A weekend in Hanoi
- therockettman
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
I was reaching the end of a teaching assignment in Hong Kong with enough holiday entitlement for one final, long weekend. The short-listed destinations included Cambodia and Vietnam, but the latter proved far easier to visit, both in terms of flight frequencies as well as travel time. So, that left a choice of whether we would visit Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh, again an easy decision as Hanoi was a shorter flight and seemed to be a more authentic destination in terms of Vietnamese culture.
Despite Hanoi’s legacy as part of French Indochina, one should not expect this city to represent the Paris of Asia. In fact, there are few vestiges of the French influence and those are limited to the occasional fancy pastry shop. Otherwise, this is just another chaotic Southeast Asian capital city that is searching for a distinctive identity among other emerging economies.
Hanoi's bustling traffic
Hanoi is situated in Northern Vietnan and has a population of 9 million people. It also has more than 7 million registered motorbikes, the likely reason for which is that the public transportation system is underdeveloped and limited to the occasional bus. For one who generally feels compelled to explore a destination on foot, the constant barrage of motorbikes can be tiring. Adding to this challenge is the obstacle course created by countless stationary motorbikes parked onto nearly every square inch of the pavement. As a result, it is not unusual to have to merge off the pavement and into the roadway, which means your head is on a swivel looking to avoid the unrelenting onslaught of moving traffic.
Hanoi's Old Quarter
If you can get over the vehicular chaos, Hanoi is an interesting place to visit. We began our introduction by signing up for a food tour of the Old Quarter that included a most unique attraction - a train that runs through a neighborhood with a row of bars encroaching on the rail line. Tourists and revelers crowd into these establishments to toast the train as it goes by, which is a bit scary in its proximity, and the passengers return the toast as they roll slowly by.
Cuisine of Hanoi
On this food tour we were introduced to a variety of Vietnamese specialties that included banh mi, a baguette sandwich with meat, pate and vegetables; pho, a bowl of noodles in beef broth with a side of flavor enhancements that comprise cilantro, bean sprouts, lime and chilis; and bun cha, a bowl of rice vermicelli noodles with pork patties, fresh herbs and a tangy dipping sauce. On a subsequent evening, we had another specialty dish of Hanoi while dining at Ha Tanh Mansion - cha ca la vong is a very tasty fish marinated in turmeric, ginger and dill, along with other spices, and then grilled.
There are two avenues that provide a broad enough sidewalk to be able to amble and admire the architecture that epitomizes French Indochina. Tran Hung Dao street in the French Quarter is lined with colonial mansions housing embassies and consulates. A similarly atmospheric walk is along the tree-lined Phan Dinh Phung street above the Old Quarter, which borders the North Gate of the Imperial Citadel as well as various government ministries and ultimately leads to the Presidential Palace and Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum.
A visit to the Hanoi Hilton
A visit to Hanoi must absolutely include the Hanoi Hilton, which despite its name, is not a hotel, but the infamous Hoa Lo Prison built by the French for political prisoners and then used by the North Vietnamese to house US POWs. The exhibit is enlightening in terms of the evolution of Vietnam from colony to country and includes a focus on the US war and propaganda related to the “fair” treatment of US pilots.
Water puppet shows of Hanoi
Another must see in Hanoi is the theatrical water puppet show, which is a uniquely Vietnamese tradition involving brightly colored wooden puppets that seemingly dance on water, but are controlled by puppeteers with rods and strings from behind a curtain. A typical show will comprise a one-hour performance with a live orchestra narrating tales of rural folk life while playing traditional instruments. There are multiple venues in Hanoi where one can experience the show several times a day and it is worth getting the premium tickets for preferential access and seating, especially at Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre, which gets very crowded right before showtime.
A couple of suggestions before you visit Vietnam would include leaving plenty of time to apply and have approved a tourist visa. If you do not leave at least a week, and upwards of two, you may risk being denied boarding at the airport. Be sure you have confirmation of the entry visa in digital format on your mobile phone. Also, Uber does not operate in Vietnam, so be sure to download the Grab app and provide payment details in your profile well before your arrival.
Bon voyage!