Landed in Hanoi after a pleasant 2hr flight with Vietnam Airlines from Bangkok, they even managed a meal service in that time. On landing we made our way to the agreed meeting point to find our free (thank you Booking.com genius reward đ) ride to Hanoi Old Quarter. Some crazy traffic meant this relatively short ride took over an hour…it’s a city where lane rules do not appear to exist and everyone survives by the use of the horn be it moped or car!
Our accommodation was a little disappointing but very well located in the hubbub of the Old Quarter. Disappointing because there was no window and hence no natural light entered our room, like sleeping in a sealed box.
Hanoi itself was fun, lots of life (and near death experiences avoiding mopeds). Here’s some of the things we got up to in 3 days:
- Sitting at a cafe in Train Street while the train passes inches from your feet.
- Beers on a rooftop bar
- Hoa Lo Historical Prison (aka the Hanoi Hilton…they made a film about it)
- The Turtle Tower also called the Tortoise Tower, is a small tower in the middle of Hoan Kiem Lake.It is one of the most iconic, symbolic and most recognizable pieces of architecture representing Hanoi
- Ate Bahn Mi and drank Vietnamese coffees…both yum
- Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum – quite something to view Ho Chi Minh himself who died in 1969
- Imperial Citadel of ThÄng Long – this place is so full of history!! Archeological digs are still occurring too. From construction in 1010 through French invasion to the Vietnam war, this site has it all. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Citadel_of_ThÄng_Long
- Water puppet show
