Hanoi
Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam, and at 7.7 million people, Hanoi is Vietnam’s second-largest city by population. It’s not the easiest city to navigate so I’ve broken it down for you. Enjoy!
Airport Transportation
After landing in Hanoi, we exited the airport and were immediately approached by a Vietnamese man offering us a taxi to downtown for US $70. Thankfully, we knew the going rate should be $12-$15 and quickly worked him down to the proper price (phewf, avoided scam attempt #1). The man scooted us along to a golf cart and told us to get in. The driver hopped on the freeway (yes, in the golf cart) and proceeded to haphazardly weave in and out of the traffic. This continued for approx 2 miles before he pulled over to the side of the road and told us to wait.
Soon enough, a Toyota pulled up and a man with shmancy Ray Bans and a flashy faux Rolex got out to load our backpacks in the trunk. (Take a moment to think about Leslie Chow, the badass Asia man from the Hangover. Essentially this guy was Mr. Chow in a nutshell, but with much, much browner, rotting teeth). Anyways, I was convinced that if a Vietnamese mafia exists, this guy was part of it. Regardless, we got in the car as we had really no other option and were currently on the side of the road. Long story short, the dude got us to our hostel and the air conditioning in the car was pretty refreshing, too.
SCAM ALERT
Fortunately, we’ve escaped Hanoi relatively unscathed by any tourist-targeted scam (which there are plenty of). The closest we came to was a shoe repairman who grabbed Sean’s $5 flip flop directly off his foot as we walked by (no joke) and said, “fix shoe, fix shoe.” Seemed legit as he showed us the flip-flops we’d purchased the night before at the flea market were already falling apart, so we spent the next 10 minutes watching this guy craftily thread Sean’s sandal together, topping it off with a bit of black shoe polish to match. When finished, he said “200,000 dong” aka $9 USD. At this moment we realized we had fallen for our first scam, since the shoes had only cost a mere 120,000 dong. All we had in our hand was a 10,000 dong note which he tried to decline saying, “no you pay me, that’s nothing, that’s nothing.” Not wanting to deal with his sketchy bull**** we grabbed the flip-flop, set the bill on the ground, and promptly walked away. In the background, we could hear him yelling, “fuck you, fuck you, fuck you.”
Moral of the story, be careful tourists, they’re out there to getcha!
Where to Sleep
Vietnam Backpacker Hostel (Original)
The sister establishment of VBH Downtown, there is an original VBH located just outside of the main backpackers’ hostel area. We only stayed one evening here but loved the rooftop bar and happy hour specials (BOGO for Mojitos, cheap beer and a few other cocktails).
We met a girl named Sheiva who became our temporary best friend for the evening after we learned she had lived in my hometown of San Luis Obispo for a year, (No place like Slome)! See the stories highlights section for more on our time with Sheiva!
Vietnam Backpacker Hostel (Downtown)
A superb recommendation from our friend, Vance (eyy!), Vietnam Backpacker Hostel Downtown ended up being my favorite hostel as of yet. Why is that?
Free breakfast (the standard at most hostels/hotels), a staff that likes to rage, a pretty sweet bar crawl to clubs you wouldn’t find wandering around as a tourist, free beer every night, games, and young, sociable travelers from all over the world. Oh, did I mention the Espresso Martinis? These dangerous little guys have now demoted my ex-favorite drink (Mojito). Check em out:
Madam Moon Guesthouse
This hotel was a great spot for us to PTFO for an entire day and recuperate in an air-conditioned room. Complete with a flat screen TV, bathroom, and gorgeous view of the town’s main lake, Hồ Hoàn Kiếm. Wonderful hidden gem for relaxation, views and a free breakfast.
Dao Anh Kanh Cosy Treehouse
Kanh’s Cosy Treehouse was a highly anticipated destination for us. This unique “hotel” is a local artist’s creation. Intricately built just below the canopy of a Vietnamese jungle of trees, there are 8 incredible tree houses up above. The best part is the treehouses include wifi, air conditioning (must-have these days), mosquito nets and epic evening views of glowing sculptures and twinkle lights. Our Cosy Treehouse was a serene escape from the hustle and bustle of downtown Hanoi.
Fortunately, we were the only guests that evening and were given the 5-star treatment! Kanh’s daughter Jenny and her cousin “Andy” cooked us a homemade, Vietnamese meal of chicken porridge, chicken wings, chicken feet, slices jicama & cucumber, and a delicious honey bread baked fresh. We enjoyed dinner under the garden lights. Although Andy didn’t speak any English, we quickly learned we shared similar taste in music when his shuffled iPhone playlist included HOLY by Florida Georgia Line, some Martin Garrix, and Ed Sheehan (quite eclectic, yet entertaining). At least we could all sing along even if we wouldn’t communicate much otherwise.
Amazing, tranquil experience highly recommended if you have a week or more to explore Hanoi!
Hanoi Rocks Hostel
Hanoi Rocks is in the perfect location for exploring Hanoi! We stayed in a 14-bed mixed dorm room packed to the brim with Aussies, Europeans, South Americans, Asians, Americans, you name it, you’ll find them here! We stayed in a 14 bed mixed dorm room While the actual establishment was hipster and laid back. A bit smoky and unimpressive compared to VBH. However, the rooms were well air-conditioned, clean and safe!
