Despite the growth of supermarkets, wet markets and street markets still play a pivotal role in the supply of groceries to Vietnamese households. Many people, primarily women, visit the market twice a day, working trips around school drop-offs and, for many, their paying jobs. Street market to us — and this may not be everyone’s … read the full post

Hang Quat is one of the most colourful streets in Old Quarter and its time for coverage in our 36 streets series has now finally come. Quat means fans, and that is of course what was traditionally made on this street, be they from bamboo, paper or palm leaves. Villagers set up shop in the … read the full post

For my final street food tour adventure I opted for a budget-priced tour, joining a lunchtime trip with Food on Foot, operated by Vietnam Awesome Travel, with a great guide and plenty of stops. Usually pick-up is at your hotel, but given I haven’t lived in a hotel since first arriving in Hanoi three years … read the full post

Continuing my exploration of street food tours in Hanoi, I booked onto an afternoon tour with Hanoi Street Food Tours, run by Mark Lowerson, of Sticky Rice fame, and Van Cong Tu, the “Vietnamese God“. Bring on three hours of snacking heaven. Mark has been in Hanoi since 2002 and writing his food blog, Sticky … read the full post

Having enjoyed breakfast, brunch and lunch on the Street Eats and Market Tour I took with Hanoi Cooking Centre earlier in the week, it was time for dinner. So off I went to Old Quarter to join the Hanoi Street Food by Night tour, offered by Urban Adventures. Urban Adventures, part of global tour operator … read the full post

With street food being such a defining feature of Hanoi, it’s no surprise that a variety of tours here explore the world of the 10-inch plastic stool. We’ve checked out a few of the options, starting with Hanoi Cooking Centre (HCC). HCC was opened in 2009 by chef Tracey Lister, co-author of KOTO: A Culinary … read the full post

What’s worth getting up for at 04:00 on a chilly Sunday morning in Hanoi? A sunrise photography tour of Long Bien market with Vietnam In Focus, that’s what. A combined desire to improve my photography skills, visit Long Bien market at the crack of dawn and write about it gave me the motivation to hold … read the full post

It’s not top of any must-do list in travel guides, but a visit to Hanoi’s chaotic Long Bien market is a fascinating exposure to the life of a large proportion of Hanoi residents. But you’ll need to get up early — very early. Long Bien market, located next to Long Bien bridge, alongside the dyke … read the full post

Thang Long Royal Citadel in Hanoi was opened to the public quite recently, but once you’ve been you’ll wonder why it was kept under wraps for so long. With attractive, shady gardens, imposing buildings, underground bunkers and numerous historic artifacts, it’s got something for everyone. And it’s free. The Thang Long Imperial Citadel was built … read the full post

“Are you bored? We have the cure.” So shouts Hanoi’s newest entertainment venue: X-Factory.  X-Factory is primarily a laser tag venue, but also offers X-Box Kinect, flight/racing simulators and a very cool cafe. From the moment you enter, you can see this place wasn’t thrown together overnight. A lot of thought has gone into the … read the full post