Ditch
the guidebooks and grab your passport. Here’s all you need to know for a trip
to Hanoi, so what’re you waiting for?
1. Visa
-- You can pre-arrange a visa on arrival online but you run the risk of waiting
up to 90 minutes in Hanoi airport while the visa officers decide whose turn it
is to do some work. Better to get it sorted before you leave, through your
local embassy or travel agent.
2. Flights
-- Don’t book your flights too soon, but don’t leave it too late either.
Airlines tend to jack their prices up six months before the travel date, slowly
bring them down until two to three weeks before travel, then start to raise
them again.
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| Vietnam airline |
3. Booking
-- When you do book, best options from Hong Kong can be found at these
carriers:
Air
Asia: www.airasia.com
Cathay
Pacific: www.cathaypacific.com
Dragon
Air: www.dragonair.com
Hong
Kong Airlines: www.hkairlines.com
Vietnam
Airlines: www.vietnamairlines.com
4. Taxis --
Hanoi cabs are cheap and pretty decent. A ride into town from Noi Bai airport
costs around VND 350,000 (US$17) and a 10-minute ride in-city around VND
30,000. Your hotel may also arrange a pick-up and drop-off service from and to
the airport.
Most
reputable cab companies are Hanoi Taxi (+84 (0)4 3853 5353), Taxi CP (+84 (0)4
3826 2626) and Mai Linh Taxi (+84 (0)4 3861 6161).
5. Buses
-- Are cheaper still, VND 5,000 (US$0.25) from the airport to the Old Quarter,
but they won’t take your baggage unless you offer a small “luggage fee.” In
town a ride costs a standard fare of VND 3,000.
It
must have been coupon day at the fizzy pop store.
6. Scooter taxis --
The best way to experience the rush and blur of daily Hanoi life, just make sure
you are equipped with a helmet. And as they don’t have meters make sure you
know what you’re paying before you set off. A typical 10-minute ride should
cost around VND 10,000-15,000 (US$0.50-0.75).
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| Life in Hanoi |
7. Communication
-- Most locals speak a few phrases of English, but don’t count on it. You could
try your luck with a Vietnamese phrase book, but it’s a tonal language and so
your pronunciation may not be quite up to it. Best bet is to hire a personal
tour guide or just wing it with the international language of wild bodily
gesticulation.
8. Currency
-- There are around 20,000 Vietnamese dong to one U.S. dollar, so don’t freak
out when the bar tab comes along. U.S. dollars are also widely accepted.
9. ATMs
-- Cash is king and cash dispensers are everywhere. International ATMs include
HSBC and ANZ Bank but many have a maximum withdrawal of VND 1 million (US$50).
If you need more head to the ANZ ATM near Hoan Kiem Lake, which has a limit of
VND 9.9 million.
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| Hoan Kiem lake |
10. Climate --
An intolerable mix of heat and humidity in the summer (June-August) reaching 40
C, a pleasant shower-splashed spring (March-May), a gorgeous
walking-in-the-park-every-day fall (September-November) and a cold yet humid
winter (December-February).
11. Eating --
You can’t come to Hanoi and not eat pho ga (chicken noodle soup). In fact, you
can’t avoid it. Other "delicacies" such as cobra blood wine and dog
meat get written about a lot, but aren’t common and are mostly avoided by
locals.
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| Hanoi street food |
12. Drinking
-- You can’t come to Hanoi and not find yourself at least once sitting on a
tiny plastic seat that feels like its about to buckle under you sipping on a
mild beer in a frosted glass. Hanoi’s bia hoi are about drinking beer, and
that’s it. Best to arrive at 5 p.m. as they tend to run out of beer around 8 p.m.
Other
bars you could check out include:
Tet Bar,
(on the northern end of Ta Hien street). Loud rock.
Nola,
89 Ma May St. Friendly and comfortable
Sunset Bar
- InterContinental Hanoi Westlake, 1A Nghi Tam, +84 (0)4 6270 8888. Classy
sunset views.
Hanoi can actually seem to get busier at
night.
