Top 3 infamous Hanoi Red Light Districts

Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, is famous for its ancient beauty. However, hidden in that, there are many infamous Red Light Districts in Hanoi that the authorities try to remove for many years. What are those? This articles will bring you more details.
Top 3 infamous Hanoi Red Light Districts
Table of Contents

Tran Duy Hung Hanoi Red Light District

Some people get excited when hearing about Tran Duy Hung Street in Hanoi, as its reputation is well-known. Similar to Japan’s red-light districts, which are famous worldwide and legally recognized, Tran Duy Hung was once considered a Hanoi red light district, attracting significant attention in its time.

Tran Duy Hung - once the most famous Hanoi Red Light District
Tran Duy Hung - once the most famous Hanoi Red Light District

Hanoi authorities have announced a plan to combat prostitution, emphasizing the elimination of such activities on Tran Duy Hung Street.

However, prostitution now operates more discreetly across various streets in Hanoi, often facilitated through social media platforms like Zalo and Facebook. Unlike traditional hotspots with overt establishments like dimly lit cafés, massage parlors, and salons, these activities are harder for authorities to detect and address.

Since 2022, Tran Duy Hung Street has been classified as having “minimal activity” related to red light areas.

Phan Dang Luu "Waving street"

Phan Dang Luu Street in Yen Vien Town, Gia Lam, Hanoi, is infamous for its many nicknames like “Thailand Street,” “Red-Light Street,” and “Happiness Triangle” (due to its location forming a triangle with Duong Bridge Slope and National Highway 3). It’s commonly referred to as “Waving Street” because women openly solicit customers by waving at passing vehicles, even during the daytime.

Phan Dang Luu Waving Street
Phan Dang Luu Waving Street

The street is lined with dimly lit cafés and massage parlors, each with several women dressed provocatively, often in short shorts and loose tops, waiting to attract male customers. While these establishments mainly offer sexual stimulation services, if clients request full services, the women are sent off-site, with the owners disclaiming any responsibility for their activities outside the premises.

Thanh Tri District

In Thanh Tri District, Hanoi, there are nearly 300 businesses categorized as conditional or sensitive for public security, including 51 karaoke bars, 79 lodging facilities, and 51 massage parlors.

On a stretch of just 50 meters, dozens of women openly solicit customers, gathering in groups or individually to attract passing traffic, even during busy hours. Along another 100-meter stretch near an intersection, numerous massage parlors advertise “healthy” services. However, some openly offer additional services upon request. A massage session costs 120,000 VND for 50 minutes, with extra services priced based on customer preferences.

A girl in the red light area of Thanh Tri District trying to get a customer
A girl in the red light area of Thanh Tri District trying to get a customer

To address this, Thanh Tri Police have recently conducted awareness campaigns and required these businesses to sign legal compliance agreements, aiming to prevent violations and promote adherence to regulations.

This article is for information about red light situation in Hanoi. It does not encourage illegal activities such as prostitution. For more related articles, check these:

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