Hanoi was all I thought it would be - Bustling with energy, slightly erratic and incredibly charming.
The capital city of Vietnam is renowned for its beautiful architecture, tree-lined streets, ancient pagodas and eclectic fusion of cultures. Heavily influenced by the Chinese and the French, I found it immensely easy to fall in love with Hanoi.
Here are little thought-snippets I’ve leisurely scribbled while I was in the city known for its Parisian grace and Asian pace, along with a photo diary.
• Traffic is buzzing madness (way lesser motorcycles compared to Ho Chi Minh though) with incessant honking to go with it. It was fascinating to witness it in action, where honking is a form of communication instead of an outburst of displeasure or rage.
• The buildings and houses are built vertically, resulting in narrow but tall structures.
• Every district has a distinct feature / speciality. A road retailing every kind of shoes known to man. An entire lane of wedding card printers. A street selling silk, with colourful ao dai-s on display at every shop.
• Vietnamese are truly friendly, jovial and helpful people. From the hotel manager to the informative tour guide to Halong Bay to random strangers on the street, I was constantly greeted with a smile.
• I don't drink coffee, but who was I to resist the delectable mélange of coffee and coconut ice-cream? Resistance was futile and this was my glorious cup of creamy, earthy goodness.
• Street food is king in Hanoi. A must-visit city for all foodies. The food is wonderfully delicious, the local beer is cheaper than water and the best way to enjoy it is to go where the locals frequent.
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| Quintessentially Vietnamese. Banh Mi - Crusty baguette with pickled vegetables (carrots and cucumber) and pork belly, local beer and people-watching by the sidewalk. |
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| Banh Cuon - Vietnamese steamed rolled rice pancakes. Chicken variety on the top left, fresh shrimp on the bottom right. |
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| Mien Xao Luon - Glass noodles with fried eel. |
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| Bun Cha - Grilled pork patties with rice vermicelli and assorted foliage. Nem Chua Be - Fried spring rolls with pork, mushrooms and crab meat. |
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| Highway 4. |
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| Clockwise (from left to right) - Fried french beans with lemongrass and chilli, catfish spring rolls and seafood glass noodles. |
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| Maison De Tet Decor. |
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| Stunning decor within the bungalow. |
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| Scrumptious breakfast with a view - Smoked salmon and poached eggs on gluten-free potato cakes with fresh Moroccan mint tea. |
• Ha Long Bay is approximately 160 kilometres away from Hanoi. The journey to the UNESCO World Heritage Site took about 4 hours because of the traffic situation (the driver couldn’t go any faster than 60km/h even though we were on the highway) and road condition. In that time, we passed the Red River Delta and marvelled at the untouched beauty of the countryside. The rice paddy fields looked like a patchwork quilt in different shades of green, water buffaloes in the sweltering heat and farmers going about their daily routine.
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| Ha Long Bay Wharf. |
• A few potholes, bumps and a couple of snoozes later, Ha Long Bay came into sight and it was breathtaking. The view demanded my attention and I gleefully obliged; beholding it, wide-eyed and mesmerised.
• I parked fear aside, lived a little and in turn, had an adventure-filled day. I decided to kayak (instead of sitting in a rowed boat) at Ha Long Bay. It was my first time, I got slightly drenched and my arms received the workout of a lifetime.
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| Managed to manoeuvre through this tight spot. |
• Next, I hiked up the Thien Cung (Heavenly Palace) cave, savoured the cool air within its chambers and explored the grotto adorned with stalactites and stalagmites.
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| Streams of natural light beaming through the limestone walls. |
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| View of the bay from the top of the cave. |
• Taking a walk around the tranquil Hoan Kiem Lake was soothing for the soul.
• For the most part, I relied on Google Maps to get my bearings and directions. One evening, I chose not to and traipsed around the city without a destination, just to take it all in. I loved every moment of my aimless wandering and for just a little while, the rest of the world melted away.
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Ho Chi Minh last year and Hanoi this year, Vietnam has left an indelible mark on my wanderlust soul. I will most certainly be back for more real soon.
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