Overview
Hanoi. What can we say about the busy yet tranquil, loud yet peaceful capital of Vietnam. Set in the northern region of the country, Hanoi is unlike any place you will ever go. It’s old, really old; with the ancient walled part of the city dating back to nearly 1010 AD. All that history leaves an imprint on a city, on a country and on its peoples.
What you need to know about Hanoi is that it is quintessentially Vietnamese. The Vietnamese people, as it were, have had a tough go of the whole “independence” thing, having suffered for centuries of foreign rule whether it was the Chinese, Japanese, French or others.
This means that during the 1950’s communist uprising in Vietnam, Hanoi became the epicenter of Vietnamese life, a reassumption of a culture that had been beaten down through war and occupation.
The Vietnamese our proud of their beloved capital, and it truly has a different vibe than the metropolitan Ho Chi Minh of the south, Vietnam’s largest and most modern city. It seems that Hanoi does not want to change, does not want to lose its character and become like Ho Chi Minh. They are happy with the way things are and they want to keep it that way.
A trip to Hanoi takes planning and a will for getting out of your comfort zone. You are confronted with things you can never believe, things you have never heard of and a world all its own. Within the confines of the old walls, the mysteries grow. As a backpacker you only know as much as you can, learn as much as they let you and just try to get by. This isn’t your world and you will know this.
Is it Cheap?
Yes, so so cheap. The entirety of Vietnam is cheap, yet Hanoi may actually be the cheapest major city. A meal will cost you anywhere between 1-2 dollars (we are not joking) and a hostel between 6-10. The Vietnamese use the Dong (No Jokes) which is roughly 22,000 to 1 dollar.
Tran Quoc Pagoda
View of Quang An from Thuy Khue
St. Joseph Cathedral
What to Do
While many people enjoy Hanoi, visitors often say that Ho Chi Minh and the middle of the country (Hue, Danang, Hoi An) are more interesting, as far as what you can do in the city. It is true that Hanoi is a bit slower feeling than the south, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t great places to visit and sights to see, you just have to be willing to explore a bit!
Meet The Great Leader at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
For those that don’t know, Ho Chi Minh was the first leader of the “free Vietnamese” state. Since being a leading figure during the Vietnamese War, he is seen as the father of the nation, a symbol of national pride and you will find his picture all over the country.
After dying just after the Vietnam War, he was buried in a mausoleum in the capital to enshrine his legacy in the city where his rise to power began. The mausoleum is a great place to start if you want to learn more about Vietnam.
Get Creeped out at Hoa Lo Prison
This prison is eerie for many reasons. Used as a POW camp during the Vietnam War and famous for housing Senator John McCain, this prison has a long history. It was originally built by the French as a place to torture Vietnamese revolutionaries during the colonial period.
Since the prison officially shut its doors, it has been turned into a museum and is filled to the brim with interesting historical facts and communist rhetoric.
Be a Tourist at Hoan Kiem Lake and The Red Bridge
Arguably the most touristy place in Hanoi would be the man made lake “Hoan Kiem” and its Red Bridge. Just to the south of the walled city, the lake serves as a peace of serenity in an otherwise crowded and busy world.
Explore the Walled City
The old city is a great backpackers hot spot because all of the bars, clubs and hostels worth going to are located within its walls. It’s crowded, filled with smoggy backlit alleys and a fun, wild place to be. Get lost down the narrow and busy streets and come out the other side more lost than when you started. You’ll find cafes, street food vendors, shops and more!
Bargain at Dong Xuan
The largest market in Hanoi and a place that sells pretty much every item under the sun, this is the spot to be if you like to shops. Make sure to head to the food section where you can find more products you can’t name than you can, and one of the most vibrant selections of fruit and spices than you can find anywhere.
Where to after Hanoi?
Ha Long Bay – Located About 2 and a half hours away from Hanoi, Ha Long Bay is a must see on your trip to Vietnam. The bay is dotted with hundreds of small islands
Mai Chau – The region sits just south of Hanoi and is characterized by its epic terrain and excellent hiking trails.
Ban Gioc Waterfall – The largest waterfall in Vietnam and one of the largest in the world sits on the border with China about 4 hours north of Hanoi.
Sapa – Located About three hours’ northeast of Hanoi, Sapa is known for its extravagant rice terraces.
