Hanoi
Welcome to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam located in the (former) Communist northern part of the country. Among other things, the city is known for Train Street, a narrow street where a few times a day a train passes just inches from the houses/cafes. You can read more info and tips about Train Street, local cuisine and the chaos you can expect here!
Arriving at Nội Bài International Airport
Organized chaos is the first thing that comes to mind a few hours after landing at Nội Bài International Airport. According to Google, some 7.7 million people live there, and it is quite noticeable. The airport is quite large, but does not yet seem to be fully equipped for the growing tourism of recent years.
After being taken by bus from the plane to the arrival hall, a (long) line towards passport control awaits you. After collecting your stamp, a new adventure follows: collecting your luggage. There are 6 baggage belts, so luggage from multiple flights must be combined. Having an AirTag for your check-in baggage is your way 2-go, because if you have to wait a while you know that your baggage has not been lost.
I was lucky enough to share the luggage belt with a flight from Japan, never seen so many boxes pass by on a luggage belt. After 1.5 hours of waiting, the stream of boxes came to an end and a backpack finally arrived. Hope you have better luck yourself during your trip!
To the city center with bus 86
You can travel from the airport to downtown by cab, but the bus (line 86) is actually just as easy. The bus might take a little longer, but a ticket costs only €1.80 (45,000 VND - 12-2022). From the exit of the arrivals hall, the pick-up point is pretty straightforward.
Traffic chaos – good to know
Chances are your accommodation is located in the old city center. When you arrive in the center, don't be alarmed by the traffic chaos with honking scooters and cars. The scooter is by far the most common means of transport in Hanoi, which makes crossing the old center of Hanoi quite an adventure. After all, there are no traffic lights here. Just walk and the scooters will maneuver themselves is the motto. As it turns out.
Highlights
Walking through the old city center is an experience in itself. You gain so many impressions that are difficult to put into words.
Train Street - Practical info & tips
The eye-catcher of Hanoi that recently has not been fully accessible to tourists. Not to worry, via a small detour you can get there just as legally! How? You can read about that here!
Long Bien Railway Bridge
I myself was very fascinated by the Long Bien Railway Bridge. It seemed like there was no brake on the number of scooters going across this bridge towards the old center of Hanoi. They just kept coming, resulting in traffic jams, lots of honking and some nice pictures. On the scooter with the family, with food or a whole bunch of boxes, Vietnamese use the scooter in a pretty diverse way.
Explore street art!
Other highlights:
- Joseph Cathedral
- Ngoc Son Temple
- Trấn Quốc Pagoda
- Prison museum
- Woman museum
- Statue of Ho Chi Minh
Local kitchen
With my 1 meter 95 I am actually much too big for the average dining table at a restaurant, but oh well. It has its moments.
- Breakfast with Phó Bo: the noodle soup with vegetables, beef in broth is one of Vietnam's most famous dishes.
- Egg Coffee is a specialty from Hanoi itself that once originated due to a shortage of milk. Coffee topped with egg yolk mixed with sugar and condensed milk. Tasty, but also very sweet, you obviously must have tried it once.
- Bia Hoi: Hanoi's local beer, 7.5/10!
- Bún chả: White rice noodles served with grilled pork in a bowl of vegetable broth. Nice and spicy with the accompanying chilies and lime to quench it a bit.
Read more about Vietnam's local cuisine
The Vietnamese cuisine is among the world's most varied and flavorful. It is a perfect fusion of French and Chinese influences with regional flavors and ingredients, from savory soups to crispy spring rolls. Furthermore, each province has its own specialties.
How many days to spend in Hanoi?
Hanoi is fine for max 2 full days, the hustle and bustle and chaos is fun to see but definitely not something I personally like very much. From Hanoi you can either take the bus, train or an organized day trip/multi-day trip to places like:
- Sapa: 5.5 hours
- Ha Long Bay / Cat Ba: 2.5 - 3 hours
- Ninh Binh: 2.5 hours
- Hà Giang: 6 hours
