We leave tomorrow for Hong Kong which is one our favorite places on earth. But Hanoi has stolen our hearts. While ultimately there isn’t that much to see here, the people are unforgettable and we have enjoyed every minute.
A couple of notes if you come here.
Stick to Hanoitourist cabs (or cabs called by your hotel). While ALL cabs are cheap, some cabs cheat you by having a quick meter. You’ll wind up paying double. But regular price usually winds up being $1-2 so it’s not a terrible outcome even if it’s doubled (just annoying). They are white cabs with red and blue writing (altough there is another with the same coloring and they are okay too). Cabs in grey paint are the shady ones.
If you are looking for Pho Ga (Chicken Pho), take yourself to Mai Anh.
Two bowls of Pho Ga were d110.000 or $4.88. Look it up, it’s worth it.
People yammer on about street food in Hanoi and it is indeed everywhere. But the reality of street food here is that you’re on the street sitting on a tiny little blue or red postage-stamp size plastic stools slurping your food while inhaling cyclo fumes. Not great in reality.
Instead an entrepreneur in Hanoi has unified 10 of the most famous and beloved street food vendors under one roof in a courtyard in Hanoi with real chairs and real servers.
This is Ngoc Anh, our server at Quan An Ngon. She helped us learn how to roll Vietnamese shrimp pancakes in rice paper. Then dip them. Yum.
This wasn’t ours (we inhaled ours too fast to take a pic so I snapped a pic of our neighbors!), but it’s exactly what we had.
Seriously go HERE, at least to start. Get two ice cold Tiger beers as you pick your way through the extensive menu. Dinner for two will run you about d400,000 (about $18), including beer. We ate here three times.
“They won’t run you over. I promise.”
Pay attention to the zeroes on their money. The exchange rate is about d22,500 to $1 so you wind up carrying bills with really big numbers on them. This is about $30, and as you can see there are a lot of zeroes and your eyes will cross.
Cyclos are everywhere. At times it feels like you’re in a life-sized Asteroids game because they are coming at you from every direction,
But don’t be afraid to cross the street. They won’t run you over, I promise. Just step off from the curb when you see a logical opening and walk at a measured rate across the street. The cyclos will pass in front and behind you but they won’t hit you. Don’t run and don’t freeze even if you’re intimidated.
Smile, alot. People respond (as they do everywhere) when you smile. But Hanoians especially so. They will even try to talk to you if you smile as they want to practice their English.
Definitely drink Vietnamese coffee. As much and as often as you can.
But it all comes back to the people. So welcoming, so kind, so earnest. You’ll find it’s difficult to do anything but smile while you’re here.
