Why is it called the 36 streets?

The streets were named after the guilds that traded on them, and many still begin with Hang, meaning goods or shop: Hang Bac for silver, Hang Dao for silk, Hang Ma for paper. The number 36 is traditional rather than exact, and the area has more than that today.

What is a tube house?

A tube house is a narrow, deep building with a shopfront on the street, a courtyard behind it, and the family's living quarters at the back. They were narrow because old taxes were based on the width of the frontage.

Is the Old Quarter a good place to stay?

It is the most convenient base for first-timers, with the widest choice from hostels to boutique hotels and everything within walking distance. It is also loud late at night, so ask for a room away from the street or higher up.

Is Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum in the Old Quarter?

No. The mausoleum is in Ba Dinh, west of the Old Quarter, around 2 to 3 km away. It is closed for annual maintenance each autumn, so check the dates before you plan around it.

Hanoi Old Quarter: the 36 Streets, Tube Houses & Where to Eat

St Joseph's Cathedral in Hanoi seen from the street with a motorbike in front

What the Old Quarter is

The Old Quarter is the oldest part of Hanoi, a district of narrow streets between the northern end of Hoan Kiem Lake and the Red River side. It has been a trading centre for centuries, and unlike many old towns elsewhere it is still a working district, not a museum. People are on the street by 5:30 in the morning, restaurants open by about 6, and the noise only slows down late at night.

The streets are named for what once was sold on them. Hang Bac is silver, Hang Dao silk, Hang Ma paper goods, and others cover bamboo, shoes, fans and medicine. These were the streets of guilds of craftsmen, and a few blocks still concentrate on one trade: tin, tailors, or paper. Many shops now sell the same souvenirs, but if you wander past the main drag you will still find a block of one product.

Tube houses and street life

The long, narrow houses of the area are called tube houses. The front is a shop or workshop, behind it is a courtyard, and behind that the family lives. Life spills out of them onto the pavement: low stools, rice and tea, scooters parked in rows. You will often walk in the road, so look both ways and keep a steady pace; motorbikes steer around people who do not stop suddenly.

What to see

Hoan Kiem Lake is a few minutes south, with Ngoc Son Temple; see Hanoi’s lakes.
St Joseph’s Cathedral, a neo-Gothic church from the 1880s, is on the western edge, with cafes opposite.
Street food: pho bo for breakfast, bun cha for lunch, egg coffee in the afternoon. Eat where the stools are full of locals.
Weekend night market: on Friday to Sunday evenings the streets around the lake and north of it are closed to traffic.

The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, One Pillar Pagoda and the Ho Chi Minh Museum are often listed with the Old Quarter, but they sit in Ba Dinh, a short ride to the west. The Hanoi guide has the details, including the mausoleum’s annual closure.

Is it changing?

Years ago a government proposal threatened to replace many tube houses with new apartment and commercial blocks. Whatever happened to individual plots, the district has clearly shifted towards cafes, hotels and souvenir shops and away from craft workshops. Go early, look up at the upper storeys, and go into the alleys.

Where to go next

For the city overall, including where to stay and how to reach the airport, see the Hanoi guide. For the old university, see the Temple of Literature.

Hanoi's Old Quarter