Hanoi Buses

Hanoi can be a charming city and has a totally different feel to Saigon. It's very likely you'll have to spend at least some time there, as its the main arrival/departure hub for Halong Bay, Sapa, and Ninh Binh.

People seem to have a slightly harder edge to them here compared to the rest of Vietnam - you'll notice it if you've spent time in Saigon or the provinces first - but they're friendly and outgoing; if you sit around in cafes or bars here, you'll be surprised at how many people approach you for a chat.

The city these days is quite sprawling, but its heart is the old quarter which is easily covered on foot - narrow, chaotic streets, plenty of places to eat on the street and great fun to wander around.

What to do in Hanoi?

Take a walk around Hoan Kiem Lake, or Lenin park, and watch the Hanoians exercising and relaxing.

Get your museum fix: we really like the Women's Museum - you can really appreciate the active role women played in the American war after a visit here. If you still want more, there is always the Ho Chi Minh Museum, or the Museum of the Vietnamese Revolution, and more...

Check out a performance of the famous Hoi An water puppets for some traditional Vietnamese music, then get lost wandering the old quarter and experience some of the great street food on offer.

When you’ve had enough of the city, there are some great options for travel – take a bus up to Sapa in the mountains (or better still, rent a motorbike and ride up there, via Dien Bien Phu and dozens of minority tribe villages), or head out to the beautiful Ha Long Bay for a couple of days – cruises can be booked up easily at any of the travel agents in Hanoi, but choose carefully to make sure you get a good one – its usually worth paying a little extra and not taking the cheapest, in our experience.

The bus routes for all buses from Hanoi, with times and prices are shown in the tables below – just click on the Book button to book your bus ticket.