Hotels in Hanoi

We enjoyed the overnight stay in Ha Long Bay. It is worthy of its Unesco Heritage site rating. It is so surreal to be sailing among the limestone karsts - very tranquil and picturesque. Kayaking was another amazing experience. We were dwarfed by the majestic limestone karsts. Walking around and crossing the streets of Hanoi Old Quarter was an adventure in itself. So many motorbikes and cars that defy all standard traffic regulations. We were literally inches away from motorbikes and we "learnt" to cross the streets like the locals - "go for it". We experienced so many varieties of Vietnamese food. We stumbled onto this restaurant called Mon Hue which serves authentic delicious Hue food. We had French-Vietnamese cuisine at Green Tangerine. We also went to 96 Restaurant which was next to our Hotel Tirant and it was a very lovely restaurant with good local food. We had egg coffee at Giang. A few doors down from Giang, at the corner, is a local's delight - Xoi Yen which serves yellow sticky rice. It was so delicious. We also had Fanny's ice cream - their local ice cream. Hanoi is a safe city and we feel comfortable working around even in the night.

Hanoi is a very busy city, as you would expect of a Capital City. Awesome sights, sounds and smells in the old quarter. The smell of spices was awesome and I loved walking around the markets. My favourite place is the red bridge at night and a walk around the lake is a must. You can stroll around it and relax at a cafe after a long day. Walking around can be hazardous given the free reign drivers and motorcyclists seem to enjoy on the "one-way" streets, but this adds to the whole experience. Loved my time their and will be back at some point. I ate street food and in some of the many restaurants in the old quarter. I also ate at the Loving Hut Vegan restaurant on 3 Ngách 10, Ngõ 121, Phố Chùa Láng, Quận Đống Đa. I am not a vegetarian but decided to give it a go and it was delicious. Very easy to get around the old quarter as you can walk to most places, taxis are metered, motorcyle taxis', well they're the same throughout Asia, haggle.

I made the mistake of buying a very expensive Katmandu waterproof jacket in Australia before I went to Vietnam because we were going on to Japan. You can buy The North Face jackets and bags for a fraction of the price in the Old Quarter in Hanoi. I spent about $40 Australian on a North Face Summit jacket. We did a day trip to Halong Bay because we were running out of time. It was a long trip, most of it spent on the wrong side of the road. We purchased the ticket from a travel shop in the Old Quarter and it was way cheaper than buying it online from home. Same goes for the trip to Namcoc. Buy local and the price is way better. Cross the road with locals. He who hesitates gets hit by a scooter. The streets in the Old Quarter are mostly themed harking back to the old days. So you have the Hardware street where all the shops sell hardware, then a whole street selling buttons and material and cottons ( and Calvin Klein underware elastic..haha). The shoe street sells all the sport shoes. So find the street and you don't need to go any further. Silk, silver, kitchen ware, decorations, funeral flowers.. It's all in one place. Wish we could have spent longer just walking the streets. BTW Pho is pronounced fur.. I didn't know this but you probably do!

Don't be worried about getting food poisoning - Eating from the folks walking past or parked up is a must, certainly try the pork sandwich! Everyone eats together, it amazing to see. They will quite happily get you a little tiny chair to join them. Learn to cross the road in true Vietnamese style, its fun! Just walk confidently across the road and leave it to the bikes to dodge you, they know what they are doing! Visit Hoan Kiem Lake both daytime and evening, it's beautiful. Venture further out to other lakes on the local map and take a swan peddle boat out for an hour for next to nothing. We stopped in the middle of the lake and read our books. Observe the locals getting ready for yoga. In twos or threes or even alone, all ages, the elderly are so fit, it's unbelievable. Locals love to chat, especially the younger generation - it helps them to practice their English. Book your next visit :-)

There was definitely lots to see and do in Hanoi and the pricing is super reasonably (dare I say cheap). I enjoyed walking about Hoan Kiem Lake where I got to meet and speak with some really cool high school and college students (so the people were really friendly). I was in Hanoi for New Years and needless to say it was kind of incredible...the sights, the sounds. It could have been overwhelming but it was New Years. I loved that it was easy to get around Hanoi. Most of the times I walked but when I needed it, I hopped on a motorcycle (which are available for rent) or a taxi or those bicycle thingies. The shopping is good too and food too...especially the vegetables dishes (yum central). The ginger tea with honey is just a must. I had three cups every day I was there.

When you head into the Old Quarter, put away your map and lose yourself in the hustle and bustle of the streets. Turn left or right down a side street and just keep exploring the myriad of stalls and street vendors. Enjoy the organised chaos of the motorbikes when crossing the road, don't hesitate just keep walking, dodging what you need to get to your destination, its great fun. Sample the Bun Cha - its two types of pork (belly and minced) grilled over coals served with Vermicilli, greens and typically soup to immerse the noodles into. The Bahn Mi and the Pho are great staples, and really cheap. Taxis are really cheap, and if you get a small one they are a lot cheaper than a motorbike or a cyclo to get across town. The most I paid to get from one side to the other was 80,000VND (Around US$4.50 at the time, and from old quarter to most monuments around 35,000VND. Most motorbikes and cyclos try and start you out at 100,000VND - but they do work for it. Try them all as they all offer a different sensory experience. Hanoi is great fun, and well worth a visit.