perhaps one of the oddest in the world. Guides are available in English, French, Chinese and Russian, but don't bother; the displays are labeled in English and French, and it's hard to imagine the guides doing much other than belaboring the point.

• Ho Chi Minh's Vestige In The Presidential Palace Area (No.1 Bach Thao, Ba Dinh, Hanoi; tel. +84 08044529, fax +84 08043064. Open 7:30-11AM, 2-4PM in the summer, and 8-11AM, 1:30-4PM in the winter. Closed Monday and Friday afternoons. Admission 15,000 dong). 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. The nicely landscaped complex includes two of Ho Chi Minh's houses, kept shiny and "as he left them" by the authorities, as well as a garage with two of Ho's "used cars" and a carp-filled pond. The Presidential Palace is also nearby, but it's not always open to visitors. Pamphlets are available in English, Chinese, French, and Korean. Guided tours are usually available if you wait.

• One-Pillar Pagoda. Tucked away between the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Museum. Travelers find the One-Pillar Pagoda either charming and lovely or utterly pointless, depending on how many tour groups are crammed into the small grounds at the time of their visit. Either way, it's free.

• Fine Arts Museum (Bảo Tàng Mỹ Thuật), 66 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street. Only party-approved art is shown here and there is no information in English and only little in Vietnamese. But it is an interesting museum at any rate, with pieces such as the wonderful pictures of soldiers on boats depicted on prehistoric bronze drums, Buddhist art, and revolutionary art of the 20th century wars. Also some interesting silk paintings. Entry is 20,000 dong (in 2009).

• Temple of Literature (Văn Miếu) (On Quoc Tu Giam St., south of the Mausoleum. Admission 10,000 dong). The Temple of Literature was founded in 1070 and established as the country's first university six years later. The courtyard features numerous stone tablets, each mounted on the back of a tortoise, with the names of graduates.

• Army Museum (Bảo Tàng Quân Đội), Dien Bien Phu Street (Admission 20,000 dong and an additional 20,000 dong to take pictures). Vietnam's military history extends back some two millennia, and this museum covers it on four buildings with interesting pieces. Item descriptions on museum exhibits are in Vietnamese, French and English. On display outside are the ubiquitous MiG-21 jet fighter, T-54 tank and many bombs and articles captured on Indochina and Vietnam wars.

• Air Force Museum (Bảo Tàng Không Quân), Truong Chinh Street (southwest of the city center). There's a decent outdoor collection of Soviet-built MiG fighters, a huge Mi-6 helicopter, and other aircraft; unfortunately they've been exposed to the elements for some time and local kids climb over them.

• National Museum of Vietnamese History (Bảo tàng Lịch sử Việt Nam), No. 1, Trang Tien Street (Admission 15,000 dong/Students 8,000 and under 15 just 2,000. 15,000 dong for a camera/30,000 dong for a video). Hours: 8AM-11:30AM and from 1:30PM-4:30PM. This is a collection from Vietnamese history from about 1000 years back until 1945. Many antiques and the such. From 1945 onwards, you can go to the Museum of the Vietnamese Revolution located just a five minute walk away.

It is housed in a colonial French building which was completed in 1932. The building, designed by the architect Ernest Hébrard is considered as a successful blend between the colonial French architecture and traditional Vietnamese architecture, called Indochina architecture. He created double-walls and balconies for a natural ventilation system and protection from sunshine.

• Museum of the Vietnamese Revolution (Bảo tàng Cách mạng Việt Nam) [28], 25 Tong Dan Street (and 216 Tran Quang Khai Street) Open every day except Monday, from 8AM to 11:45AM and from 1:30PM to 4:15PM Admission 10,000 dong. This museum gives a very informed and detailed account of the Vietnamese struggle against first the French (starting in 1858 -- on the first floor), then against the Americians (on the ground floor - ending on 30 April 1975).

• Museum of Ethnology, (Bao Tang Dan Toc Hoc Viet Nam) [29]Nguyen Van Huyen St, Cau Giay district. Open every day except Monday, 8:30AM-5:30PM. Admission 25,000 dong for foreigners. It covers mainly the culture and ritual practices of the various ethnic groups in the whole of Vietnam - one of the key attractions of the museum is the open-air exhibition, which has houses of some ethnic groups, which even comes with inhabitants in costumes. The museum features actual explanations of the exhibits in Vietnamese, French and English. Accessible by bus no. 14 that starts from Hoan Kiem Lake - ask the conductor when to stop, and take a 500 m walk towards the museum (backtrack a little from the bus stop, and when you see a large street perpendicular to the street that you dropped off, take that street and walk down the street until you see the Museum of Ethnology to your left). The Museum of Ethnology houses the excellent Chocolate and Baguettes cafe, which has excellent fare at a reasonable price - an excellent pit-stop after the museum visit.

