"The Adventure Continues in Hanoi ! Hanoi !" Top 5 Page for this destination Hanoi by bpacker

Hanoi Travel Guide: 2,906 reviews and 5,629 photos

Lanterns for Sale, Old Quarters, Hanoi - Hanoi

Tales from a corporate wife, with hubby this time

A Note for my Fan Club: Thank You All for all your enthusiastic response for my Saigon! Saigon! page. If not for your kind words, I'll continue believing that my writing is equivilent to toilet graffiti. Your support proved my kindergarten teacher wrong. With my renewed confidence, I've decided to detailed more of my crazy adventures over here. It's honestly for you. Happy Reading!!!

There's no doubt about it. I am in love with Vietnam . Having seen the south, I now journey to the north where I found the same new-found enthusiasm for capitalism and love for anything from the West. Yesiree, the clothes! The American dollar! The English language! Zees good ! Yes, if you need to know, everybody speaks with a pronounced "Z" accent over here. So, for a short period when I was here, I spoke and dreamt with a zzzzz accent. But I didn't come here to perfect my Vietnamese, no, I hankered for lily- covered temples and lakes, high adventures in Ha Long Bay and affordable gastronomic delights. Fortunately for me this time, I am not alone in my trifold grail quest. My gallant knight has kindly agreed to a short holiday with me despite a knee wound sustained in a battle with the Solomon Blades ( roller- blading in modern speak ). Together, we ate our way through Hanoi and sought out Ha Long Bay and Perfume Pagoda . Thanks to him, I wasn't overly harrassed by Japanese men or Japanese- speaking Hanoians. On top of that, he handled unreasonable taxi drivers with great flair. Bravo for him . So did we find our Grail in the end? Read and find out...

Gastronomic Adventures

Sizzling Platter of Scorpions

Our first quest was to conquer our fear of the unknown and partake of the exotic fare in Hanoi. Yes, great courage is needed, o reader! Especially when swallowing the mighty scorpion and drinking the wine of 5 poisonous snakes...

Adventures out of Hanoi

Sunset over Yen River, Perfume Pagoda

Having fortified ourselves with revolting victuals, hubby and I set forth for the unknown. A pagoda in a place with mountains high and a jade-green land where a dragon descends. We found the Perfume Pagoda and Ha Long Bay alright, our trifold quests fulfilled!

Pros and Cons

Pros:Top Notch Gourmet Restaurants, Easy Access to Exotic Sights
Cons:Bad Traffic, Bad Taxi Drivers, those infidels!
In a nutshell:Gastronomic Capital of VN and Gateway to Great Sights!

Last visit to Hanoi: Jan 2005
Intro Updated Dec 12, 2007
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Reviews (72)

Touring Vietnam by Bike Sports & Outdoors (1)

If you're a serious biker like my hubby, chances are, you would have asked if it is possible to tour Vietnam by bike.... more travel advice

Hanoi:Temple of Literature Off The Beaten Path (21)

Look out for the 82 stone plaques placed on tortoise shells if you're in the Temple of Literature. Some of these... more travel advice

Hanoi:Temple of Literature Off The Beaten Path (21)

Ever wondered why you see cranes on the back of the tortoises in Vietnamese temples? Well, these animals carry a silent... more travel advice

Hanoi:Vietnam Museum of Ethnology Off The Beaten Path (21)

The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology houses an excellent outdoor reconstruction of ethnic houses. Ever noticed the blatant... more travel advice

Things to Do (13)
See All The Best Museum in Vietnam
Restaurants (22)
See All Don't miss the Cha Ca over here
Nightlife (3)
See All Animated Water Play
Transportation (2)
See All Hanoi's International Airport

Warnings Or Dangers (1)
Pirate Land Lubbers in Hanoi, aye , aye!
Local Customs (2)
See All Drinking Wine from a Jar
Hotels (3)
See All Staying in the Old Quarters
Shopping (4)
See All Late Night Shopping in the Old Quarters

Travelogues (4)

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Comments (50)

eriksson977 Apr 1, 2010 at 4:57 AM Report Abuse

Hanoi is extremely beautiful as illustrated from your marcellous images. Tomas Eriksson :)
thegreynomad Dec 30, 2009 at 4:31 PM Report Abuse

Plenty to see and do here!
kwipex Dec 9, 2009 at 6:17 PM Report Abuse

Thanks...somehow this Thit Cho is now burned into my memory after reading your pages..I'm ready now for my trip in Jan 2010..great writing
garridogal Oct 9, 2009 at 7:04 PM Report Abuse

That is a gorgeous opening photo!
brachtel Jul 5, 2009 at 6:09 AM Report Abuse

The dish costs 100.000 dong today. So it is definitely a lot cheaper than mentioned in this article.
850prc Jan 28, 2009 at 5:24 PM Report Abuse

What an interesting and fun page, Glen. I had a blast looking it all over. I think Vietnam is a place we want to go someday.
nibiru Dec 3, 2008 at 3:02 AM Report Abuse

Hi, Traveling in all south east asia, i found only one real italian icecream shop in Hua Hin, Thailand. I never lose this address : http://www.thailand-world.com/Coffee-Da-Vinci-Icecream-Shop.html
asianbelle Jun 10, 2008 at 8:13 PM Report Abuse

thanks for the tip glen. guess, we have to choose only 1 to spend a bit more time in hanoi.
dancinbudgie Feb 2, 2008 at 5:41 PM Report Abuse

Your pages made me laugh! Tips are excellent. Tankyou. Tracey
wen_viaggio Dec 12, 2007 at 3:26 AM Report Abuse

Haha! Crap from a civet cat that tastes great? That's my kind of ***. :D Looks like I have to give it a go when I visit Hanoi. :D