Vietnam Archives - The Lifestyle I Want

Posted on November 16, 2019July 17, 2021 by Eulises Quintero

Hanoi in October. Is It Really Rainy?

The short answer to your question is no, it’s usually not that rainy. But since rain is a natural phenomenon you can not be 100% sure.

I’ve been to Hanoi during October twice, and both times I’ve seen no rain at all. Last time I was there I spent 5 days shopping and sightseeing. Highlights were Trang An and Halong bay, please scroll down and see some videos.

Hanoi in October Itinerary

First Day- Hanoi and Its Craziness

After landing in Hanoi around 11 am I got to the Old Quarter at around 2 pm. After checking in and taking a quick shower it’s time to go out and explore.

If you’ve never been to Hanoi in October or on any other month, here’s what the city is like, it was hot by the way. The title of the video is in Spanish, it means: visiting the old quarter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBaHVVxkFTI

Visiting the Old Quarter

The traffic never stops. If you stand there waiting for the traffic to completely stop so you can cross well…that’s not how it works in Hanoi, you kind of have to just throw yourself into the chaos carefully.

Activities for the afternoon include:

Buying souvenirs
Having a drink by the lake
Go shopping for anything you want
Silk, fake backpacks, jackets and shoes
Have dinner, it can be at a fancy restaurant or a stall by the lake
Go into one of the many coffee houses
Sit by the lake

Tip* Don’t forget to buy a sim card so you can use Google maps. Take a look at the following pics, swipe left or right.

For dinner (high-end dining) , you can go to green tangerine, one of the most recommended restaurants in town.

I was there during the first week of October and I was able to sit outside and have a really nice dinner, I’ll talk a bit more about restaurants later.

Second Day of Hanoi in October- Trang An

Okay, Trang An is not part of Hanoi but is super close and is one of the most popular tours from Hanoi. It’s all about exploring new places when traveling right? Trang an definitely will blow your mind.

Tours to Trang An are usually paired with a visit to Bai Dinh Pagoda, you’ll be picked up from your hotel and at the end of the day, they’ll take you back. It also includes lunch.

I booked through my hotel and they charged me 50USD, I saw signs on the streets- from tour operators- offering the tour for as low as 30 USD, is up to you how to book it.

Here’s a video of the one day trip to Bai Dinh Pagoda and Trang An, Hanoi in October, not a single drop of rain during the day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh5twvzS9AE&t=5s

For this tour, you’ll usually be picked up around 8 am and then the tour bus will drive around the old quarter picking up some more guests. You’ll then drive for around 2 hours- bathroom stop included- till you reach the location of Bai Dinh Pagoda.

You can see Bai Dinh Pagoda in the last 2 minutes of the video above and I’ll also leave some pics here, swipe left or right, you’ll also see how sunny it was during october.

While Bai Dinh temple is beautiful, I’d say the highlight of this tour is Trang An. October can get very very sunny, so don’t forget to wear light clothes and carry sunglasses and a hat with you.

The Trang an boat ride takes around 2 hours, in my humble opinion, that’s 30 minutes too long, if you can bring a little cushion to sit on, the ride will be a lot nicer.

Trang An is so worth it.

As I mentioned, this tour includes lunch, but it wasn’t anything memorable, we stopped at this all you can eat buffet restaurant where there were many MANY other tourists.

I got back to the old quarter around 7 pm, after taking a quick shower it was time to go back outside to look for pho and spring rolls. I was looking forward to Cafe Nola, but when I got there it was very creepy, I think it’s better if you go in the morning.

So I opted for having dinner at a nearby restaurant called Duong Restaurant Ma May Hanoi. The food was really good and worth the price. They have some really good spring rolls.

On my way back to the hotel I got some souvenirs and bought some shoes too. I got some crazy cheap Adidas, I’ve been wearing them for the past 3 weeks and they’re still holding up quite alright.

Third Day- Going to Halong Bay

This might be the best part of your short stay in Hanoi, joining a 2 days 1-night tour to Halong Bay. Prices for this range between 90 USD to 175 USD per person depending on the kind of cruise you want to be on.

There are tour operators offering these tours all over the old quarter, and your hotel most likely can also help you book if you wish. Here’s a video I made about Halong Bay.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cgpTBk1XdI&t=14s

This is usually how the first day goes

Pick up at your hotel/hostel around 8:00 am
Drive for 4 hours to the port
There’s a souvenir and snacks stop on the way
You arrive at the port around midday
You’re taken to the cruise by boat and check-in
Lunch is served
Rest for 1 hour
Meet to go kayaking around the bay, visit a pearl farm and back to the ship
Meet for drinks on the deck
Hang out on the deck and watch the sunset
Have dinner
Go up to the deck and watch the stars

Fourth Day- 2nd Day on Halong Bay

The day begins with a Yoga class at 8 am, unless you drank too much last night. After Yoga, you can have breakfast for an hour and then make 1 last exploration stop at a cave.