Parks

• Hoan Kiem Lake is a pleasant park in the center of town, within easy walking distance from anywhere in the Old Quarter. It's the locals' favorite leisure spot, and a great place to watch people practicing tai chi in the morning or to sit and read in the afternoon. Hoan Kiem means "returned sword", and the name comes from a legend in which King Le Loi was given a magical sword by the gods, which he used to drive out the invading Chinese. Later, while boating on the lake, he encountered a giant turtle, who grabbed the sword and carried it down to its depths, returning it to the gods from whom it had come. (You can see a version of the legend at the Water Puppet Theater - see below.) Rumor has it the giant turtles still inhabit the lake.

• Ngoc Son Temple (admission 10,000 dong as of march 2009) extends out into the lake, with small but attractive grounds, displays on Vietnamese history and, more memorably, displays on the giant turtles, including a mummified specimen. The world's skinniest kitten lives on this island--please bring it some meat or fish.

• Ho Tay, or "West Lake", is northwest of the city, and is mostly a residential hub of the well-to-do. Sofitel Plaza Hotel, one of the most luxurious hotels in Hanoi, is on this lakefront.

• Lenin Statute The mini-park is situated on Dien Bien Phu street. It is across from the Army Museum. One can always feel the diversity and liveliness of Hanoi there. In the morning, there are low-energy aerobics class for the elders and aerobic class for younger in the morning. During the day, one can enjoy the tranquility in the park since everybody is either at work or in school. In the afternoon, it becomes a playground for children and students as well as for soccer teams and badminton players.

• Ly Thai To Statute This is another mini-park which is also named after the statute situated in the park. The park faces Hoan Kiem lake with a beautiful view of the busy Hang Bai street and the serenity of the willows on the bank of the lake. Many Hanoians view this mini-park as their favourite place because it is a symbol of the integration of modernity and tradition. One would surely encounter a group of youths who is practicing hip-hop and breakdance while at the same time, meeting a three-generation family enjoying a walk in the park.

Wartime sites

• Hoa Lo Prison ("The Hanoi Hilton"), 1 Hoa Lo, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi. Open 8:30AM to 11:30AM and 1:30PM to 4:30PM, admission 10,000 dong. This prison was built by the French at the turn of the 20th century, in classical French prison design. This is where the French imprisoned and executed many of the Vietnamese freedom fighters. Now a museum (2/3 of the prison was torn down to make way for the Hanoi Towers), the museum exhibits the brutal French colonial regime and the struggle of the Vietnamese people against imperialism in chilling detail. The prison was also known as the "Hanoi Hilton" during the Vietnam War as it held American POW's shot down. Little emphasis is given to this period however, and the exhibits shown can be frustratingly skewed in propaganda, choosing to show solely propaganda photos of prisoners being treated well and playing basketball, playing chess, and other staged events. They also claim to have John McCain's flight suit from when his plane was shot down but its beyond me how they knew he would subsequently become a United States senator and thus the importance of his particular suit.

• B-52 Lake - Huu Tiep Lake - Ngoc Ha Precinct, Ba Dinh District— Until December 19, 1972, this was just a small brackish pond just off Hoang Hoa Tam Street, about 1km west of the mausoleum. On that day, in a twisted retelling of the Hoan Kiem legend (see above), Vietnamese anti-aircraft guns (possibly with the help of flying turtles) retook the enemy's eight-engined, 100-ton sword and sent it too, to the shallow bottom of the lake, where it remains today.

• Downed Aircraft Memorial— Along Thanh Nien Street on Truc Bach lake there is a stone plaque commemorating the shooting down of a U.S. Navy (not "USAF" as depicted) aircraft in 1967. Peruse the Vietnamese script and you can pick out the name of John McCain, one of the airmen.

• Army Museum— is on Dien Bien Phu street. It is across from the Lenin Statute mini-park and is in the area of embassies. It retells the stories of many battles throughout the country’s history. There are documents as well as models in the museum to make the retelling more interesting. They have the model of the B-52 plane, tanks and even canons.

Theatre

• Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre (57 Dinh Tien Hoang St., across the street from the shores of the Hoan Kiem Lake; tel. +84-4-824-9494, fax +84.4.824-5117) [30]. A visit to the water puppet theater is a real highlight of a trip to Hanoi. Live musicians accompany folk legends from Vietnamese history, told with wooden men, women and dragons, dancing and splashing on the face of the water. The narratives are sung in Vietnamese, but a list of titles is available in several languages. Tickets are 40,000 and 60,000 dong. There are several performances throughout the day, but it's virtually impossible to buy tickets for the same day, and most performances for the following day will be sold out as well. Camera passes are an extra 15,000 dong, but whether you buy one or not is purely on the honor system. Don't worry about getting wet, but the seats are very small, and visitors with above-average height will have to squirm a bit.

