Chris Blattman

Search
Close this search box.

P.S. Hanoi area recommendations?

Will be in the environs for 9 days. In addition to food and city recommendations, any three-day recommendations trip for parents-leaving-one-year-old-with-grandparents-for-first-time-away-from-child welcomed.

31 Responses

  1. It’s not as easy to get around in hanoi Vietnam as you’d think it would be, so consider using a travel guide or chose agency from tripadsisor so that you don’t have waste time.

  2. I’m probably too late but one of my favorite place if you really want to chill is Phu Quoc and Mai’s House (the food is so good, price is right and it is a relaxing paradise).

  3. When I was last in Hanoi, I could not get enough of the fantastic French-influenced ice cream at Fanny’s. (Of course, that may have had something to do with the fact that I was pregnant at the time.) It’s on the western edge of Hoan Kiem Lake — 48 Le Thai To.

  4. Bai Tu Long Bay is way better than Halong Bay. Do yourselves the favor of avoiding the crush of boats and people that Halong Bay can be, and go for the more isolated and serene Bai Tu Long Bay!

    It’s not as easy to get around independently in Vietnam as you’d think it would be, so consider using a travel guide so that you don’t have travel shenanigans that waste precious time. We used Ethnic Travel (ask for Lyly, if she’s still there), and we had a really great time. http://www.ethnictravel.com.vn/english/index.htm

    And do be sure to go see the water puppets in Hanoi. It’s really a unique experience — unique to Vietnam, at least. http://www.vietnamonline.com/attraction/hanoi-water-puppet-theatre.html

    We stayed at, and loved, Especen Hotel. Get a top floor room with balcony. Super cheap and really nice. (It has one of the all-in-one bathrooms with no defined shower area, but you’ve travelled enough that this is likely not a challenge?) http://www.especen.vn/

    Definitely eat street food. If you want to score some nice cookbooks and help the homeless all at the same time, go to Koto. It’s a nice cafe near the old confucian university, and the cookbooks make much better gifts than lacquer trinkets. (The lacquer WILL chip or break on the way home, no matter how carefully you pack it.) link here: http://www.koto.com.au/index.php

    Finally, as the other poster said, Luang Prabang IS nice this time of year!

    Have fun!

  5. My all time favorite thing was sitting at Cafe Mai south of Hoan Kiem Lake (turn left a block or two past Tran Hung Dao street while walking south on Hang Bai street.) where the family that runs this place roasts it’s own coffee. Sit at a table/chair combo right at the front and you get to watch the bustle of the city go by while relaxing and sipping a fabulous cafe sua da (iced coffee with condensed milk)!

    In terms of food eat plenty of street food. That’s the best stuff you’ll find in the city. Oh and its dirt cheap. A good bowl of pho bo for breakfast on a plastic stool for kindergarteners is a great way to start the day. For a little bit more upscale street food-esque experience, I second the recommendation for Quan an Ngo on aptly named food street. Also try ‘Highway 4’ at 3 Hang Tre. The rabbit stew is to die for.

    I think going to the Perfume Pagoda so close to Tet is a bad idea. I did it and it was horrendous. The throng of people trying to cram into the cave at the top of the mountain (after the boating frenzy on the river) was so stressful for me; I felt like a sardine packed in a tin but thankfully I was able to breath since I was a head taller than everyone else. I saw plenty of people turning red and struggling for air. It took over an hour at one point to move 100 meters. Don’t go during Tet, even if it’s a hugely exciting cultural event.

    All in all, if you’re there for only a few days, experience Hanoi itself to its fullest. It’s a fabulous city for the old architecture, the food and the sites with tons of character.

  6. Just got back from a weekend trip to Cuc Phuong national park. Very well worth a visit, though it’s rainy at the moment. http://www.cucphuongtourism.com/ they can arrange transport and everything for you. Regarding street food, bun cha is my personal favourite, and if you want Western food for a change, there are indeed many very good options especially for French specialties (La Salsa and Le Petit Bruxelles both near the church, for example).

  7. To echo and add details on others’ trip, I had a great time doing Handspan’s kayaking through Halong Bay – http://www.handspan.com/. 2-3 days, running between islands, buying fish off of people living in floating villages, sleeping on the beach under the stars. Super good way to see the bay in a very intimate way – I think the tourist boats are a bit contrived and the company isn’t always great. The handspan trips are usually you, a guide and 1-2 others. Highly recommended.

  8. This is the time of year when it is considered lucky to visit the Perfume Pagoda, so all of Hanoi will be going there. A beautiful, tranquil, slightly boring sight at any other time of year, for the next few weeks (soon after Tet), you have the unique opportunity to witness tens of thousands of locals fighting their way into small rowboats and down a crowded river, pushing their way up a mountain path, hunchback 80-year-olds whipping crowds into place with bamboo rods, and an all around delightful, grand frenzy that will give you new insights on the social fabric and character of Southeast Asia. Highly recommended, but not if you’re looking for peace and quiet or suffer from ochlophobia.

  9. P.S. Have to disagree with comment on Western food. There are plenty of good choices in Hanoi. Try la Badiane on Nam Ngu!

