Hanoi

Hanoi reviews

Backchat from the Travelfish community

• a special place called Hanoi

  Too many travelers to Hanoi never meet a real Hanoian (the average citizen who does not work in the hotel, restaurant or tour business), and this is sad. After several trips to this town, I look on Hanoi as a second home, and I care about friends I have made here. In spite of the scamming cabs, pollution and traffic headaches, Hanoi is just plain electric (much like New York City). I think the wise traveler will overlook the problems this city has, and adapt to it's unique qualities. For such a large city, I consider Hanoi to be quite safe, and there are few places on Earth quite as interesting. I was last here in Dec '10, but I've also been here in Oct '09, March '09 and March '08 (and now considering Nov '12). The very best quality of Hanoi are it's wonderful outgoing people (especially the students of Hanoikids Club)!

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  • I'll be back (or not)

  By daawgon (dabbler)
  Written on 24th December, 2011 after a visit to Hanoi in December, 2010

  
  

• Hanoi, Old City Quarter -1st Stop

  Have spent two full days in Hanoi...going to Ha Long Bay for a two day, one night cruise tomorrow. This city is busy, noisy, entertaining and full of scams! Looking forward to moving onto a new city. Visited the Ho Chi Minh museum..the mausoleum is closed this time of year, Temple of Literature, Hao Lo Prison, St. Joseph's Cathedral, and the Ngoc Son Temple. This is my first stop on my first backpacking journey, not much to compare to...Be careful of bicycle taxis & regular taxis...they will try to rip you off..the meters aren't always accurate.

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  • Romance
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  • I'll be back (or not)

  By briannabloch (dabbler)
  Written on 28th October, 2011 after a visit to Hanoi in October, 2011

  
  

• A great city but can be hard work

  I stayed here for 5 weeks in 2007 and really loved it. Came back last year and found it was a much more difficult place to be, partly because it is so popular. My lovely little local hotel had become a noisy backpacker hostel and the traffic had become almost intolerable at peak times. However it is still a magnificent city with great variety and lots to see.
  
  Don't miss the Temple of Literature, the beautiful pagodas at West lake, the ethnology museum (catch a 14 bus from the top of Hoan Kim lake), the old quarter (try to avoid the tourist part), some of the many good museums- especially Hoa Loa, eating on the street, the presidential palace and the Ho Chi Minh museum, and the botanic gardens. There are also great parks and lakes in all parts of the city and they are very enjoyable to walk in, especially early in the morning. My favourite thing to do is wander around the streets of different parts of Hanoi and given its expansion in the last ten years I've found there's always a new area or some changes to find. The bus service is great so it's easy to get out to an area and find your way back. I rarely catch cabs and have now given up the xe oms in such bad traffic.
  
  Another thing that makes Hanoi a good location is the number of services that appeal to westerners out of their comfort zone- swimming pools, gyms, film venues, jazz clubs, delis and supermarkets and great restaurants and cafes of all persuasions. And every cheap (well not so cheap these days) hotel I stayed in had free wifi. It's easier to find an affordable room with good services and great food than any other big city I've ever stayed in (NY, London, Paris included)
  
  I'm not keen on the big tourist areas where the highest prices, biggest scams and least Vietnamese culture is, but plenty of people like that, and there's a pretty strong, young traveller scene. Like the best big cities, there's something for everyone.

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  • Romance
  • Value for money
  • I'll be back (or not)

  By violets (dabbler)
  Written on 29th March, 2011 after a visit to Hanoi in April, 2010

  Also reviewed by violets: Bac Ha, Hue, Pleiku, Thanh Hoa,

• Fantastic city

  Oddly enough, I have a very different opinion of Hanoi as I chose to live here. Even when I came as a tourist I loved it. I generally don't spend long in cities when travelling but I think Hanoi has so much to offer and clearly others do too - I've met a lot of backpackers who have been here for a couple of weeks, just chilling. If you just want a party, no, the nightlife's not that varied, but there's plenty for a few nights. I'm not going to ramble on too much here about the city but I just wanted to offer an alternative opinion to the post above. Of course not everyone loves it but try it and see!

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  • Romance
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  By travellingsarah (dabbler)
  Written on 11th January, 2011 after a visit to Hanoi in January, 2011

  
  

• smog, noise, chaos

  Don't give the city more than a day - in my opinion its a thoroughly unpleasant place. You'll constantly be on the lookout for mopeds about to run you over, nightlife is rather crap, its incredibly noisy, and the air is the worst I've experienced outside of Lahore. Sights are really nothing to get excited about with the exception of the military complex ....
  
  In short, use this as a way point for Sapa or Ha Long, but don't plan it as a destination.

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  • Eat & drink
  • Traveller's scene
  • Romance
  • Value for money
  • I'll be back (or not)

  By bjluecke (dabbler)
  Written on 29th December, 2010 after a visit to Hanoi in January, 2010

  
  

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