Cinema

• Megastar— is on the 6th floor of the Vincom City Towers, 191 Ba Trieu. The tickets range from 50,000 to 80,000 depends on the movie and the show time. The movies are relatively updated, perhaps one or two months later than in the U.S. The movies are not dubbed. There is subtitle so non-Vietnamese speakers can still enjoy the movies while the local people can also understand what is going on.
• August Movie Theater (Rap Thang 8)— is on Hang Bai street, five minutes away from Trang Tien Plaza and the commercial area, such as Pho Hue, Hai Ba Trung and Trang Tien streets. The price ranges from 15,000 to 30,000.

By plane

Most folks arrive at the Noi Bai International Airport, 35 km (45-60 minutes) north of the city. Several airlines run flights from Noi Bai, including:

• AirAsia (tel: +603 2171 9222) [1] - Many good offers to Hanoi from Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur.

• Vietnam Airlines - 25 Tràng Thi (corner of Quang Trung) tel: (84-4)9349660 fax: (84-4)9349620[2] - The primary national carrier.

• JetStar Pacific Airlines (tel: 84-4 9550550) [3] - Discount Vietnamese carrier (formerly Pacific Air).

• Malaysia Airlines (+60378433000) [4]- Malaysia Airlines flies daily to Hanoi from Kuala Lumpur with daily flights.

• Cathay Pacific [5] - Upscale airline with flights to Hong Kong.

• Hong Kong Airlines [6] - New carrier with daily flights to/from Hong Kong.

• Thai Airways International [7] - Two flights daily to/from Bangkok.

• Lao Airlines [8] - Small airline with 4 flights a week to/from Luang Prabang in Laos, also from Vientiane and from Phnom Penh.

• Tiger Airways (tel: 84-4 9454565) [9] - Low-cost airline with daily flights to/from Singapore.

• Singapore Airlines (tel: 84-4 38268888) [10] - Full-service airline with daily flights to/from Singapore.

• Air France (Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi, Paris-Charles de Gaulle) [11]

• Asiana Airlines (Seoul-Incheon) [12]

• China Southern Airlines (Beijing, Guangzhou) [13]

• Indochina Airlines 63 Ly Thuong Kiet Str. – Tran Hung Đao Ward – Hoan Kiem District (tel: 84-4 39411411 ) [14]

• Japan Airlines (Osaka-Kansai, Tokyo-Narita) [15]

• China Airlines (Taipei - Taiwan Taoyuan) [16]

• Dragon Air (Hong Kong) [17]

• EVA Air (Taipei - Taiwan Taoyuan) [18]

• Korean Air (Busan, Seoul-Incheon) [19]

• PMTair (Phnom Penh, Siemriep) [20]

• Uni Air (Kaohsiung, Taiwan) [21]

• Vladivostok Air (Vladivostok, Russia) [22]

• Shanghai Airlines (Shanghai, China) [23]

• Aeroflot (Moscow-Sheremetyevo) [24]

• Viva Macau (Macau, China)

[25]

From the airport

• Taxis to downtown Hanoi can be hired at Noi Bai . The driver may try to deliver you to a hotel of his choice so he can collect a commission, but if you are specific about your destination, they usually give in. Taxis from the city centre to Noi Bai Airport charge a fixed rate of about US$14 to US$18 depending on the size of the taxi. However, it is cheaper if you pay in dong, given the prevailing USD/VND exchange rate.

If you already have a hotel booked, you might ask them to dispatch a driver for you. The nicer hotels will do this and put the fare on your room bill.

• Public buses to the city center from Noi Bai airport charge 5000 dong and take about an hour. Bus #07 crosses the Thang Long bridge and goes to the Daewoo Hotel on the western part of Hanoi. Bus #17 crosses the Chuong Duong bridge and goes close to the old quarter. There is also a bus that can drop you off near Hoan Kiem Lake. The price is 3,000VND as of November 2009.

• Shuttle-buses from the airport to Hanoi stops at the Vietnam Airlines Office on 1 Quang Trung (see above). Tickets are sold in the building in front of which the minibuses park, or you can give the fare directly to the driver. The fare can be paid in USD (2 dollars) or in dong (30,000 dong). The driver will potentially give you trouble if you have additional bags, but if you push, you will get the same US$2 rate. The shuttle service often offers to take you direct to your hotel for an extra dollar once they reach the office. This is purely voluntary, but experience says the drivers are fairly trustworthy and for the new arrival is a good way to get direct to the door. Check however, that your hotel isn't less then two minutes' walk!

By train

Trains to Nanning, China depart from Gia Lam station, about 5 km north of Hanoi station. All other trains use the main Hanoi train station (Ga Hang Co, 120 Le Duan, tel: 825 3949), for daily services from cities in the south including Hue and Nha Trang. The Reunification Express goes all the way to Ho Chi Minh City, although there is very little 'express' about it.

