The Best Bar in Hanoi, Vietnam

Hanoi has enough bars and clubs to keep you busy. They range from low-key drinking venues to more pleasant spots with extensive wine lists to raucous places where loud house music and cheap drinks keep dancers on the floor. Because many ventures are short-lived—Hanoi's nightclubs are curiously prone to electrical fires and other mysterious disasters—it is wise to call ahead when possible. For something a bit more casual, head to one of the cafés or bars in Old Quarter, where rooftop lounges, cocktail bars, and the popular bia hoi beer corner cluster about in a historical setting. Upscale hotels tend to have swanky bars of their own with live jazz to accompany a dry martini. For a mellow vibe and drinks with a view, you can go to waterfront bars near West Lake. Head into town early for happy hour since most joints close by midnight.