Hanoi Old Quarter: 36 Streets, Al-Noor Mosque & Halal Food | Guide for Muslim Travellers (2026)
The Hanoi Old Quarter (Phố cổ Hà Nội), the “36 Streets”, is the maze of guild streets, narrow tube houses, shrines and markets just north of Hoan Kiem Lake. It is free to wander day and night; only a few heritage houses ask 20,000 VND. For Muslim travellers it is simply the place to be: the area holds Al-Noor Mosque, northern Vietnam’s only mosque, and the largest cluster of halal and Muslim-run kitchens in the north, all within a short walk of one another.
Status (checked October 2026): open and free as usual; the car-free streets and night market run from Friday evening to Sunday night. Cafés on Train Street remain officially banned, so view it from the side streets only.
Hanoi Old Quarter: Quick Answers (2026)
| Entry | Free; 87 Ma May and 22 Hang Buom 20,000 VND each (under-16s free) |
|---|---|
| Hours | Streets always open; most shops about 8:00–22:00 |
| Night market | Friday to Sunday evenings, Hang Dao to Dong Xuan Market |
| Time needed | Half a day plus evenings |
| Mosque | Al-Noor Mosque, 12 Hang Luoc Street |
| Halal food | Many halal and Muslim-run places within 5–10 minutes’ walk |
| Best base for Muslim tourists | Western lanes (Hang Ga, Hang Bo, Hang Dieu) |
| Dress code | None on the street; modest inside temples and the mosque |
| Best time | 7:00–10:00 and evenings, October–April |
| Links | Google Maps · Tripadvisor · Wikipedia |
Is the Hanoi Old Quarter Muslim-Friendly?
- Prayer close by: Al-Noor Mosque sits on Hang Luoc Street, so you can join congregational prayer between sightseeing.
- Halal choices in every direction: pho, banh mi, kebab, biryani, Palestinian and Malay dishes, all from Muslim cooks.
- Easy for families: compact, walkable, with lakeside space for children just south.
- Shopping for modest wear: silk scarves, shawls and tailoring on Hang Gai and Hang Bong.
- One caution: street stalls are rarely halal and some lanes, like Ta Hien, are busy with beer drinkers at night.
The Old Quarter in 60 Seconds
After Thang Long became the capital in 1010, artisans from nearby villages set up shop east of the royal citadel, each trade in its own street. That is why the names still describe goods: silver, tin, sails, paper, sugar. Deep, narrow “tube houses” packed shop, workshop and home into slim plots, and in the colonial period many gained French shutters and balconies. Among the traders were Indian and Middle Eastern Muslims dealing in cloth and currency, whose community built the mosque on Hang Luoc Street in the late 19th century.
Highlights Not to Miss
1. Al-Noor Mosque, Hang Luoc Street
The white mosque with its slender minarets opened in 1890 and is the spiritual home of Muslims in northern Vietnam; read our full Al-Noor Mosque guide for history, Jumu’ah and Ramadan.
2. Hang Ma, the lantern street
A two-minute walk from the mosque, this street sparkles with paper lanterns and festive decorations, best before Mid-Autumn and Lunar New Year.
3. Dong Xuan Market
Hanoi’s biggest covered market, from the French era, sells fabric, clothes, dried goods and household items. Upstairs is good for scarves and cloth by the metre.
4. 87 Ma May heritage house
Step inside a restored merchant home with courtyards, carved wood and family rooms to see how a tube house works (20,000 VND).
5. O Quan Chuong gate
The sole surviving gate of the old city wall, first built in 1749 and rebuilt in 1817, on the quarter’s eastern edge.
6. Craft and silk streets
Silver and lanterns on Hang Bac, silk and tailoring on Hang Gai, tinsmiths on Hang Thiec. Fixed-price shops make Hang Gai the least stressful place to buy gifts.
7. The weekend night market
From Friday to Sunday evening the streets from Hang Dao to Dong Xuan close to cars and fill with stalls of clothes, souvenirs and snacks.
Tickets, Hours and Rules (2026)
| Place | Hours | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Old Quarter streets | Always open | Free |
| Al-Noor Mosque | Around the five daily prayers | Free (donations welcome) |
| 87 Ma May heritage house | Daily, daytime | 20,000 VND (under-16s free) |
| Cantonese Assembly Hall, 22 Hang Buom | Daily, daytime | 20,000 VND |
| Bach Ma Temple, 76 Hang Buom | Daily, daytime | Free |
| Night market and walking streets | Fri about 19:00 – Sun midnight | Free |
Halal Food in the Old Quarter
These Muslim-run or halal kitchens are all within about ten minutes of the mosque:
| Halal option | Address | Halal status | Map |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zaynab Restaurant | 12 Hang Luoc (mosque grounds) | Halal (HalalGo certified) | map |
| Halal Banh Mi Raja Express | 29 Hang Luoc | Self-declared halal | map |
| Halal Food Abdul Karim | 2B Hang Khoai | Certified by Halal Medina UZK | map |
| Pho Muslim | 22 Dong Xuan | Halal (HalalGo certified) | map |
| Halal Food Station | 23 Hang Cot | Muslim-owned | map |
| Oliva Palestinian Halal | 7 Hang Buom (1st–2nd floor) | Palestinian-owned, no alcohol | map |
| Yalla Kebab & Grill | 45A Luong Ngoc Quyen | Self-declared halal (Egyptian) | map |
| Raza’s Indian Restaurant | 23 Hang Phen | Muslim-owned, no alcohol listed | map |
Some Indian restaurants on Hang Luoc use halal meat but also serve alcohol; ask before you sit down if that matters to you. Our guide to halal food in Hanoi explains the dishes to try.
