A must see to experience the culture of Vietnam.
Excellent place for food, culture, shopping, scooter-related near death experiences (part of the charm) and nightlife.
Timeless Charm of Old Hanoi
I just love to walk and explore the shops and cafes along Hanoi’s oldest streets. This is a must try during your free time if you’re with a tour group. You can have the most of it if you do a DIY tour like I did. The best time to explore is by the afternoon, or early morning.
You can find everything
Shops of all kinds, circle everywhere, ATMs, street vendors, food restaurants of all nationalities, local restaurants, street food ….. You do not forget to live the atmosphere that you breathe, the smells, go into its alleys and converse with local citizens
Real city life
Its amazing how much power is in the are, when you walk through the streets of the old quarter. The only thing i didn‘t liked is, that the traffic is like war. You always have to survive. But thats Hanoi.
Hanoi – Lively city
I loved the old town of Hanoi. It’s noisy, smelly and very busy but it’s great. It’s real and doesn’t have any pretenses. You take your life in your hands trying to cross the road but quickly get used to all the mopeds. Great shopping to be had that’s really good value. And don’t forget to try a local beer. It’s really good.