We got a kick out of the evening speed dating sesh, meeting a few Australians bedazzled with (actual) sparkles and fairy dust, whom generously bought us a few Coronas. Oh and the question, “so, are you two brother and sister?” (Let’s just say this wasn’t the first, second or fifth time that’s happened so far).
Personally, I wouldn’t recommend staying here more than one night as there are a plethora of other unique hostels to explore in this city of tourists.
Where to Eat
If we provided an extensive list of all the little street-side places we ate, you’d be scrolling for days down this post (more than you already are..)
Instead, here are a few of our favorite local dishes in Hanoi. PSA: don’t bother with the restaurants, we wandered the streets and chose the busiest spot full of locals and ate there. An average meal cost us a whopping 30,000-70,000 dong ($1-$3 USD).
Oh, P.S. Be sure to take probiotics, your stomach will thank you.
Beef Vermicelli at Bánh Cuốn Gia Truyền
Pho ga (chicken), Pho bò (beef) and more Pho.
Can’t get enough of this stuff. Be generous with the red peppers for a sure fire (literal) way to clear your sinuses!
Vietnamese BBQ
This barbecue is nothing like the American style grilling we’re used to. BBQ’ing in Vietnam means choosing your own raw skewers of meet and veggies, and cooking over a cast iron skillet while sitting on a stool fit for about a 2 year old. Without a doubt our favorite meal here. Careful to not be too aggressive while you eat (it’s delicious but HOT). We walked away with a few burn marks on our hands from being over-eager about food, oops.
What to do
Vietnam Military Museum
When I was younger, and I’m sure many reading this can relate, museums bored me near to death. As we get older, something interesting happens. We begin to develop a greater appreciation for the amazing value of life and the people we love. We realize that tragedies are, exactly that, tragic. I think when strife and warfare is “far” from home, many of us don’t acknowledge the realities that people just like ourselves are facing every day.
Not that long ago, museums to me were just places that held objects of stories, not real events.
I’m at a loss for the proper words to express how powerful visiting the Vietnam Military Museum was for me. For the first time in my life, as I looked at the United States Air Force helicopters, artifacts and displays, (excerpt: not all displays were about the Vietnam War), I visualized real events, real battles, based on the stories my Bopa has told me about his firsthand experience in this war. At times it’s an odd feeling to think that 50 years ago, he was here, in this very country, under extremely different circumstances. And now here I am, at his same age but decades later, exploring what this country has to offer. Needless to say, this was my most moving experience in Hanoi and an opportunity I will be forever grateful for.
Bike Rentals at Capsule
Although Hanoi is absolute madness, with what seems like an endless stream of scooters, cars, street vendors, and no apparent order in the streets. Something beautiful is created: Organized Chaos. So, we decided to brave the road and rent a couple of bicycles – the best way to explore the city without completely exhausting your bodies by walking for hours on end. Our bicycle excursions took us to the French Quarter and to Hanoi’s largest lake, a 10.5 mile ride all the way around!
Vạn Xuân Foot Massage
$6 for an hour-long deep tissue, full body massage. Need I say more? There are plenty of massage spots all over town but this place is the best deal in town! Try out this place if you’re ever in Hanoi. They hardly speak English but they give you the cutest set of plaid, Christmasy PJ’s to wear during your massage. Such a steal and a great way to escape the busyness of the city and stresses of traveling!
Cafe Phố Cổ
Prior to our Vietnam travels, we had people tell us the egg coffee was a must have, and they were right. This delicious concoction comes iced or hot, topped with whipped egg whites and condensed milk. Basically dessert! We made a point to enjoy this delectable Vietnamese staple at the most unique café possible, Cafe Phố Cổ, which overlooks Hoan Kiem Lake (see below).
It’s a bit of a scavenger hunt to find this incognito café, as you must enter through a silk shop, walk to the back of the shop past gorgeous hanging tapestries and into a secret garden type atmosphere. Then up four flights of stairs, including a spiral staircase that eventually pops you out on the rooftop, gasping for air. After that workout and the humid weather conditions, we ordered a couple of iced egg coffees that did not disappoint!
1900 Le Theatre
Who knew the Vietnamese were into house and EDM? The night we stayed at Vietnam Backpacker Original Hostel, we ventured out to the bar district of Hanoi (streets packed so full you can barely wiggle your way through the crowds). We passed one of Hanoi’s few nightclubs, 1900, and caught a glimpse of a poster advertising the American DJ, NGHTMRE (Nightmare). We were with our new friend Sheiva and a Danish friend whose name I can’t pronounce or spell for the life of me (this happens multiple times a day when meeting people). Somehow we were able to wiggle our way in to the club and dodge the 290,000 dong cover fee to party with NGHTMRE front and center! If you’ve never heard of him before, check out his music here:
NGHTMRE
Travel is a funny thing. You miss flights, you misplace money, you get lost in a maze of unfamiliar streets and try to communicate with locals utilizing your best universal hand signals and broken English. You have late nights and early mornings, you eat things you’re not sure of and hope for the best.
