"Ha Noi..History,Culture..and Yes...Motorbikes too" Hanoi by Greggor58

Hanoi Travel Guide: 2,675 reviews and 5,717 photos

Huc Bridge,Hoan Kiem Lake,Ha Noi,Vietnam.

My First Impressions...

We arrived initially on a flight from Da Nang...and transited STRAIGHT to the train station for our journey North to Sa Pa...our plan...to spend a few days on the flip side of Sa Pa exploring a little of Ha Noi so for now we got off the flight and went straight to the train station. We stashed our gear...and set out to find an inexpensive place to grab a bite before the overnight train to Sa Pa. The return to Ha Noi from Sa Pa would occur four days later when we could take some time and see a little of what Ha Noi had to offer us. This four day stopover in Ha Noi was the wrap up to a four week journey through Vietnam.

Our arrival was in the dark of early morning...and we were met at the train station and whisked away by a pre arranged driver to a hotel on the fringes of the Old Quarter,close to Hoan Kiem Lake. Our room wasn't ready so our visit to Ha Noi started with a early morning walk around the lake. As we were arriving to our hotel we drove by the lake which was lit up like a Christmas tree,Tet decorations ( illuminated lanterns ) were already hanging from the trees that ring the walkway around the lake.

There were already small groups of people exercising and walking and hanging around starting they're day, chatting in the predawn darkness. I was a little surprised to see so many people already out and about. It was still dark out !!

We found a small hole in the wall place across the street that was serving hot strong coffee and our visit to Ha Noi had begun.

I knew very little about Ha Noi before I started to prepare for this journey..I knew it was the Capitol of the North before and after the "American War". I first heard about or really payed attention to the name Ha Noi when I was fourteen I guess,the news media were talking about the Christmas bombing campaign in 1972.The infamous visit by Jane Fonda to the North and Ha Noi is also a vague memory,as are the media images of the American pilots held captive in the infamous "Ha Noi Hilton".

When I started preparations for my time here I started to learn a little more and after I had the opportunity to spend some days wandering around and experiencing it for myself I got a little taste of life in Ha Noi.

2010....One Thousand Years of People and Life...

Caligrapher,87 Ma May Street,Ha Noi Vietnam.

Ha Noi is a bustling city offering all of the conveniences of a modern city that also suffers all of the trappings of modern Western cities..infrastructure issues..clogged roads,polluted air,and a non-stop life in motion..(MANY MANY MOTORBIKES) and people constantly on the move ( See the attached video of motorbike chaos ). All of these "downfalls" add to the flavor of the city and doesn't take away from the unique charm and character of Ha Noi. The only thing that I didn't like about the city was CROSSING the streets, a necessary evil which no matter how many times I did it, I never truly felt comfortable.As you might have already read here on VT or other places, there is a definite shortage of traffic lights or pedestrian crosswalks in Ha Noi. To cross the road you must summon up all of your courage and cross against a steady flow of vehicles and motorbikes coming at you like a swarm of bugs!

Its history is long and certainly interesting. This year, 2010, they will celebrate the 1000th year of settlement. The original area of the city, Thang Long, a fortified series of defensive rings and moats, is now being considered for UNESCO status and is essentially located in Ba Dinh District of central Ha Noi.

The long history of the city today provides for us an opportunity to experience some remaining ancient pagodas and temples, and the people that I was fortunate to meet,proud and gentle,were seemingly holding onto some traditions and a culture that has been passed down to them from generation to generation.

Three QUICK Days..

Temple of Literature,Ha Noi,Vietnam.

I got to spend only three days here...and as the previous four weeks had been, the pace was hectic and the concept of "sensory overload" was being revisited again.

I chose to explore some things that I had read about before leaving, I managed a performance at the Water Puppet Theater, I spent the better part of a day with a couple of representatives of "Hanoi Kids", a "companion" service that caters to tourists,I visited the Mausoleum of Ho Chi Min, The One Pillar Pagoda,The Museum of Ethnology,The Temple of Literature, and the last vestiges of the infamous Hoa Lo Prison, better known as the "Ha Noi Hilton". I also spent some time walking the streets if the Old Quarter and paid a visit to the "traditional" structure or house at 87 May May Street where I met an artist and enjoyed some great conversation. Everything I managed to squeeze into this visit is what I would guess the "norm" is for most tourists visiting Ha Noi.

I eat some wonderful meals and lucked into a great little hotel that was about a four minute walk to Hoan Kiem Lake,on the edge of the Old Quarter.

I walked mostly,used taxis and also used the infamous Xe Om to get from point to point on my last full day in town to maximize my available time. I saw some sights that to me were amazing and this city experience was the ultimate "cherry on the cake" of a little journey throughout Vietnam.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time here...and met some wonderful people..the drawback was the short time that I budgeted for this city.If I was to re-visit Ha Noi I would try to budget more than four days here.

Ill try to share a little of my experiences from Ha Noi with you... If you should be lucky enough to visit Ha Noi....I hope you enjoy your time here as I certainly did!

Pros and Cons

Cons:Ummm....I didnt enjoy crossing the streets :o(

Last visit to Hanoi: Feb 2010
Intro Updated Jun 16, 2010
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Travelogues (1)

Written May 20, 2010

7 photos

Faces of Ha Noi

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Comments (10)

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thuyduongvn Oct 5, 2012 at 8:05 PM

your photos are great!i agree with you, crossing the street annoys me sometime. but i dont know why you used the word "infamous" for Xe Om. just curious
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Regina1965 Nov 28, 2010 at 4:15 AM

What an wonderful page, Greg. And thanks for adding a tips on the Ha Noi Kids, that will for sure come in handy when travelling in this area :D
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thegreynomad Sep 8, 2010 at 10:05 PM

I think you had a good deal with "Hanoi Kids" I have found your page informative, thankyou.
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Nemorino Sep 8, 2010 at 2:40 PM

Informative tips! When I visited Hanoi in 1995 there was no such thing as Hanoi Kids Tours (not founded till 2007) so I just rented a bicycle (not a motorbike!) and rode all around. I liked the water puppets, too. And I did pay my respects to Uncle Ho.
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magor65 Sep 3, 2010 at 12:37 PM

Here I am again exploring your pages from Vietnam. Your Hanoi page is really excellent - both the tips and the photos. I hope to visit Hanoi one day.
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globetrott May 31, 2010 at 1:50 AM

Thats an interesting page bringing back great memories. Unfortunately my time in Hanoi was just a short bustour, Hanoi-kids would have been a better solution !
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balhannah May 31, 2010 at 12:02 AM

You have been busy and its an excellent page! My Hotel was in Ma May st, so walked the Old 1/4 every day. Good you found some different things to see, and your Hotel looks excellent. No wonder you had a great time!
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Faiza-Ifrah May 29, 2010 at 4:23 PM

Greg: what a nice trip and many great tips here. i liked your suggestion of not bargaining too much with motorcycle drivers. a hubby's cousin is here and is moving to Cambodia now on world bank assignments.
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ranger49 May 26, 2010 at 10:48 AM

Fascinating page on Hanoi - worth waiting for! You really bring it to life with such vivid descriptions.
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Mikebb May 10, 2010 at 5:33 PM

Hi Greg, Good Start, let me know when you write your tips and I will return.