After a long travel day of flying from Reno to San Francisco to Tokyo, we finally landed in the capital city of Vietnam, Hanoi. In the Northern area of the country this ancient city has a bustling old town, beautiful temples, tree-lined boulevards, a french quarter, a crazy pub street and a thriving culinary scene. We have been wanting to eat our way around Hanoi for a long time and when the pandemic restrictions lifted we finally got our chance. There is so much to do, see and eat in this city and 3 days definitely wasn’t enough. We can’t wait to visit Hanoi again one day.
Explore the Old and French Quarters
The sea of scooters rushing about makes getting around quite the experience in the heart of Hanoi’s old quarter. The city served as the capital of French Indochina from 1902-1954 so it has French colonial influence everywhere. It can mostly be seen in unique architecture of the the ancient colonial buildings still found in the Old and French Quarters. The city shows it’s age by the abundance of tropical plants and vines that grow and wind through every nook and cranie of the Old Quarter. It gives off an Indiana Jones jungle vibe with a touch of modern Asia. The best way to get a feel for this incredible city is to get lost wondering the alleyways, taking in the all sights along the way.
Eat Pho & Bun Cha
Beef Pho from Pho 10
The culinary capital of Vietnam, Hanoi is the perfect place to eat iconic local dishes like Pho and Bun Cha. You will find hundreds of tiny restaurants selling noodles on every corner throughout Hanoi. Pho a is wildy popular noodle soup dish in Vietnam and is eaten at breakfast, lunch or dinner. We ate a lot of Pho but our favorites were the beef pho from Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su and the chicken pho from Phở Gà Nguyệt.
One of the things we were most excited to eat in Hanoi was Bun Cha. This dish is a speciality of Vietnam and specifically Hanoi. It’s hard to find in the United States which is a shame because it’s amazing! Bun Cha is a tasty bowl of seasoned pork patties and caramelized pork belly slices that are served in a broth alongside rice noodles, fresh vegetables, herbs and a spicy dipping sauce called nuoc cham.
There are a ton of different places to try Bun Cha throughout Hanoi but the most famous is the legendary hole in the wall Bun Cha restaurant where Anthony Bourdain and President Obama sat down, drank beer, and ate bun cha together. This unassuming place is called Bun Cha Huong Lien. The bun cha here was our favorite from our entire trip and this meal even made it on our “best meals of our lives” list! The table, chairs and dishes Anthony Bourdain and Obama used are encased in plastic upstairs, make sure and check it out when you visit.
Visit the Iconic Train Street
One of the most popular sites inside the old town of Hanoi is the train street. This iconic spot is famous for the cafes and restaurants which line the tracks and are mear inches away when the train rolls by. Train Street was closed while we were there for safety reasons but we were still able to go check it out. If you want more time enjoying this funky spot check the train times and grab a seat at a cafe and watch as the train comes through this crazy street.
Day trip to Incense Village
For a unique day trip, hire a car to take you an hour outside of the city to Quảng Phú Cầu or Incense Village. We loved getting a glimpse of the rural areas around the city on the way to the village. When we arrived we saw local Vietnamese women making incense using bamboo. The colors of the incense sticks were memorizing and it was wonderful getting to see how incense sticks, which are everywhere in Asia, are made by hand.
Grab a Bai Hoi on Beer Street
One of the most exciting places to spend an evening in Hanoi is at Ta Hien, or Hanoi’s famous Beer Street in the heart of the Old Quarter. This small street is packed with outdoor restaurants and bars with seating that spills out into the street. It’s a lively atmosphere with street vendors selling food and all types of things. Locals and tourists alike grab seats on tiny plastic stools, make new friends, and enjoy a cold drink while taking in the scene. It’s a great area to come for dinner and drinks with tons of Vietnamese restaurants and street food to choose from. The local drink of choice is “Bia Hoi” which is an unpasteurized light beer that is produced daily and served fresh can be found everywhere on Beer Street. It’s inexpensive and a must try!
Drink Vietnamese Coffee at a Cafe
Coffee culture is very important in Hanoi, in fact there are more coffee shops in Hanoi than any city in the country. There are standing cafes filled with people sipping on a strong brew, and then there are hidden cafes in renovated colonial buildings. On a hot day there is nothing better a traditional Vietnamese iced coffee. We would stop at a cafe for one of thesee every few hours. It is the best little pick me up when traveling.
Also, when in Hanoi you must try an egg coffee which is coffee with egg yolk that is beaten with sweetened condensed milk to give a frothy texture and creamy taste. Egg coffee is something unique to Vietnam and you absolutely must try one in Hanoi.
There are so many amazing cafes in Hanoi but our favorite was Loading T Cafe. This charming cafe is set in an old colonial building and is very quaint and picturesque. The egg coffee we had here was delicious and we loved sitting on the balcony watching the hustle and bustle of the city below while we sipped our coffees and listened to the old-timey music playing in the background.
See the Water Puppet Show
We kept hearing that one of the top things to do in Hanoi was go to the water puppet show, so we decided to give it a shot and we had a lot of fun! It was definitely unlike any show we’ve seen. It was inexpensive and only 50 minutes long. Perfect for kids! The Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre has been doing shows with traditional water puppets for a long time and the show depicts Vietnamese culture showing farmers and legends all performed to live traditional music.
Photo by Mai Thuong / Tuoi Tre
Discover the Local Craft Breweries
When we travel we always make a point to seek out breweries to sample local craft beers! There are a lot of amazing places in Hanoi to grab a cold beer but our favorite spot was Pasteur Street Brewing Company. They have an incredible balcony in the Old Town on the second floor that is covered in vines which gives it a jungle feel. Pasteur Street is known for it’s unique flavored sour beers. We tried a flight which has beers with flavors like passion fruit, guava, mandarin, jasmine, and dragon fruit.
Another fun brewery we visited was Standing Bar. We took a motorcycle taxi to the lake and then pulled up a couple seats at this funky bar on the upper deck and took in the views of the lake. They had a great variety of different Vietnamese beers and a very laid back atmosphere.
Staying at La Siesta Premium Hang Be
No. 27A P. Hàng Bè, Old Quarter, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội 10000, Vietnam
We loved staying at La Sieta Premium Hang Be during our time in Hanoi. The location could not have been better, right in the heart of the Old Town. Even though it was right in the middle of the action of the bustling city once you stepped through the doors it was a little oasis. We loved the funky decor and the breakfast in the morning in the beautiful dining area on the top floor with incredible views of the city. We love a good breakfast buffet and this one was (chefs kiss*) amazing! We also loved the bar on the top deck and went for a sunset cocktail to watch the sun dip below the city. The hotel staff was extremely friendly and beyond helpful with anything we needed. We would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone visiting Hanoi!
We absolutely loved Hanoi! This city has something special around every corner and there is so much to discover. Three days we definitely not enough and we cannot wait to come back and visit again someday soon.