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| Hanoi beer |
13. Sleeping
-- There’s a wide range of accommodation in Hanoi. Here are a few select
options:
-
Budget
Especen Hotel,
28-38 Tho Xuong St. and 41 Ngo Huyen St., Hoan Kiem; +84 (0)4 3824
4401;especen@gmail.com. New rooms, good service.
Hanoi Backpackers' Hostel,
48 Ngo Huyen St., Hoan Kiem; +84 (0)4 3828 5372;
www.hanoibackpackershostel.com;info@hanoibackpackershostel.com.
-
Mid-range
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| Hotel in Hanoi |
Joseph’s Hotel,
5 Au Trieu St., Hoan Kiem; +84 (0)4 3938 1046; www.josephshotel.com;
info@josephshotel.com. Free Wi-Fi, comfy rooms, nice service, well located.
Hanoi Elegance Emerald,
85 Ma May St., Hoan Kiem; +84 (0)4 3926 3451;www.hanoielegancehotel.com/;
reservation@hanoielegancehotel.com. New boutique hotel on quiet street.
-
Premium
Sofitel Metropole Hanoi Hotel,
15 Ngo Quyen St.; +84 (0)4 3826 6919; www.sofitel.com; sofitelhanoi@hn.vnn.vn.
Grand, historical, heritage-listed and opulent.
InterContinental Hanoi Westlake,
1A Nghi Tam, Tay Ho; +84 (0)4 6270 8888; www.ichotelsgroup.com;
Reservation.Hanoi@ihg.com. Lake-side suites with private balconies, Strong
coffee + lots of sweet milk = an hour of the shakes.
14. Shopping
-- Hanoi’s old Quarter is lined with various fashion stores, souvenir stalls,
snack and trinket sellers. But if you’re looking for an air-conditioned mall
experience head for the Vincom City Towers where you’ll find luxury brands, a
cinema and a colorful gaming area. Vincom City Towers, 191 Ba Trieu St., Hai Ba
Trung.
15. Doing
-- Various popular tourist activities include Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum/Museum, the
Hanoi Hilton prison (officially called Hoa Lo Prison), Thang Long Water Puppet
Theatre and “green” city tours on electric carts. They’re all worth a peek, and
you could do all these in one afternoon.
Don’t
miss the night market in the Old Quarter, from 7 p.m. on Fridays and Saturday.
More about strolling around aimlessly than shopping.
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| Coffee shop in Hanoi |
And
make sure you check out Long Bien bridge, an awesome spectacle bolted together
by history.
16. Coffee
-- If Hanoians aren’t drinking beer, they’re drinking coffee. Check out Café
Pho Co, a café hidden behind a home hidden behind a souvenir shop, and one of
the best places to get a view across Hoan Kiem Lake. 11 Hang Gai, Hanoi; +84
(0)4 3928 8153
20.
Don’t bother with -- The one-pillar pagoda. A hut on a cement column is just a
hut on a cement column, no matter how old.
17. Internet
-- If scooters are the most obvious Hanoi quality, Internet cafés come not far
behind. They’re everywhere. All hotels have connections too.
18. Traffic
-- When Hanoi people move they tend to do it on scooters. And if you wait for a
break in the flow of scooters when trying to cross the road, you may miss your
flight home. Walk out with intent, and they will avoid you. We promise.
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| Life in Hanoi |
19. Day trips
-- Trips out of Hanoi are easily arranged via hotels or tour agents. If you
want to check out Halong Bay (and you should) spend a night on a boat there
too. It’s too far for getting there and back comfortably in one day and this
way you can explore some great caves and do some kayaking too.
Or
take a trip to the Perfume Pagoda 60 kilometers away. It’s a great way to get
some fresh air and chill out on a boat ride for a day.
For
a longer getaway, consider a trip to Sapa for a few days. You can travel the
350 kilometers from Hanoi by train and minibus and it has some amazing mountain
treks. Hiring a guide is essential.
20. Photography
-- You’ll be tempted to snap away at everything so photogenic is Hanoi,
especially the Old Quarter. But many locals find it rude to be photographed,
especially the older ones, so be polite and ask first.
21. Don’t be scared
-- Hanoi can overwhelm you, but that’s what’s great about it. Try everything,
go everywhere, and if you do get lost, physically or mentally, just ask someone
for help. A smile can solve anything in this city.
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