Once you get back to the ship you’ll have to gather your things and check out, the ship will start making its way back to the port, you’ll still enjoy one last lunch onboard.

Once you’re back on land you’ll be taken back to your hotel in the Old Quarter.

You’ll arrive at the Old Quarter around 6 or 7 pm, just in time for dinner, then again you can choose to go and explore the night markets or pay a visit to one of the most famous restaurants in town.

Essence Restaurant

The food was definitely tasty and the presentation was Instagram worthy. This restaurant is part of the Essence Hotel, if you happen to stay there then all you’ll have to do is go downstairs and eat.

After dinner, you can go and walk around the old quarter and make some final souvenirs or clothing shopping.

Fifth Day- Time to Leave Hanoi

So this is the day to say goodbye to the beautiful and chaotic Old Quarter of Hanoi. I’d recommend you to get up really early in the morning and go stroll around while there are still not that many motorcycles around.

You’ll get to see a more peaceful and calm side of the small traditional city, scenes of people cleaning the streets, preparing food, people running, and some nice Vietnamese ladies selling flowers on their bicycles.

Depending on the time of departure out of Hanoi, you might still have time to have lunch, if not, then its time to pack your bags and go.

There are two things I want to put some focus on, the first one is, how expensive is it to eat in the nice restaurants of the Old Quarter?

Nice Dining in the Old Quarter

Green Tangerine

If you make a Google search for the best restaurants in Hanoi, Green Tangerine for sure will show up in the results. The ambiance of the restaurant is nice, the food is good and the service is great.

You can make a reservation through their website or through Facebook. Getting there using Google maps is very straightforward.

This restaurant is definitely on the expensive side of Hanoi’s prices, but how much is it? Take a look

In USA dollars that is 73USD. Food was more than enough for 2 people and included a glass of wine and a beer.

Duong’s 2

The serving sizes here were bigger than Green Tangerine’s, everything tasted great, their spring rolls are to die for. If I had to choose between Green Tangerine or Duong’s, I’d definitely go for Duong’s.

Here’s what a nice dinner for 2 will cost you.

is-eating-in-a-restaurant-in-Hanoi-expensive

In USD that would be a total of 54USD.

As you can see, with those 2 examples, eating in fine restaurants in Hanoi is definitely pricey if you compare it to the more popular food at the markets or local shops. It’s up to you to decide which kind of experience you’d like to have.

The second point I want to focus on is fake products and other goods shopping.

Buying Fake Goods in Hanoi

buying-fake-products-in-Hanoi-Old-Quarterbuying-fake-products-in-Hanoi-Old-Quarter

You see those Adidas shoes up there, and the north face bag and rain jacket, well they’re fake, I mean they have to be.

Two pairs of shoes: 43USD
The North Face bag: 11USD
The North Face Rain Jacket: 15USD

To be honest, they look like the real thing, I’ve been wearing one of those pairs of shoes for around a month now and it works just fine. If you’re on a long trip through Southeast Asia Hanoi is a good place to buy any extra backpack or shoes you might need.

If you want some magnets as souvenirs, you’ll spend around 5 USD for 6. If you want some coffee, you’ll spend around 10 USD for a box of 10 units.

Where to Stay in Hanoi

I’ve talked about this in other posts, for example

https://thelifestyleiwant.com/10-fun-activities-in-hanoi/

And my answer will always be, the Old quarter, now there are many many options to stay in at the Old quarter. The one hotel I always stay at is Hotel L’heritage, the prices are very affordable and the location is great, you’ll be 10 minutes away from the lake.

You can use Booking.com to make your reservations, I’ve used many times over the past 5 years and I’ve never had a single issue.

Booking.com

Conclusion

Visiting Hanoi and surroundings during October is fun, so don’t be afraid to book that flight and that hotel and go have fun.

Posted on November 25, 2018January 10, 2023 by Eulises Quintero

10 Fun Activities in Hanoi (Video)

women walking around old quarter traditional dress

This post is about what to do in Hanoi.

I will give you a full list of the best activities and places to visit. Plus some additional information you’ll find useful as well.

Things To Do

1 Visit Halong Bay

This is by far, the number one thing you can not miss while being in Hanoi.

It’s without a doubt one of the most beautiful places you’ll see in Asia

Broad View of Halong Bay in the morning, Things to do in Hanoi

Halong means descending dragon. According to a Vietnamese Legend, the emperor Jade sent a mother dragon and its children down to earth to battle some invaders that were making their way into the Vietnamese Sea.

In order to stop the enemy ships, the dragons spat fire and jade at them.

The jade then turned into the many towering limestone islands covered by rainforests that now form Halong Bay.

After defeating the enemies, the mother dragon fell in love with the bay and decided to descend and make it its home.

