Hanoi: What to Know Before You Go

Short answer: step off the kerb at a slow, steady pace so scooter riders can weave around you, carry small Vietnamese dong banknotes for street stalls, and plan museum and mausoleum visits around their regular Monday or Friday maintenance closures.

Crossing the street and reading the daily rhythm

Hanoi wakes at dawn. By sunrise, locals are already circling Hoan Kiem Lake for tai chi and badminton, and breakfast stalls are ladling out steaming bowls of beef pho before office hours begin. When stepping off the pavement into a river of motorbikes in the Old Quarter, avoid running, stopping abruptly or stepping backwards; instead, make eye contact, raise a calm hand if needed, and walk across at an even, predictable speed so riders can judge your line and flow smoothly behind you. Between Friday evening and Sunday night, the avenues around Hoan Kiem Lake are closed to vehicles, giving walkers a wide, traffic-free circuit right in the heart of the city.

Vietnamese dong banknotes, cards and ride-hailing

Hotels, indoor restaurants, shopping malls and coffee chains accept contactless Visa and Mastercard, yet family-run noodle shops, market vendors and traditional egg-coffee cafes still run primarily on cash. Vietnamese dong (VND) polymer banknotes come in high denominations with several zeros: look closely at the colour and digits so you do not confuse a blue 20,000 VND note with a blue-green 500,000 VND note, or a 10,000 VND note with a 200,000 VND note. Keep small notes in a separate pocket for quick street snacks. Rather than hailing unmarked street taxis, book rides through the Grab or Xanh SM (all-electric VinFast taxi) apps so the fare and route are fixed upfront on your phone.

Temple etiquette, Train Street rules and day trips

When visiting the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, One Pillar Pagoda, Tran Quoc Pagoda or Temple of Literature, wear clothing that covers both shoulders and knees, remove hats inside worship halls, and check official opening schedules ahead as the mausoleum closes on Mondays, Fridays and for an annual autumn maintenance period. At Hanoi Train Street, police barricades restrict access unless you are escorted to a licensed trackside cafe seat well before a train passes. Compare bases in where to stay in Hanoi.