Hanoi’s headline sights are temples, museums and day trips, which can be a lot for small children. VinKE and Vinpearl Aquarium, inside the large Times City development at 458 Minh Khai Street in Hai Ba Trung district, south-east of the Old Quarter, is where local families go instead. It combines two attractions. The Vinpearl Aquarium shows a varied range of marine and freshwater life, from colourful reef fish to larger species, in tanks and walkways designed for young visitors. VinKE is an indoor edutainment playground, where children play at grown-up jobs in a miniature town and burn off energy on play structures. You can visit either one or both, and the Tiqets venue page we link offers separate tickets for each and combo tickets for the pair, several of them bundled with a voucher for snacks or food. It is not a world-class aquarium, and it is not a reason to fly to Hanoi, but for a family with young children it is a useful, inexpensive half day out, and the surrounding mall has restaurants, shops and air conditioning when the weather turns.
How it works: the venue is open daily, from 10:00 to 21:00 on weekdays and from 9:30 to 21:00 at weekends. The Tiqets venue page lists five live tickets: aquarium entry with a free snack voucher, VinKE playground entry with a snack voucher, aquarium or VinKE entry with a food and drink voucher, and a combo of both with a larger voucher. Prices are low by international standards. A taxi or ride-hailing car from the Old Quarter takes around twenty to thirty minutes, depending on traffic, since Times City lies on the south-eastern side of the city.
What to expect: the aquarium is a walk-through experience that takes an hour or so at a child’s pace. VinKE is designed for younger children, with role-play zones and play areas, and parents usually accompany them. Weekends and school holidays are much busier than weekday mornings. The Times City complex around it is a modern district of apartment towers and a large shopping mall.
Making the most of it: go on a weekday morning, when it is quietest, and combine the visit with lunch in the mall. Check which ticket suits your children before you buy, since the playground is aimed at younger ages. Bring socks for the play areas, and use the trip as a rest day between the bigger sights.
What to expect
The experience
An indoor aquarium and a children’s edutainment playground in the Times City complex, with separate or combo tickets, several with a snack or food voucher.
Best time
A weekday morning, or any rainy or very hot afternoon when outdoor sightseeing is hard work.
How long
About an hour for the aquarium and one to two hours for VinKE.
Tips
Choose the ticket that suits your children’s ages, bring socks for the play areas, and combine the visit with lunch in the mall.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Families with young children who need a break from temples and traffic.
- Families
- The whole point: easy, indoor and inexpensive, with food on hand.
- Couples
- Not really for couples; go to the Lotte Observation Deck instead.
- Pair with
- The water puppet show by Hoan Kiem Lake on the same day.
- Time needed
- Half a day including travel.
Good questions
Where is the Vinpearl Aquarium in Hanoi?+
It is inside the Times City complex at 458 Minh Khai Street, in Hai Ba Trung district south-east of the Old Quarter. A taxi takes around twenty to thirty minutes.
What are the opening hours?+
VinKE and the aquarium open from 10:00 to 21:00 on weekdays and from 9:30 to 21:00 at weekends, according to the ticket listing.
What is VinKE?+
VinKE is an indoor edutainment playground for children, with role-play areas and play zones. It sits next to the aquarium and has its own ticket.
Can I buy a combined ticket?+
Yes, a combo ticket covers both the aquarium and VinKE and includes a food and drink voucher. Single tickets for each are also sold.
Is it worth visiting without children?+
Probably not. It is aimed at families, and adults travelling alone will find the city’s sights more rewarding.