Activities in Halong Bay

What makes this place even more beautiful than it already is, is the way how you can enjoy it.

You can spend 1, 2 or even 3 days in Halong Bay on board of a Cruise.

Halong Bay Cruise, things to do in Hanoi

Once you’re in Hanoi, you’ll see tons of tour operators offering cruise tours to Halong bay, and in any hotel you stay, you’ll equally find information about these cruise tours.

Please note that not all cruise ships look like the one in the picture.

There will be plenty of options to choose from, the nicer the ship the more expensive the price will be.

Visit the North of the Philippines: Baguio.

The tour companies will pick you up at your hotel, take you to the port and onto your cruise. Once it’s done they’ll take you back to your hotel.

2 Kayaking in Halong Bay

Well, in order to do this you must first join a cruise ship on Halong Bay, and make sure their itinerary includes Kayaking activities.

The cruise will park near a floating village. There they’ll give you your lifeguard vest, your paddles, and kayak of course.

Each kayak is for 2 people, don’t worry if you’ve never done it before, is super easy.

There is no better way to explore Halong Bay than by doing a bit of Kayaking and getting super close to those beautiful limestone mountains.

3 Visiting floating villages and a Pearl farm.

Again, to do this you must join a Halong Bay cruise. Make sure the activity is included in their itinerary.

Here you’ll see how a group of people makes a living out of culturing pearls for commercial purposes.

They’ll take you through their process from beginning to end.

Oyster Farms and Floating Village in Halong Bay, things to do in Hanoi

4 Visit some Caves

This is another activity you can do by simply joining a Halong Bay cruise. The caves are UNESCO declared world heritage areas.

The cruise ship will park near one of the limestone mountains and you’ll make your way up to the entrance of the cave.

Going up you’ll see a lot of foliage and trees. Once inside the cave, you’ll see beautiful stalactites all around you.

Walking inside the cave is not difficult at all as there is a paved path.

Visit Caves in Halong Bay, things to do in Hanoi

5 Have a beer on the deck of your cruise ship

This is very simple, yet so relaxing, just take an hour or 2 to hang out on the deck of your cruise ship, have a beer, read a book or just chill.

The Best Thailand Trip.

Something that is very particular in Halong bay and adds to the whole experience, is the way how the local sellers try to make you buy whatever they’re selling

Just because you’re on a cruise ship it doesn’t mean you’ll get away from them.

Expect them to approach the windows of your room in the cruise ship and offer their merchandise.

So remember, you can either book the cruise ship once you’re in Hanoi or do it online. I recommend you to do it once you get to your hotel in Hanoi.

When I went on one of these cruise tours, it turned out that out of the 10 passengers on board I was the only one who had booked online, and the one who paid the highest price.

Everyone else got a better deal by booking through their hotels or with tour operators in Hanoi.

9 Turmeric Benefits for Weight Loss

6 Visit the Old Quarter

This is also, in my opinion, the best place to stay.

Here you’ll find many economical hotels, tons of restaurants, cafes, bars, and local shops.

In this part of town, you’ll be able to experience the everyday life of the average Vietnamese. Be prepared for a sea of motorcycles all around you. Here are some common scenes you’ll see in the Old Quarter.

Just walking around this area of Hanoi is a whole experience in and of itself.

7 Go Shopping in Hanoi

List of streets and stores to visit in Hanoi Old Quarter

8 Visit Hoan Kiem Lake

This is a fresh water lake located right in the middle of Hanoi’s historical center (Old Quarter).

This is a place to sit, relax, have a drink and read a book or just see people walk by.

Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi Old Quarter Turtle island

The best time to visit this place is from Friday to Sunday when the nearby traffic is closed. After 7 pm and until midnight, a cool local fair vibe takes over, you’ll find a lot of street vendors trying to make business selling food, souvenir, and other curiosities.

The lake is lit up during night time, making it a nice place to take some nice pictures to keep as memories.

9 Hit the Night Markets for Some Food

One of the most popular street foods in Hanoi is located within walkable distance from the Old Quarter, there you’ll have the chance to eat a lot of different local food.

The amount of choices is endless.

Quan_Hoan_Kiem_Street_Food_Night_Market_Vietnam — Night Market in Old Quarter, Hanoi

Going from small dishes to full set meals, soup, rice, meat, seafood, you name it and they have it.

They also have vegetarian and vegan-friendly options like salad wraps, mushrooms kebabs and more WAY more.

Here is a gallery of Night Market food in the Old Quarter of Hanoi.

In case you’re trying to lose weight or you’re on a vegan or vegetarian diet, be sure you’ll find diet, vegan and vegetarian-friendly dishes that are very tasty.

