Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, boasts a thriving economy and a bustling city landscape. Its cultural vibe is quite similar to China’s, especially in terms of cuisine. You’ll quickly adapt to the lifestyle and environment. Below, we’ll share our free and easy travel guide to Hanoi, Vietnam.
ean was living in Los Angeles when the Vietnam War ended 15 years ago. He was attending community college for English and studying with Vietnamese classmates who had recently fled the war. We were all Asian with black hair and yellow skin, and our English was not very good, so we got along well. At that time, I was grateful that I wasn’t born during the war, because there were many Iranian students in the class as well.
On the streets of South Bay, there were many Vietnamese pho noodle shops that we loved. The raw beef pho was a must-order. On the table, there was always a plastic bottle of bright red “Sriracha” hot sauce, which was a bit sour and very spicy. When ordering, we would always order “Vietnamese drip coffee” first, so it could drip slowly. It was rich and strong, and by the time we finished our meal, it would be just finished dripping. Then we would pour it into a glass filled with ice and condensed milk. It was cold, sweet, and delicious. There was also a mall called “Little Saigon” that was a gathering place for Vietnamese people, but we didn’t go there often.
In 1993, I was taking a film class at photography school, and there was an older, quirky American male classmate named Jerry who said he was a Vietnam War veteran.
It seemed that Oliver Stone, an American director, had made a movie in 1989 called “Born on the Fourth of July,” the second film in his “Vietnam War Trilogy.” The protagonist in the film, Ron (played by Tom Cruise), was severely traumatized both physically and mentally after the war, and had a grumpy personality and a violent temper.
Influenced by the film, my classmates were all afraid of Jerry. I thought he was racist and didn’t like him.
In the same year, Oliver Stone’s last Vietnam War film, “Heaven & Earth,” was released. It was based on the autobiography of Le Ly Hayslip, a Vietnamese-American woman, and depicted her experiences in a delicate and touching way. Living in an era of material waste, watching such a film about suffering had great educational value, and was worth savoring again and again. Although it had a Vietnamese film feel, it still couldn’t escape the American hero’s perspective on third-world countries.
The Vietnam War is actually not that far away in the flow of history, and is still in the memory of many older people. The main battleground was in North Vietnam, so when you come here, you can feel the scenes of the Vietnam War movies: rice paddies, straw hats, Vietnamese women carrying poles, French villas, motorcycles.
These experiences planted a seed in me to visit North Vietnam. So in February 2014, when the weather was cool, I chose to go to North Vietnam to see the renowned Halong Bay.
Itinerary Planning
A total of 12 days, visiting four cities: Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Sapa, and Halong Bay.
Fly from Singapore to Hanoi at 5:00 PM, explore the city, stay at a small hotel for three nights. On the third day, take a two-hour train ride south to Ninh Binh, explore the surrounding attractions called “Land Halong Bay,” stay at a five-star hotel for three nights.
Then, return to Hanoi, take an overnight train to Sapa in the northwest, arriving at 5:00 AM, see the rice terraces and ethnic minorities, stay for three nights.
Take an overnight train back to Hanoi, arriving at 5:00 AM, join a local boat tour of Halong Bay, head east, stay for one night, return to Hanoi, explore for another whole day, stay for two nights before leaving Vietnam.
Hanoi – Great food, great drinks, great accommodation, just chaotic traffic.
The trip to North Vietnam is a star-shaped, radiating route, with four trips to and from Hanoi in total. You heard that right. You’ll experience Hanoi’s deserted mornings, bustling mornings, leisurely afternoons in the rain, and lively, warm night markets.
I have developed a connection with Hanoi.
City Impression
Look up, and the sky is covered in a tangled mess of wires. Look down, and the streets are swarming with motorbikes.
The Old Quarter is the main tourist area, with colonial French buildings from the old days, one after another. The dilapidated state seems to whisper the sadness of wartime.
In addition to Hollywood movies, the French-Vietnamese director Tran Anh Hung directed a series of films: “The Scent of Green Papaya,” “Cyclo,” and more. They depict the poverty and the subtle, restrained emotions brought to Vietnam after the war from a more sentimental perspective, like a poem, told in a gentle and captivating way, leaving a lasting impression.
To this day, the streets of Hanoi still resemble the scenes depicted in the film. People’s lives are getting better, and you can tell from their peaceful faces and calm eyes.
The chaotic city landscape, walking in the rain by the lake still has a French romantic vibe. Perhaps it was influenced by the slow-paced atmosphere of Tran Anh Hung’s films. I heard that Vietnamese men are very gentle, and their language sounds soft, like whispers in your ear. When you’re walking down an empty street, you can almost hear the background music from the film.
A lake separates the old and new districts
Hanoi Trip
We spent our time in Hanoi in a leisurely manner, eating, drinking coffee, and wandering around.
On the streets, there were countless small eateries with great presentation and vendors with shoulder poles. They mostly served pho, available with beef and chicken. It was similar to Shanghai’s pan-fried buns, but each stall had its own unique flavour. This time, I tasted eel soup and fish blocks cooked in a different style, which was quite special.
At night, in the dark alleys, a single yellow light bulb illuminated the roadside stalls packed with people huddled around braziers, sitting on small stools, eating noodles. The presence of the crowd was the best market research, immediately whetting my appetite. I couldn’t speak the language, but I pointed to a bowl of noodles and then made a “1” gesture, signifying “one bowl of this,” and the boss understood.
I wanted to find a small stool to sit on, but there wasn’t a single empty seat. The local customers, seeing me order, naturally shifted and squeezed out a seat for me. This is what I love about Vietnam. Despite the language barrier,
As fellow Asians with black hair and yellow skin, they show warmth to foreigners.
The trip to Hanoi was a culinary journey. In addition to the food recommendations from the hotel staff, I also had food intel from friends, plus my years of travel experience, I had a keen ability to find delicious food. From roadside noodle stalls to century-old restaurants, trendy eateries to five-star restaurants.
Vietnam produces coffee, which is absolutely delicious; egg coffee, civet coffee, roadside stall coffee. Hanging out at coffee shops is a daily habit for Hanoians, especially sitting on small stools by the street, watching the traffic come and go, there’s a different kind of atmosphere.
One popular coffee shop is known for its egg coffee. The shop looks like a home, and if it weren’t for the online confirmation of the address, you wouldn’t dare go in. The first floor is empty, and you walk deeper in and then up to the second floor, only to find the place packed with customers of all skin tones.
Egg Coffee
It’s worth mentioning the hotels in Vietnam. From Hoi An, which I visited in 2007, to Hanoi, they are all impeccable and worthy of emulation.
Like coffee shops, the exterior might be three-star, but the interior is five-star. Don’t be fooled by the unassuming facade and the chaotic location, step inside and it’s a whole new world. The service is extremely friendly and attentive. The rooms could be described as luxurious, breakfast is included, and it’s all freshly prepared, all-you-can-eat. It costs around $60 per night.
Hanoi in February was actually a bit chilly, with a light drizzle, colder than I expected. Sapa, which is in the mountains, would be even colder.
Strolling around the new district near the lake, there was a simple, clean clothing store with only two or three styles of clothing, but all sizes were available. I bought a dark green, cotton, western-style jacket with amoeba patterns on it for about 186 RMB. It was warm and comfortable to wear. When I went to the back of the store to find the toilet, I realised that the cutting and sewing workers were right next door, separated by a wall. So, it was basically a designer brand!
On the rest of the trip, I couldn’t be without that green jacket.
The green jacket I couldn’t take off
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