Hanoi 3 days of fun

I had a two-week family holiday that started in Sydney and ended in Singapore, with a quick trip to Hanoi in between. Although three days in the Vietnamese capital was too short, it was memorable for me. As an avid street photographer with a bottomless stomach, I was all about street life, locals, food experiences, affordable prices, and just walking, eating, and shooting. The City of Lakes is an ancient and thriving metropolis with old and new districts. To make the most of my time, I explored the bustling, tiny streets of the Old Quarter and the leafy avenues of the French Quarter - eating, taking photos, and dodging traffic.

Dizzying traffic

Old French villas and old alleys

Hanoi's old means of transport are now used in tourist services.

Traffic on downtown streets

City

Hanoi’s traffic is a chaotic tangle, a city in a constant state of entropy. Old buildings are set in a beautiful state of decay, a reminder of a long and complicated history. Clothes and signs and wires dangle from balconies and rooftops, making navigating the alleyways a rewarding experience.

On the road, bicycles and scooters fly past red lights, narrow corridors, and along the sides of the road with little regard for right of way. Walking across the road feels like marching past a hungry shark that is about to cross you, they don't care about you but they make you stressed.

How this system works without anyone getting angry is a mystery. The only explanation I can think of is that Hanoians are happy when they see a family riding together, say 4 people on a motorbike, carrying bags of all kinds, weaving through pedestrians, swerving every 10 seconds.

The work of the people here

Hbarber shop and drink stall on the sidewalk

In the alley, 36 streets

Peopleidfavor

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It seems that people here like to buy and sell, everyone is selling something, this is truly one of the fastest growing markets in the world. In the 36 Streets Old Quarter of Hanoi, each street sells something like jewelry, silk, cotton, bamboo, medicine… tools, fish sauce, votive offerings, fabric, clothes…

During the three days of wandering, I was solicited to buy from many groups of street vendors, hawkers, who followed me very persistently. I could only admire their determination to stick with me.

One night, after leaving a bar in the old quarter, the street seemed deserted, but there were street vendors selling bread on the street, or occasionally street vendors selling corn, sweet potatoes, sticky rice, and snacks to relieve hunger at night.

Place of residence

To get the real experience, we booked a room through Airbnb in the old French Quarter in the south of the city. To get there, you have to go through an alley, with people selling grilled corn, next to a cafe playing Rock 'n' Roll. It was strange.

Where we stay near the Cathedral

Charming two-story old house, although there are plenty of good, affordable options nearby such as Central Hotel & Spa and Essence Hanoi Hotel. Best of all, it was close to the Cathedral, with lots of tourists passing by and we sang Christmas carols together on Christmas Eve and the church bells woke us up at 5am.

Cuisine:

It would be remiss not to mention Vietnamese cuisine, the delicate balance of sweet, salty, spicy and sour tastes stimulates the appetite and you don’t need to eat too much, you will be satisfied with street food. There are many dishes, I will just mention them here:

The photo below is Pho Thin Restaurant, (13 Lo Duc) with a big bowl of pho with beef, lots of onions, some fried bread, our first meal in Hanoi was perfect!

Pho Thin Restaurant

Breakfast

Ms. Thu sells delicious vermicelli soup from a small stall in Tho Xuong near the Great Church. I searched for a long time to find this shop but it was too crowded. The following days, I ate pho at Pho Suong (24B Trung Yen; 84-91-619-76-86). Then I sat on the rooftop of a cafe famous for local and foreign artists. I tried egg coffee at Cafe Dinh. How interesting!

Bun rieu Co Thu near the Great Church

Lunch

The food at “Hang Son 1871” on Ngo Thi Nham Street is so delicious and attractive that I took a lot of photos and posted them on my Instagram. Moto-San Uber Noodles by Tadioto, tucked away on a quiet street, is a great place to relax with a sandwich and a great beer. Madame Hien Restaurant, or the cuisine at the Metropole Hotel are highly rated, next time, I will return to these places.

Hang Son 1871, with La Vong fish cake - famous in Hanoi

Mixed rice paper - A favorite snack of young people

EatDinner + Drinks

If you want to enjoy cuisine inspired by the Northern period during the war against the US, go to the Commercial Food Store No. 37 Nam Trang, +84-24-3715-4336. The style of the restaurant is reminiscent of the wartime, subsidized dishes, with many rustic dishes. If you like the Obama and Anthony Bourdain Bun Cha restaurant, go to Bun Cha Huong Lien on Le Van Huu. For a drink in the center, go to Tadioto Bar, with aromatic drinks and a sushi bar – a great choice to pair with drinks.