Hanoi

Since 7 March 2024, Mongolian citizens with an ordinary passport can stay in Vietnam up to 30 days visa-free (not for work or paid activity). Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months, have blank pages, and you need a return ticket. For more than 30 days, get an e-visa on evisa.gov.vn (single entry $25, up to 90 days).

Tip: Only evisa.gov.vn is official; look-alike private sites charge extra.

There is no year-round direct flight from Ulaanbaatar to Hanoi, so you connect via Seoul, Hong Kong or Beijing. Buy both legs on one booking so your bag is checked through and the airline is responsible if you miss the connection. Check the transit visa rules of your connecting country.

International hospitals are expensive, so travel insurance is a must. Street food, markets and taxis are nearly all cash, so get dong (₫) from an ATM after landing or exchange US dollars. Declare foreign currency over $5,000 at customs.

Tip: Many shops and restaurants close over Tet (Lunar New Year) — plan for it.

The air-conditioned bus 86 runs from outside Terminal 2 to the Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake and Hanoi Station: ≈45,000₫, 50–60 minutes, every 20–30 minutes from 7 am to 10 pm. Buy the ticket from the conductor on board.

Book a car in the Grab app for a fixed upfront price and board at the marked pick-up point outside arrivals. There is also an official taxi queue; turn down people approaching you inside the hall offering a 'taxi'.

With children or a late arrival, a pick-up booked through your hotel is the calmest option. It costs a little more than Grab, but the driver waits with your name on a sign.

Tip: Be wary of anyone offering a 'free transfer' you did not book.

Viettel, Vinaphone and Mobifone have counters in the arrivals hall: a tourist SIM with lots of data for 15–30 days costs ≈250,000–400,000₫. Registration uses your passport; Viettel has the widest coverage.

If your phone supports eSIM, install Airalo or a Viettel eSIM before the flight so you are online on landing and can call a Grab straight away.

Tip: Download Hanoi in Google Maps and Vietnamese in Google Translate for offline use.

The most used transport in Hanoi: a car (GrabCar) or motorbike taxi (GrabBike) with a fixed upfront price, cash or card. With children choose a car. Xanh SM electric taxis work the same way.

Line 2A (Cat Linh–Ha Dong) and the elevated part of Line 3 (Nhon–Hanoi Station) are running: a single trip costs 8,000–15,000₫, an unlimited day ticket 30,000₫. Line 3 gets you close to the Museum of Ethnology.

Motorbikes won't stop, they flow around you: cross at the lights, or walk at a calm, steady pace — never stop suddenly or run. Pavements are mostly motorbike parking, so watch your step.

Notes have many zeros, so don't mix up look-alikes such as 20,000₫ and 200,000₫ (both blue). Vietcombank, BIDV and TPBank ATMs are reliable; in the Old Quarter, gold shops exchange US dollars and yuan at good rates.

Cards work in hotels, supermarkets and larger restaurants; street food, markets and taxis are cash. Haggling is normal at markets and with street vendors, while restaurants and shops have fixed prices. Tipping isn't required, but a little is left for good service.

Pho bo — beef noodle soup (a breakfast dish); bun cha — grilled pork with noodles; banh mi — Vietnamese baguette; cha ca La Vong — turmeric fish with dill; ca phe trung — egg coffee. For children, fried rice (com rang), grilled ribs and fruit.

Tip: Eat where the locals are crowding — high turnover means fresh food.

Don't drink tap water — use bottled water. Bigger cafés and restaurants use factory ice. There have been cases of methanol poisoning from fake spirits, so avoid loose or unbranded alcohol.

On a first visit, a guided evening street food walk is the quickest introduction. In the Old Quarter, Dong Xuan market and Ta Hien street come alive at night.

Police 113, fire 114, ambulance 115 — 24 hours. Operators usually speak only Vietnamese, so asking hotel staff or a Vietnamese speaker to call is faster.

Thieves on motorbikes grab phones and bags: don't hold your phone on the traffic side, and carry your bag on the side away from the road. Street vendors, cyclos and unmetered taxis overcharge — agree the price first or use Grab.

Vinmec Times City International Hospital, Hanoi French Hospital and Family Medical Practice have English-speaking doctors and emergency care. Call your insurer's assistance line first and they will direct you to a hospital that bills them directly.

At Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum cover shoulders and knees, remove hats, keep hands out of pockets and stay silent — no photos. In pagodas and temples also cover shoulders and knees; some ask you to take shoes off.

Raising your voice in an argument means losing face in Vietnam — stay calm and smile. Show respect to elders and hand things over with both hands. Don't touch people's heads.

Don't insult the state or Ho Chi Minh, and don't tear banknotes. Drug penalties are extremely severe.

Grab is the go-to for taxis, motorbikes and food delivery; Xanh SM electric taxis are a good alternative. Prices are shown upfront, so there is no haggling.

Google Maps shows walking, bus and metro routes; Google Translate's camera mode translates menus and signs on the spot. Both work offline.

The road to the airport is slow in the evening rush, so leave early and allow plenty of time for an international flight. Bus 86 or Grab to Terminal 2.

The visa-free period counts from your arrival day; overstaying means a fine at exit and may affect future entry. Spend leftover dong before changing it at the airport.