How to Tour Hanoi, Vietnam with a Baby & Toddler

Quick backdrop: Hanoi is a bustling city, and the capital of Vietnam. It’s a historic treasure with local ancient architecture and French colonial influences…all in a tropical atmosphere. The jungle-urban combo was very striking to Paul & I! We’d never visited somewhere quite like it. For those wanting Disney context, it was as if Adventureland & New Orleans Square had a baby together & lovingly named it Hanoi.

When to Go

We are extremely glad we visited… but would not recommend going in April (it was approaching the VERY hot and humid season). The best time to go is from December-end of February for lower temperatures & low rainfall. Kids Humans get worn out quickly touring in that hot & sweaty weather. Within the city itself, the hotels tend to be smaller & more boutique style (read: usually no pools in which to cool off), so there’s very little relief from the heat.

I’ll be the first to admit that Hanoi is probably more suited for a group of young backpacking-college student-photographers than for young families. The museums & monuments aren’t most [young] kids’ jam, to say nothing of the infamous crowded motorcycle & scooter-filled intersections. It’s an overstimulation overload waiting to happen. However, there were a couple of things our kids DID love that we’d recommend (they were tremendous sports); and a couple more things they couldn’t have cared less about, but we are glad we did.

Getting Around: Renting a scooter to zip around on is very common in SE Asia. We loved this method in 
less densely-populated destinations (Hoi An & Phuket), but felt it was too dangerous with kids here. We did 
a combo of walking [so much walking] and Grab rides (the Vietnamese uber equivalent). It's pretty easy 
to coordinate a driver for day trips outside the area through your hotel staff. That's what we did for our 
trip to Ha Long bay. 

What to do with your family in Hanoi

Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre

This is a very famous art form that began hundreds of years ago. In a unique theatre downtown, tourists gather daily to watch these performances. What makes this puppet show unique is the water that replaces a traditional stage & the traditional musical instruments. I took our older son (3 years at the time) while Paul watched the babe.

He ironically fell asleep in the stroller just 15 minutes before the performance (very rare for him to fall asleep in the daytime, ever!). I carried him in hoping he wouldn’t be traumatized to wake up in a dark theatre with strangers and puppet dragons. He was fine though, and engaged the whole time (slipping him a couple animal crackers at the end helped a bit). I’d recommend it for ages 3 & up!

The best part was watching the live musicians and seeing how these national symbols and folklores made their way into each song & story. It provided a great context for touring the rest of the country. [It’s a popular tourist attraction, so get your tickets beforehand online, then pick them up an hour before at the nearby ticket office]

Learn more on their website HERE.

Get Some Noodles!

My favorite thing about touring in Asia is that you can find rice or noodles for your children in just about any variety. It’s a familiar enough backdrop to provide a gateway for new flavors & ingredients! We went to the casual bun cha restaurant Bun Cha Huong Lein where Obama famously dined with Anthony Bourdain. It’s actually still very popular with locals, too (sometimes touristy places aren’t that way!). The thin rice noodles, greens (lettuce & cilantro, herbs) & pork were delicious. No pics to document because everyone in our family (except Paul, as usual) was melting down quickly. Travel is a huge privilege, but it’s also filled with many real-life moments.

Our favorite restaurant in Hanoi was Pho Lan, another casual joint that served northern-style pho– a chicken pho rather than the pho bo I often see in Vietnamese restaurants. Apparently central & south Vietnam specialize in beef pho (a bit sweeter), and northern Vietnam has this more savory chicken pho.

High chairs are hard to find in Hanoi, which can make hot soup in beautiful bowls an accident waiting to happen with the active littles. The bahn mi sandwich, chicken pho & lemon juice (refreshing, basically lemonade) were all amazing. We loved the view too.

Thang Long Imperial Citadel

A UNESCO World Heritage site built in 1110 AD (!!), this is worth a trip. It’s essentially a large, ancient fortress within the city of Hanoi.

I count it as kid-friendly because it’s outdoors (no need to be silent or sit still!) and fun for the kids to explore at their own pace. There were statues of turtles & dragons that we could tie back to the water puppet show.

The grounds inside were pretty expansive. I’ll never forget the adorable group of school kids on a field trip that followed us around, laughing & asking us questions in English (maybe a rare opportunity for them?)

Learn more HERE!

Hoa Lo Prison

Hoa Lo is a famous prison that was used heavily during both the First Indochina War (ending French rule in the 1940s/50s) & the Second Indochina War (into the 1970s; what Americans know as “The Vietnam War”). The old prison been converted now into a semi-open air museum.

This isn’t particularly kid-friendly. We brought both of our little guys and had to take turns keeping them entertained and out of certain rooms that were more graphic. Our self-guided tour was haunting and educational. There’s some information here about John McCain, who was tortured here as a POW.

Also Worth Seeing:

Hanoi Opera House (that French influence popping up again), Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (can walk past the grounds, but not enter with young children), and the central Hoan Kiem Lake downtown (grab some ice cream at Fanny’s or buy mango slices from a vendor– or both ;)– and walk the perimeter).

The architecture in Hanoi is such a fascinating mix of cultures, so walking around is half the adventure.

Baby & Toddler Tips:

We always prefer to arrive in a foreign location with diapers & baby food/snacks to last a day or two (at least). My kids are pretty open to most foods, but it’s handy to be prepared in case of a travel delay etc. Of course most countries will sell their own versions of baby necessities, but finding the larger marts and stores & getting there/back can be a lot to navigate– not to mention a time hog.

We were happy we had our baby carrier for touring (and naps on-the-go), and a lighter umbrella stroller. This city was not especially elevator-friendly, hence the umbrella stroller for carrying it up steps frequently.

Heads-Up: Don't expect car seats to be widely available. Adjust your safety expectations and decide as a 
couple what things you are and aren't comfortable with in Vietnam. 

Last, be gracious with little ones (and medium ones, and yourself!) because touring is exhausting. Hanoi in particular is a lot of new modes of transportation, new smells, new sights, and new foods. That can be a lot to handle (even if it’s fun and interesting!).

Final Thoughts

Expect that the same laws & norms that you’re used to in the Western world won’t apply here in Hanoi- and embrace it. There are fewer safety codes with food stalls, transportation, and more…but that also allows for some great street food and exciting adventures. Do be careful crossing the streets here, because the moto drivers are relentless.

This trip was incredibly stressful at times, but also one of the very most rewarding. We tried hard to stay local & experience all there was to offer. I feel like we left understanding so much more about this wonderful people.

It was humbling to see a nation that was surrounded by wars & conflict for SO many years– and not that many years ago… but that is working incredibly hard to rebuild and thrive.

More on Vietnam:

We also loved visiting Hoi An in central Vietnam & Ha Long Bay a couple of hours away from Hanoi (are you as confused as I was with allll the H names yet?) on this trip.

Have you been to Hanoi? Would love to hear your thoughts and recommendations below in the comments! There’s never enough time to see everything in a city.

All photos are our own.