Please Help :- Anyone Been To Hanoi?


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RuthBaby

Senior Member
Im going to Hanoi 2N 3D Free & Easy.

It's my very first time visiting vietnam, so i hope you guys can assist me.

Things to buy,
Things to eat,

Places to visit,
:)

Thank you

Best Regards

RB
 

RuthBaby said:
Im going to Hanoi 2N 3D Free & Easy.

It's my very first time visiting vietnam, so i hope you guys can assist me.

Things to buy,
Things to eat,

Places to visit,
:)

Thank you

Best Regards

RB


I was last in Hanoi around 1996 so things have changed tremendously. However I'm sure it is a wonderful place for street and travel photogrpahy. it used to be like old chinatown, just watch out for your belongings. make sure your camera bag is strapped to your waist and your cam properly slinged.
 

The old quarters and around the lake is a nice place to do street photography.

If you can, try to go for a halong bay or tam coc trip. But since you've only 3 days 2 nights, a tam coc day-trip is more advisable.

I actually find hanoi a pretty charming place, nicer than HCM..
 

you'll love it.
been there more than 10 years ago.
stayed in a hotel surrounded by a lake.
hanoi is nice. got old french architecture.
truly beautiful girls. no kidding.
bicycle stalls selling baguette sandwiches on the street.
 

Stay in the old quarter. Visit the water puppet theatre (must go), try out the street food, surprisingly clean. Try local coffee, (trung nguyen, I think) and eat eat eat... good food, good prices.
 

I also going Vietnamon the 16th.. But Igoing Ho Chi Minh :) My 1st time also..

RuthBaby said:
Im going to Hanoi 2N 3D Free & Easy.

It's my very first time visiting vietnam, so i hope you guys can assist me.

Things to buy,
Things to eat,

Places to visit,
:)

Thank you

Best Regards

RB
 

RuthBaby said:
Im going to Hanoi 2N 3D Free & Easy.

It's my very first time visiting vietnam, so i hope you guys can assist me.

Things to buy,
Things to eat,

Places to visit,
:)

Thank you

Best Regards

RB

It's a reasonably good time to go - not too hot nor too humid.

Things to buy: why must buy anything? ;-) Take snaps and bring home memories...... (that said, my aunt and friends did like their silk and sequinned ladies bags)

Things to eat:

1. I rate having a bowl of pho from the streetside hawker, sitting really low on stools, as a big highlight; as is eating this chendol looking shaved ice thing with condensed milk.

2. There's the usual deep fried pork ribs with a mint, cabbage and sprouts salad and a bowl of porridge - try to eat this by a streetside shop (there's one near the railway station that's quite good though I really can't remember the road - but this is standard fare)

3. Fanny Ice Cream

4. Restaurants where you can order the usual Viet dishes - Quan Com Pho restaurant (9432356), Club Opera (opposite the Sofitel - serves gourmet Vietnamese; expect to pay a bit. 8246950), Nam Phuong (8240926), Brother's Cafe (rather pricey touristy, buffet style, Hoi An branch is way way more impressive. 7333866)

5. Cafes - this 2001 article is still quite accurate (prices might have gone up a tad). After reading it I went to eat at Cafe 252 that Catherine Deneuve visited......... Not much atmosphere but lots of pictures on the wall of the proprietress' father taking pictures with a rather bored looking Catherine Deneuve. Strangely he looked like the reincarnation of Aristotle Onassis............Aside: IMO, Vietnamese coffee is fun to drink on vacation there, but it seems that the fun quickly dies when you buy some home and make it yourself.

Places to visit:

I am sure any travel site will be able to list lots, but I'd say the highlights for me were taking walks around the Old Quarter, both day and night (also taking in the side roads along Hang Gai Rd away from the OQ), walking around the HK lake in the evenings, visiting the many small art galleries and combining a visit to the Temple of Literature with a visit to the Fine Arts Museum situated just across the road. I also played chatek with some kids and watched lots of pavement badminton games - Hanoians are pretty exercise prone people.

The Hanoi 'Hilton' prison has been considerably destroyed by a monstrosity of a commercial development, temples are kinda passe with me, the Water Puppet show is ok lah, though I would still recommend it for want of something to do at night. ;-)

Enjoy your trip! 3 days 2 nights is enough time to see a lot and not get bored. I'd rent a motorbike to speed up the sightseeing, though, it is really a very walkable city.

Where are you staying?
 

Fanny's ice-cream is highly recommended. Located in a shop around the lake.
 

Any idea on Ho Chi Minh? I'll be there for 4 days, staying at Park Hyatt..

kahheng said:
It's a reasonably good time to go - not too hot nor too humid.

Things to buy: why must buy anything? ;-) Take snaps and bring home memories...... (that said, my aunt and friends did like their silk and sequinned ladies bags)

Things to eat:

1. I rate having a bowl of pho from the streetside hawker, sitting really low on stools, as a big highlight; as is eating this chendol looking shaved ice thing with condensed milk.