18 Things to Add to Your Post Workout Smoothie

Street food in Hanoi Old Quarter Vegeterian Friendly — Night Market Food at Hanoi

Stree food in Hanoi Old Quarter, Vegetarian Friendly, rice noodles, tofu, vegetable kebab — Night Market Food Hanoi

I still have one more item for this list

10 Eat some Phở

Even though this is yet more food, I decided to set it apart from the rest because it’s, without a doubt, one of the most iconic dishes of the Vietnamese Cuisine.

What is Pho exactly?

It’s a combination of broth, rice noodles, a few herbs, and some meat, the traditional one is made with beef, but you can also find some made with chicken.

Here is a list of 3 restaurants in Hanoi where you can find some of the best Pho in town.

Pho Thin

Address: 13 Lò Đúc, Ngô Thì Nhậm, Hai Bà Trưng, Hà Nội, Vietnam
Hours: Every day, from 5:30 am to 9:30 pm

Pho Vui

Address: 25 Hàng Giầy, Hàng Buồm, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, Vietnam
Hours: Every day from 7 am to 10 am and then from 6 pm to 12 am

Cafe Pho Nho (They have vegetarian Pho)

Address: 7 Huỳnh Thúc Kháng, Khu tập thể Nam Thành Công, Ba Đình, Hà Nội, Vietnam
Hours: Every day from 7 am to 10 pm

Pho_Nho_busy_hours — Affluence of people by Hour

From Hanoi International Airport to the City Center

There are 3 ways to get from Hanoi International Airport to the City center.

By Bus

City buses number 7 and 17 connect the airport with the center of the city, the bus stop is on the right side of the terminal exit of the airport, the fare is 5000 VND (0.3 USD)

The buses run from 5 am to 10 pm, every 15 to 20 minutes there will be a bus arriving and departing from the station.

Bus number 7 will drop you off at Kim Ma Bus station, from there you’ll most likely have to take a taxi to your hotel.

Bus number 17 will drop you off at Long Bien Bus Station.

From there you’ll have to take a walk for around 15 minutes to get to the Old Quarter (In case you’re staying there)

Airlines Shuttle Bus

Some Airlines like Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet might have shuttle buses from the airport to the city center, so consult with your Airline.

By Taxi

A taxi ride from Noi Bai International Airport to let’s say the Old Quarter will take around 45 minutes depending on traffic.

The fare will be charged based on a taximeter. A ride from the airport to the city center will be around 320,000 VND (14USD)

When in the airport, make sure you follow the signs leading to the taxi area, and make sure is a taxi metered taxi.

Do not listen to any random guy in the airport offering you a taxi, as they most likely want to charge you a fixed higher than the usual rate to take you to the city center.

Where To Stay in Hanoi?

Booking.com

My choice is and will always be the Old Quarter, this is definitely the most popular place to stay for tourists, which means its gonna be very crowded but I personally don’t mind that.

If you’re the kind of tourist who wants to wander through more quiet neighborhoods and stay away from other tourists as much as possible, then I would recommend the following

Tay Ho, this is mostly an ex-pat neighborhood, the cultural shock is not as strong here as it’s full of modern stores that have a western feeling, there are many choices for dining and nightlife.

It’s close to the flower market.

Ba Dinh District, this is a district with a lot of history, some of the most visited spots in Hanoi are located here but it’s definitely not as crowded as the Old Quarter.

The war museum, the old citadel and Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum are nearby.

Hai Ba Trung, this is the most modern district in Hanoi, you’ll find nice restaurants, cafes, movie theaters, and malls.

For a more traditional feeling, you can head over to Pho Hue street.

Avoid a Scam I Fell for

See the ladies in the picture below, well this is what happened.

My first couple of hours in Hanoi, I was just walking around when all of a sudden one of those ladies approached me and offered some bread to me.

I took it, and as soon as I took it she started filling a plastic bag with pieces of bread and she said 350 thousand.

And I was like, OK….. sure why not, so I gave her the money and she disappeared.

Thailand. 18 Questions and 18 Answers

Then, I kept on walking and then entered a coffee store, I ordered a beverage and they charged me like 90 thousand VND.

So there I thought: Shit how much did I give that woman for the bread?????

It turns out I paid like 14 USD for 4 pieces of bread.

Now, is also my fault, because I just didn’t take time to do the conversion in my head.

I just assumed it was a cheap price, but for sure these women target tourists who they know might just be getting to town and are still getting familiar with their currency.

After asking around, some other tourists told me the same thing happened to them, so be careful if someone offers you bread on the streets.

But that was nothing compared to all the good things Hanoi has to offer. I LOVE Hanoi.

So there you have it, fun activities, things to eat, where to shop and where to stay.

Vietnam Visa

There are only a few countries that can enter Vietnam visa free, the rest of us need to apply for an authorization letter.

Once they send it to your email you print it out and take it with you on the trip. Once you arrive to the airport you use the letter to get the tourist visa

For more details please click here