There are also train services to the north-west (including Lao Cai, from which you reach Sapa. To board trains bound for these destinations, you have to enter the railway station compound through the "backdoor" at Tran Quy Cap station. Just tell your driver which destination your train is heading to. Be mindful of any "helpful" stranger who offers to carry your luggage — he probably has a sum more than the cost of the ticket in mind for the help.

Tickets for all destinations are sold in the main station, though there are two counter halls, north and south, serving the respective destinations. Buy your tickets as early as possible, especially since sleeper-tickets can be sold out several days in advance. If you can't get a ticket anymore, try a travel-agent who still might have stocks. You may also try your luck in the station just before boarding time, agents still holding tickets will be eager to sell as the departure draws near. Nevertheless, travel agencies in Hanoi are known for their bad business practices. Some of them will try to overcharge you up to 300%, so it is better go to the train station by yourself and find out about the prices before you agree on any deal.

By bus

Most of the "open-tour" bus itineraries either begin or end in Hanoi, with Hue the next (or previous) stop (12-14 hours, US$8-9), and from there to Hoi An, Nha Trang, Dalat, Mui Ne, Ho Chi Minh City, and other cities in Vietnam, depending on the bus company.

Many of the same companies also sell tickets to Vientiane and Savannakhet in Laos (US$16-18), but do some research before you buy a ticket - rattle-trap scam buses abound on this route.

See Ho Chi Minh City to Shanghai overland if you're interested in crossing over to China by bus or train.

Taxis are the best way to travel long distances, but the cyclos, or pedicabs, are a cheap way to make shorter trips. Taxi fares are not always consistent, and the rates for each taxi company have not been standardized. For lone travelers, rides on the back of motorbikes (actually low-powered scooters) are popular too (known as xe om, literally meaning motorbike-hug).

Some meter taxi owners in Hanoi will attempt to negotiate a flat fee in advance rather than use the meter. If you have a fair idea of how far you're going or how much you're willing to pay, this is probably a good idea. If the driver refuses, turning around and walking away will almost certainly change his mind. Don't sweat it, it's all part of the expected negotiation protocol. It has also become common for the drivers of some of the less reputable taxi companies to "fix" their meters to run faster hence giving differences in prices for the same distance by a factor of 30! The recommendation is to only use the reputable and reliable taxi companies. These are Hanoi Taxi (Tel (04) 38 535353), Taxi CP (Tel. (04) 38 262626), Mai Linh Taxi (Tel. (04) 38 616161). Another common thing with taxis is that the driver takes you for a "sightseeing" - and extends the tour to make more money. This is very hard to discover unless you know the city well, but if you catch your driver doing this (e.g. going around Hoan Kiem Lake twice), demand that he stop the taxi and leave the taxi without paying.

Be very careful with meter taxis in Hanoi. Some have central locking , and are known to lock passengers in , and demand large amounts of US dollars before letting them go. The driver may threaten to have you beaten up or arrested should you not give in to his demands , but if you kick up enough of a fuss , they will let you go.

Motorbike drivers can be found on virtually every corner, especially in the Old Quarter. Expect to be offered a ride every half-block (or more). You should absolutely negotiate a fare in advance, and again, turn around and walk away if you don't like their offer. There are far more drivers than tourists, and they know it - your fare could be the only one they get all day. You should also write down the negotiated fare (with all zeros) to avoid confusion. Even if you do speak Vietnamese, a driver might pretend that you said 50,000 dong instead of 15,000! In case of argument over fares after the ride, keep calm and repeat the original agreement (remember, you have the leverage). A typical 10 minute fare should cost no more than 15,000-20,000 dong. Many drivers will accept US dollars as well. At the end of a ride, some will offer to hang around to drive you to your next destination - either be clear that you don't want a return ride (and don't go near him when you leave), or get a price in advance. Otherwise, you might be surprised when the driver tacks on several million dong for having waited.

Keep your wallet out of arms reach of the drivers when you pay, less honest motorbike drivers are not adverse to grabbing your wallet and helping themselves to any notes they like the look of before jumping on their bike and speeding off.

Negotiate first or avoid using the cyclos services, they demand 200,000VND (US$12) for a short ride of less than 100 metres. At the end of the journey, a few men will come over to translate, and they will pretend to help and later insist that you pay the demanded amount.

Motorcycles can be rented for around US$5-6 a day, and can be arranged by most hotels. This is good for making lots of trips around the city for individuals or duos, but be careful: Hanoi traffic is very difficult place to sharpen motorbike skills. Park on the sidewalk with other bikes, and be sure to lock the front wheel. Locals will help arrange the bikes near their stores.

Scam free, cheap but a bit difficult to comprehend at first, the buses in Hanoi are relatively fast and surprisingly comfortable. Pick up a map with printed bus lines at the Trang Tien street (the book street by the Opera house) and spend a few minutes to identify the over 60 bus lines, find your bus stop, wait for the bus, pay 3000 dong and off you go. If you are unfamiliar with the city, make sure to inform the conductor where you want to get off. Maps also available online at [26] or [27].

