"Hanging out in Hanoi" a Hanoi Travel Page by trvlrgrl

Visiting Hanoi more than exceeded my expectations. Yes, the city is teeming with new sights, smells, and the ominipresent motobikes and cyclos...and the Old Quarter and other touristy parts of town are...well..touristy...but there is also a realness to walking the streets of Hanoi. I've gone 4 whole days without even seeing let alone smelling a Starbucks! :) And when you get out of the touristy areas, yes there is poverty but also a rich sense of history and personal tenacity. Overall a great place to visit.

Yes, they are everywhere in Hanoi, but the trick is to sort of ignore them and let them deal with you. They are much better at braking and swerving to avoid you then you are at dodging, darting, and panicking to avoid them. Just take a quick look before you cross the street, then start out deliberately and slowly in a straight line and you should have no problem. I even crossed the street while reading a map!

I stayed in the old quarter and paid a premium price for a balcony. I wouldn't recommend it. The balcony was large, but the view was less than impressive. And it was so darn hot, I barely sat out there.