It’s a rare opportunity to re-energize, reconnect with friends and rediscover the city you live in — in a slower, more comfortable way.
Hanoi is hot in June, but that doesn’t make it less attractive. This city has enough hidden corners to get lost in, enough shops to sit in and enough streets to wander until the sun goes down. The question is not what Hanoi has to offer — but where to start.
Eat first, think later
Without question, the first thing most students do after exams is… eat. Eat a full meal, eat things you’ve been craving for a long time but don’t dare because you’re afraid it will affect your sleep or study schedule. Hanoi is fortunate to be a city where sidewalk cuisine can be compared to restaurants, and students can absolutely eat well without worrying about their wallets.
The Old Quarter – especially the Ta Hien, Hang Bac, Dinh Liet areas – is still a must-see destination. A filling bowl of vermicelli with tofu and shrimp paste costs only 40,000–60,000 VND, a hot egg sandwich from a sidewalk cart or a bowl of Hanoi-style beef pho are all filling and mood-boosting options. Groups of classmates don’t just come here to eat – they come to sit together, tell stories about the exam room, and laugh out loud about ridiculous exam questions or mistakes in copying.
Those who want a little better atmosphere can visit the West Lake area. West Lake shrimp cakes have long been a culinary symbol of this region, while lakeside hot pot restaurants are strongly attracting young people during the summer. Late afternoon, sitting and looking at the rippling lake surface while waiting for the hot pot to boil — that’s a way to enjoy without spending more than 150,000 VND per person.
Coffee and afternoons doing nothing
One of the things students need most after exam season isn’t activity — it’s intentional quiet. And Hanoi, with its coffee culture ingrained in the rhythm of life for decades, provides that naturally.
The capital’s coffee space in recent years has exploded in two parallel directions: modern chains with strong wifi, sockets full of tables and long drink menus – and small shops hidden in alleys, decorated in a nostalgic style with warm yellow lights, soft music and enough space to sit all day without anyone urging you to leave. Students look for the latter type more.
Nguyen Huu Huan and Dinh Le streets and the area around the Temple of Literature have a dense concentration of coffee shops with prices ranging from 35,000–55,000 VND per cup. Many bars host small acoustic sessions on weekends, turning the coffee space into a ticket-free afternoon of music. This is the kind of experience that requires no planning — just grab a friend, find a window seat, and literally let the time fly by.
When you want to do something more than sit
Not everyone likes to relax in silence. After weeks of sitting still with books, many students need to release energy by exercising. Hanoi also has no shortage of options for this need.
The Cau Giay and My Dinh areas have many indoor entertainment centers: bowling, billiards, escape rooms or arcades. AEON Mall Long Bien, Vincom Mega Mall or Lotte Center are familiar destinations for both groups of friends and families, with cinemas, ice skating rinks and countless eateries under one roof. Every summer, these locations become places where students “escape the heat” in the true sense.
For those who love art or want to take advantage of the summer to learn something beyond the textbook program, the Vietnamese Women’s Museum, the National Museum of History or the contemporary art exhibitions taking place throughout the city are all options worth considering. Entrance tickets are usually under 40,000 VND — cheaper than a glass of milk tea and leave more to think about.
A summer worth living
Exam season is over, but summer has just begun. Hanoi is still there — with familiar streets, hidden corners never before visited, and countless late afternoons that can be spent with friends. Students don’t need to plan perfectly, don’t need a big budget, and don’t need to go far. Sometimes, a hot bowl of noodle soup in a small alley, a cup of egg coffee overlooking the lake or an afternoon of wandering without a destination – that is the most worthy reward after a long exam season.
Because after all, knowing how to rest is as important a skill as knowing how to study.
