Thousands of blogs discuss all the popular things to do in Hanoi, I will not do the same. Let’s talk about the unordinary. Isabelle and I spent 8 days in Hanoi. The first four when we first landed in Vietnam (Bangkok –> Hanoi on VietJet) and four days when we were trying to fix our Fujifilm camera (unsuccessful), so here are our favorite parts from a not-so-touristy tourist.
Disclaimer: Our camera was broken during our time in Hanoi, so we apologize for the lack of quality photos, the iPhone will have to do for now.
Where to Stay
The first and most controversial statement: don’t stay in The Old Quarter. Yes, the Old Quarter puts you in the heart of the action, but you will pay a higher price for lower-quality accommodation. Plus, you’ll be spending lots of time there already, so you might as well stay in a different area of town that allows you to explore more. You might stay with a nice family who can give you great pointers about the city or you might stay in a well-managed “homestay”, where you won’t be bothered much by the owners, but you’ll have a room, a shared kitchen, and you’ll still be able to walk everywhere.
If something is too far, the public bus is super efficient and how we would get around town. Cua Nam was one area we ended up really enjoying, home to tons of cafes and bakeries. It feels like Little France… Okay, most of Vietnam feels that way, but with the abundance of bakeries and cafes in this specific area it really showed.
Here are a few of our favorite Hanoi stays:
- 80’s Retro Homestay
- RESERVE AHEAD, we loved this place. Just west of Old Quarter, it was nestled down an alley and very quiet. There is a common space, and the room is clean. Overall, it is just a great find. We got lucky and had one night here, but it was booked out the rest of the days – so book ahead.
- Lovely Homestay Outside of Town
- This homestay is pretty far south of the Old Quarter. You’ll have to take the bus to get anywhere, but the host family is very nice and has great restaurants/cafes nearby. Plus, you’re staying in a real Vietnamese neighborhood, and no part of it is touristy – so if you’re going for authentic, this is it. One great cafe nearby with stellar WIFI: Indoor Cafe.
Getting Around – The Bus System of Hanoi
You decided to listen to me but now you don’t want to spend all day walking to town or all your money buying Grabs. Well, I have good news, Hanoi’s public transportation is amazing, the bus system specifically. Google Maps is very accurate with detailed bus routes that will take you anywhere in the city. Also, if you don’t have Google Maps downloaded, just go get it right now. It will be your best friend, I promise. Ignore the bus times though. I never found the bus route times to be very accurate, however, they do a great job of showing you routes and bus numbers so we still used it religiously.
The bus typically costs 7,000-15,000 VND per trip ($0.25 – $0.50 USD), and the fare is a set rate no matter the distance traveled. Keep in mind that it’s best to take it as far as you need it to go at the beginning of your day.
Food & Drink
Michelin-Certified Street Food
If you consistently want to eat great food in Hanoi, download the Micheline Guide app. This will point you to delicious food all over the city. You can even adjust the price from high-end, luxurious eats to local stalls that have been awarded a Michelin certification (Anthony Bourdain might’ve helped these stalls get their Michelin ratings, and boy, does he know good food).
Expand Your Palette
Nowadays most people pick their next meal by looking at reviews and choosing the safest option to get a great meal (I am guilty of it too, it works well). However, one night Isabelle and I went into a random restaurant that was not popping up on the map and had the owner choose our meal (the menu was only in Vietnamese and Google Translate was making some risky translations, so we didn’t really have a choice but to let him pick for us).
The meal was food we never would have ordered ourselves (besides the French fries), but it was mouthwatering. It turns out I like tendons with sauteed Morning Glory. And the BBQ Pork Ribs were some of the best I’ve eaten. Everything in Vietnam is delicious, they seriously know how to cook, so try something new for dinner.
