Ba Dinh District is not as popular an area to stay in Hanoi as the Old Quarter or the French Quarter, but it’s still a good district to consider when booking your accommodation.
It is instead a good area to stay in Hanoi for expats and long-term travelers. Many first-time visitors are also able to find quality accommodations in this area, particularly the area bordered by the Old Town and the French Quarter in Hoan Kiem district.
In this article, I will show you the location of Ba Dinh district, the pros and cons of staying in this area, and which area is good to stay in Ba Dinh district for both first-timers and long-term travelers.
I’m Vietnamese, born in a small village outside Hanoi, and I worked in the city for many years. I have stayed in different districts of the city, so I hope to give you some food information from my local knowledge.
See more:
- Best Areas to stay in Hanoi
- Best Things to Do in Hanoi
- Is it better to stay in Hanoi Old Quarter or French Quarter?
Where is Ba Dinh District?
Ba Dinh district is a large district located just west of Hanoi Old Quarter. It shares borders with some popular districts such as Hoan Kiem, Cau Giay, Tay Ho, and Dong Da district.
Major points of interest in the Ba Dinh district are Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, Presidential Palace, Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, Hanoi Zoo, and Quan Thanh Temple. Modern shopping malls such as Lotte Center and Vincom Center are also located in Ba Dinh.
Ba Dinh District covers a total area of 9.21 square kilometers. The large area of Ba Dinh district is home to the government offices, and foreign embassies, particularly the area spanning from the Old Quarter to Presidential Palace.
Why should you stay in Ba Dinh District?
Ba Dinh district is an excellent area to stay in Hanoi, especially for expat and long term travelers. It has a quieter atmosphere and more budget-friendly accommodations compared to the more popular areas of The Old Quarter and French Quarter.
Ba Dinh is a large district, it contains a good area for first-timers and short-term visitors. It’s the area between Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and Hoan Kiem district. Staying here, you’ll have easy access to major attractions and the Old Quarter.
1. Relatively central location
Ba Dinh has a relatively central location for exploring major sights in Hanoi. It’s located just within a 4km radius from the Old Quarter. Staying in the Ba Dinh district, you can easily use Grab, Taxi and Bike to the Old Quarter for sightseeing, shopping, and nightlife.
Additionally, it’s right next to West Lake and Tay Ho district, which is a large area with lots of outdoor activities such as cycling or strolling around the lake.
As I mentioned above, if you are long term travelers or expat, you can stay anywhere within the district and still have easy access to all shops and daily necessities.
If you are first-timers, you can still stay in the Ba Dinh district but in the area that borders with the Old Quarter. This helps to minimize travel time to all tourist attractions in the Old Quarter.
2. Historical and cultural attractions
The Ba Dinh district has dozens of cultural and historical attractions to explore. The district is home to some famous landmarks such as the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Presidential Palace, and Quan Thanh temple.
The Thang Long Imperial Citadel has history dating back to the 11th century. It was built in 1010 when King Ly Cong Uan moved the capital from Hoa Lu (Ninh Binh) to Thang Long (now Hanoi).
At the citadel, you can explore the stone foundations of the royal palaces, ancient gates, Hanoi Flag Tower, as well as D67 Revolutionary House and the underground that was used during the Vietnam American War.
Another big event in the Ba Dinh district happened at Ba Dinh Square, on September 2, 1945, when Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence, marking the birth of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.
Around the Ba Dinh square, you can explore Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, where Ho Chi Minh’s embalmed body is preserved. Additionally, the area is home to the Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh’s Stilt House, and the 11th century One Pillar Pagoda.
3. Leafy, wide streets and elegant French colonial buildings.
From the late 19th to the early 20th century, Vietnam was colonized by France. The French built the French Quarter south of the Old Quarter and extended to the Ba Dinh district.
Ba Dinh’s French Quarter is characterized by wide boulevards, tree-lined streets, and neoclassical buildings. These buildings were built as government offices, and residences for French officials.
The Presidential Palace is a major French style building in Ba Dinh district, built in the early 20th century under French colonial period as the Governor-General’s Palace for French Indochina.
After 1945, it became The Presidential Palace, the official office of Vietnam’s President.
The French Quarter is home to many tree-lined, elegant streets with a very European feel. Many yellow-facade French conilocal villas are located in this area.
Phan Dinh Phung is the most beautiful street in Hanoi lined with old trees and a popular destination for photography in autumn.
The Ba Dinh district has more open space and wide sidewalk streets, a stark contrast to the narrow, bustling streets of the Old Quarter.
