Viet Nam: Hanoi Part 1

Introduction

If I were to ask what is the capital of Viet Nam?

Would you say its Ho Chi Minh (HCM) or Hanoi?

If you guess the latter, then give yourself a pat.

Hanoi is located north of HCM almost 2000km away.

It has an estimated population of more than 7 million people and size of 3,329 km².

The city has a huge Chinese influence, which is evident in its temple around the city and the people who mostly speak Mandarin.

I visited the Hanoi in 2014 and this is my story.

Google Map of the City

A useful Local Map with Itinerary

 The City

Hanoi International Airport (Noi Bai) is the gateway into Hanoi. It is located 45 km away from the city itself. The airport itself has a combination of old and new.

I wasn’t in time to get photos on arrival but I thought slip in some departure photos of the airport here.

Although, I didn’t notice any renovation works, the new photos from the airport website show a new modern face.

http://www.hanoiairportonline.com/


There are a few nice restaurants and you definitely want to get a local data SIM card.

There are plenty of cabs outside the airport but I have not heard good things about local cabs in Viet Nam.

The hotel (with a small fee) can arrange for a cab to pick you up at the airport to save you the hassle.

The City (For Reals, this time)

When I think of Vietnam, I expect tropic climate, paddy fields and palm trees. This wasn’t the case in Feb, 2014. I was pretty under dressed and didn’t bring the necessary set of clothing for the weather.

Temperature between December to Feb can be high as 18^oC and get as low 15^oC at night. Somehow I felt it was much colder though.

To really grasp the “essence” of the city itself, one should travel to the Old Quarter. Hanoi’s old quarter is a famous tourist spot and the city offers many walking tours.

In many travel guides, it is mentioned that it has a French colonial architecture. I am not architecture expert, but I am pretty sure I missed that out altogether in my 3 days trip here.

Here are some pictures from inside my cab. The city streets are combinations of narrow lanes and roads wide enough for 2 cars to pass through and in some place just enough for one.

Photos are a little blurry, as I was taking them inside a moving cab

The Hotel

Neon lights look nicer at night

The Hanoi Eclipse Hotel was highly rated on Tripadvisor. In fact these days, it is very difficult to book as rooms are quickly taken up.

They have a very modest lobby, but the rooms are large and very comfortable and clean.

The staff speak English and are very helpful.

Night view of the hotel. I just love neon lights.

The breakfast though limited (back 2014) has combination of western and local food.

If needed, they even can help with to get private cab from the Airport to hotel.

They provide toiletries, which is another plus.

If you need to book tours, they have arrangement with agents who can help with that.

Here is a quick look of the room.

Don’t Panic

This is the section where I usually you get tips on travelling to a location or what to expect on the local culture.

1)   Visa on Arrival

Most travelers (especially from West nations) are required to make a Visa. Visa on Arrival queue is long and you may want to check before arriving to Viet Nam. Immigration officer do not speak English well and that may be a hassle.

2)   Currency and Credit Card

The local currency is dong but you may to bring a US currency as well.

I find most locals rather transact in US currency versus dong.

But when possible use the local currency as you get better exchange rate, most of the time.

The credit cards have a service fee charged back to customer. Bring cash and use cash.

3)   Weather

Check the weather before coming. I wasn’t alone thinking Hanoi is going to be tropical. I saw many people disembarking from the plane with shorts and island shirts.

More on the city in Hanoi Part 2.