Hanoi City is a Hotbed for Tourists

When I first got to Hanoi I was on a holiday. I had come through Thailand and Laos and was well relaxed from all the peaceful nights and the smiles of the people I had met.

Arriving in the Capital city of Vietnam was like a slap in the face.

I really enjoyed my time in Vietnam but the big cities in this country are hectic, noisy and polluted.

Many Vietnamese seem to have an unquenchable desire to make as much noise as possible in every act they partake.

The non-stop honking of the motorbikes and the heat in the summer combined with the pollution all adds up to a very bustling place that people either love or hate.

Motorbike traffic is dense and the drivers wild with desire to get where they are going. It can be dangerous crossing the roads and there is little way given to anyone.

I hope I am not scaring anyone. The Vietnamese are dying for us to visit, avoid confrontations with foreigners at all cost and afford them rights they wouldn't get in Thailand or Cambodia.

There are fewer risks from violent crime in Hanoi as compared to Bangkok or Phnom Penh. And I know a lot of people who love it in Hanoi.

Hanoi is the Capital City of Vietnam as well as its cultural center. It's a small city of 3,145,300 people when compared with the 8,000,001 (Actual numbers may vary) living in Ho Chi Minh City.

It's also a long walk if you run out of gas because the two cities are 1760 km (1094 miles) apart.

They have Ho Chi Minh's dead body here (Wow, was that freaky), and great showmanship in Puppetry and Theater.

The 'Old Quarter' of town is really the place to be and the city just makes for a great base for 'casting off' on any further treks throughout the Northern half of Vietnam or even up into China.

Most people confine their Hanoi city tours to the 'Old Quarter' near Hoan Kiem lake. The 'Old Quarter' is the section of town where all of Hanoi originated.

It contains the first 36 streets built in Hanoi and offers a well-preserved glimpse of the first Colonial and Pre-Colonial architecture.

Hanoi's 'Old Quarter' is second only to Hoi An as specimen for large areas of well-preserved Colonial and Pre-Colonial houses and architecture.

The 'Old Quarter' is also a great place for food, nightclubs and shopping at the night market. The streets are narrow and each area is made up of little shops and dealers selling art, jewelry, silk and other specialty items.

Most People Fly into Hanoi

If you're in Bangkok then your best flight prices are had at flight12.com or Tiger Airways Tel. ((84) (4) 945-4565)) is another carrier that offers excellent deals in the region and to Hanoi.

Most folks arrive at the Noi Bai International Airport. It's a fairly small airport and coming through immigration was...is fun. The Immigration people are so serious and will often stare at your face and then to your passport photo many times.

They all got Machine Guns under their desks but the good news is they only shoot water or maybe some of the local Vietnamese soup.

But you'll be so prepared for them because you'll already have a Vietnam Visa or you couldn't have boarded your flight.

But if you haven't got that far in your planning then get your Vietnam Visa first.

Once you get through the Immigration then you can't go wrong getting out of the airport. You'll see the doors ahead of you and once you're outside, you'll be offered rides on motorbike taxis and given hotel and restaurant recommendations galore.

• Get a Cab into Town

There are taxis available at every turn. They were asking anywhere from $15USD to $20USD for a ride to the 'Old Quarter' and very near Hoàn Kim Lake in the center of town.

It is a good idea to have some sort of a destination sorted beforehand. "Where you go?" They'll ask and if you flinch, you're in trouble.

The taxi drivers will be full of ideas for places you should stay. Each of them takes a commission from these hotels because most of them are unable to get clients based on their own merit.

Check into some of the Budget Hotels available before you go.

You don't necessarily have to book a room but get an address or two that you like and get the cab to drop you there.

Getting yourself anywhere near Hoàn Kim Lake and the 'Old Quarter' will almost assure you find a Guesthouse or Hotel. Unless they are all booked.

• I love the Bus

The bus is the great equalizer. It's so cheap and the best part is there is no one to argue with. You don't need to know EXACTLY where you are going and they don't yet seem to have a 'special' rate for foreigners.

Bus #17 will take you from Noi Bai International Airport to the 'Old Quarter' of Hanoi. Don't get off the bus until you've crossed Chuong Duong bridge and gone a few blocks into town.

Look for Hoàn Kim Lake as your landmark. As long as you ar near that, then the town is yours from there. Either walk the short distance to the first wave of Guesthouses and Hotels or grab a moto-taxi and get a ride to your Guesthouse or hotel.

The cost of the bus is 5000d (16,000d to $1USD) and it'll take just under an hour to get into town.

