Navigating Hanoi

Before leaving for Hanoi, we received plenty of tips and advice from my family.  Ever since my mom and grandma got swindled into paying almost $50 for a fish entree (an insane amount by Vietnamese standards), they made sure to pass along their story, as well as those of their friends, as cautionary tales so that the same experiences wouldn't happen to us. While we've all heard how unfortunate situations happen to the best people (especially tourists), don't let this deter you from enjoying your experience.

To us, Hanoi felt safe. That being said, here are some tips and advice we like to pass along to you. Enjoy Hanoi. It's a beautiful city and worth a few days to take in all that it has to offer.

Visa:
You'll need a tourist visa to enter Vietnam, not just Hanoi. Make this arrangement prior to your travels to avoid the hassle. As a conservative estimate, processing can take a couple of weeks so plan accordingly and you'll have to inquire for fee information- the fee was $120 when we went (Multiple Entry, 1 Month). You can get a visa upon arrival but you risk waiting hours to get one, or worse, not being to obtain a visa and consequently being unable to enter the country.

Getting to Hanoi
Noi Bai Airport is about 30 miles away from the city (Old Quarter). If you don't have a car, you have two options of getting to the city.

1. By Taxi: This will cost you 350,000 (US$17).  For tourists who do not speak Vietnamese, be careful when picking a taxi. There are reputable taxi cabs and there are some that will pretend they're a luxury fleet or taxi cabs. Ask for the price of your trip into Hanoi before getting into a taxi. It should be a fixed amount around $17 or possibly less.  Some hotels/hostels will make travel arrangements for you to get to your hotel. Inquire with your hotel/hostel for this option.
2. By Bus: You can take the #17 bus to Long Bien Bus Station. The bus will cost you 5,000 VND ($0.30 USD). It will be the CHEAPEST form of transportation you'll ever take, anywhere. Since we knew our hotel was a 10-minute walk from the station, we opted to take the bus. Additionally when the opportunity arises, Jen always wants to experience the transit that locals use from day to day (especially when it's dirt cheap- it blows her mind). The ride will take you about an hour before it reaches Long Bien Bus Station, which should be the last stop. It was an eye-opening and humbling experience- Hanoi is very different from the states.

Peddlers

Learn to say "NO!". They'll invade your personal space, insist that you are beautiful/handsome in Vietnamese, and offer you a ride for "cheap".  Just say "No, thanks".

Food

There are 2 dishes that everyone should experience while in Hanoi - pho ga (chicken pho) and bun cha. We were originally trying to find the best pho bo (beef noodle soup) in Hanoi to compare to the ones we had in Saigon. After struggling to find one, we thought we were settling for pho ga [not really a favorite of mine growing up]. Little did we know that Hanoi was known for their pho ga, and it didn't disappoint. On a chilly winter day, there's really nothing better than a bowl of pho ga.  Bun cha is another noodle dish served with fresh herbs, vegetables and grilled pork in a cold broth. It is a lunch dish and can only be found during lunch time. The best way to find amazing food is to walk around the city and see where the locals congregate. 

Coffee

Amazing coffee. Spend some time at a cafe and order a coffee. Trust us, you won't regret it. There is nothing like coffee in Vietnam, and we've had our fair share of drinking many different types of coffee.

See what we did in Hanoi!