The best Hanoi Travel Tips is Hanoi is not-like-the-other Asian cities. It offers multi-shades: joyfully nightlife, charming French buildings, and the contradistinction of modern life – ancient houses.
Hanoi travel tips for the first impression
At first, when approaching Hanoi airport, I was fell in love with the big smile from the flight attendants. However, all was too much different when I reach to Hanoi city center. You can imagine that bikes are everywhere and the drivers use horn frequently but the locals get used to it, and it makes us stand out among other Asian countries.
When sunset comes, Hanoi has a different face: still hustling but much more beautiful, more fun than I thought. I walked around the Night market with a bottle of Hanoi beer on my hand and looking around when enjoying the walking street and Night market. In the night market, there are thousands of shops selling souvenirs, hand-made products, daily stuff, and local food stores. You are also shocked with its budget-friendly prices; it ranges from $1 – $99 per items which should be on the top of your Hanoi Travel Tips Notebook.
With regarding the architecture, Hanoi is a fusion of Chinese, Japanese, French ancient architecture which attracts so many travelers. The area of Hanoi Old Quarter is also named French quarter because of many built-during-the-war existing ancient French Colonial architecture. Moreover, all the streets are very narrow and filled up with many trendy shops, tiny bars, fine art, bikes, buses, markets, and hidden coffee shops. Crossing the street is an art of survival as motorbikes and cars never cease moving for you. More details about the below Hanoi Travel Tips will satisfy you.
Hanoi travel tips – How to enjoy this bustling capital city
Nowadays, Hanoi capital city is filled up with a massive number of tourists, shops, entertainment places, restaurants, crowded narrow streets, etc. You will find it charming with something hidden behind which you never know if without the locals. Hanoi is a selection of different emotion, both positive and negative. Hanoi ‘’tastes’’ like durian, at first, it smells not so good, but when getting used to it, you will never forget it.
Some of the most popular and fun ways of exploring Hanoi are to visit by bikes, trishaw or walking around. Hanging around Hanoi Old Quarter to immerse yourself in the hustling and dynamic atmosphere in this place, or jumping on the bikes to ride straightly to Hanoi outskirt, watching the local farmers planting vegetables and visiting the local house, chatting with the farmers to get a deep insight into Hanoi daily life and culture.
Hanoi travel tips – best thing to see
1. Wandering around Hanoi Old Quarter
With a long history of nearly 2,000-year-olds, the Old Quarter is an iconic symbol of Hanoi capital city and a hub of Vietnam tourists/travelers. That is why you can find out anything here which ranges from the cheap to the most expensive ones such as the cheap eateries, musical instruments, clothes, cosmetics, and luxury souvenir/handmade shops.
Besides it, the expats are also amazed by many fascination ancient French architectures around which prove the strong French influence in this Asian country. Beer corner is also a very famous place to sit and sip Bia Hoi, cheap draught Vietnamese beer with the fee of only 10.000vnd / a big glass. The nearest tourist places to Old Quarter is Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple. It takes you just a few steps to get there from your hotel if it is inside the Old Quarter area.
2. Explore Amazing Train Street
This street becomes famous because of its opposition: the speeding train passes straight through the road which the local houses are located on both of side. Its location is on Le Duan street and another gate on Tran Quy Cap street which is easily found out on Google Maps and just 3 km from Hanoi Old Quarter area. This train runs through the city center, passes by small local houses on both of roadside. Coming here to figure out how cool it is and it is also the perfect place for creative photographers. The residences get used to the train daily departure schedule so they will quickly put all precious personal belongings as well as their active children inside when hearing the train howling from away.
Coming there to witness many foreigners come there for taking breathtaking pictures or selfie when the train is approaching closer to them. This train departs from Hanoi train station and approaching to South to Hue and Hoian.
3. Night market and walking street
Hanoi night market occurs from Friday night to Sunday night and lasts from 7 pm to midnight. This night market begins at Hoan Kiem lake and ends at Dong Xuan market. The night market combines to walking street create a complex of entertainment center for both the local and expats. They are selling all daily stuff with the souvenirs so you can find out anything you want here at the very budget-friendly price.
4. Watching an art performance to get a deep insight into the local culture
In the past, Vietnam is just available Water Puppet Show (Thang Long theater at 57-Dinh Tien Hoang or another nearby theater at 16-Le Thai To street, admission of 100.000vnd) which can’t be fit to everyone. As a result, nowadays, we have choices other Water Puppet Theaters on Truong Chinh street or inside Ethnology museum. Besides it, there is a more optional performance for travelers such as:
Lonah Show
Hanoi describe a charming, modern Hanoi on stage through the perfect fusion of different art forms and 3D effects. Its location is at Galaxy theater – 6 km from Hanoi Old Quarter area. At this moment, it has been closed until 9/2019 for maintenance.
Ionah is one of the best two variety of performance in Vietnam. A selected set of circus, dance, music, and theatrical arts will fill up your heart with enjoyment. You can imagine iONAH show is the wonderland of Alice in Vietnam version.
Ionah is an excellent choice for the family with the children as there are some additional funny activities such as a comic entertainer who will make our children laugh a lot. At the end of the show, all artists will leave the stage to communicate and take a selfie with our audience, especially our family with children. It is a must-see show in Vietnam and shouldn’t miss that extraordinary Hanoi Travel experience.
The performance of My Village
It regenerates the picture of a Vietnamese rural area which is poetic and charming. By watching it, we can listen to the beautiful music, admire the eye-catching bamboo circus with an authentic culture. It awakens all our emotions of the beauty; the light effects, the perfection which reflecting our lovely childhood in the countryside in Vietnam homeland.
Four palaces
The show recalls the popular religious belief of the old Vietnamese – called Mother worshipping knowledge. (Worker Theater on Trang Tien street)
The quintessence of Tonkin
To showcase the cultural highlights of northern Vietnam, The Quintessence of Tonkin is Scenography of skillful performers, a mesmerizing set, delightful water puppetry, a stunning light show, an evocative soundtrack and breathtaking open-air scenery of the rural area. (It is a 40-minute drive from Hanoi center. Address: Da Phuc village, Sai Son commune, Quoc Oai district, Hanoi)
Hanoi travel tips – best thing to do
- Sit on the small chair then eat street food – Taste street food is the best way to get the original local flavor as well as the culture of eating on the pavement.
- Practice bargain culture in Vietnam – The locals enjoy their custom, they always show you the inflated prices firstly so you can bargain from your side. You should ask for half discount.
- Drink Bia Hoi – The most popular and cheapest beer in Vietnam with only 10,000 and per big glass.
- Jump on Hop-on-Hop-off 2-story buses – It is quite comfortable and convenient if you prefer something flexible and much less hassle than trishaw. This service is around US$20 per day.
- Learn how to cross Vietnam street with the local expert guidance – Most of the time, you feel that it is much more likely to get hit, however, the scooters will zip by you so be confident to pass by.
- Visit all heritage sites which is nearest to Hanoi such as Trang An Heritage site and Escape the Hustle for Halong Bay – UNESCO heritage site.
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