Ah, the bus. You might get lost and you might end up walking a long way, but you'll save some money and you'll experience so much more than those snobs in taxi cabs!

• Shuttle-Buses

The Shuttle Bus departs from opposite the Vietnam Airlines Office on Quang Trung street. It stops at all the Major Hotels (and few of the Budget variety).

If you ask nicely, they might even drop you right at your doorstep (Driver will expect a Dollar or two). The tickets are $4USD into the center of town but prices rise frequently and often and all the time.

The Hanoi Train Station was also known as the Ga Hang Co Train Station.

Trains arrive daily from the South of Vietnam. The 'Not So' Reunification Express comes all the way up from Ho Chi Minh City.

You could also be coming in from China or Laos but either way, the most popular way of getting into town from the Hanoi train station is the Motorbike Taxi or 'Say Ohm' (Xe Ohm) in Vietnamese.

I guess it all depends on how big your bags are. There are cabs available at the exit of the Train Station as well. They'll try and negotiate a price but just insist on using the meter.

If you don't have a hotel booking or some kind of destination then it leaves little argument at the end if you plan on popping from hotel to hotel.

Most of the "Open-Tour" bus itineraries either begin or end in Hanoi, with Hue the previous stop (12-14 hours, US$8-9), and from there to Hoi An, Nha Trang, Dalat, Mui Ne, Ho Chi Minh City, and other cities in Vietnam, depending on the bus company.

The only good one I got to know was the Sinh Cafe Bus. Tickets are sold at every Guesthouse and Travel Agent in any of the cities where it stops as mentioned above .

Most bus companies also run into Vientiane and Savannakhet in Laos ($16USD-$18USD). Remember that prices vary widely and it pays to check into at least a few travel agents and Guesthouses around where you're staying.

You will not always find the best prices in the Guesthouse you're actually staying in.

I stayed in the Fortuan Hotel. It's right in the center of Hanoi, set amongst ancient streets and in the financial heart of the City.

It's not the cheapest but a great location. It took me five minutes to walk to Hoàn Kim Lake.

It's actually a few blocks past the lake after you come over Chuong Duong bridge, in the Hoan Kiem District.

Have a look at the hotels and consider noise problems as you do. Many of the rooms face major roads which means being exposed to the honking motorbikes.

The 'Music' of honking, howling motorbikes doesn't end till 2AM and starts again around 5AM.

Hanoi has a few more seasons than Ho Chi Minh City in the South of Vietnam. Summers (May to September) are hot and humid and winters (November to March) are cool and dry.

There is a heck of a lot of rain in the summer months and gets hot (38-40°C). Winters are dry but can get chilly. I've seen temperatures as low as 6-7°C.

Don't let the winter temperature fool you into lugging heavy sweaters in your bar while in Thailand or anywhere in the Southern part of the Continent.

You can purchase flawed Brand Name ski jackets, sweaters and gloves...heck any clothes you'll ever need at prices that are 20% of what you might usually pay.

The season will influence what Hanoi city tours appeal to you. It depends on the season. Winter may suit the museum scene for you and Summer might be a Bike Trek.

Some people even do extensive bike treks throughout the North in the Winter! (Not for the faint of heart).

There are many different Hanoi City Tours. Hanoi is full of Museums and most bored the pants off me. Museums don't usually do that to me. I like them but the ones in Hanoi are more propaganda than interesting artifacts attesting to the vibrant civilizations of the past.

Here are a few.

• Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

Ho Chi Minh is only awake from the dead between 8AM-11AM Mondays and Fridays. It's free to get and join in the faced-paced line that will slowly snake into the bowels of the Mausoleum.

Guards are posted at every five paces and there are many rules of conduct

1. No Shorts or Short-Sleeved Shirts
2. No Bags allowed inside
3. Must always retain a respectful demeanor (I guess this is up to the discretion of the White-uniformed Guards).
4. No Hands in Pockets

They keep his preserved body in a glass viewing 'Coffin' in the bowels of the building. The room is chilly and dim. You can't talk while in there nor wear short pants or any other 'disrespectful' attire.

One guy tried to get in with his underwear on and was unsuccessful because of the guards posted every five paces.

The best fun for me was watching the Vietnamese reactions as they left the Mausoleum. Some are crippled with tears and others are reverent and solemn.

No Photos are allowed inside either.

• Ho Chi Minh Museum

Had enough of Ho Chi Minh? I certainly had my fill of him after the first few days. To me the most fascinating aspect of the man is the reverence he gets from the Vietnamese people.

