Budget Travelling in Hanoi: Free and Cheap Things to Do 

Looking to experience Hanoi while keeping your wallet happy? You’re in luck: Vietnam’s capital is packed with things to do that are either free or seriously affordable. 

Here are 14 of the best cheap and free things to do in Hanoi.

Also read: 23 Fun Things to Do in Hanoi on Your First Trip

Wander through the Old Quarter

There’s no better place to begin than Hanoi’s bustling Old Quarter, a chaotic, charming maze of narrow streets, honking scooters, and colonial-era buildings. 

Each street once specialised in a specific trade (like silver on Hàng Bạc or paper on Hàng Mã), and the area is still buzzing with activity. It’s free and endlessly fascinating.

Cost: Free

Visit the Vietnamese Women’s Museum

One of Hanoi’s most acclaimed museums, the Vietnamese Women’s Museum offers a thoughtful and moving look at the lives of women across Vietnam’s many ethnic groups. 

Exhibits span everything from marriage customs and traditional dress to women’s roles in wartime. The museum is modern, well-curated, and deserves at least an hour of your time.

Cost: Entry for an adult is 40,000 VND (~S$1.96)

Catch a show at the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre

This traditional Vietnamese art form is colourful and utterly unique. The water puppets glide across a pool of water, telling folk tales, legends, and rural stories, all accompanied by live music. It’s one of Hanoi’s must-dos, and tickets are affordable for such a cultural treat.

Cost: From 100,000 VND (~S$4.91)

Sip Bia Hoi at a street corner

Few things say “Hanoi” quite like a tiny plastic stool, a pavement view, and a glass of bia hoi, freshly brewed draft beer that’s incredibly light and even more affordable. 

You’ll still find countless roadside spots and local bia hoi joints, especially around the Old Quarter and Truc Bach area, where locals unwind after work over a few cold glasses and shared plates of snacks.

Cost: From 5,000–8,000 VND (~S$0.25–0.39) per glass

Join a walking tour with Hanoi Kids

Want to explore the city with a local? Hanoi Kids is a brilliant volunteer-run programme where university students take travellers on free walking tours to practise their English. It’s friendly, insightful, and entirely genuine. You’ll only need to cover entry fees and any drinks or snacks.

Cost: Free (but donations to the organisation are welcome)

Stroll Around Hoan Kiem Lake

Smack in the middle of the city, Hoan Kiem Lake is a peaceful green escape from the honking madness of Hanoi’s streets. During weekends, the roads around the lake are closed to traffic, turning it into a lively pedestrian-only zone with buskers and street games.

Cost: Free

Walk across the iconic The Huc bridge

Connecting the lakeside to Ngoc Son Temple, the bright red The Huc Bridge is one of Hanoi’s most photographed landmarks. It’s especially magical at sunrise or when lit up after dusk.

The small fee to cross the bridge and enter the temple is well worth it. Ngoc Son Temple, which means “Temple of the Jade Mountain”, is dedicated to national hero General Tran Hung Dao and several other cultural figures. 

One of the most intriguing sights within is the preserved bodies of giant softshell turtles, believed to be linked to the mythical creature from the legend of Hoan Kiem Lake, where the Golden Turtle God reclaimed the magical sword used to defeat foreign invaders. 

Cost: Entry is 30,000 VND (~S$1.47)

Admire St Joseph’s Cathedral

This grand neo-Gothic cathedral, completed in 1886, is often compared to Notre-Dame in Paris. Framed by leafy trees and located near Hoàn Kiếm Lake, it’s a beautiful spot to pause for photos or quiet reflection. Mass is held daily, and visitors are welcome to observe respectfully.

Cost: Free

Watch the world go by on Long Bien Bridge

Built in 1903 and designed by a disciple of Gustave Eiffel, this rusting iron bridge spans the Red River and offers an atmospheric walk with panoramic views. It’s still used by motorbikes and trains, and pedestrians can cross it on footpaths that run along both sides.

Cost: Free

Browse the Hanoi weekend night market

Running through the Old Quarter from Friday to Sunday evenings, this market is a busy, colourful jumble of stalls selling souvenirs, clothes, accessories, and every kind of street food. Even if you don’t buy anything, it’s worth a wander just for the atmosphere.

Cost: Free to explore

Take a free street food tour (pay-as-you-eat)

Local student groups and volunteer guides offer street food tours where you only pay for the food you try. 

It’s a great way to discover dishes you’d never order on your own, and hear the stories behind them. Think sticky rice, sweet soup, grilled meats, and more.

Cost: Free guiding; food ~S$100,000–200,000 VND (~S$4.91–9.82)

Visit Hoa Lo prison

Once used by French colonists to imprison Vietnamese revolutionaries, and later by the North Vietnamese to hold American POWs, this prison-turned-museum offers a sobering look into Vietnam’s 20th-century history. The original gatehouse remains, along with exhibits on both eras.

Cost: Entry is 50,000 VND (~S$2.45)

Walk along Hanoi train street

Hanoi’s famous train street is a narrow residential alley with a live train track running straight through it. At scheduled times, the train passes by just inches from doorways and cafés. 

To visit safely, pop into one of the local cafés for a drink; many now only allow entry with a purchase due to safety regulations.

Cost: Free with a drink, average cost is ~40,000 VND (~S$1.96)

Snap lantern photos in Pho Hang Ma

This narrow street is filled with colourful decorations, paper goods, and vibrant lanterns, especially during the Mid-Autumn Festival and Lunar New Year. It’s a photographer’s dream, and it’s completely free to soak in its festive atmosphere.

Cost: Free to wander

Explore with no stress

Hanoi proves that budget travel doesn’t mean missing out. With its rich culture, warm locals, and vibrant street life, some of the city’s most memorable experiences are either free or cost less than your morning coffee back home. You’ll find plenty of ways to soak up the best of Hanoi without splurging.