Vietnam- Hanoi

Oct 19, 2016
4 min read

I recently went on leave for just under a week to Vietnam with one of my friends that is also cabin crew out here in Dubai.

We have both already been to Phuket together, so we decided why not explore a bit more of Asia and head to Hanoi and Halong Bay in the North of Vietnam.

Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) and Hoi Ann are all popular tourist destinations in Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh City is in the South of Vietnam and Hoi Ann is a city on Vietnam’s central coast known for its well-preserved Ancient Town, cut through with canals.

As my friend Katherine had been to Ho Chi Minh a few days before with work it seemed right to go to Hanoi, especially as our airline had recently started direct flights there.

We only had two nights in Hanoi and one proper full day, however with careful planning I would say this is enough time to see and do most of the traditional stuff there is to do in Hanoi.

We stayed in a small hotel in the old quarter- not too far from the French quarter, which was called 'Serenity Diamond' Hotel.

As most people who have traveled to Asia will probably already know it's very cheap and so accommodation costs is never anything to worry about. Our hotel was no exception, it was very cheap- but at the same time clean, the staff were so helpful and friendly, and breakfast was included both mornings. Eating your croissant and having your morning caffeine fix at the rooftop restaurant is definitely the way to go, it boasted a pretty amazing view of the city.

The staff at the Serenity Diamond actually take the time to sit you down when you first arrive and offer you a traditional Vietnamese coffee (they use condensed milk). Kat and I knew we wanted to see as much as possible and so the young Vietnamese girl who worked in the reception showed us a map of the city with the best places to visit. She helped us book a motor bike tour for the next day and also booked our water puppet show tickets for us.

Hanoi was absolutely incredible, I loved the constant bustle of the city and how everybody including the kids are just walking around the streets at silly o clock.

'You could call it a tiny, much less glitzy, Asian version of New York- if you like'.

I don't mean to say that it has skyscrapers everywhere and a Times Square- it's a city that never seems to sleep. I guess that's true of a lot of Asian cities, they seem to just be buzzing all the time and you never know what you're going to see when you turn the corner.

The food in Hanoi is mainly of course all traditional Vietnamese cuisine, a lot of street food stalls selling anything from fried sausage to fried shrimp. They seem to have dipping sauces to go with everything, I tried a chilli sauce and a sweet one.

My 19 year old tour guide and trusty motorbike rider, Jen.

If you have limited time then I really recommend booking a motorbike tour of the city. It's a great way to see and fit in as much as possible in a short space of time. The guides picked us up from our hotel and took us to an old Vietnamese cafe where we sipped traditional coffee. The coffee which is made up of egg whites, coffee and condensed milk is intensely sweet and gooey but I kind of liked it!

The tour lasted four and a half hours and we got to see some of the most spectacular sights, one of my highlights was going to the Prison where Senator John McCain was held and before that where the French imprisoned the Vietnamese. It was so eery and chilling but it makes you realise and appreciate how rich in history Vietnam is and what their people have endured over the years.

Stopping at a plane crash sight that still hasn't been cleared in a river, to admiring one of the beautiful churches in the old quarter- the tour was money well spent! Even if we didn't stop at different tourist spots, which we did anyway, I'd say we got to see different aspects of city life in Hanoi by zipping through the streets and on the roads by bike.

After a busy day we headed back to our hotel to freshen up, we chose to have dinner there as well as we were given a discount voucher and seeing as it was recommended on good old Trip Advisor I didn't see the harm! I opted for Beef in a pepper sauce with dumplings and some sweet potato fries to share.

The water puppet show was better than expected, it was something really different to do and nice to just sit down and enjoy the show after a busy day- we even managed to fit in market stall shopping!

We only had one cocktail before the show (good girls I know!). The puppets were controlled behind a stage and the puppeteers were all in water, it was mesmerizing. While each little story was played out there was a mix of Vietnamese men and women singing at the side of the stage. I didn't take any photos whilst in the theatre sadly but I definitely reccomend a visit.