  10. I’d recommend Hoi An for grandparents and child – beach, river, heritage town, an hour flight from Hanoi… It’s still pretty cold here and the idea of a child on a boat in Halong Bay (at least one of mine) is pretty scary – they would sink not swim

  11. I have just recently come back from a trip where I went to SaPa and Halong Bay, both for around 3 days.
    I would definitely reccommend SaPa over Halong Bay. The scenery is beautiful, the people are great. Halong Bay is very nice as well, but I didn’t like it as much as SaPa. Not as much of an opportunity to interact with locals (as most of the time you’ll be on a boat). If you do end up going to an island along the way , like Cat Ba. Don’t expect a nice swimming experience, as the water is littered with styrofoam balls from the floating villages/restaurants in the area.

    Enjoy whatever you choose though!

  12. We did a 10 day trip to Hanoi last year and enjoyed Halong Bay and other sites mentioned. Even did a side trip up to Ha Giang after seeing an amazing spread in the NYT. But all in all, my favorite part was a three day side trip down to Hoi An. Flew into Danang, stayed at a gorgeous little hotel in Hoi An, and absolutely fell in love with the place strolling the charming, silk lantern hung streets in a more relaxed environment than the bustling Hanoi.

  13. Use elderly Hanoi denizens as human shields when crossing the street, especially in Old Town. When said shields are not available walk at a steady pace and make no sudden moves.

    Don’t expect anything good at any Western food restaurant. Do go to the little, bia hoi beer joints.

    Personally, I enjoyed the Halong Bay tour we took, little boat with about twelve passengers. Food was great, scenery good, and we made some friends we still see back in the states. It was ‘touristy’ but at no time while I was in Vietnam was I or anyone I dealt with under the misapprehension that I was anything other than a tourist.

  14. I spent a few months in Hanoi, I’d say Halong bay is overrated. (Karst scenery is nice, but that’s all it is). Both it and Sapa are very touristy. Would go to Sapa, but venture out to a different market by bus (e.g. Can Cau, Bac Ha)

  15. Definitely Cat Ba Island and Monkey Island in Halong Bay! You travel to Halong Bay but tell them you are going to Monkey Island. Spend a day on the Island (the boat trip out is worth it), spend another day and evening on Cat Ba and then travel back to Halong Bay and Hanoi. You can also do two night boat trips around Halong Bay where you would overnight on Monkey Island but wouldn’t get to Cat Ba. Personally I think renting a scooter and exploring Cat Ba is worth the time.

  16. It is a wonderful city. If there are specific foods you want to try (and you do! pho quon, banh xeo, bun cha are musts), a great way to figure out which of the many hole-in-the-wall spots to venture to is http://tnhvietnam.xemzi.com/ – it’s like a “Yelp” for expats in Hanoi. The art museum is worth a visit, Halong Bay is also great (but it’s true, at this time of year it won’t be toasty), high tea at the Sofitel Metropole will give you a flavor for Hanoi under the French, and drink yourself full of ‘cafe sua’ – Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk. Enjoy!!!

  17. My recommendation as a father: Be prepared for the guilty conscience that you actually feel quite well being without him for a few days.

  18. If you feel like getting a little bit of exercise and seeing the environs of Hanoi, join the Hash House Harriers, a fun and welcoming runners-walkers club. http://www.hanoih3.com/. Have fun, it’s a great place!

  19. I second the Sapa recommendation (although I haven’t been since 1995 so my info is dated) – beautiful walks in the area and an interesting night market including some unusual shenanigans.

  20. In the environs of Ma May, and generally North of Hoan Kiem lake there are so many good street food places. One small side road in particular is rammed with places dedicated to preparing one specific kind of salad. It’s worth blocking off an evening and just eating everything. Most places only make one dish, so visit a few. There are also lots of stalls which are essentially micro buffets – you get served rice and whatever accompaniments you choose and are billed according to how many dishes you’ve chosen.

    some of the best food I’ve ever had. enjoy,

  21. If you would like to spend two days sitting on a boat in 15 degrees C weather on a warm day, then Halong Bay is for you. Even for a half-Canadian couple, that is a lot to suffer. Luang Prabang in Laos is nice this time of year.

  22. it’s the little-but-scary things that linger in the memory. Crossing the street (‘step off the curve into the maelstrom, keep moving, no sudden changes, show no fear’) and motor bike taxis (hey, why don’t we race?). And the food. Not convinced on the hand-made suits though – made my friend look like something out of Madness. And Ho’s mausoleum of course. Enjoy

  23. A place I really enjoyed is Ninh Binh, about 1-2 hours south of Hanoi by bus. You can rent bicycles and ride around the rice paddies and karst formations (land-based, unlike Halong Bay’s). I’d recommend turning down any offers to visit the Perfume Pagoda, even though the boats they paddle you there with have amazing geese heads on them.

  24. Three day trip – Halong Bay is the obvious option. The Emeraude or Bhaya Cruises seem to be the most reliable at the more luxurious end of the market. Have been on Emeraude and it’s lovely but a 2 day rather than 3. Not sure of Emeraude. The other option would be a train trip to Sapa. Can recommend Topas Eco Lodge (Zuckerberg recently stayed there but it’s far from billionaire prices). Travel on the train overnight. Food – Quan an Ngon in Hanoi is a good place to go to taste pretty much all the local favourites. For a coffee and a sandwich or pie try my wife’s place http://www.thecartgood.com. Hope that helps. Have a great trip – it’s a wonderful city.

Why We Fight - Book Cover
Subscribe to Blog