"The capital" Hanoi by xaver

Hanoi Travel Guide: 2,675 reviews and 5,718 photos

Arrival

Hanoi was the city I landed after 14 hours flying, I did not know what to expect, but, the first impression I had, was a slow and lazy feeling.
Once in the airport, I met many militaries, and noone really seemed to care about the new foreigners presence, I mean I did not feel as they were there to control or check, may be cause I were used to the costant feeling of allarm you have in our airports, but it was a really nice welcome, a first sign of that *not tourists* oriented country that I was starting to visit.

The city

temple

After the reading of some vt pages and lonely planet, I was expecting a really busy and cahotic city, what I found instead, was a countryside town, probably grown too fast.
This was my impression, as you enter the city through some countryside roads and suddenly you end up in a cahotic motorbikes beeeep beeeeep.

Conclusion

pagoda

For several reasons, Hanoi became the base of my trip in Vietnam and Laos, and, in conclusion, as for Bangkok and Jakarta, I must say it was cahotic, busy, full of traffic but I loved it.

Pros and Cons

Pros:Does not look like a real city
Cons:Traffic, motobikes, taxis
In a nutshell:Would love to go back

Last visit to Hanoi: Oct 2003
Intro Written Nov 30, 2003
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Reviews (3)

Great people Restaurants (1)

I came here my first evening in Hanoi and just kept coming back any time I was in town. As for the hotel, my coming back... more travel advice

I loved this place Hotels (1)

Arrived here just for casualty as, the taxi driver did not bring me to the hotel I chosed, and I must thank him. The... more travel advice

Massage and Sauna Things to Do (1)

This place was adviced to me by the hotel staff(one of the really many reasons I must thank them), and it was a really... more travel advice

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Comments (6)

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SLLiew Sep 15, 2007 at 11:32 PM

Hanoi is a beautiful city. Bring back fond memories.
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Nemorino Jul 24, 2007 at 3:43 AM

Glad you liked Hanoi. I went there by train in 1995 (Ho Chi Minh Express), rented a bicycle (a bit small but otherwise fine) and had a great time cycling all around the city and environs.
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BACHTHANHBINH Oct 23, 2005 at 4:00 AM

Very insightfull page of my country.Thanks.
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marimar_72 Jan 19, 2004 at 10:44 AM

And in a 69 bar!!!LMAO!!!
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herzog63 Nov 30, 2003 at 8:53 AM

I'm looking forward to seeing this page blossum!!
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titti Oct 3, 2003 at 2:09 PM

...ancora nulla?? :-))