Hanoi, Vietnam – The last days in April, 2015

Last month, me and my friend headed in Hanoi to attend a wedding of my friend. She married a vietnamese man so we went to hanoi to joined with her. But Hanoi is so beutiful so we decided to stay more few days to discovery Hanoi. And this are some highlights of the trip.

for sleeping:

Essence hotel

The essence hotel is conveniently located in the charming old quarters of historic Hanoi , it takes 15 minutes to walk from hotel to Hoan Kiem lake. and, it located in crowded street with a lot of bar, club and amazing street food. So satisfied of this hotel. Rooms are exceptionally clean, well appointed and probably have the most comfy beds and luxurious pillows we have slept in. Plus, room rates come with a lovely breakfast buffet spread which includes a “Pho” and egg station

In each of room has a laptop, so conveniently Deluxe rooms and suites with balconies are also available for the space-needy.

Rates for a Classic rooms start from US$70/night and Deluxe rooms from US$140/night.

adress: 22 Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem Distric, Hanoi.

Food must try:

Xoi Xeo

Chances are you will encounter this dish in almost every outdoors market. There are even two restaurant dedicated fully to this dish in the Old Quater street Xoi xeo is sticky rice topped with ground de-hulled mung bean and fried onion.  But i dont like the way they added to much oil. Sometimes it can be served with eggs or steamed chicken breast on request. The serving is really filling and it is good for any time of the day but most Vietnamese have it for breakfast or lunch.

address: Xoi Yen at  Nguyen Huu Huan Street cost 3$/ meal.

Banh Cuon

If the French has this famous delicious crepe made of wheat, egg and dairy products; Vietnamese and particularly Hanoian is proud of their steamed crepe from rice flour and water. A savoury meal, the inside stuffing contains ground pork, wood-ear and seasoning. Most street chefs make the dish right at door so look for a place that steams are coming up high. Banh cuon is served with “nuoc mam”, a mixture of fish sauce, sugar and lime.

Adress: Banh Cuon  Gia An at  Ba Trieu Street.

Pho

The famous noodle soup in the world so i don’t  say much about it. Address: ho Bat Dan is a famous local restaurants famous for its “pho bo” (beef rice noodle soup). Located in the Old quarter “jungle”, the store easily stands out for the long line of people waiting to be served. You are highly recommended to join the local, line up for the “pho bo” and bring it to a selected table to eat 

Bun Thang

The other types of noodle soup.  Bun thang is a harmonious blend of color- the yellow of sliced egg; the white of bun; the off-white of chicken and the green of onions and herbs. Must eat at: Bun thang Ba Duc on Cau Go street is a great place to try the dish. This street vendor has a limited number of seats on the pavement but you will be surprised how many people can fit in the two storey old house behind the stall. Enjoy bun thang in such a setting gives the meal enormous highlights in your trip to Hanoi.

Shopping souvenir:

Hang Gai street with so many silk store, you can buy some traditional Vietnamese cloth and pants for as low as US$40 (tip: bring samples of your favourite dresses/shirts on the day you arrive and have them tailored in an array of fabrics – allow 2-3 days).

Night Market:

The night market spreads 1km across Hang Dao, Hang Ngang, Hang Duong and Hang Giay streets of the old quarters and opens at 6:30pm every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night. Shopping finds aren’t fantastic here, but do make a trip to this festive market to rub shoulders (literally) with the locals and to soak up the vibrant and refreshingly non-touristy atmosphere.

Art

If you are after good, affordable art for the home or office, look no further than the numerous art galleries along Hang Trong Street itself. For a personal touch, bring a photo of the family and have it painted as an oil on canvas by a local artist (allow 3-4 days)!

Coffee

And special weasel coffee at Huong Mai Cafe. Beautiful place and amazing coffee. In this place you can try coffee for free. The staff speaks English very good. The weasel coffee is micrecal. So different, not like espresso. You can request to sample a shot of their bestseller and native Weasel coffee which is slighter sharper in taste and more acidic than their friendly neighbour, kopi-luwak (civet cat droppings) from Indonesia. And so many kind of coffee. Trust me, i was so confuse which one I would take. I take weasel coffee.

Cost rate around 30$ to 80$/ kg

Address: 15 Hang Manh, Hoan Kiem distric, Hanoi.

Whatever you get up to in Hanoi, stay safe, cross the roads confidently and purposefully and enjoy the rich heritage and culture of this thriving city