Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam and the political and cultural centre of the country's north, a city of roughly 8.5 million people built around a chain of lakes on the Red River delta. Its compact core layers a thousand-year-old market quarter, a French colonial grid of villas and boulevards, and the ceremonial state architecture of Ba Dinh Square within a few kilometres of one another.
Top trails
Routes worth lacing up your boots for.
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1
West Lake (Ho Tay) Shoreline Circuit
A flat, fully paved loop of roughly 17 km around Hanoi's largest lake, passing Tran Quoc Pagoda, the Quan Thanh Temple corner, lakeside cafes in Tay Ho and the flower gardens at Nhat Tan. It is the city's default long walk and can be shortened at any point because ride-hailing cars and scooters are available all the way round.
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2
King Peak (Dinh Vua) Stairway, Ba Vi National Park
The highest of Ba Vi's three summits at 1,296 m, reached by a stone stairway of roughly 1,300 steps that climbs from the end of the park road to the Ho Chi Minh Memorial Temple on the summit. The forest is cloud forest for most of the year, and on clear autumn mornings the Red River Delta is visible from the terrace below the temple.
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3
Tan Vien Ridge and Thuong Temple Trail, Ba Vi National Park
The second Ba Vi summit trail, running along a forested ridge to Den Thuong (Upper Temple), a shrine to the mountain god Tan Vien Son Thanh set into the cliff below the 1,227 m Tan Vien peak. It is shorter and shadier than the King Peak stairway and the two are commonly combined in one visit.
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4
Tam Dao TV Tower Stairway to Thien Nhi Peak
A continuous concrete stairway of roughly 1,400 steps rising from Tam Dao hill-station town to the television transmission tower on Thien Nhi mountain at about 1,375 m. The climb is short in distance but relentless, and the reward on a clear day is a view over the Tam Dao ridge and down towards the Red River Delta.
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5
Ancient Tree Trail, Cuc Phuong National Park
The signature walk in Vietnam's oldest national park, running through primary limestone rainforest to a Tetrameles nudiflora buttress tree estimated at around 1,000 years old. The trail starts from the park centre 20 km inside the gate and passes the Cave of Prehistoric Man on the way back out.
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6
Silver Cloud Peak (Dinh May Bac), Cuc Phuong National Park
The highest point in Cuc Phuong at 648 m, known locally as the roof of the park. The route climbs through dense primary forest, crosses seasonal streams and finishes on a narrow limestone crest; a park ranger or licensed guide is required because the upper section is unmarked.
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7
Ham Lon Peak (Nui Ham Lon), Soc Son
At 462 m, Ham Lon is the highest point inside Hanoi's own city boundary and the closest genuine hill walk to the centre, set in the pine and acacia hills of Soc Son north of Noi Bai airport. The stream-side approach past Ham Lon Lake is a popular weekend camping spot with Hanoi students.
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8
Mua Cave (Hang Mua) Viewpoint Stairway, Ninh Binh
A stone stairway of about 500 steps climbing a limestone karst to a dragon sculpture and a small shrine, with the classic overhead view of the Ngo Dong river winding through the Tam Coc rice fields. It is the standard leg-stretch on a Ninh Binh day trip from Hanoi and takes well under an hour of actual climbing.
Trail difficulty levels
Pick a route that matches your fitness and experience.
Mostly flat, well-marked paths. Suitable for families and casual walkers.
Some elevation gain, longer distances. Requires basic fitness.
Significant climbs and exposure. Requires good fitness and route-finding.
Technical terrain, scrambling, or alpine conditions. Experience essential.
When to hike
Seasonal conditions in Hanoi.
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Local hazards
What to watch out for on the trail.
Hazard: Heat and humidity: the felt temperature in Hanoi exceeds 40 C / 104 F on many summer afternoons; heat exhaustion is the most common problem on stairway climbs at Ba Vi, Tam Dao and Mua Cave
Hazard: Slippery limestone and mossy steps after rain, especially the Mua Cave stairway and the Tam Dao TV Tower steps, which have no continuous handrail
Hazard: Mosquitoes and biting insects year-round in forest areas; dengue fever is endemic in the Red River Delta, so repellent containing DEET or picaridin is advised
Hazard: Leeches on wet-season forest floors at Cuc Phuong and Tam Dao (May-September); gaiters or long socks help
Hazard: Snakes, including venomous species, in the Cuc Phuong and Ba Vi understorey; staying on marked paths and avoiding leaf litter reduces the risk
Hazard: Traffic on urban walking routes: Hanoi footpaths are frequently occupied by parked motorbikes, forcing walkers into the carriageway; the West Lake and Red River dyke roads carry fast scooter traffic
Hazard: Limited mobile coverage on the upper Ba Vi and Cuc Phuong trails; offline maps downloaded in advance are advisable