For a morning in Hanoi’s Old Quarter, mark two names on your map before you leave for lunch: Hàng Bạc and Hàng Mã. One gives you silver to look for, the other paper goods and festival decorations. Both are north of Hoàn Kiếm Lake. Walking between them gives the neighbourhood’s nickname, the “36 streets,” a meaning you can see from the pavement.
Start on Hàng Bạc, Silver Street
Hanoi’s craft workers and merchants once clustered by trade. On Hàng Bạc, silversmiths made coins and jewellery. You can still find jewellery shops on the street. The connection between an old name and a present-day shop is particularly easy to spot here. Elsewhere a street may have kept its name while the goods in its windows changed. Vietnam Tourism’s guide to the Old Quarter.
Pause where the entrance is clear and look along a few neighbouring windows. If a piece of silver catches your eye, ask where it was made. The street name tells you about the trade’s history. The person behind the counter can tell you about the piece in front of you.
Turn toward Hàng Mã for paper and colour
Set Hàng Mã as your next stop. In the space of a short walk, the things you’re looking for change scale. On Silver Street you might lean in to see a clasp. Here, a hanging decoration can catch your eye from across the road. Hàng Mã is known for both festival decorations and paper goods used for offerings. If you’re choosing something to take home, ask what occasion it is made for. Vietnam Tourism on Hanoi’s heritage streets.
Finish with bún chả
When you’re ready for lunch, look for the words bún chả. The pleasure of this Hanoi meal is in the way it comes to the table. The grilled pork sits in a bowl of dipping liquid, with white rice noodles and a pile of herbs beside it. The cook has done the grilling. You get to decide how much of each goes into a mouthful.
Start with enough noodles for one bite, pick up a piece of pork, then try the next mouthful with a torn herb leaf. It’s a good reason to stop walking and sit for a while. If you have another afternoon in the city, the same two street names make easy landmarks for finding your way back. More ideas for visiting Hanoi.
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