The capital of Vietnam is a street food wonderland; every lane is spilling with locals munching on something different or just lazing on the small stools with a cup of cà phê đá. Navigate through the motorcycle clogged roads and you are bound to find something delicious to snack on. For this post though, let’s see what else you can see and explore while eating through Hanoi.
Having travel to Vietnam a couple of times these past years, I realised that I prefer the quieter Hanoi relative to the burgeoning city of Ho Chi Minh. A city embracing both the past and present – the capital city of Vietnam provides visitors a grasp of its local culture and history. Three days is a perfect amount of time to explore Hanoi and stuff yourself with the delicious Vietnamese fare.
Side Note: I stayed in Little Charm Hanoi Hostel which was extremely for value. A good variety for breakfast sets, a small pool, well furnished toilets and shower cubicles and the dorm bed though. There is a shelf for you to place stuff on for easy access, even a pull up table if you wish to use your laptop and a small safe. Definitely one of my favourite hostels to date. The staff were extremely accommodating (allowing my friends who were leaving for the airport to store their luggage) and the service was impeccable. Highly recommend!
What to See:
Hanoi Old Quarter - The historical center is sectioned into different streets dedicated to a single trade. There are coffee streets, homeware, electronic and it is just fun to explore labyrinth of streets to see what wares are being sold.
Dong Xuan Market – The four-storey Soviet-style building was established in 1889 and houses Hanoi’s largest indoor market. Fresh produce, souvenirs, clothing and coffee beans can be bought here. Be sure to haggle for a lower prices and buying in bulk always help in negotiations.
Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square – The busy roundabout is an iconic landmark and a famous venue looking the lake. You can get egg coffee from one of the cafes on the way to the West Lake.
Saint Joseph Cathedral – A photogenic landmark that is located in the centre of the Old Quarter has been around for almost 120 years. The Roman Catholic cathedral is in neo-gothic style is a popular gathering space and a wedding shoot location. If you visit during the December festive period, it is sure to be crowded with Christmas celebrations.
Temple of Literature – Originally part of a university for students of Confucious, the temple flaunts an endless amount of culture with sacred bells only to be touched by monks. The once prestigious school for top academics is now a cultural tourist attraction and is the same temple featured on the 100,000 VND note.
Hanoi Train Street – Photo op spot for Instagrammers! The picturesque spot sees train tracks right outside the doors of locals. Twice a day, the train makes its way through the residence and locals will just keep clear of the tracks. There are local specialties stores and cafes to spend some time in while waiting for the train to pass.
French Quarter – Boutique shopping, high-end hotels, fancy restaurants and government building. For those who enjoy the finer things in life. Home to fancy hotels, restored colonial buildings, government buildings and art galleries – it’s a good place for sightseeing.
What to do:
Walk around Lake Ho Hoan Kiem – The large lake is situated in the center of Hanoi and is a popular meeting pot for locals and tourists alike. Turtle Tower, Húe Bridge and Temple of the Jade Mountain are iconic landmarks of the lake. Entrance fees may apply for some of these sights. However, it is still a lovely place to walk around and even do a bit of exercising along the bankside to soak up the calm atmosphere away from the honking of motorbikes. You can also cycle around the full 15 km of West Lake and stop by a café.
Hoa Lo Prison Memorial – The prison which used to hold prisoners of wars and political prisoners, is now a memorial which offers guests insights of prisoners who once were behind these caged doors. There’s a slight contradiction as the museum showcases “comfortable” living conditions relative to POW’s recollections. However, definitely up to one’s interpretation.
Museum of Ethnology – Understand the daily activities of the 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam in this large museum. From traditional ways of life, religious and symbolic rituals, one is sure to take home insights of the cultural heritage in Vietnam.
Coffee Breaks – Another coffee crazy city offering something different from Singapore. Ca Phe Trung, egg coffee, is a decadent creamy concoction with raw egg poured over strong Vietnamese coffee. There are coconut coffee with frozen coconut milk and coconut ice, yogurt stirred into black coffee and even an egg white coffee option. Take your pick as you rest your feet from all the walking.
Massage - What is a visit to South East Asia without a massage session to ease all that tension from working? No better way to end the day with a Vietnamese massage, a technique derived from Chinese massage in which pressure points are targeted to rejuvenate and relax one’s body. For a slightly more luxurious experience, I’ve tried a full body massage at Spas Hanoi. Those looking for a decent foot massage can look to Thanh Van Body & Foot Massage and Van Xuan Foot Massage for a quick and cheap session.