• Hang Da Market— is under construction. They are building a six-story building so that there would be more spaces for kiosks. Hang Da market only had two floors in the past so the issue of over-crowdedness was visible. All the kiosks are now located in the neighboring area, either on Phung Hung, Duong Thanh or Ly Nam De streets. They offer everything that one can think of, from pets, groceries, prepared food to fabric materials. However, Hang Da market is well known for the numerous second-hand clothing kiosks on the second floor. These kiosks are now on Phung Hung Street.
• Cho Hom (the equivalent meaning in English would be Noon Market but the translation is not close)— is on Pho Hue. Similarly to Hang Da market, they offer everything here. What it is famous for is the fabric market on the second floor. There are many kiosks selling different types of fabrics ranging from cheap, affordable to very good quality with a high price. However, please bear in mind that when shopping, take your time. Never rush into buying anything. Sellers often give a very high price that you can bargain down to half or one-third of the original price.
• Dong Xuan market— is famous for being the market for wholesalers. They have from school supplies, stuffed animals to clothing. It is quite an experience to spend some time in the market observing the sellers and buyers.

• Get cash!— ATMs are everywhere and cash is king here. It's easy to forget how the Dong converts to your currency so check your rate often to remind yourself how cheap everything really is! Many places sell in USD as well so be sure to ask before you get your heart set on that wood carving.

Since the mid 90s, Vietnamese cuisine has grown in quality and variation, and is now very diverse and most delicious. Most famous remains 'Pho Ga' (chicken noodle soup) or 'Pho Bo'(Beef noodle soup). There are various dishes including chicken, beef, fish and seafood, and there are hundreds, if not thousands, of restaurants nowadays in Hanoi catering to everyone's taste.

It is worth mentioning that food quality, freshness, and hygiene can vary greatly in Vietnamese eateries. Travelers should be aware of the risks, as they may need to contend with bouts of diarrhea and should prepare themselves for the eventuality.

On Tô Tich, a small street connecting Hang Quat and Hang Gai, you can help yourself to a refreshing fruit milkshake (sinh tố) at one of the stalls (~7000 dong).

You can also try BBQ pork (slice) in soup with vermicelli and lots of vegetables at DAC KIM (24, Hang Ga, Hoen Kiem, Hanoi; open 8AM-8PM). They serve spring rolls too.

The Sofitel Metropole does an "eat all you can" chocolate buffet each day from 3PM to 5:30PM. The price of $15++, tea is available at $4++ per pot. The chocolate is of a very high quality and includes a chocolate fountain and chocolate ice cream as well as a variety of freshly-made "Belgian" style chocolates.

The community of Le Mat (aka the 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. If one orders cobra blood wine from the menu, the waiter will take a live cobra, kill it on the spot, drain the blood into a shot glass of rice wine, and top it off with the cobra's still beating heart for you to gulp down! Not for the faint hearted. Le Mat is about ten minutes across the river from downtown.

A local delicacy in the Hanoi area is dog meat (thịt chó), which is especially popular in the winter. There are a number of restaurants along the Red River that specialize in it. Another exotic regional taste is ca cuong, an extract from the belostomatid, or giant water bug. Just a few drops are added to noodles for the unique aroma.

In traveling to a new country, a tourist should spend some time exploring the culinary arts of the host community. In Hanoi, there are hundreds of street restaurants in small kiosks on the sidewalk or there are plastic tables and chairs on the pavements too. Always bear in mind that by going to a nice, clean and Western-looking restaurant, you are experiencing the commercialized versions of the food (and a considerable price mark up). Nevertheless, it may be wise to take precautions if you are wary of eating at street stalls. Ask other tourists about their experiences- the best people to ask would be those who are backpackers or those who look as though they are living in Hanoi because they would have a better idea of which places are good.

• Joma Bakery Café (Joma), 21 Dien Bien Phu, & 54 To Ngoc Van (near danish embassy, & west lake), [32]. 7am-9pm. Fair-trade certified, organic coffee prepared by some of the best baristas in town. Add to your smooth cappuccino a sweet-smelling cinnamon bun or a much-loved bagel egger. Everything here is homemade and fresh. Excellent breakfast menu and lunch/dinner options, as well as a mouth-watering array of cakes, cookies, pies and other treats. Locations also in Laos, Vientiane and Luang Prabang. 20000-80000vnd.  edit

Budget

Look to the Old Quarter for atmospheric street stalls and reasonably priced Western and local fare.

• Hebe cafe' 33, Luong Van Can street, near the Hoan Kiem lake, in the center of Hanoi Old Quarter (inside Hanoi Youth Hotel). Local and Western food at prices to suit travellers. US$1 breakfasts, US$2 pizza, US$8 hot pot.