What to Eat and Drink
Pho Bo – The most notorious dish in Vietnam can be found on nearly every street corner. The soup itself gets most of the flavor from a rich beef broth. The stock is accented by rice noodles and a healthy portion of basil, jalapenos, cilantro and mint. Costs around 40,000 Dongs
Bun Rieu– Translated to Crab Noodle Soup, this dish is one of the only soups in Vietnam to contain tomatoes in the broth. Rich, decadent and homey, the soup captures the spirit of the coast. Costs around 40,000 dongs
Bun Cha– This is less of a meal and more of an experience. When eating Bun Cha, you get rice noodles, fresh greens and herbs, an egg roll, pork skewers and a sweet and smoky broth to both use as soup but also as a dipping sauce. An average Bun Cha costs around 70,000 Dongs
Bahn Mi – The beautiful mix between crispy French bread and Vietnamese meats and sauce is what makes the Bahn Mi possibly the world’s best sandwich. It is traditionally stuffed with a mixture of pork cuts and pate, finished with fresh herbs, pickled carrots and jalapenos. Costs around 35,000 Dongs
Com Ga- Com Ga is the heart of Vietnamese cuisine and can be found nearly on every street corner. The dish features fresh roasted or fried chicken alongside broken rice, a staple of the Vietnamese diet. Try it with sweet chili sauce. Costs around 50,000 Dongs
Bia Hoi- There is a special place in Hanoi’s old town called Bia Hoi corner where you can get a glass of beer for basically 40 cents US. Bia Hoi which translates to fresh beer is sketchley sold kegs of light lager beer that makes its way to vendors around the city for extremely cheap prices. This keeps the price per glass cheap and the cups filled all night. It’s got a low alcohol content but it’s something you can easily drink all night. The beer is not regulated by the government but we thought it seemed legit.
Vietnamese Iced Coffee– Vietnam is first and foremost a coffee country. You’ll see people drinking the jet black concoction all in all parts of any city you are in at any time of the day. Drinking Vietnamese Coffee is beyond a must in Vietnam. You can get it black (just with sugar syrup) or white (with a healthy amount of condensed milk in the bottom).
Transportation
Vietnam’s streets a jam packed with every form of motor vehicle imaginable. Whizzing by you’ll see buses, trucks, motorbikes, bicycles, Pedicabs and cars all sharing the same road.
The best way around is either motorbike taxis or normal taxis, which can easily be hailed from anywhere in the larger cities. The buses run efficiently, but are loud and crowded. Vietnam is also incredibly tech friendly, and offers GrabTaxi services.
Clubbing and Nightlife
Hanoi has more bars in its old town than seem possible. Everyone is out eating and drinking, whether they are foreigners or locals. You really can’t go wrong as far as bars are concerned. Just head into the backpacker district in the heart of old town and you will have tens of places trying to get you to come in and have a drink. Don’t forget about Bia Hoi!
There are also a few really good clubs in the heart of Hanoi, but not being Vietnamese does have its draw backs if you aren’t planning on throwing a lot of money to get in. The clubs in Vietnam are typically dominated by table service, so there isn’t a lot of room for dancing around. We recommend going to a place called Hair of the Dog which targets backpackers as a large part of their clientele.
PSA: Vietnam is known for people in bars doing Whip-It’s. What is a whip-it you ask? It’s basically a canister of nitrous oxide that is filled into a balloon. You inhale the nitrous and experience a very weird state of being for around 30 seconds. While this sounds fun, and admittedly is, please have caution as this has been a major public safety issue for the Vietnamese.
Safety Tips
While the locals of Vietnam are extremely kind and generous people, these general safety tips will help make your travels incident free!
Do not walk around at night with your phone out in Hanoi. Many thieves whizz by on motorbikes and will snag it right out of your hand.
Be aware of your bags. The same thing as listed above can certainly happen to a small bag or a purse.
Avoid raw vegetables or meat that has clearly been sitting outside all day.
Do not drink the tap water
If you are going to buy a tour, make sure that the office has a Trip-Advisor logo or something that guarantees that they will pick you up after you book it.
My Travel Essentials For An Asian Backpacking Trip
Below you'll find a list of my must bring backpacking items. I have gotten this list down to my essentials through trial and error over 4 years of living in a backpack. I hope you'll find these items helpful on your journey!
►Main Backpacking Backpack: https://amzn.to/3vUHdik [Amazon]
►Great Front Facing Duffle-bag : https://amzn.to/3SjK6Ra [Amazon]
►Quick Dry Towel : https://amzn.to/3uarxH8 [Amazon]
►Multi Country Charger Adapter : https://amzn.to/3Ul37p0 [Amazon]
►Refillable Water Bottle : https://amzn.to/48SnG0n [Amazon]
►Padlock : https://amzn.to/3SdyYp7 [Amazon]
►Earplugs : https://amzn.to/498xTpl [Amazon]
►Power Bank : https://amzn.to/3SyXP8e [Amazon]
Travel Photography & Video Favorites
If you're interested in creating your own video content on your trip, these are some of my favorite items I've had. They work, they're effective and besides the Sony Aa7C, they aren't going to break the bank either!
►On the Go Video | Go Pro Hero 12 : https://amzn.to/3u38oHh [Amazon]
►Photography | Sony A7C : https://amzn.to/3u1Y6ap [Amazon]
►Portable Tripod | https://amzn.to/42ojHqc [Amazon]
►Lavalier Microphone | https://amzn.to/3SbL41U [Amazon]
►Drone | https://amzn.to/47TCwSY [Amazon]
►Portable Monitor | https://amzn.to/3Hzv2dg
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