Good Morning, Vietnam!

After a redeye flight to Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific, a four hour layover in the airport, and another two hour trip from Hong Kong to Hanoi by Dragonair, we finally arrived in Vietnam! Despite spending approximately twenty hours in transit, the trip seemed relatively short. Unfortunately, we didn’t have a chance to go into Hong Kong, but flying out we got a decent view of the harbour and surrounding landscape. During our layover, we spent a few hours chatting with a Canadian woman on her way to Phuket, Thailand, an island we’ll be passing through in about a month. Our flight into Vietnam had a mix of passengers from Australia, America, Uruguay, the UK, and other Southeast Asia countries, and we met a couple British backpackers and some airline mechanics from LA on the way. Definitely foreshadowed how many tourists would be in Hanoi – even in the low season.

Tortoise Tower

We arrived in Hanoi, Vietnam a few days ago, and are staying in the heart of the historic Old Quarter of the city. So far, we’ve explored most of the area surrounding Hoan Kiem Lake (Lake of the Restored Sword), the centre of the old city. We visited Ngoc Son Temple on a small island in the lake, which showcases the embalmed remains of a giant tortoise thought to have inhabited Hoan Kiem. Like most other people in the city – locals and tourists alike – we’ve spent a lot of time sitting on benches around the lake and taking photos of the emblematic Tortoise Tower in the picturesque southern part of the lake. We also visited the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, which houses the remains of the most revered political leader in the country. This included a visit to this Presidential Palace, his House on Stilts, as well as the quaint One Pillar Pagoda (all for about 70 cents). We wandered through the French Quarter of Hanoi, complete with an Opera House reminiscent of the one in Paris, tree-lined boulevards, and Gucci and Prada lining the streets, but definitely has less character than the Old Quarter. We love the area we’re staying in, where people cook on the streets, make flower wreaths, and tend to chickens.

So far, I’ve noticed three hallmarks of life in Hanoi:

Pho bo

1. Food!

Known as one of the best culinary cities in the world, Hanoi has allowed us to eat great food inexpensively (we usually spend about $5 on a decent meal for both of us combined). After trying a few dishes, my favourite is definitely pho (the local staple of beef noodle soup), and Wes loves the chicken-fried rice. We’ve also been out for 90-cent Hanoi Beer (at 11am) and gelato-style ice cream, but definitely look forward to sampling more food. Most locals eat at side street stalls, and it usually looks and smells delicious, but we’re not really willing to risk it when there are so many other options.

Motos near the French Quarter

2. Moto Life

In one word, the roads of Hanoi are intense – traffic never ceases, and like most other parts of the developing world, pedestrians do not have the right of way. One of the best parts of people-watching in Hanoi is watching motos zip through the streets with little regard for traditional road rules, and routinely piling families of four on the back of their bikes. Since the motos, tuktuks, and few cars on the road rarely stop, crossing the street entails walking into traffic at a slow, steady pace, and having moto drivers skillfully swerve around you. 

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

3. Uncle Ho

Colloquially known as Uncle Ho by the Vietnamese, Ho Chi Minh was a Communist revolutionary that led the independence movement from France, and is particularly well-respected in the north of the country. Despite his wishes, Uncle Ho has effectively been canonized in contemporary Vietnam, with his face on every banknote, and his embalmed remains being one of the most visited sites in Hanoi (even though he explicitly asked to be cremated). His legacy is present throughout the city, and most of the people visiting the Mausoleum when we were there were Vietnam citizens paying their respects, despite the fact that their policies have evolved since the revolutionary days of Uncle Ho.

So far, we’ve thoroughly enjoyed Hanoi, mostly due to the charming, infectious buzz of the city and the opportunity to relax and enjoy everyday life here. We love watching the behaviour of moto riders, especially the kids that are wedged between their parents on the bikes. Wes’ favourite moment so far has been seeing two old women playing badminton on a backstreet in the French Quarter – when one of them scored a point I clapped and they both started laughing. Despite the reputation for northerners to be less amiable than their counterparts in the south, we’ve found all of the people we’ve met so far to be amiable and kind. In a few days we plan to take an overnight trip to the UNESCO-renowned Halong Bay before spending a bit more time in the Old Quarter, but I’m already dreading leaving Hanoi for Ho Chi Minh City in the south next week! 

Yen Thai Street

Hoan Kiem Lake

Ngoc Son Temple