Enter Hanoi

Arriving at the airport I was handed a piece of paper by local police warning about dodgy taxi drivers, and they aren’t actually allowed inside the airport. This is probably the only place you’ll get some peace in Vietnam. Then Barclays proved their utter uselessness once again with my card not working, and the friggin ANZ ATM stole my Aussie card!! So regrettably changing cash at the evil exchange places, I had a little to play with. Getting into town, your best bet is the local bus or a shared mini bus, about $2.50.

First thing you notice in Hanoi is the traffic, it Rivals China for pure entertainment. You could probably spend a long time just watching the roads and not get bored. Loads of motos, crazy driving, and constant, unnecessary beeping! Even before I got to the hostel I saw one guy fall off his bike in a small street. And what did the next bike do? Beep at him to get out of the way of course! Unfortunately this, and worse, is the the kind of attitude I came to expect from many Vietnamese.

I checked into Hanoi Backpackers, where dorms cost the price of a private room in a local hotel, but its all about the atmosphere here. It’s a great place to meet people, book trips, and get tips on what do to and where to go in Vietnam, perfect for a solo traveler such as myself.

Being late and not knowing the area I went to the only veggie haunt near by, Tamarind. This is nice food, but only a few vegan options and very expensive for Vietnam, with most mains being over $5.

Hanoi is quite big, but you can do most of the (interesting) sights in a day. I started with the near by Hao Lo Prison Museum, originally used by the French, and later by North Vietnam in the war. Its actually not that interesting a place, but it only costs 10,000 Dong to get in (about 60c). The most interesting parts are how some prisoners escaped via a tiny break in the bars in the sewer pipes, and while not really the place to laugh, the engrish translations are often funny.

15min later I went for lunch at a traditional Vietnamese Vegan restaurant, Chom Chay Nang Tam, just down the road. It’s a little hidden but easy enough to find. The place was packed with locals, including a fair number of monks (who should follow a vegan diet but many don’t), so I was the only foreigner there! Its a little expensive by Vietnamese standards, and the menu is mostly mock meats, but there’s plenty of other options to choose from. I had “snow balls!, stuffed tomatoes, corn cakes and rice. Very good food.

Next up is the Temple of Literature. Haha I know, don’t worry dad I didn’t read (or learn) anything here. Again this was a bit of a let down, its listed in the lieing lonely planet as a “must see” but it’s basically just a small pagoda with a nice garden inside.

I walked on to the Military Museum then, and this is one of the best things to see in Hanoi. Enough of reading boring plaques and looking at crappy B/W photos, this place has a huge collection of Military Vehicles and Weaponry from the war. Most of it captured from the US. Tanks, Jets, Choppers and Cannons. Very cool. The museum also gives you access to the flag tower which you can go up.

After getting back to the hostel I was talking to some Irish girls in my dorm and joined them for happy hour at the hostel. Drinking with 6 Irish girls isn’t a good idea. Combined with BOGOF (Buy one get one free) happy hour and we were well stocked up before going to an Irish pub and later Bia Hoi. Bia Hoi is the place for cheap bear in Vietnam, often served from a keg in the street! For 4,000 Dong (20c) you get a mug of beer. Vodka of course costs more, but Hanoi “Vodka” is still very cheap. Hmm, I’m supposed to be up early tomorrow for a trip to Halong Bay.. This’ll be interesting..

Ha Long Bay »« Luang Prabang to Hanoi