Search results for

With a fantastic location by Hoan Kiem Lake and some of the best-prepared Vietnamese food in the Old Quarter, this stylish venue is onto a winner. The dishes here are very much old-style Vietnamese. There are no bells and whistles or attempts at fusion, but down-home creations such as pork steamed in coconut, fried tofu with lemongrass, and shrimp in chili sauce are right on the money.

Inspired by the cooking of his wife’s grandmother, Madame Hien is chef Didier Corlou’s attempt at upscale but unfussy Vietnamese cuisine. Set in the former Spanish embassy, it is a beautiful spot for both lunch and dinner, with the outside courtyard in particular providing refuge from Hanoi‘s busy streets. Dishes, meanwhile, run the gamut from traditional classics to Corlou’s “New Hanoi” creations, adding exotic twists to familiar French and Vietnamese staples.

At over 1,000 years old, Hanoi is not exactly a spring chicken. For some truly ancient Vietnamese history, however, it is worth spending time at Co Loa, the country’s first fortified citadel and a onetime capital of the nation dating back to the third century. Only three of the original earthen ramparts are extant today, but a pretty temple underneath a banyan tree provides added diversion.

The country’s third-largest city, and the largest in central Vietnam, Da Nang has become one of the country’s key ports thanks to its location on both the coast and the Han River estuary. The city itself is a typical bustling Vietnamese metropolis with relentless scooter traffic, but a number of attractions make visiting worthwhile. The town’s Dragon Bridge opened in 2013, but what makes it special is that every weekend evening the steel-arch dragon that forms a part of the structure spits out real fire from its head (the bridge is closed to traffic at the time, allowing crowds to see the spectacle up close). The Marble Mountains—five hills that seem to have just sprouted up in the south of the city—are an arresting sight. The Son Tra peninsula, with a marquee attraction known as Monkey Mountain, offers some good hiking and excellent sea and city views; you’ll also find the 220-feet-tall, gleaming-white Goddess of Mercy statue here. The sandy stretch east of the city center (given the nickname China Beach by American soldiers during the war) is crowded with restaurants, bars, and some seaside hotels.

Part exhibition space, part cafe-bar, this gallery is housed in a gorgeous early 20th century villa and is one of the main hubs for Hanoi‘s small but robust art scene. Works by emerging and established Vietnamese artists are shown throughout the airy interior of the villa.

The French destroyed this famous temple in 1954, but it was lovingly rebuilt and remains a favorite with locals. The structure commemorates the legend of Emperor Ly Thai Tong who originally built the temple way back in 1049. The distinctive single pillar is meant to signify the stalk of the lotus flower, a sacred Vietnamese symbol of purity.

The flavors and textures of a banh mi—crispy, chewy, spicy, sweet, tangy with ingredients of mayonnaise, pâté, pork (or sometimes chicken or tofu), pickled vegetables, cilantro, and chili, all piled into a crusty baguette—help to explain the allure of this iconic Vietnamese sandwich, and why it’s been successfully replicated at restaurants around the world, from New York to Sydney. Hoi An has many fine banh mi sellers, but among the top two are undoubtedly the holes-in-the-wall Madam Khanh (or Madam Queen) on Tran Cao Van Street and the always-busy Banh Mi Phuong on Phan Chu Trinh, popularized by Anthony Bourdain in his program No Reservations.

Located in Hanoi’s business district, just two blocks from Tran Quang Khai highway (where it’s a quick 18-mile ride to Noi Bai International Airport), Hilton Hanoi Opera is in demand with the corporate crowd. Built to resemble the performance venue directly opposite, the Beaux Arts structure’s two-story lobby makes a lasting impression with floor-to-ceiling marble columns and a French crystal chandelier shaped like an inverted wedding cake. Rooms feature elements of traditional Vietnamese design, plus double-glazed windows that promise quiet, accent walls outfitted in floral wallpaper, and bathrooms with separate tubs and walk-in showers. Spend the day admiring opera house views from the outdoor pool, which is heated in the winter, then sit down at Ba Mien to savor such regional specialties as cha ca (turmeric fish with noodles) and roasted pork with green papaya.