• Huy Café & Pizza Inn (32 Dinh Liet Street) offers a large Italian dinner combo (garlic bread, soup/salad, pizza/pasta, drink) for only 65,000 dong.

• Kem Tràng Tiền (54 Phố Tràng Tiền) is a popular spot for ice cream on a hot day. Beware of motorbikes when entering the establishment, since it is sort of a drive-thru/drive-in ice cream shop. Make sure to try the local cóm or đậu xanh flavors. Ice cream bars range from 5,000 to 8,000 dong. Cones are a bit more expensive.

• Papa Joe's Coffee (112 Cau Go, tel. +84 926-2544; open 8AM-11PM) Despite the name, this is actually a real restaurant, with pasta, soup, salads, sandwiches, and pretty good burgers (vegetarian included). Drinks and desserts are also on hand. Entrees are 45-65,000 dong. The best reason to eat here, though, is the small balcony with a view over the frantic traffic square and the shores of the Hoan Kiem Lake below.

• Pho on the corner of Nha Chung and Chan Cam sells the traditional watery noodle soup. All of the soups and sides include beef (bo) so this isn't for vegetarians. A large bowl of pho will set you back 12,000 dong and a bottle of Coke or a beer a further 3,000 dong.

• Pho (10 Ly Quoc Su) sells apart from the Pho bo (noodle soup with beef) also noodles with vegetables - and of course beef on top of it. A dish will cost you something between 15,000 dong and 30,0000 dong.

• Pho Tu Lun (Au Trieu) sells apart from the Pho bo (noodle soup with beef) also noodles with vegetables - and of course beef on top of it. A dish will cost you something between 15,000 dong and 30,0000 dong.

• Bun Cha (corner Hang Non and Hang Manh, Old Quarter) - some rate this as one of the best examples of Bun Cha in Hanoi, and therefore Vietnam (apparently in the south, Bun Cha is specifically advertised as Hanoi-style). For about 60,000 dong each, you'll get a bowl full of tiny pork-mince rissoles that have been char grilled over an open flame, and a massive plate of pork rice paper rolls that have been fried in oil, twice. With this you also get a phenomenal dipping sauce (fish sauce, made from sugar, garlic, peppers usually), a massive plate of greens and herbs, more bun (rice noodle) than you can handle, and a bottle of local beer. It's full of locals and not so many tourists, so you can be assured the experience is authentic.

• Com Binh Dan (Hang Bo, several side streets in Old Quarter) - often only open during lunch hours (11AM-2PM) for local workers, these are an excellent way to get an inexpensive, home-cooked Vietnamese meal. The best ones have loyal followings of workers who eat there every day. They serve rice with two or three toppings (which you select from several dishes) for 15,000-30,000 dong.

• Quan an Ngon (“Delicious” restaurant) – they have a wide range of choices with regards to dishes from everywhere in Vietnam at very reasonable prices. Its address is 18 Phan Boi Chau street. They have limited seating and a large amount of customers so waiting time to be seated would be certain. Fortunately, they have a large seating area so customers do not have to wait long. They serve both lunch and dinner. Their restaurant is decorated culturally and traditionally.

• Sen (Lotus) – this is a buffet style restaurant. They also have a very wide range of dishes from many regions in the country. The dishes are divided into stations where customers can order noodles, rice cakes or rice vercimelli. It is located at #10, lane 431, Au Co road, Tay Ho district. It is right next to the Water Park. They serve both lunch and dinner. Their new restaurant looks for Westernized, compared with their old thatched restaurants.

• Com Chay Nang Tam Vegetarian Restaurant - http://www.nangtam.com.vn/ 79A Pho Tran Hung Dao, a few streets south of the lake. This excellent restaurant is your best vegetarian option in town and will please both vegetarians and non-vegetarians with its wide range of innovative dishes, which include fake meat dishes. Restaurant is comfortable with good ambience, and dishes are value-priced. A set dinner with a selection of four dishes, soup, and rice starts at 40,000 dong. Open for lunch and dinner. Well worth the short walk out of the old town to find this gem.

Mid-range

• Daluva 33 To Ngoc Van Street, Tay Ho(West Lake)+84 4 3718 5831 or +84 907 144 561, [33]. Located just 10 mins from Hoan Kiem Lake by taxi and 3 mins from the Sheraton and Inter Continental Hotels. They are a Wine and Tapas Bar/Restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner from 8AM till late. The food caters for all tastes including vegetarians and kids. Ranging from small tapas plates to main courses of hearty Western and Asian fare. It's a modern place and well decorated with great well trained staff and easy music on your ears. The 3rd floor has a Children's play room with free supervision as well as a Children's menu. Happy Hour(s) Monday to Friday 5-8PM with 2 for one drinks. The place is a favourite with local expats in the area.