Everyone has a right to admire someone but this guy is a God to the Vietnamese.

I didn't read the same books they did growing up. That's what made the trip so interesting for me. The Vietnamese have built their entire view of themselves and the world through the Vietnam/America/French/Chinese wars.

The streets are named after Famous Military Commanders and the most famous of them (Ho Chi Minh) is such an immortal figure that you won't be allowed to take a picture of the huge bronze statue of him in the Ho Chi Minh Museum.

Open 8-11:30am, 2-4pm, closed Monday and Friday afternoons. Admission 10,000 dong.

Ho Chi Minh Museum is interesting not for the photos and letters of 'Uncle Ho' but for the exhibits on the Third floor. It all sends a clear message. Vietnam is a better country under Communism.

There's even this cave on the Third floor that is somehow supposed to be a representation of the inner workings of Ho Chi Minh's thoughts.

I took it as the day the idea dawned upon him that the war would be won with the tunnels.

Like with the French and the Chinese before.

Also is this depiction of Saigon under the Democratic days of Prime Minister Diem before the Communists took over. It shows a 1958 Edsel car crashed into a wall and general images of Chaos in the streets.

The Edsel was a car that failed to sell in America. It was a famous failure in the proud automobile factories at that time.

It's amazing to see the efforts they go to in order to mold the 'facts' in order to support themselves against contradiction.

• Army Museum

The army museum is on Dien Bien Phu Street. They'll lift 10,000 dong from you as an admission fee and then if you pull out your camera, they'll run over to you and ask you pay a further 5,000 dong to take photos.

I enjoyed this museum despite it being again biased but who isn't? This is a big place that encompasses four buildings containing two millennium of Vietnamese military historical artifacts.

Vietnamese are very proud of their military history and this museum contains everything from wartime documents to the MIG-21 jet fighter and T-54 tank on display outside.

• Air Force Museum

I mention the Air Force museum as it has the largest collection of MiG fighters, a huge Mi-6 helicopter, and other aircraft on display.

Most of them may be weather-worn but if you're interested in such things then it is worth a visit.

Head to Truong Chinh Street (Southwest of center) and you can't miss the jet fighters outside.

I Hate Museums

So do I. Be careful of the tour guides telling you this and that museum is a must-see. They are just trying to make money but most of the attractions they recommend are not worth the time.

I usually see 4 or 5 different tour agents, write down what they suggest and find that 60% of them were a waste of time.

Better to take a stroll around Hoàn Kim Lake.

• Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre

They are really good at this and the people in Hanoi love a good Water Puppet show. The puppets are little wooden Characters that Sing and Dance on the surface of the water, telling stories of Vietnamese folklore.

It's all sung in Vietnamese but you can get pamphlets that tell you the story in English when you buy you tickets for $2USD-$3USD. It's an extra dollar if you plan on taking photographs.

Head down there a few days early if you want to get tickets. I was informed that getting tickets even 2 days in advance is very difficult.

• Hanoi Opera House

The Hanoi Opera House is open to the public from Friday to Sunday starting at 5Pm and closing at Midnight.

Head down Trang Tien Street and get a good look at the Hanoi Opera House. The French built it in 1911 when they employed Hanoi as the capital of their Indochina interests.

Vietnamese symphonies are the most common performances held here but I heard that occasionally foreign performance comes to town. The place is big with 900 seats.

If you want to see a Vietnamese symphony or need a good sleep then pay $10USD-$12USD for a seat and enjoy.

• Hoa Lo Prison ("The Hanoi Hilton")

Head down to Hai Ba Trung Street to have a look at very little of what is left of the prison that used to house Captured American G.I's during the Vietnam war.

Only the Central Gate and a small museum remains. They are building a hotel on the site of the old Hotel Hilton. What Communism?

• Hoàn Kim Lake

Hoan Kiem Lake is a relatively quiet place where you can do Tai Chi with Hanoians in the early morning. It is a place very popular with the locals trying to escape the chaos of the streets of Hanoi.

Not as great during the evening when Gay men lurk around the area, probably in search of other Gay men. Take extra caution at night even though the crime may not be violent in nature, scams abound.

The lake is located between the Old Quarter and the French Quarter so it's pretty much the centerpiece of Hanoi. Ngoc Son Temple sits a one end as a reminder of the "Giant Turtles" that live in the lake (Vietnamese Folklore).

Getting a hotel somewhere withing walking distance of the lake guarantees that you'll be near most major sights of the city.

What are the People Like?

