The Five Best Areas to Live in Hanoi: A Guide for Retirees & Expats

hanoi

Vietnam is notorious for many things, from her history-making war to the alluring facade of its now degrading walls. Recently, this grey and decaying yet vastly thriving and emerging East Asian country is becoming a haven for all and sundry with retirees and expats topping the list. For the record, it must be stated that not every part of Vietnam is becoming a ‘mecca’ for retirees and expats from all over the world. Hanoi is a city in this famous country with a peculiar history.

Cau Giay property for rent

Doubling as the capital of Vietnam and for being the second largest city in the country, this city of over a dozen famous lakes and French–style colonial buildings have attracted many over the years to visit. Here are the five best areas you should consider when looking for a property for rent in Hanoi. 

1.     Westlake area

For a Westerner, this is the best place to experience a home away from home. The Westlake area is also known as the Old Quarter. Westlake area is home to several foreigners who have overtime ‘westernized’ the area thereby making it a place of choice for western food, fun, and flair and for expats who are skeptical about where to berth, this is the place to go.

hanoi property for rent

2.     Kim Ma, Thanh Xuan area

If the Westerners love and reside in the West Lake area, the Easterners or the Asians have made the Thanh Xuan area their region of choice, most especially the Japanese. This area is known for its easy-going nature and peaceful ambiance. It is the first choice for Mandarin and Japanese speaking Retirees seeking to spend the rest of their days by the lake sipping cha (Japanese tea) and wearing kimonos.

3.     Ta Hien area

This area might be the ‘red light’ district of Hanoi, but it is the best place for the expat or the retiree who has a few more lines to cross out on their bucket list. It has the traffic of New York, the party life of Las Vegas and the relaxing ambiance of an Asian city: quite an eclectic mix but a location of choice indeed.

hanoi property for rent

4.     Cau Giay district

There is a reason why Hanoi has consistently made the list of the cheapest and most visited destinations in the world. It is because of areas like Cau Giay district. Famous for its motorbikes, plazas, shopping centers, gymnasiums, and sporting centers and bars, this district is the perfect place for retirees and expats who are coming from Europe, Oceania and even parts of Asia and Africa. It doesn’t not only caters to the needs of the visitors but also excesses.

Cau Giay property for rent

From the sublime to the excessive, with easily accessible and very affordable apartments and a vast variety of grocery to shop and gifts to buy, Cau Giay district is not just a ‘stop by’ location in Hanoi. It is a ‘stopover’ location with all the trappings and Asian hospitality at its peak.

5.     French Quarter

Also known as Ba Dinh, the French Quarter is the hub of government offices. As the name implies, this area is a fusion of medieval French hospitality and Asian grandiose all packed in one city to give retirees and expats a time of their lives.

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