Become a Virtual Tourist Member Today!  Sign Up for Free | Sign In

"the 2sues in the north of Vietnam" a Hanoi Travel Page by SPW

Search:
email to friend | help
Home » Asia » Vietnam » Thu Do Ha Noi » Hanoi » SPW Hanoi Travel Page

Hanoi Pages by SPW


"the 2sues in the north of Vietnam" a Hanoi Travel Page by SPW
See the Entire Hanoi Travel Guide
Click Picture to enlarge.
 email me
 add as friend


SPW   
To see, to meet, to know


Real Name: Sue
Lives In: Williamstown, AU
Member Since: Jul 25, 2003
VT Rank: 1343

Sponsored Links for Hanoi

Car Hotel
Save When You Book Your Hotel with a Flight or Car Together at Expedia

Hotels in Hanoi Vietnam
Wholesale rates, easy and fast Instant availability, live support

Hotels.com Official Site
Hotels.com Low Rates Guaranteed! Call a Hotel Expert. 1-800-449-4167

Hanoi Hotels
For leisure or business 4000 hotels at great prices

Somerset Grand Hanoi
Luxury serviced apartments for business and leisure travellers.



 

Page Views: 1,437            Last Visit to Hanoi: September, 2002      

the 2sues in the north of Vietnam

by SPW - last update: Aug 13, 2003

Hanoi street

Decisions, decisions...

Despite the efforts of friendly Vietnamese cafe owners here in Melbourne we eventually decided to confine our trip to Hanoi and the north. This seemed more manageable than trying to skim over the length of the country in 2 weeks. It was also recommended as being quieter and more obviously French influenced than the south.
We considered tours and independent travel eventually deciding to go with a program that we put together in conjunction with a tourist cafe with links to Australia. Our reasoning was that their prices were reasonable and we would have someone locally who spoke English and understood Australian peculiarities. This worked out brilliantly, giving us time to ourselves as well as organised time on short tours to Sa Pa and to Halong Bay.
Lake Hoan Kiem, Hanoi

Hanoi: a gracious city

It was sobering to drive along the road from the airport and be told that the indentations by the road were old bomb craters, the most apparent remnant from the war.
The city itself has both French overtones in the remaining colonial buildings and some of the tree lined boulevards and an unmistakable Asian feel, particularly in the Old Quarter with its narrow streets and shop houses. Lake Hoan Kiem in the centre of town is like the lungs od the city where there is peace although the traffic swirls around only a few metres away.
Motor and push bikes are the most common forms of transport and crossing the street is an important art to learn. Check that here are no cars or trucks coming and then step out, and continue to walk stedily to the other side as the bikes swerve around you. Stopping will spoil the riders' judgement and is more likely to result in accidents. White lines drawn on the road as pedestrian crossings are simply white lines drawn on the road and don't confer any safety.
Prepared to party

Autumn Moon Festival

While we were there, preparations were underway for the Autumn Moon Festival, with some street decorations, and many stalls, paticularly in the Old Quarter filled with toys for children, moon cakes and lanterns. There were street parades in the evenings and the climax included fireworks over the lake.

> Add to your Custom Travel Guide [What's This?]

Pros:"Relaxed pace, managable size"
Cons:"Some postcard and travel guide hawkers"
SPW's Hanoi Travel Tips

OverviewThings to Do
Tips: 6 - Photos: 4
 
Restaurants
Tips: 4 - Photos: 2
Hotels & Accommodations
Tips: 1 - Photos: 1
 
NightlifeOff The Beaten Path
 
Tourist TrapsWarnings Or Dangers
 
Transportation
Tips: 2 - Photos: 1
Local Customs
 
Packing ListsShopping
Tips: 1
 
Sports TravelGeneral Tips

Comments for SPW about Hanoi
nguyenkiti Mon Jun 4, 2007 02:09 UTC
 we'd like to introduce to you our restaurant named KiTi at 38 Hang Hom-Hon Kiem. Our restaurant is located in the heart quarter of Hanoi city with the elegant, luxurious, and sophisticated structures that always satisfy tourists coming to Vietnam
pepples46 Wed Sep 20, 2006 04:47 UTC
 excellent tips
Applelyn Thu Mar 30, 2006 14:38 UTC
 Is your ankle better now? Btw, lovely tips on Hanoi and nice intro
Sininen Fri Feb 17, 2006 15:22 UTC
 Hello Sue! Happy Birthday from Finland! I loved your Hanoi page, which was well written without forgetting humour and your photos made the tips perfect. Thank you for letting me join this virtual tour in Hanoi. Cheers, Sini
See More Comments

More Sponsored Links for Hanoi

Summer Vietnam Hotels
2008 Promotion at 4 & 5 Star Hotels Full Travel Services by Local Agent

Cheap Car Rentals From $7
Car Rentals As Cheap As $7/Day 22 Car Vendors. 13,000+ Locations.

Hotels in Vietnam
Save money on your hotel reservation in Vietnam.

Find:       Matching:  Advanced