Visitors find Hanoi fascinating and lively, but the city along the Red River is not known for its wild nightlife. However, when the sun goes down, many of the locals head to the beer bars around town that sell bia hoi, or fresh beer. They sit on tiny stools around tiny tables and consume gallons of HABECO, or Hanoi Beer Co., brew. A state-owned company, HABECO produces bia hoi for sale on tap and in bottles. Touted for its fresh, natural taste, it is incredibly cheap by Western standards. These bars are scattered around town, especially in the Old Quarter, with a number located at the intersection of Ta Hien and Luong Ngoc Quyen streets. Hanoi’s young and hip head to these establishments to unwind after work.

If hanging out drinking beer with the locals isn’t your thing, Hanoi offers a couple of other nighttime options.

One of the city’s most popular nighttime attractions is the Thang Long Water Puppetry Theater. The traditional Vietnamese art form of water puppetry, or puppets that dance on water, dates back to the 11th century. Today’s puppets are made of wood and then lacquered, and shows are performed in a waist-deep pool on a stage. A large rod supports the puppets under the water, controlled by puppeteers who are hidden behind a screen. The effect is quite intriguing. As the puppets appear to move over the water, a narrator standing on a podium to the left of the stage reads the story the puppets act out. An orchestra accompanies the performance by playing traditional music as the puppets dance, dive, glide and swim across the stage. Be sure to make reservations early, though, as tickets go fast.

Vietnam’s gay scene has traditionally been less open than in other countries in the region. But this is changing, and the clubbing set will find plenty of LGBT-friendly venues. Probably the city’s best-known gay bar is GC Bar, located close to Hoan Lien Lake. Enticements include a pool table, good music, affordable drinks and no cover. Dance floors are rare in Vietnam, but if tripping the light fantastic is your thing, try Aqua Club at the corner of Ngoc Khanh and Kim Ma streets, where the tiny dance floor rocks from 10:30 p.m. until midnight.

Jazz isn’t the first thing one associates with Vietnam, but fans can enjoy hot, live jazz at Minh’s Jazz Club in Hanoi’s Old Quarter any night of the week. The owner, Quyen Van Minh, is said to be the originator of Vietnamese jazz. He first encountered jazz about 30 years ago, thanks to American radio and the BBC. He taught himself how to play the saxophone and developed a unique sound by mixing traditional Vietnamese themes with Western jazz. Today he teaches saxophone at the Hanoi Conservatory by day, but come nightfall he can frequently be found at his club jamming with a variety of musicians who range from his talented son to top-notch international jazz musicians.