Bun Cha – A Hanoi Specialty
This food makes our mouths water. When we first came to Northern Vietnam, we figured we’d be eating Bahn Mi’s and Pho for every meal. When we arrived we quickly learned that this is NOT the case. Each region has its specialties. Northern Vietnam and Hanoi specialize in Bun Cha and random bowls of “today’s” specials. Hoi An and Central Vietnam are the Masters of Bahn Mi and Cau Lau. And Ho Chi Minh City, or Saigon as most Vietnamese still refer to it, is King of Pho.
So what the heck is Bun Cha? It is a quintessential dish of delicious sweet & tangy flavor. Traditionally, this popular street food will be served in a few parts. You’ll get a bowl of tangy, almost-fish-like sauce. Then a platter of fresh Vermicelli noodles. And pork meat patties which will already be soaking in the sauce. With this, they bring you a large bowl of fresh lettuce, herbs like cilantro and mint, and a variety of chili sauce for extra spice. You’ll add your ingredients in slowly so that every bite is fresh.
Bun Cha became our favorite meal in all of Vietnam, surpassing Pho and Bahn Mi’s (I know, we sound crazy but don’t knock it ’til you try it.)
Some of our favorite places to eat (* = Michelin-certified):
- Tuyet Bun Cha 34 *
- Pho 10 *
- Bun Cha Huong Lien *famous for Obama and Bourdain eating here, they incased their table in plexiglass. Genius!
- Gia Cay Goc Anh Em
- Com Tam Sa Bi Chuong
Dirt Cheap Beer
I like beer but don’t drink it often because it is expensive. However, in Hanoi, there is a solution to this issue and they call it “Bia Hoi”. Bia Hoi (literally fresh beer) is locally brewed, and extremely cheap. It’s brewed without preservatives daily, so it must be consumed the same day. For that reason, they make it extra cheap to ensure they get rid of the day’s batch.
While walking through the old quarter look for a sign that says Bia Hoi with a number below it. This means the spot has bia hoi and what the charge per cup. Isabelle and I marked a place on our map in the Old Quarter where you can go to Bia Hoi. It is 10,000 VND/cup. It can be hard to find – and don’t get tricked. There are signs around town that say Bia Hoi – but once you sit down you quickly find out that they only serve bottled beer. If it’s REAL Bia Hoi, they should have a sign that states how much it costs (and it should be dirt cheap).
Location of our Bia Hoi spot: https://maps.app.goo.gl/85KMsVUSFqXqA1967
1-Day Sample Itinerary
A not-so-touristy way to have the weirdest day in the city of Hanoi:
Morning
- Head to Pho 10 for a hearty breakfast (YES, this place is touristy, but it is freaking delicious. Busy restaurants are always a good sign.)
- Walk across Cau Long Bien Bridge (this is the bridge that leads to Banana Island. The narrow sidewalks make for an entertaining walk)
- Banana Island, the agriculture sector of Hanoi (farmers and friendly locals, nudist colony, dogs… what more do you need on your weird day in Hanoi?)
Afternoon
- Check out the world’s longest Mosaic wall – 6km long, and you can see some while heading from Banana Island back to town)
- Have lunch at Tuyet Bun Cha 34
- Refresh with a Vietnamese coffee from S’Cafe
- Visit Train Street (not the main area though. Follow the train track on a map and find your own spot with fewer crowds)
- Get a scalp massage and shampoo (Isabelle did this and LOVED it. Her hair and scalp felt fantastic after, and it was dirt cheap. She got it done here)
- Check out Hanoi’s Book Street. A relaxing street with books, greenery, and cafes
Evening
- Try a new food (bonus points for letting the restaurant server choose!)
- Find Bia Hoi for some aprés dinner drinks
- If you find Bia Hoi you’ll most likely be in the heart of Old Quarter, so I’m sure you can find a way to entertain yourself for the rest of the night. You got this.
Bonus tip for long-term travelers: If a new movie comes out that you want to see, or you’ve been craving some theatre popcorn, Hanoi is a great place to go to the theatre. We saw Dune 2 in IMAX and it was a great experience.
Enjoy your time in Hanoi, it can be as weird and wonderful as you choose to make it!
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