• Pepperoni's near the Hang Gai end of Wha Chung is part of a small international chain of pizza restaurants. Locally run, they do regular special offers such as free desserts, eat-all-you-can buffets and loyalty schemes, whereby collecting tokens with each take-out entitles you to a free pizza. Pizzas start from around 65,000 dong and the menu also includes burgers, ice cream and apple crumble.

• Cam Chan Quan (Main in 108 K1 Giang Vo Street, branch in CIPUTRA HANOI - call 0123 259 7696) - This eatery has staff that speaks english, chinese and vietnamese that would be able to help you speak to the cab drivers to bring you to them. They serve asian fare, with a closer touch to the singapore cusines. Its one place where good clean toilet is expected, with free wifi. For those with a budget, the must trys are their noodles, its not the usual pho u see around the place, but a more typical noodle you will see in singapore. A bowl of their specialty noodles are abt 65000 dongs each.If you are feel like splurging alittle more,try the Beggar's chicken, Savioury Fried eggplants, Chinese rice wine Hotpot Soup.

• Cha Ca La Vong (14 Cha Ca Street, also 107 Nguyen Truong To Street) - This establishment is so famous, the street is named after it, instead of the other way around. There's only one dish on the menu, fried fish in grease, but they've been serving it now for five generations. Price is 90,000 dong (~$6 USD) per person and the portion is rather small. They also charge 1,000 dong for one napkin. They have eliminated the traditional shrimp paste recently as well.

• Huyen Houng Restaurant, 20 Bao Khanh, Hanoi, ☎ 04.8288430. Choose from a wide variety of seafood dishes (many of which are swimming around in tanks) and other Vietnamese specialities. Friendly staff complement the tasty food. about 80000-120000 dong for a meal and drink.  edit

• Little Hanoi, 21 Pho Hang Gai, tel +84 4 928 5333. Upscale cafe serving mainly Westerners in a pleasantly lit restaurant.

• Moka Café (In Nha Tho Street close to the cathedral) has an execellent selection of Western and Vietnamese food served in a coffee shop environment.

• Tamarind Café (Ma May 80, Old Quarter; tel. +84 4 926-0580) [34]. Has a menu full of inventive vegetarian dishes, lots of fresh juices, and a relaxed, stylish interior. Don't come here if you're hungry though, as the portions aren't very big and it's a tad pricey.

• La Salsa 'in Nha Tho street near the church in Old Town - just across the street from Moka Cafe) - French food and ex-pat hang-out.

• Paris Deli (near St Joseph's Catheral) offers delicious Italian fare for hearty appetites.

• Ciao Cafe at 2 Hang Bai St is a cosy place for coffee and cake and it is not full of cigarette smoke unlike other cafes in Hanoi.

• Kaiser Kaffee Restaurant at 34A Ba Trieu is an interesting little place which has excellent Vietnamese and Western food.

Splurge

• "Pane e Vino Italian Restaurant and Wine Shop" at 3 Nguyen Khac Can and 98 Hang trong, Hanoi. Phone 38269080-39286329. Both locations are in the heart center of Hanoi, only 100m away from Hoan Kiem Lake. The fully air-conditioned serves a wide range of traditional regional Italian dishes with strictly controlled quality of ingredients. An extensive wine list with many choices of Imported Italian wines from Veneto, Tuscany, Puglia, Sicilia and Piemont. Friendly service with smiling and fluent speaking English waiter and waitress. A great place for relax and get recover after a long walking and shopping day. Drop in for a chat and a complimentary digestivo with the manager.

• La Restaurant & Bar, 25 Ly Quoc Su, Hanoi, ☎ 9288933, 0913221971. Situated near St. Joseph's Cathedral in Hanoi's old quarter, this elegant, air-conditioned restaurant has a choice of delicious Western and Vietnamese dishes. While the selection of vegetarian dishes is somewhat restricted, the food is excellent, if pricey by Hanoi standards. La will definitely satisfy longings for quality food after weeks of eating on the street. Think Parisian bistro meets fine dining Asian. About 300,000 dong for a meal and drinks.  edit

• Green Tangerine, 48 Hang Be, tel 04/825-1286. Excellent French restaurant offering rich and delicious French fare with both an a la carte selection and a set menu. Popular with expats, it is located just a few steps away from busy Hang Be street.

• Restaurant Bobby Chinn, 1 Ba Trieu St, Hanoi, tel 04/934-8577. An amazing restaurant with the trademark green pea pods as the logo. Without a doubt one of the more hip dining experiences of Hanoi, though a bit steep in price compared to Hanoi standards. The interior alone is worth a look, while the menu is delightfully eclectic.

• Saigon Restaurant at InterContinental Hanoi Westlake - introduces an innovative dining concept to Hanoi – the freshest blend of Vietnamese and Chinese cuisine. The restaurant features contemporary Asian design, dramatic glass-fronted kitchens and inspiring views of the city’s ever-changing skyline.

