Hanoi – the capital city of Vietnam is a very popular tourist destination. However, Muslim travellers often feel sceptical about visiting the city. After all, it is the capital of a non-Muslim country! Then again, Hanoi has plenty of facilities for Muslim travellers. As such, we decided to make a guide to Hanoi for Muslim travellers planning to visit this city.
Muslim-friendly hotels in Hanoi
If you’re an independent traveller, check our database of Muslim friendly hotels in Hanoi. Personally, I allowed myself to splurge on the four-star Sunway Hotel Hanoi as it has an in-house halal restaurant.
On the other hand, if you are a fan of hostels, you have multiple options there too. Don’t forget to look them up!
Halal food in Hanoi
Don’t worry too much about finding halal foods in Hanoi. In Hanoi, it’s not so difficult to find a halal restaurant. The Hoan Kiem District has a good collection of halal-certified restaurants. In general, most of the restaurants there serve Indian food. A few popular halal Indian restaurants in Hanoi are the Khazaana Restaurant, the Little India Restaurant, the Tandoor Restaurant Hanoi, etc.
Yet, it’s not hard to find good eateries with e.g. Singaporean cuisine either. Drop by the D’Lions Restaurant who serves halal Singaporean Cuisine. Whereas, the Le Marrakech Restaurant in Tay Ho district is famous for its halal Moroccan dishes.
On top of that, Vietnam has a halal certification board. So, if you are looking to eat some ready-made foods, look at the package for halal certification. However, try to avoid the famous street food of Hanoi, as normally they’re not halal.
Place for Prayer
As a matter of fact, Vietnam is the home of a small population of Muslims living there. However, they’re not many in Hanoi and thus, the city has only one Mosque, the Al Noor Mosque along the Hang Luoc Street. It is also known as the mosque of Chan Community. While the mosque is not large, it’s beautiful.
Activities in Hanoi
We’ve written an article on free activities, listing some of the best (and free) sightseeing spots in Hanoi, including:
- Walking around the gorgeous Hoan Kiem Lake
- Exploring the Old Quarter
- Crossing the historic Hanoi pedestrian bridge, and more!
Something missing in this Muslim guide to Hanoi?
Let us know in the comments! Are you travelling on the budget? We got a list of free activities in Vietnam you got to check out! Also, don’t forget to check out our list of 12 Vietnam destinations that should not be missed, if you’re still undecided which parts of the country to cover. And if need to book a Muslim-friendly hotel, visit our Vietnam country guide for Muslim travellers that also has a Qibla map and a prayer time calendar so you don’t miss your prayer.
Those who prefer to have all the travel arrangements taken care of instead, take a look at our website that includes Ho Chi Minh City, Cu Chi and Mekong Delta with an experienced guide.