Where to next:
HUE
Rich with imperial history, the historic city of Hue was once Vietnam’s capital city with centuries worth of cultural significance. Just a sleeper train away, visit the iconic Imperial City by the Perfume River. Though grand, the must-see place is not at the mercy of Vietnam War in the 60s, with some parts of the Imperial City left in ruins.
Ruled by the Nguyen Dynasty for 150 years, Hue is surrounded by imperial tombs. The Royal Tomb of Khai Dinh is one of the most popular tomb visited by tourists, followed by the Tomb of Minh Mang and Tomb of Tu Duc. Head to Dong Ba Market for lunch before heading to rest or to Danang via a 3-5 hours bus ride.
TAM COC & TRANG AN
Tam Coc’s landscape is definitely stunning. Known to be the “Ha Long Bay on Land”, visitors often sit on traditional sampan foot-paddled by locals. Beautiful mountains among rice fields and the gentle lapping of water make this part of Ninh Binh serene. However, manage your expectations as the foot-paddlers will attempt to persuade you to purchase for snacks for them on floating mini-marts and then hassle you for tips at the end of the ride. If you are unlucky, your boat will be filled by loud conversations as they attempt to make themselves be heard over the distance between boats. Yet, I’ll still recommend this trip as the scenery is really worth it. (FYI, I took this Klook package.)
Trang An’s landscape is equally spectacular with limestone karsts and rice fields. Also a UNSECO Natural Heritage Site, this would be a great place for a leisure motorbike trip, cruising through the peaceful countryside and saying hi to the friendly villagers. Don't have a license? Just rent a bicycle and pedal around the paddy fields. The bicycles are not in pristine conditions so do be careful and try not to fall into a rice field. Weekday trips are recommended for those who wishes to have the whole landscape to yourself as weekends and holidays are rather crowded.
HA GIANG
Looking for refuge beyond the craziness of a city? The final frontier before reaching China, Ha Giang is simply gorgeous with landscapes that’s straight out of a fantasy film. From Yen Minh to Don Van and to Meo Vac, the scenery mind-blowing. A motorbike journey would be most ideal with the different loops around the mountains but I took a bus through a local tour which was quite an experience. After a 7 hours bus to Ha Giang, enjoy a homestay at Ha Giang before taking the bus journey all the way to the top before a sleeper bus back to Hanoi.
SAPA
For a similar and accessible experience, head to Sapa. The small mountain town in Lao Cai Province is definitely high on the list for those travelling to the Northern Vietnam. Well known for Fan Si Pan – the country’s highest peak, travellers can take an overnight bus (6-7 hours) or train (8-9 hours) from Hanoi. Tickets for the night train ranges from SGD 40 – 200/person/way depending on the type and tier of the train/cabin. Visit the Hoang Lien National Park, Cat Cat Village and Ta Phin Village and definitely hike while you are here.
MAI CHAU
Three hours out into Hoa Binh province, the mountains make way to a landscape of vast open rice fields and laid-back village houses. Take a motorbike tour around the village and you can see that even the north-west city is unable to escape the clutches of tourism, with homestays and "cultural centres" dotting every corner of the village. Nonetheless, being less commercialised, it is great place for chilling and just taking a breath to enjoy the slower pace of life. (Booked a tour package here and had discount of 10 USD as I booked two trips with them. Was more or less a private tour because of how underrated the place is.)
How to Get to/from the Airport:
For transfers between the city and the international airport, you could either take the Airport Bus or the Airport Minibus. Airport Bus is a cheap option (9,000 VND, ~SGD 0.50) and takes around an hour to an hour and a half. From the city, you can purchase the ticket from the counter at the bus stop, take bus 7 or bus 17 and remember to keep the stub for the bus officers to check.
Airport Shuttle Bus are provided by airlines and my friends used the JetStar/Air Asia mini bus from here to head to the airport. These buses will leave +/- 20 minutes within their departure time, depending on how full the bus is. Definitely faster than the airport bus by about 15-30 minutes but costlier at 40,000 VND (~SGD 2)
Within the city, Grab Taxi or Grab bike is a great and affordable way of getting around the city, though I prefer the latter as it is a faster alternative, zipping past other bikes. Because it is via an app, the prices are more or less fixed, reducing the chances of being scammed by drivers.
Solo Scorecard - 2 (1 - Perfect for Solo Travelling, 5 - Would not recommend for solo travellers) The locals have basic to intermediate level of English proficiency and as mentioned, private transport is affordable and simple to attain. However, tourist scams and traps are plenty in this commercialised town, thus remember to snoop around before purchasing items and to check if the product is genuine. Crossing the motorcycle-packed roads maybe intimidating to some, just follow behind a local or wing it.
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