Vietnamese food is widely regarded as one of the world’s healthier cuisines. There’s nothing particularly holistic or nutritious about this traditional favorite however. A local variant on steak and eggs, the dish is a calorific wonder. Steak is sautéed in butter on a sizzling platter, an egg is added and some hot-dog style sausages complete the picture. Mop it up with a banh mi baguette and wash it down with a glass of potent coffee.

Unlike many of the cookie-cutter Vietnamese restaurants in Hanoi, there’s a good reason why many tour groups are brought here for their lunch. There are a la carte menus on offer, but most guests prefer to opt for the “popular” meal, which involves pointing at steaming vats containing things like Chinese braised pork and fat juicy ribs.

A lilliputian property on a busy Old Quarter street, Essence has an unassuming entrance that belies its stylish interiors. Renovated in 2017, the eight-story hotel’s intimate rooms are well-appointed with velvet headboards, lantern-like pendant lighting, and writing desks with laptops and reliable Wi-Fi—plus decent soundproofing to block out the Hanoi bustle. Turndown service includes flower petals sprinkled on the bed and towels folded into animal shapes (swans are a favorite). Fresh seasonal fruit such as mango, papaya, and pineapple and complimentary mini-bar snacks are restocked daily. Head downstairs to dine on updated Vietnamese specialties like spring rolls and bun cha (barbecue pork) or hit the town: The hotel is surrounded by jewelry and clothing shops, cafés, and bars.

Situated to the south and east of Lake Hoan Kiem, the French Quarter has a different feel from the rest of Hanoi—one characterized by a profusion of space. The French began shaping this part of the city in the late 1800s (in part by knocking down Vietnamese buildings and monuments), and by the early 20th century had firmly established their imprint. Today, the district retains the broad avenues, wide sidewalks, and colonial architecture from the era of French rule. Highlights include the Sofitel Legend Metropole, with its distinctive white facade and green shutters, and the iconic Hanoi Opera House, modeled on the Palais Garnier in Paris.

Known locally as Ho Tay and situated just northwest of the Old Quarter, the city’s largest lake is the backdrop to this whitewashed hotel, whose layout fittingly mimics the shape of the open lotus flowers that line its shores. The main building houses about half the rooms, most of the lounges and restaurants, and a bright atrium lobby with an elegant 23-foot crystal chandelier for a focal point. Lit at night by torches, a hedge-trimmed walkway leads to a small island where you’ll find the Sunset Bar (no surprises on the name), as well as three pavilions with additional rooms built on the lake. Accommodations start at a generous 460 square feet and feature contemporary furnishings, marble and wood floors, stone wall accents, and Vietnamese timber shutters, as well as roomy soaking tubs, padded leather headboards, and private balconies with views of the lake or Hanoi’s skyline.

The biggest nature reserve in the country, Yok Don spreads across 450 square miles next to the Cambodian border and west of the town of Buon Ma Thuot, an important center for Vietnam’s coffee industry. The park is largely a dry dipterocarp forest of towering deciduous trees that provides a habitat for an array of flora and fauna—including some leopards and tigers, though you shouldn’t anticipate spotting any. Much more visible are deer, buffalo, some semi-tame elephants (the highlight for many visitors), plenty of avian life, and crocodiles that inhabit the Srepok River, which slices through the park. Great hiking and the chance to visit a handful of ethnic-minority villages are guaranteed. Visitors are required to use the services of a park guide.

The royal capital for more than 140 years during the 19th and 20th centuries, Hue is a not-to-be-missed stop on any itinerary in Vietnam. It was a political, religious, and cultural center for the Nguyen dynasty, the last to rule the country before Vietnam proclaimed itself a republic in 1945. The city, a UNESCO World Heritage site, features a dizzying array of tombs, pagodas, and monuments—but perhaps the most impressive, and certainly grandest, sight is its citadel. Surrounded by a moat and hefty stone walls, the citadel contains the Imperial City, with fortified ramparts, brightly painted pagodas and gateways, beautiful carved-stone dragons, and a palpable sense of the history that unfolded here.