The considerate and genteel nature of Hanoians is occasionally quoted in Vietnamese idioms and literature.

The truth is that most can be abrasive, loud and inconsiderate. Pricing is dependent on what they can get from you.

Guards in the museums and especially at Ho Chi Minh's tomb are in love with their jobs as it affords them the chance to yell at foreigners and thus makes them feel rich with power.

I spent 2 years in Vietnam and have found that short stay tourists seem to like the people but few who have been here long would remark at the genteel nature of them.

Hanoi is interesting and filled with great examples of how to create a nationalistic pride by flooding the media with biased reports on the welfare of the country.

Vietnamese live in a world created by their government. most of us do but when good things are said about your country via the Vietnamese newspapers, it is taken as fact without question.

I met some good people in Vietnam. But for the most part I didn't enjoy the services they provided or their "Everyone for himself" mentality.

Then again, if I had been brought up there, experienced the wars and government deception they have, I might act just as they do.

How do Most People Get Around?

Ah, the wonderful Motorcycle Taxi. There are cars entering the narrow streets at ever increasing numbers but the motorbike still remains the main form of transportation.

So, if you are afraid of riding on the back of a motorbike then you could get a regular taxi but they are much more expensive.

Motorbike drivers can be found on virtually every corner, especially in the Old Quarter. They'll offer you a ride more often than you'll breathe and even drive along beside you, soliciting you.

The motorbikes get around the daily traffic jams and the narrow streets of the 'Old Quarter'. for their advantage in heavy traffic and low cost but never drive away without first negotiating a price.

Even then you are in danger of the age old scam....'I thought you said 50,000dong not 15,000dong! Then you are in an argument. Just pay the amount you agreed to and walk away. Most Vietnamese will threaten you but will NEVER act on it.

So, I can get Scammed in Vietnam?

People will try, at every turn, to get as much money out of you as they can. This usually involves overcharging and under-delivering.

Some common things you will encounter:

• The Maid who cleans your room will also clean your wallet of money.

Try to keep money and valuables on your person. Many times I have returned to my room to discover something missing. Most maids make so little that they would gladly steal $100USD and then be fired for it. That's a substantial amount of money to them.

• The Motorbike Grab and Run

If you rent a motorbike then request a chain lock when you rent it and always lock it up. Even if you just get off your motorbike for a minute. I had my motorbike stolen while I was 50 feet away, purchasing a music CD from a vendor.

He just jumped on my motorbike, inserted some skeleton key and roared off before I was halfway to him. That cost me $700USD.

• The double acrobatic, from the motorbike, bag grab.

This has happened at least once to everyone I know who has stayed in Vietnam for any prolonged period. I have also witnessed it numerous times with tourists on the back of motorcycle taxis.

Motorbike drivers will cruise around in teams of two. 2 passengers on each motorbike. They will reach out and literally grab the bag from you and then speed away.

They choose their victims carefully. They look for inexperienced motorbike drivers (Usually Women) or larger men riding on the back of Motorcycle taxis. If you take a motorbike taxi then hold on to your bag.

WHAT TOURS CAN YOU GET OUT OF HANOI?

• World Heritage Cruise Ha Long Bay.

- Dragon's Pearl Cruise
- Ha Long Bay Ultimate Getaway
- Ha Long Bay Explorer and Kayak Discovery.

• Sea Kayaking Adventures

- Kayak Ha Long Bay: 2 days 1 night Camping and Exploring
- Kayak Ha Long Bay: 3 days 2 nights Kayaking and Camping.

• Mountain Biking Adventures

- Sa Pa - Binh Lu Day Trips
- Sa Pa & Thanh Phu: 2 days 3 nights - Home stay with Tay Hill Tribe
- Sa Pa & Heavens Gate: 3 days 4 nights - Discover Sa Pa-Than Thuoc-Than Uyen-Lao Cai
- Bac Ha & Markets: 3 days 4 nights
- Bac Ha & Coc Ly: 3 days 4 nights
- Bac Ha & Trung Do: 3 days 4 nights
- Bac Ha & Markets: 2 days 3 nights - Explore the hill tribe markets in Can Cau and Bac Ha
- Mai Chau & Ninh Binh: 3 days.

GET ME OUTTA HERE.

Hanoi is also the origin or departure point for almost every train route in the country. The 'Union Express' runs from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City departing Hanoi station (formerly Hang Co station), with stops at cities and provinces along the line.

Trains also depart Hanoi frequently for Hai Phong and other northern cities.

You might want to hold your stomach for this video of some traditional Vietnamese Cuisine!

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