Author's Note
Note

● Hanoi Preview Hanoi Preview
Must Do List: Make sure to do this.
Must Eat List 1: Vietnamese Pho
Must Eat List 2 Popular Vietnamese Dishes
Must-Eat List 3 Hanoi Specialties
Must-Eat List 4 Vietnamese Coffee
Must-Eat List 5 Vietnamese Beers
Must-Eat List 6 Vietnamese Drinks and Desserts
Must-Eat List 7 Vietnamese Fruits
Must Buy List Don't miss this
Best Restaurant List
Best Cafe List
Best Nightlife List
Best Spa & Massage List

● Hanoi Travel Plan
Vietnam information at a glance
Recommended travel course
Recommended Travel Course 1 Hanoi Essential 1-Day Course ①
Recommended Travel Course 2: Hanoi's Essential 1-Day Course②
Recommended Travel Course 3: Hanoi 1-Day Walking Tour
Recommended Travel Course 4: Hanoi Museum Exploration 1-Day Course
Recommended Travel Course 5 Hanoi 3-Night 4-Day Course
Recommended Travel Course 6 Hanoi + Ha Long Bay 3 Nights 4 Days
Recommended Travel Course 7: Hanoi + Ha Long Bay + Cat Ba Island 4 Nights 5 Days
Recommended Travel Course 8 Hanoi + Ha Long Bay + Ninh Binh 5-Night, 6-Day Itinerary
Budgeting Your Trip

● Hanoi Travel Guide Trip to Hanoi
A peek into Hanoi
Useful travel information
How to get to Hanoi
Hanoi city transportation
Hanoi Cebu Map
Hanoi Region Tours
Hanoi District Tour 1: Old Quarter
Hanoi Area Tour 2: Around Hoan Kiem Lake
Hanoi Area Tour 3: Temple of Literature & Ba Dinh Square
Hanoi Travel Guide: 4 Around West Lake (Ho Tay)
Hanoi Area Travel Guide: 5 Around Cau Giay
Hotels in Hanoi

Cities near Hanoi
Ninh Binh (Ningbing)
Ha Long Bay
Cat Ba Island
Haiphong

● Hanoi Travel Preparation Trip Preparation
Departing from Korea
Entering Hanoi
Vietnam Visa
Vietnamese history
Vietnamese Travel Conversation

Index

★ A complete guide to Hanoi's five key areas, including the Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake, and the Temple of Literature area.
★ Introducing 4 nearby travel destinations that are great to visit together, including Ninh Binh, Ha Long Bay, and Cat Ba Island.
★ Completely conquer Hanoi's representative attractions, including the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, and Mot Cot Pagoda.
★ Suggested itineraries and themes that take into account not only the traveler's route but also their preferences.
★ Includes travel preparation and practical information that even beginner travelers can easily get used to.
★ Detailed maps by region & detailed introduction to transportation between major cities
★ Vietnamese history is even more interesting when you know about it
★ Includes a collection of Vietnamese travel phrases, including only the most essential phrases for travel.

My first impression of Hanoi was not sweet.
I was startled by the chaotic procession of motorcycles and the noise that filled the streets, and I was so busy looking left and right to figure out when to cross the street.
But the moment you forget that you are a tourist and fully immerse yourself in the daily life of Hanoians, you discover a certain order amidst the chaos of motorbikes, cyclos, and pedestrians.
As you begin to see merchants trotting along carrying shopping bags on their shoulders, cyclo lines flowing through the streets, couples enjoying dates on motorbikes, and locals squatting on street-side bathhouse chairs eating pho or drinking coffee, you will begin to fall in love with Hanoi's charm.

〈Friends Hanoi 2026 Latest Edition〉 faithfully contains the latest travel information on five key areas of Hanoi, including the Old Quarter, which still retains the charm of old Hanoi; Hoan Kiem Lake, which is full of famous restaurants, cafes, and boutiques; the Temple of Literature & Ba Dinh Square, which are full of attractions such as the Hanoi Citadel, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, and Mot Cot Pagoda.
Here, we have compiled a comprehensive list of four travel destinations near Hanoi, including Ninh Binh (Ningbin), where the karst topography creates a dreamlike feeling; Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where you can enjoy breathtaking scenery like an oriental landscape painting; and Cat Ba Island, where you can enjoy trekking and observing the wildlife ecosystem.
This book focuses on Hanoi, the capital and historical and cultural center of Vietnam, to increase the density of its content, and contains the author's most up-to-date travel information collected up to November 2025.
Together with the 〈Friends Hanoi 2026 Latest Edition〉, let’s tour the Hanoi Citadel, which contains relics from the Thang Long (former name of Hanoi) era, and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, where the Vietnamese national hero Ho Chi Minh is buried, relieve fatigue at a massage shop recommended by a resident travel writer in Vietnam, enjoy relaxation at the lakes scattered throughout the city, and taste ‘Pho Hanoi (Hanoi rice noodles)’, which can only be found in Hanoi, and feel the daily lives of Hanoi people and the true charm of Hanoi.

1.
Don't be afraid, even if you're a beginner at independent travel! Travel planning & practice
If you're unsure where to start and how to prepare for your Hanoi trip, check out the "Travel Planning & Practice" section.
From basic travel information such as the time difference with Korea, the best time to travel, and local prices, to travel tips such as how to budget for your trip and how to convert Vietnamese Dong (VND) to Korean Won, we will thoroughly introduce everything about Hanoi travel from A to Z.

2.
Must-try Hanoi Must & Best
For first-time travelers to Hanoi, we've introduced the must-do, must-eat, and must-buy things in Hanoi using keywords.
The book also includes information on Hanoi's best restaurants, cafes, nightlife, and spas, carefully selected by the author, a resident traveler in Vietnam.

3.
Recommended travel courses to choose from according to your taste
We introduce recommended courses by period and theme, including walking tours for backpackers, museum tours for history buffs, sightseeing-focused courses for those with short itineraries, and nearby travel courses for travelers looking to enjoy leisurely time.
You can enjoy Hanoi even more by using the recommended daily courses and to-do lists introduced by region in Hanoi.

4.
Vietnamese signs to show to locals when finding directions
The names of attractions, restaurants, and accommodations are written in both English and Vietnamese.
The same letter can have completely different meanings depending on the tone, so Vietnamese notation is important.
This book will be a useful resource when asking locals for directions or explaining your destination to a taxi driver.

5.
A selection of popular spots, things to see, food, nightlife, shopping, and spas.
We introduce the latest travel information and various activities that will enrich your trip to Vietnam, including detailed attractions by region, stories about the culture and history behind them, street food restaurants and cafes, recommended shopping centers, and popular spas.
Enjoy a fail-safe Hanoi trip by referring to the author's star ratings for each spot.

6.
Up-to-date city maps for peace of mind even when your phone battery dies
The locations of attractions, restaurants, shopping, and accommodations introduced in the text are marked on the latest map (included in the book).
The 'Map P.000-00' shown in the main text details is the map page and area number where the location of the spot is indicated.
It's easy to find your way if you refer to the map.
Transportation and travel methods are also provided for each city.