Visited: October 23 – 25, 2024
From Bali, we flew 5 hours to Hanoi where we landed around 10pm. Nate’s mom, Kim, was meeting us in Hanoi and we coordinated flights to arrive around the same time. Luckily, both of our flights arrived on time and we met in the immigration area. The immigration process in Hanoi was slower and less efficient than in Kuala Lumpur or Bali, but we eventually got through. We collected our bags, exchanged some cash, and met our driver who took us to our Airbnb in the French Quarter. We ran into some troubles opening the lockbox but eventually we figured it out and finally were able to retreat into the comfort of our Airbnb and go to sleep after a long travel day.
Day 1: Pho Breakfast, Vietnamese Art, and Train Street
We may have just gotten to Hanoi, but we did not waste time and promptly started exploring the next morning. None of us had eaten a proper dinner, so we were starving. I found a pho place nearby (Phở Thìn Bờ Hồ) and we went for breakfast. I was so excited to taste pho in Hanoi because we had met many people on our travels that raved about food in Vietnam. The restaurant was a local joint set up in a small narrow alley. We each ordered a big bowl of pho (~$2) and I took my first sip of the clear broth. It was so good! It was the best pho I’ve ever had. Most of the phos I’ve had in the US tend to a darker, murkier broth with cinnamon (I don’t like cinnamon), but this one was so clear but packed with flavor. I gobbled down the entire bowl. It was a great start to Vietnamese food!
Fueled, we were ready to explore on foot. We walked along Hoàn Kiếm Lake and Ngoc Son Temple located on a small island on the lake. On our way to see the St. Joseph Cathedral, we wandered into a small pagoda (I can’t remember the name). By the time we reached St. Joseph Cathedral, we were quite tired and hot from walking. So we only spent a few minutes admiring the facade and then went to a cute coffee shop called The Running Bean for a break.
The Running Bean was so cute with a huge selection of drinks and treats. Our drinks were delicious and refreshing as was the crepe cake. We then continued on to the Temple of Literature which is dedicated to Confucius and was the Imperial Academy for centuries. The temple was long and narrow and it was cool to walk through a place where great scholars were educated.
After the Temple, we realized we were right next to the National Fine Arts Museum so we decided to pop in for a visit. I knew nothing about Vietnamese art and was blown away. The museum was much bigger than it looked with seemingly endless galleries and exhibitions. I am not a huge art museum enthusiast (I like quick, short visits), but I found myself slowly wandering and taking everything in. I don’t know how to articulate it, but so much of the art felt powerful and mesmerizing. I was particularly struck by the lacquer paintings (an art form original to Vietnam) and silk paintings, neither of which I’d seen before. They were so beautiful. There was also a lot of war artwork which was deeply moving. I thought the visit would be a quick walkthrough, but we ended up spending well over an hour. Even Nate, who likes art museums even less than I do, was impressed and enjoyed the museum. We highly recommend this museum to anyone visiting Hanoi!
We needed another break after the museum so we decided to go to the famous Train Street. It was unplanned, but good timing, because a train was scheduled to go through the street within the next hour. We swiftly walked to Train Street and found a small restaurant with front row seats for the train. Our table and chairs were probably less than four feet from the train tracks. We ordered beers and some food while we waited for the train. The street became packed with tourists as the time grew closer.
Finally, the time had come. The locals shooed people off the tracks and cleared the way as we heard the train in the distance. Then the train sped by. It was much faster and closer to us than I had imagined. The train was also much longer with probably a few dozen train cars. After a few minutes, the last train car sped away and it was over. Everyone buzzed with excitement and chatter. Train street wasn’t something I was particularly looking forward to, but it was way more fun and exciting than I anticipated. I was so glad that we stumbled upon it and waited for the train. I highly recommend it as a fun and unique experience when in Hanoi!
After Train Street, we finally returned to our Airbnb for a well-deserved afternoon break after a full day. For dinner, we decided to try Bun Cha at the restaurant made famous by Anthony Bourdain and President Obama. We were worried that there would be a huge line, but luckily there was no line when we arrived even though the restaurant was packed. We quickly sat down and ordered the “Combo Obama” of Bun Cha, fried seafood roll, and a Hanoi beer. The bun cha was delicious and flavorful, better than any I’ve had in the US.
Day 2: Custom-Tailored Suits, Water Puppet Show, and Beer Street
We started Day 2 with trying another Vietnamese food on our list – Bun Rieu, a seafood noodle soup. We ate at a random restaurant on the street and this one was disappointing. The food looked good, but did not taste special. It’s always a bummer when the random spot chosen off the cuff, rather than from online research, doesn’t pan out.
After breakfast, we stopped in a coffee shop for some Vietnamese Coffee which is mixed with sweetened, condensed milk. This combo is delicious! Neither Nathan nor I drink much coffee, but we both loved Vietnamese coffee and had it everyday. If it weren’t for the caffeine (which has a strong impact on me), I’d want to drink it multiple times a day. Kim, a real coffee enthusiast, also thought the coffee in Vietnam was fantastic.
We then went to a tailor shop that Nathan had researched to get a custom-tailored suit. It is a popular thing to do as it is much cheaper to buy tailored suits in Vietnam compared to the US. It was a nice, professional shop inside. He picked out the fabric, color, and style and then was measured for a suit and white shirt all for around $400. Neither of us have ordered customized clothing so it was a very cool experience. Watching Nathan, I got jealous and wanted to get a custom-tailored suit as well. So I looked online for a tailor that makes women’s suits and found one just down the street. After Nathan was done, we went to the other tailor where I was able to promptly get measured and order a suit as well. Mine was even cheaper – a suit set and white shirt for only $140! Both our suits would be finished in about a week.
With the important business of the day finished, we walked around the Old Quarter and walked through a big wholesale market which had everything from live animals (even saw some turtles), grain, dried seafood, fabrics, nonperishables, and more.
It was now time for lunch, and next on our food list was banh mi. We found a highly-rated place nearby and we were excited to have our first banh mi in the country. Unfortunately, lunch was also mediocre. We’re not sure why this spot was so highly rated, but none of us thought the banh mi was great. It was fine, but nothing special.
We were near the Long Bien Bridge, so we decided to walk across it – or at least walk part way across it. It was so hot after lunch that we indeed only made small progress before we decided to turn around. We were exhausted from the bridge excursion so we took a Grab back to the Airbnb to rest.
In the late afternoon, we went to see a water puppet show. Water puppetry is an old Vietnamese form of puppetry dating back to the 11th century. Puppeteers control the puppets behind a curtain and singers and musicians perform music on the side through a series of vignettes. I had never seen water puppets so it was a cool new experience. However, I was very tired, and I unfortunately found myself being lulled to sleep by the music in the dark… I tried so hard to stay awake but it was difficult.
In the evening, we went in search of Bún bò Nam Bộ, another noodle dish. This was a hit! It was very delicious and one of my favorite dishes in Vietnam.
We then wandered the busy streets of the Old Quarter night market full of vendors selling mostly clothes and accessories. Our final destination was Beer Street, an area lined with little tables and plastic chairs and along the street where people eat and drink. It is an amazing place for people watching. We waded past dozens of restaurants trying to lure us in until we found a spot in a less crowded area and ordered three cold draft beers to end the night and our last day in Hanoi before heading to Ha Long Bay the next morning.
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