2. There's the usual deep fried pork ribs with a mint, cabbage and sprouts salad and a bowl of porridge - try to eat this by a streetside shop (there's one near the railway station that's quite good though I really can't remember the road - but this is standard fare)

3. Fanny Ice Cream

4. Restaurants where you can order the usual Viet dishes - Quan Com Pho restaurant (9432356), Club Opera (opposite the Sofitel - serves gourmet Vietnamese; expect to pay a bit. 8246950), Nam Phuong (8240926), Brother's Cafe (rather pricey touristy, buffet style, Hoi An branch is way way more impressive. 7333866)

5. Cafes - this 2001 article is still quite accurate (prices might have gone up a tad). After reading it I went to eat at Cafe 252 that Catherine Deneuve visited......... Not much atmosphere but lots of pictures on the wall of the proprietress' father taking pictures with a rather bored looking Catherine Deneuve. Strangely he looked like the reincarnation of Aristotle Onassis............Aside: IMO, Vietnamese coffee is fun to drink on vacation there, but it seems that the fun quickly dies when you buy some home and make it yourself.

Places to visit:

I am sure any travel site will be able to list lots, but I'd say the highlights for me were taking walks around the Old Quarter, both day and night (also taking in the side roads along Hang Gai Rd away from the OQ), walking around the HK lake in the evenings, visiting the many small art galleries and combining a visit to the Temple of Literature with a visit to the Fine Arts Museum situated just across the road. I also played chatek with some kids and watched lots of pavement badminton games - Hanoians are pretty exercise prone people.

The Hanoi 'Hilton' prison has been considerably destroyed by a monstrosity of a commercial development, temples are kinda passe with me, the Water Puppet show is ok lah, though I would still recommend it for want of something to do at night. ;-)

Enjoy your trip! 3 days 2 nights is enough time to see a lot and not get bored. I'd rent a motorbike to speed up the sightseeing, though, it is really a very walkable city.

Where are you staying?
 

jeryltan said:
Any idea on Ho Chi Minh? I'll be there for 4 days, staying at Park Hyatt..

I didn't do HCM despite my two trips to Vietnam as I couldn't find time to do both HCM and a Mekong delta visit on both occasions. I will the next time.

A good synopsis on what to do-see and eat can be had from the NY Times travel section. It is written by a guilo but their recommendations have yet to fail me over their many articles.
 

:bsmilie: Ok tks..Willtake a look..

kahheng said:
I didn't do HCM despite my two trips to Vietnam as I couldn't find time to do both HCM and a Mekong delta visit on both occasions. I will the next time.

A good synopsis on what to do-see and eat can be had from the NY Times travel section. It is written by a guilo but their recommendations have yet to fail me over their many articles.
 

Halong Bay is best done as an overnight trip, it takes a while to get there and back.
 

went to hanoi a few months ago, really a wonderful place. you'll really enjoy yourself :)

food:
- definitely the pho, but also try the other noodles, such as the dry rice noodles with grilled meat (bun cha or something like that, can't remember).
- try this fish dish if you have the chance.
- visit the fruit shake stalls... yum!
- the double chocolate ice-cream at fanny's is really good, though you may want to try some of the local flavours, such as the rice one...
- vietnamese coffee is rather strong, very sweet, and milky. something to experience if you're a coffee lover. haha, can buy the "weasel coffee" if you have a coffee machine at home

visit:
- the water puppet show was more fun than i expected. try to get tickets in advance, cos they get booked up quite quickly near show time cos of tour groups. pay a little more and get a seat nearer the front.
- usual hanoi tourist attractions include the temple of literature, HCM mausoleum, uncle ho's house
- yes, definitely take extra time to go visit halong bay, and the limestone caves there

PICT8747.jpg


***
jeryl, i can't say much about HCM... it's not a city everyone can appreciate. there's a kind of nervous energy to the place that makes hanoi feel much more peaceful by comparison. the attractions are also further apart, so be prepared to either walk, or pay for transport

the food at com nieu sai gon is ok, i'd recommend it just for the fun of watching the waiters throw the rice through the air...

***
my ho-hum pix of vietnam are here.

hope they can give people an idea of what sights can be found there.
 

RuthBaby said:
wow... Thanks alot...

We will extend 1 more day to go to Halong Bay! Very Beautiful Lake... :D

Halong Bay, to be honest, is best done as an overnighter. Reach there by mid-morning, charter a boat for the day incl. lunch onboard, and come back in the late afternoon/early evening to shore.

You will die rushing to and fro if you don't have transport prearranged. The driving distance from Hanoi is NOT that near.

Suggest you get a coach package from your hotel, or get your hotel concierge to arrange it.
 

Do rem visit a "Little Hanoi" restaurant there. Last round I went it was listed on Lonely Planet guide books. Sorry don't have the exact addy but it is really all within walking distance in Hanoi. Do take care it is not "Little Hanoi II" but the original restaurant. Has two floors and is located in one of the streets. We basically tried every dish and were eating there every meal for the last 2 days of our trip after trying out the other restaurants. Also try to go in early for the water puppet show as it is free seating to get good seats :sweatsm: Have fun on your trip!
 

Horus said:
Do rem visit a "Little Hanoi" restaurant there. Last round I went it was listed on Lonely Planet guide books. Sorry don't have the exact addy but it is really all within walking distance in Hanoi. Do take care it is not "Little Hanoi II" but the original restaurant. Has two floors and is located in one of the streets. We basically tried every dish and were eating there every meal for the last 2 days of our trip after trying out the other restaurants. Also try to go in early for the water puppet show as it is free seating to get good seats :sweatsm: Have fun on your trip!

Little Hanoi
25 Pho Ta Hien
Tel 9260168
 

Oh BTW, do anyone know if English is ok over there? Or is basic French & Vietnamese a must?
 

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