Writing on CNN, author Chris Anderson expressed: "Hanoi comes alive at night with sparkling streets and bustling, lit markets. You can try a walking tour in Hanoi's neighborhoods, sample a variety of delicious dishes, go to music clubs...".
According to author Connla Stokes, evening walks and late night performances at a jazz club... are the best way to enjoy the nightlife when traveling to Hanoi.
Let's take a look at 6 night experiences suggested by Chris and Connla for tourists coming to Hanoi!
See a performance at the Opera House
Every evening, the banks of Hoan Kiem Lake are often crowded with people walking, jogging, doing aerobics or participating in street performances on weekends. After strolling along the lake to enjoy the scenery, Connla Stokes suggests that tourists can head to the Hanoi Opera House - where regular performances by the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra, the Vietnamese circus show My Village... are held.
Known as one of the "art cathedrals" of Vietnam, Hanoi Opera House always has unique, high-quality art programs to serve the capital's residents and tourists.
Visit Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre
From the Hanoi Opera House, it only takes a few dozen minutes to walk to Thang Long Puppetry Theatre located on Dinh Tien Hoang Street right next to the Lake. Vietnamese puppetry has a history of nearly 1,000 years, preserved and improved by artists over the years. With nearly 300 seats, Thang Long Puppetry Theatre is always lit up every night with traditional and modern plays.
The unique performances here have participated in many puppetry competitions around the world and are loved by many international audiences. The show is performed every day of the week with 5 shows: 3pm, 4:10pm, 5:20pm, 6:30pm and 8pm.
Street food
Chris Anderson and Connla Stokes, like many other foreign tourists, were attracted and impressed by the street food in Hanoi. Dried beef salad, beef pho, hot pot, grilled food... are indispensable dishes on the night menu.
"Those who want to learn more about local culture should definitely try visiting grilled meat stalls, eating banh mi, and drinking coffee in Hanoi," wrote reporter Chris Anderson.
Chris also wrote about the beef jerky salad with chewy and crunchy green papaya strips, served with beef jerky and sweet and sour sauce, which is a suitable snack before the main meal. There is also the bun cha dish that was once tried by former US President Barack Obama during his visit to Vietnam. The minced pork is marinated with rich spices, the pork belly consists of slices of grilled pork belly with sweet and sour sauce, fresh rice noodles and raw vegetables.
Sidewalk beer
If you come to Hanoi on hot summer days, tourists should definitely try bia hoi - a popular sidewalk beverage in Hanoi.
"Conveniently, draft beer is often sold right on the street. Drinkers sit on small plastic chairs, spending only a few tens of thousands of dong to buy one or two glasses of beer. In the evening, young tourists come to Beer Corners like Ta Hien Street to chat and eat delicious beer snacks," Connla Stokes wrote.
With affordable prices for both beer and snacks and a youthful atmosphere, Ta Hien beer street is becoming an unmissable destination for foreign tourists when coming to Hanoi.
Shopping for crafts
During his stay in Hanoi, Chris Anderson spent an evening shopping for handicrafts in Hanoi. Strolling along the old streets near the lake, Chris could find handicraft shops or non-profit shops.
Here, you can find high-quality bags, jewelry, hand-woven fabrics, in a contemporary style but with traditional techniques. Tourists can also visit shops selling paintings, home decoration products made from lacquer, brocade, silk... to find gifts bearing the mark of Vietnamese culture.
Cafe, Local Bar
Connla Stokes is impressed with the small and medium-sized cafes, bars and music pubs in Hanoi. Especially the places that regularly organize exhibitions and art performances for individuals and small art groups.
Connla mentioned Hanoi Rock City, Tadioto, Savage... with jazz and classical music nights, old black and white films, and vibrant music nights of Hanoi's youth life.