4. Quieter and authentic local atmosphere
The Ba Dinh district is much quieter than the busy Old Quarter. If you want a relaxed residential area while still being close to the Old Quarter, it’s a good area to stay. It’s a great place to experience everyday local life away from the tourist crowds.
Downside of staying in Ba Dinh District
The Ba Dinh district is a large district, so if you stay further away from the Old Quarter, you’ll need to travel some distance to get to the city’s main tourist hub.
The traffic at the peak hour such as around 7-8am and 4-5pm when people travel between their homes and works/schools are not pleasant. Additionally, the costs for a taxi can add up quickly if you often travel to the old quarter area.
The Ba Dinh district is largely a residential area, so it does not have a history atmosphere with ancient tube houses, narrow streets, shop houses, and vibrant nightlife as the Old Quarter. If you want to be in the heart of action, the Old Quarter or French Quarter offer a better choice.
Best areas to stay in Ba Dinh District?
Ba Dinh has 14 wards, and as a tourist, you don’t need to know all of these small areas of the district. I will divide this area into two main areas:
- the area between the Presidential Palace and the Old Quarter (for first-timers)
- the area between the Presidential Palace and To Lich River (for long term travelers).
If you want a convenient location and easy access to the old quarter and key sights in the Ba Dinh district, I recommend the area between the Presidential Palace and the Old Quarter. This area has a good range of budget and mid-range hotel options.
If you want more luxury hotels, more local atmosphere, and don’t mind a bit further away from the Old quarter, you can stay in the area between the Presidential Palace and To Lich River. It is towards the Dong Da and Cau Giay districts.
Famous 5-star hotels such as Pullman, Hanoi Lotte Hotel, Hanoi Daewoo Hotel, and Dolce by Wyndham Hanoi Golden Lake located in this area.
Best hotels in Hanoi’s Ba Dinh district:
- Luxury: Lotte Hotel Hanoi (around 4km from the Old Quarter)
- Mid-range: Le Jardin Hotel Haute Couture (good location for first-timers)
- Budget: The Flower Boutique Hotel & Travel (good location for first-timers)
Where to Stay in Ba Dinh district & Best Hotels
1. The area between the Old Quarter and Presidential Palace
This area is a convenient area for first-timers and short-time visitors who want a quieter atmosphere and close to the Old Quarter. You can walk and take an easy Grab Bike or taxi to the Old Town.
It’s also the location of key landmarks in the Ba Dinh district such as the Ba Dinh square, Phan Dinh Phung street, the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, Presidential Palace, Quan Thanh temple. Major sights such as West Lake and Tran Quoc pagoda are also near this area.
There is a high concentration of accommodations around Truc Bach ward and Quan Thanh ward. You can also find some hotels scattered around Dien Bien Phu ward.
There are almost no hotels that are immediately around the Presidential Palace as this area is mainly for government offices, and foreign embassies.
Truc Bach is a good area to stay in Ba Dinh district as it is located between the Old town and Tay Ho district. You can easily access both the busy tourist Old Town and the quieter West Lake area.
Best hotels in Ba Dinh district near Hanoi Old Quarter:
- Le Jardin Hotel Haute Couture (mid-range)
- The Flower Boutique Hotel & Travel (budget)
- Rue de L’amour Boutique Hotel Ha Noi (mid-range)
2. The area between the Presidential Palace and To Lich River
The areas of Ba Dinh district towards Cau Giay and Dong Da district are the business and shopping centers of Ba Dinh. You can find 5-star luxury business hotels and modern shopping malls in this area such as Lotte and Vincom Center.
Some popular wards of Ba Dinh district between the Presidential Palace and To Lich River are Giang Vo, Ngoc Ha, Kim Ma, Doi Can, Lieu Giai, or Ngoc Khanh.
Ngoc Ha ward, located right west of Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, has a good range of budget- and mid-range homestays, and apartment-style accommodations. For more modern 5-star hotels, you can head to the area around Lotte and Vincom Centers.
This area is home to some local attractions such as Bach thao park, B52 Victory Museum, Hanoi Zoo, and Giang Vo Lake. The area around Giang Vo, and Ngoc Khanh has a good range of Japanese and Korean restaurants.
Some Best hotels in Ba Dinh district near Lotte/ Giang Vo area:
- Lotte Hotel Hanoi (luxury)
- Hanoi Daewoo Hotel (luxury)
- Hanoi Bliss Ba Dinh (budget)
See more:
So, you have it, my brief introduction to Ba Dinh district. For locals, it’s a great area to live due to its relatively central location, close to everything.
For first-timers to Hanoi, you can choose somewhere in Truc Bach, and Phan Dinh Phung area that is close to the Old Quarter. For long-term travelers, you can find great apartments and guest houses around the district.