Hanoi, Vietnam
"Scooter chaos, lake calm and the best breakfast soup on earth"
Hanoi is a thousand years of history running on two-stroke engines. The Old Quarter is a maze of trade streets, French colonial facades peel above plastic stools, and every corner has a woman with a cauldron who has been making one dish beautifully for decades. Loud, layered and endlessly rewarding once you stop trying to control it.
Best Time to Visit
October to April — dry and cool; skip the humid June to August peak
Dec – Feb
Cool, grey and atmospheric, 10–18°C. Tet brings closures and fireworks.
Mar – May
Warming up, flowering trees, best all-round window.
Jun – Aug
Hot, humid and stormy — plan indoor afternoons.
Sep – Nov
Clear skies, mild evenings, the local favourite.
Getting Around
Walkable in the Old Quarter, chaotic everywhere else. Ride-hailing apps are cheap and remove all haggling.
📱 Grab (car & bike)
Fixed prices in-app. The motorbike option is the fastest way across town.
🚶 Walking
Best way to eat through the Old Quarter — pavements double as kitchens, so expect to walk in the road.
🚌 Public Buses
Very cheap, signed in Vietnamese, useful for the airport and long hauls.
🚆 Trains
Overnight sleepers south to Hue and Da Nang, or north-east towards Sapa.
💡 Agree the airport transfer price in advance or use Grab — the taxi queue is where trips go wrong.
Suggested Itineraries
Arrive Hanoi
Settle in, first bowl of pho, walk the lake at night.
Old Quarter Deep Dive
Trade streets, Dong Xuan market, street food crawl.
Colonial Hanoi
Opera House, Temple of Literature, museum afternoon.
Ninh Binh
Day trip: limestone karsts, Tam Coc rowboats, Mua Cave steps.
Ha Long / Lan Ha Bay
Overnight boat among the islands.
Back to the City
Return to Hanoi, Tay Ho lake sunset, final feast.
Departure
Coffee, souvenirs and the airport run.
✨ Feeling dizzy already? Breathe. This is a menu, not a to-do list — skip a stop, nap by a fountain, leave a couple of sparks for next time.
Highlights
Must See
- Hoan Kiem Lake & Ngoc Son Temple
- Temple of Literature
- Hoa Lo Prison
- Dong Xuan Market
Local Cuisine
Insider Tip
Cross the road at a slow, steady pace and never stop mid-street — scooters flow around you, they don't brake for hesitation.