A Muslim-Friendly Walking Route (about 3 km)
- Pray at Al-Noor Mosque, then grab halal banh mi on Hang Luoc.
- Browse the lanterns of Hang Ma and walk north to Dong Xuan Market.
- Head east to O Quan Chuong gate, then south into Ma May for the heritage house.
- Continue to Hang Bac and Hang Gai for silver and silk.
- Finish at Hoan Kiem Lake for sunset, then return for a halal dinner.
Tips for Families, Women and First-Timers
- Crossing the road: walk slowly and steadily; motorbikes flow around you. Keep children on the inside.
- Bags and phones: wear bags in front and keep phones away from the kerb, especially at night.
- Prices: agree cyclo fares and vendor prices before you start.
- Alcohol-free evenings: skip Ta Hien beer street and enjoy the lakeside walking street instead.
- Ramadan: quiet by day, lively after iftar, with a community iftar at Al-Noor every evening.
Getting There
| From | By | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Noi Bai Airport | Taxi or Grab (about 300,000–400,000 VND) or bus 86 | 40–60 min |
| Hanoi Railway Station | Taxi or Grab | About 10 min |
| Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum | Taxi or Grab | 10–15 min |
| Hoan Kiem Lake | On foot | 2–10 min |
Combine It With
- Hoan Kiem Lake and the water puppet theatre: on the quarter’s southern edge.
- Hoa Lo Prison: 1.5 km south-west.
- Imperial Citadel and Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum: 10–15 minutes by car.
Read more about Islam in Vietnam, plan with our Hanoi Muslim travel guide, or join one of our private Hanoi Muslim tours with certified-halal meals and a best price guarantee when you book direct. Contact Vietnam Muslim Tours Team for a free custom itinerary; we usually reply within 24 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Hanoi Old Quarter
1. Does it cost anything to walk around the Hanoi Old Quarter?
No. The streets are free day and night. A couple of heritage buildings ask a small fee: the merchant house at 87 Ma May and the Cantonese Assembly Hall at 22 Hang Buom cost 20,000 VND each, free for under-16s.
2. Where is the mosque in the Old Quarter?
Al-Noor Mosque stands at 12 Hang Luoc Street on the western edge of the quarter. It is the only mosque in Hanoi and northern Vietnam and holds the daily prayers and Friday Jumu’ah.
3. Is the Old Quarter a good area for Muslim tourists to stay?
Yes, it is the best area. You are a few minutes from the mosque, from most halal restaurants and from Hoan Kiem Lake. Quieter lanes on the western side, near Hang Ga and Hang Bo, are closest to Al-Noor.
4. Is street food in the Old Quarter halal?
Generally not: pho, bun cha, banh mi and many snacks use pork or non-halal meat and stock. Halal versions of these dishes are served at Muslim-run places such as Pho Muslim on Dong Xuan Street and Halal Banh Mi Raja Express on Hang Luoc.
5. Why is it called the 36 Streets?
Craftsmen from the same village once settled in the same street and named it after their goods, “Hang” meaning merchandise: Hang Bac for silver, Hang Ma for paper goods, Hang Duong for sugar. There were always more than 36 streets; today there are over 70.
6. When does the Old Quarter night market open?
From Friday to Sunday evenings, along Hang Dao and Hang Ngang towards Dong Xuan Market, together with the car-free streets around Hoan Kiem Lake.
7. Where can I buy scarves and modest clothing in the Old Quarter?
Hang Gai and Hang Bong are known for silk scarves, shawls and tailoring; Dong Xuan Market sells fabric by the metre if you want something sewn.
8. Is the Old Quarter safe for women travelling alone?
Generally yes. Watch out for traffic and keep bags zipped and in front of you in crowds, particularly at night.
9. Is Train Street open to visitors?
Trackside cafés have been banned since 2019 and police may close access. If you go, look from the side streets and never stand on the rails.
10. Is the Hanoi Old Quarter a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
No. It is a protected heritage area managed by the city, but the UNESCO site in Hanoi is the nearby Imperial Citadel of Thang Long.
11. How do I get from Noi Bai Airport to the Old Quarter?
A taxi or Grab car takes 40–60 minutes and costs about 300,000–400,000 VND; airport bus 86 is the budget alternative.
12. How much time do I need in the Old Quarter?
At least half a day for the main streets, plus your evenings for food and the night market.
Photo credits – Hanoi Old Quarter: Richard Mortel from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia / CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons; Hanoi Old Quarter Street Vendor: Richard Mortel from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia / CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons; Al-Noor Mosque, Hang Luoc Street: Richard Mortel from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia / CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
Updated 16 October 2026 by the Vietnam Muslim Tours team in Hanoi. Opening hours and prices are checked against official notices; they can change, so we re-confirm them for every guest before the tour.