• Sunday Brunch at Sofitel Metropole - If you live to eat and enjoy innovative and unconventional cooking, then treat yourself and your loved ones to the famous Sofitel Metropole Sunday Brunch. It's from noon to 3PM every Sunday and will set you back US$50++/head, but then it also sports approx. 40 meters of buffet with everything your heart can desire, from sushi to carvery, from fresh french oysters to homemade ice cream - you name it - they've got it. Among the highlights are a 3 storey chocolate buffet with a chocolate fountain and the goose liver creme brulee.

Bia Hơi is abundant in the streets of the Old Quarter. At the crossing of Ta Hien and Luong Ngoc Quyen five separate venues fill up with travellers in the evenings, but you can get more local atmosphere on some of the side streets.

Hanoi is a lively city on the weekends, but the Old Quarter closes relatively early (at midnight) on weekdays, so you might want to start your night early. Other places outside the Old Quarter stay open later and vary in closing times.

• Daluva Wine and Tapas Bar 33 To Ngoc Van Street, Tay Ho(West Lake)+84 4 3718 5831 or +84 907 144 561 "8am till Late", [35]. Located just 10 mins from Hoan Kiem Lake by taxi and 3 mins from the Sheraton and Inter Continental Hotels. It's a modern hip place and well decorated with great well trained staff and easy music on your ears, after 8pm the music notches up for the late night crowd after the dinner crowd departs. Happy Hour(s) Monday to Friday 5-8PM with 2 for one drinks. The place is a favourite with local expats and travellers in the area. They do events and private parties as well as catering. Being a Wine and Tapas Bar/Restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, the food caters for all tastes including vegetarians and kids. Ranging from small tapas plates to main courses of hearty Western and Asian fare.

• LolliPub Lollipub; Hotel-Bar, 48, Ma May, Hoan Kiem, ☎ 0439264755. 8AM to 12 midnight. One of the newest bars located in the old quarter of Hanoi, has a good mix of expatriates & locals. Longest Happy hour of an bar in Hanoi running from 8AM till 10PM everyday. Hotel on the top floors if you over indulge and need a place to crash for the night. cheap.  edit

• The LOFT Bar & Restaurant [36] LOFT Bar & Restaurant, 143, Ba Trieu Street, Hai Ba Trung District (5 minutes walk from vincom towers), ☎ 049744398, [37]. 4PM to 12 midnight. One of the more diverse bars located in Central Hanoi that has a good mix of expatriates & locals. A live band plays from Mondays to Saturdays. The lounge is on the second floor comes equipped with another bar so there's always a place to order drinks from.  edit

• The Jazz Club by Quyen Van Minh [38] - (31 Luong Van Can - Old Quarter). A good place to drink, eat and listen to jazz music. Founded by Mr Minh (already legendary in Hanoi in the early 90s) in 1999, the bar reminds one of the old bars of New Orleans and of the best around the world. Also the kitchen is very good. Live music really starts at 9PM until 11PM. You can also buy gifts such as t-shirts and CD's. Open between 7PM and midnight.

• Culi Café, 40 Lương Ngọc Quyến, (84-04)9262241 culicafe@wideeyedtours.com [39]. For the feeling you haven't left your hometown or just need a break from Bia Hoi, this Kiwi-run bar might be the answer. Air-con lounge upstairs, with wireless connections, sports occasionally screened in the bar downstairs. The same bar also runs a travel agency.

• Green Lake (Ho Guom Xanh) 32 Le Thai To, is a crowded bar with weekly performances by popular local singers. A place for the definitive Vietnamese entertainment scene.

• Le Maquis is a small bar on the northern end of Ta Hien. It's more like a loud rock music binge and smoke pub than a stylish lounge, but there's usually a happy crowd until late and the place has an authentic feel.

• Sunset Bar, InterContinental Hanoi Westlake, 1A Nghi Tam, (84-4)62708888. Dramatically positioned on its own island in West Lake and reached in the evenings by a stroll along a torch-lit bridge, Sunset Bar’s tropical Asian ambience and stunning sunset views over the lake afford guests a sanctuary from which to escape the bustle of downtown Hanoi.
• Student bar, left of the St. Joseph Cathedral's Entrance (West of Hoan Kiem Lake). A nice little bar for cheap and good fruit shakes. As the name suggests, very young audience, that sits each night on ridiculous amounts of little chairs on the sidewalks, taking their fruit shakes.  edit
• Nola, 89 Ma May str (located in the heart of the old quarter). open from 7PM to 11PM. a communal spot with friendly services. three floors are three beautiful views and comfortable place. put your bag anywhere then you can have a rest. email us: nola.inhanoi@gmail.com  edit
• Seventeen Saloon, 98B Tran Hung Dao. You would definitely like the lively atmosphere in this saloon with live music. They had a Filipino band with a great female lead singer.  edit