Ready to Party? Our Guide to Hanoi at Night, your complete guide to Hanoi nightlife in Vietnam!
Are you looking for the best night clubs in Hanoi?! Here is our Hanoi Night Life Guide just for you!
Hanoi during daylight hours is a place of wonder and adventure, Hanoi at night is a wonderful place in its own right. There are various Hanoi night clubs that allow late night partying opportunities with packed dance floors and hard-hitting EDM music, but the real charm lies in the hours before 2am. Hanoi night clubs might not stay open late, but they are still amazing places to party!
Any good night-out in Hanoi will start at a bia hoi joint. For the uninitiated, bia hoi is a Vietnamese speciality. It is fresh beer, with no preservatives, and a unique taste. Its short shelf-life means that prices are incredibly low. Low prices tend to result in a lot of it being drank. These bia hoi joints litter the cities of Vietnam and are nearly always lively places filled with feasting and laughter. Vietnam’s most famous bia hoi, is ‘Bia Hoi Corner’ in Hanoi’s Old Quarter. Here, expats, locals, and tourists all gather on tiny plastic stalls and take in the glorious cacophony that is Hanoi’s city-centre.
There are plenty of cool (and more regular) bars in the area. Officially, bars in the Old Quarter are meant to close before midnight. While of course, we could never encourage you to do anything illegal, we will still draw your attention to the fact that there may or may not be lock-ins, every night, in nearly every bar, in the Old Quarter. The police are well aware of these, and there is a nightly game of ‘cat and mouse’ as revellers are kicked out of one bar just to knock on the shutters of the next. Contrary to what your guidebook might tell you, Vietnamese nightlife does not end at midnight.
Further afield, there are plenty of exciting options. BarBetta, a trendy café by day, and a lively roof terrace bar by night, is an expat favourite. This could be because of the obscure decorations, the gigantic burgers, or the fairy-light lit entrance draped in vines, but we suspect it’s at least in part because of the FREE BEER offered every Wednesday (at time of writing).
As the Hanoi Club Barbetta closes for the night, partygoers head north to perhaps Hanoi’s most famous night out. Open-mic night at HRC (Hanoi Rock City). This hyper-trendy venue holds some of the best parties of the year, but its regular open mic night hosts a variety of excellent talent, and has established itself as one of the best places to meet people. The community vibe is great, and you’re bound to make friends sat outside on the giant half-pipe, which is used by skaters during the day.
HRC is a Hanoi club located in Tay Ho, commonly thought of as the ‘expat district’. Here you will find lots of Western style bars and Hanoi clubs, often with glorious roof terraces overlooking Hanoi’s mighty West Lake. Budget travellers beware, you should be prepared to pay Western style prices. Luckily, they haven’t managed to monopolise the music scene. New music venues and bars pop-up regularly in Vietnam, and just as quickly go out of fashion. One venue that has always managed to stay popular is The Doors. A café/bar in central Hanoi that hosts some of the best bands on offer, from local singer-song-writers to the Vietnamese Beatles. You’ll be sure to find something you’ll enjoy.
As the year goes on, there are also special events that should grab your attention. From Heineken’s amazing NYE party, to the local TET celebrations for the lunar new year. If none of these options grab your attention, we suggest you check out some of these alternatives for clubs in Hanoi, Vietnam. These really are the best night clubs in Hanoi.
- Infinity Club Hanoi – Faux classy nightclub and quite expensive, but if you’re sick of sitting on plastic stalls, this is the place for you. One of the best Hanoi night clubs.
- Binh Minh Jazz Club – Real classy, great music, perfect spot for some evening relaxation. A real treat for anyone looking for a more sophisticated Hanoi night club.
- Juju Bar – Great cocktails, casual and cozy. A great Hanoi Night club for a funky night out.
- Kareoke Tom – One of the better options for karaoke, which is a must when in ‘Nam and a great way to experience Hanoi at night.
- Hero Bar – Hanoi’s best night club. Great late-night venue, especially if you’re looking for a dance and an epic Hanoi nightlife.
Before you go, we have one final thing to mention, while Hanoi is a safe city with low levels of violent crime, like any major city, it holds its dangers. Dangers that are magnified at night. Please be careful, and don’t go wandering around alone at night. Even if you have heard about a really great party.
