In this series, I will be sharing with all of you about my ventures in Hanoi during my visit in October/November 2017. Hopefully, my experiences and itineraries will be able to help those of you out there who are planning to visit this charming little city with its unique kampong feel.
Hanoi is located in northern Vietnam and is the Capital of the one of the last communist countries in the world. Also the capital of the former socialist state of North Vietnam, it is not difficult to see that communism is deeply rooted in the heart of this city – with the worshipping of their late leader at the symbolic Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the statue of Lenin erected in the centre of the city and the stereotypical crimson red banners with familiar communist imagery.
| Quyet tu de to quoc quyet sinh (Determined to die for the country) |
Founded in 1010, Hanoians are celebrating their home’s vibrant history of more than 1000 years as we enter this new millennium. While this city may not be as famous as Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) which is commonly mistaken as the country’s capital, it certainly has a totally different kind of vibe that will not fail to charm you. It is the motorcycle capital of chaotic yet oddly orderly traffic – every street you walk along, there will be motorbikes whizzing all over the place and honking to give you a shout-out that “I’m coming!” (Disclaimer: You may get a headache from all the honking on your first day here, but you will quickly get accustomed to it and find it rather intriguing and affectionate towards the end of your trip.)
| Motorcycles whizzing past |
You can also see stark contrasts of direct opposites in this city: the well-preserved historical monuments (like the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long) coexisting with the desire to speedy progress into a metropolis, the Western-inspired architectural facades (like the Hanoi Opera House and Saint Joseph’s Cathedral) juxtaposed against the Oriental temples dotting the entire area of Hanoi.
Language
The Vietnamese language mostly uses Latin alphabets (with inclusions of unique characters like đ) and is a tonal language where each tone changes the pronunciation and meaning of the overall word (pretty much like Chinese). Fortunately, as the language utilises the familiar script resembling English, it is easy to remember street names and find your way around. An interesting note is that Vietnam previously used Chinese characters (albeit pronounced in a different manner) in their day-to-day writing instead of Latin characters until the early 1920s.
During my short stay here, only the tour guides and a handful of store vendors managed to converse in basic English. Most spoke to me in Vietnamese (which I could not understand at all), though I did manage to guess that some were asking me if I was a local. No worries about bargaining though, the vendors will use the calculators on their phones or cash to illustrate to you the price of their goods!
Climate
Hanoi experiences rainy summers from March to September and dry wintry weather from October to February. I personally do not really like wet weather which can dampen the entire mood when you are ready to head out for a day trip or just to explore the city. Hence, I recommend visiting Hanoi from November to February for minimal rainfall and comfortable temperatures. (During my 6D5N trip to Hanoi and Halong Bay, I only experienced a mild drizzle on the last morning just when I was about to head to the airport.)
Costs
Hanoi, like most other Southeast Asian destinations, is a relatively inexpensive city to visit and travel to. You can satiate your appetite with local fare like banh mi or pho starting at an affordable price of VND 30,000 (S$1.90). Tourist attractions also have low admission fees at approximately VND 30,000 as well. Therefore, it is definitely possible to see a lot in this city for very little - perhaps, that's why Hanoi is attracting so many backpackers in recent years!
When you are doing your shopping at the night market, you may want to try your hand at haggling with the vendors. For me, I started the bargaining at 50% of the quoted price, which should give you some indication of the level of overcharging that is taking place here (and how much you can start bidding). Just so you know - I did manage to get the item at the price I quoted!
So what is there to see in Hanoi? What foods will you be able to savour in this city? More on my travel adventures in the coming posts! Do stay tuned for more adventures and tips on travelling in Hanoi!
Are you inspired to visit Hanoi after reading this post? If so, please feel free to check out the affordable flight options which have been made available by Skyscanner in the link below. Download the Skyscanner app on your mobile device to have a one-stop station to compare airfares from the various airlines available! It also offers car rental, travel agent and accommodation in various travel destinations including Hanoi.
Some of the links above are affiliate links, which means that I will earn a commission if you click through and make a booking at no extra cost for you. Thank you for your support!
Costs
Hanoi, like most other Southeast Asian destinations, is a relatively inexpensive city to visit and travel to. You can satiate your appetite with local fare like banh mi or pho starting at an affordable price of VND 30,000 (S$1.90). Tourist attractions also have low admission fees at approximately VND 30,000 as well. Therefore, it is definitely possible to see a lot in this city for very little - perhaps, that's why Hanoi is attracting so many backpackers in recent years!
When you are doing your shopping at the night market, you may want to try your hand at haggling with the vendors. For me, I started the bargaining at 50% of the quoted price, which should give you some indication of the level of overcharging that is taking place here (and how much you can start bidding). Just so you know - I did manage to get the item at the price I quoted!
| Night market outside Cho Dong Xuan |
So what is there to see in Hanoi? What foods will you be able to savour in this city? More on my travel adventures in the coming posts! Do stay tuned for more adventures and tips on travelling in Hanoi!
Are you inspired to visit Hanoi after reading this post? If so, please feel free to check out the affordable flight options which have been made available by Skyscanner in the link below. Download the Skyscanner app on your mobile device to have a one-stop station to compare airfares from the various airlines available! It also offers car rental, travel agent and accommodation in various travel destinations including Hanoi.
Some of the links above are affiliate links, which means that I will earn a commission if you click through and make a booking at no extra cost for you. Thank you for your support!
