When you first step out into Hanoi’s old town, the unruly streets crammed with motorcycles and the chaotic hustle and bustle can be quite overwhelming. It certainly takes time and energy to fight a way through to get anywhere, but if you ever visit Hanoi then remember that the point IS actually the life on the streets. Once over the initial acclimatisation to the busyness and bad pollution, we really enjoyed our short time in the city. Most surprising and interesting of all was the exciting and historic food scene, which we certainly tried to make the most of in the two days that we were there.

Vietnam.

Hanoi is Vietnam’s capital and a prime example of vibrant Asian city and street life. It has French and Chinese influences which can be seen in both the architecture and cuisine, and Hanoi is firmly on the tourist map.

Vietnam is still a communist country although it is not always very evident when compared to places like Cuba – other than the police men looking very imposing in their military green uniforms with red stars.

Whilst we were in Hanoi, Vietnam won a minor football match which brought out the Vietnamese’s obvious patriotism. The streets of Hanoi became clogged (more than usual!) with supporters on their motorcycles trailing the red flag with the yellow star proudly behind them.

Hanoi houses the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. We did not go as we had limited time and had heard that it involved getting up at the crack of dawn and queuing for hours. We’d love to hear from anyone who made it to see Uncle Ho!

How long to stay.

Two or three days in Hanoi will probably be enough for most people, simply because it is such a chaotic and polluted city. Pack in as much as you can, this is not a place to relax: down some strong Vietnamese coffee, walk, visit and eat as much delicious street food as you can!

How to get there.

We flew in from Vientiane in Laos, and when we left we took a bus/boat combo to the island of Cat Ba. Of course, this being a capital city, there are numerous transport options and destinations. Air travel in Vietnam is available at very low prices.

Where to stay.

We were very glad that we had chosen to stay central to the old quarter, simply because traffic is so terrible. We suggest doing the same if you want to limit the amount of time you spend walking through the crammed streets. Our hotel was one of the best places we stayed during our travels in Asia, the service felt quite Americanised and the staff were overflowing with helpful knowledge about the sights, places to eat like a local and onward travel. A room away from the noisy street also helped.

Getting around.

We found that we could walk everywhere we wanted to go, and that there are Tuk Tuks for when you get tired.

Food & Drink

Our number one tip for what to do in Hanoi is eat and drink as much as you can! Since visiting Hanoi, the meaning of street food has taken on a new and almost mystical significance. There aren’t any shiny converted VW’s serving vegan quinoa and avocado burgers on sour dough buns, but at night it feels like every centimetre of the pavement suddenly springs alive as an open air local food market, complete with tiny plastic tables and stools. And they really are tiny, we always felt like they might suddenly collapse under our giant western bodies! It’s almost like everyone’s shop/living room opens up and becomes a restaurant. These street affairs serve anything from BBQ sticks to soup to dried squid, and they are all always full!

Other eateries are more established in that they have a shop front, but the interiors often just feel like little corridors and the plastic tables and stools still rule. Expect to have to queue and also get cozy with other diners as Vietnamese food culture is communal.  Many of these restaurants specialise in one dish, and have been doing so for decades. That means that Hanoi has some of the best food we have EVER tasted.

Here are our discoveries, but first, some Vietnamese etiquette – do not contradict, ask questions or request things that they might not have, and for god’s sake do not choose your own table or think of staying on after your meal for a post-meal chat. The feisty waitresses won’t have any of it; they’ll tell you to eat, pay and bugger off…they have a business to run and they couldn’t care less that you came from the other side of the globe! That’s communist spirit if we ever saw it!

Note – Eateries tend to be called what they serve, with the addition of a street name and number.

Café Giang (since 1946) serves the rather strange (or genius!) concept of Egg Coffee, that is coffee with a sugary egg white head which tastes like tiramisu. What’s not to like? You literally cannot go to Hanoi and avoid this establishment and their signature coffee, it should not be allowed. Alex reckons it’s one of the most delicious coffees he has ever tasted (and he’s Italian!). They also do Egg Beer (give it a chance!) and a whole other host of variations in their cafe with an interior courtyard. We also enjoyed the chain of coffee houses called Cong Caphe which are decorated in a communist military style. In other words, do not believe anyone who tells you that Vietnamese coffee is sub-par, we actually found it to be one of the most surprisingly delicious and innovatively served in the region, and possibly the world.

Bun Bo Nam Bo serves a beef noodle dish with military efficiency. It’s not a place for hanging around, so expect speedy service (literally they’ll tell you where to sit and what to eat) and an even speedier moving on from the spirited waiters!

Bun Cha 1 is a little triangle of a shop which serves to-die-for crispy cooked crab spring rolls and a massive broth which is served with pork patties, rice noodles and a massive pile of exotic herbs. People come from all over for this delicacy.

Pho 10 is a super busy restaurant serving Pho, that is big noodle soups with choices of meat, most commonly beef. It sounds ordinary, but the broth is fragrant and hearty and the atmosphere is convivial and quintessentially Vietnamese.

Also try Banh My which are giant French bread sandwiches washed down with Bia Hoi. That is draught beer that’s so cheap it’s almost criminal. Head for the beer streets around Ta Hien Street.

So, between meals, what else is there to do?

Just walking around the streets of Old Hanoi is a worthwhile activity as the shops and pavements are very much alive with commerce relating to food, trades, souvenirs and more. Quite often you’ll find a whole street just selling one thing such as silk or red and gold Chinese decorations, which can be quite striking.

Every Sunday there is a night market which sells a variety of goods from Chinese mass-produced plastic items to artisan souvenirs and street food snacks.

Architecturally, Old Hanoi is quite unique in Asia as it has incredibly thin historic houses teetering several stories high. Apparently the land is expensive as this is how families and businesses have been able to create space. Hanoi also has a French colonial quarter where you can see grand boulevards, up-market hotels, a neo-gothic cathedral and public buildings such as the opera house.

Another particularly Vietnamese phenomenon are street vendors in their pointy Vietnamese hats on foot with shoulder poles, or on bicycles or motorcycles carrying millions of items for sale! One has to wonder if they are in a national competition with each other. Beware though, you might find yourself with a shoulder pole and a hat on before you can say “Pho”. Jess was a victim of this tourist scam and was forced to pay a typically feisty vendor for the opportunity to take a few pictures.

Culturally speaking, it is worth visiting Hoàn Kiê’m Lake shrine and Bach Ma shrine which tell of legends about Vietnam’s national hero, swords in lakes, white horses and a mysterious giant turtle! We also visited the famous Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre which tells some of these legends using puppets which act out scenes on water accompanied by live traditional folk music.

If you’re a seasoned reader of our blog, then it will be clear that we are not the biggest fans of chaotic cities, however, Hanoi breaks the mould. After getting over the initial shock of traffic, pollution and swarming scooters, this city won us over with its beaming street life, endless array of street food stalls and bars/cafes. It’s definitely not a place for a quiet weekend, but if you are willing to endure the chaos, you’ll be rewarded with great food and drink and the enthusiasm that the proud Vietnamese have for their country and culture. So, seriously, pull up a (tiny) plastic chair, join the party and visit Hanoi!