Editor team
July 11, 2019
Travel Guide
64About the event
Formula 1 Race is undoubtedly one of the most prestigious sporting events on the planet. And we all are delighted to hear that Vietnam will be hosting its first-ever Formula 1 (F1) Grand Prix on April 2020, alongside with Monaco, Singapore, and Azerbaijan. The news is not only overjoyed for all F1 fans but also for travelers who happen to visit Hanoi at that time. It’s going to be your once-in-a-lifetime experience of enjoying challenging street circuit at the heart of our charming capital with 1000-year history.
The exclusive sponsor of this event is not our government but Vingroup- one of the largest private enterprises in Vietnam. In the beginning, the race was planned to take place at the Hoan Kiem Lake surroundings, also the heart of Hanoi. However, it has been moved to My Dinh Sports Complex at the west of the city center due to traffic conditions. The 40,000-seat stadium is 800,000 meters square which is able to further enhance the experience for sports enthusiasts. The racing track was predicted to be 5,565 meters long with 22 corners. The fact that Hanoi is renowned with bustling mazes and traffic jam seems to be unsuitable for the street race. This makes it even more thrilled to wait for an impressive transform of this city.
Ticket price: Tickets are now available on some following websites:
The price ranges from 700,000VND to 7,272,000VND depends on the seats and dates.
The official schedule is expected to be announced at the end of July.
Whether you are F1 buffs or travelers, the following facts would help you to create more memorable moments while attending the most exciting event of the year.
About the host city
- The weather
For both avid and first time travelers, some information about the destination of climate is always necessary. Hanoi features a tropical climate typical of northern Vietnam with a dry season from November to April and a wet season from May to October. From March to April is the most favorable time to visit Hanoi as the weather is expected to be mild with temperature ranges from 18°C to 30°C.
- Visa to Vietnam
Whether you travel to Vietnam for the F1 race or not, a passport valid for at least 6 months after the visa expiration date is required. Visas for Vietnam are required by all nationals except: Nationals of Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Britain, Germany, France, Italy and Spain who may visit without a visa for up to 15 days.
For more information, check out How to apply visa to Vietnam
- Accommodations
April is the peak season in Vietnam, plus the F1 event, hence we highly recommend making your reservation as soon as possible to prevent the risks of overbooking or only bad hotels left.
My Dinh Sports Complex is quite outside the central area, therefore staying nearby is not a good idea since it can cause some trouble to travel around or even to find a good eatery. A place close by the old quarter is the best option as it only takes you 15 minutes to get to the stadium to watch the performance, at the same time tourist attractions are within your reach.
- Getting around Hanoi
Nowadays it’s pretty easy to get around Hanoi by ride-hailing apps such as Grab, Be or Go-Viet. All you need is a Vietnamese SIM card, then download the apps and get ready. If you want to experience the public transportation, bus is the cheapest way with air-con and easy service.
- For travelers with limited time
Even if F1 race is the main reason brings you to Hanoi, why not take the chance to explore this charming capital city a bit? With the shortage of time, we recommend you to not miss the highlights of Hanoi which capture all the essence in term of Vietnam’s history and culture. Apart from Hoan Kiem Lake and Old Quarter area, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Temple of Literature, Tran Quoc Pagoda, Vietnam Museum of Ethnology and Hoa Lo Prison are worth paying a visit too. Regarding to experience, a cyclo ride and the water puppet show are strongly suggested.
For more than 1 day, there is a plenty of surrounding handicraft villages such as Bat Trang ceramic village, Thach Xa bamboo dragonfly village,… In our opinion, the best way to get there is cycling as you can fully enjoy the peaceful scenery of the Vietnamese countryside.
Here’s oursuggested itinerary for one day in Hanoi.
Be aware that there might be some tourist traps and traffic inconvenience during the time of the event as many people will gather in Hanoi then. It’s better to talk to our experts beforehand to avoid any trouble.
- For travelers who have all the time in the world
Before or after the race, spending some days to discover what Vietnam has to offer outside of Hanoi could be nice. If you are big on UNESCO heritage sites, overnight cruising in Halong Bay is a must. Other than that, Mai Chau, Ninh Binh, Sapa are some great spots which are within easy reach from Hanoi.
If time is not an issue, then make your way down south to explore the Mekong Delta passing the central coast which is reputable for the most beautiful beaches in Vietnam. Get more ideas for your trip here.
- A little more for foodies
There is no doubt that food is an inevitable part of every trip. No matter what your purpose of travelling is, we all have time for food, right? Fortunately, there is no better place than Hanoi to admire the quintessence of Vietnamese gastronomy due to the fact that it’s the capital for over 1000 years.
When it comes to Vietnamese cuisine, Pho is surely the most sought after one. But do you know there’s a long list of other must-try Vietnamese dishes? In fact, some of them are even preferred over Pho by the top chefs in the world.
- Fried spring rolls
- Fresh spring rolls
- Banh mi
- Barbecued pork with rice vermicelli
- Grilled fish with rice vermicelli
- Steamed rice rolls with pork and mushroom
The list goes on.
The best way to find out how to make the best out of your 2020 F1 time in Vietnam is talking to our experts. Well, they might not be the F1 racing experts, but they certainly can make the best of your 2020 F1 trip to Vietnam.
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