Pinay Nomad
  • Home
  • Travel
  • Fitness
  • Financial Freedom
  • About
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Travel
  • Fitness
  • Financial Freedom
  • About
No Result
View All Result
Pinay Nomad
No Result
View All Result
Home Travel

5 Reasons Why You Must Visit Hanoi

by KT Mina
November 24, 2020
in Travel
Reading Time: 4min read
visit-hanoi-vietnam featured
24
SHARES
224
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

The chaotic streets of Hanoi can be scary if you’re not used to crazy motorbikes and cars whizzing in different directions. When you step out, always watch out for motorbikes driving on walkways! Yeah, things like that happen, get used to it! Haha! Hanoi is kinda similar to Ho Chi Minh in some aspects but it’s more traditional and old school.

If you want to learn about Vietnam’s culture and visit historical destinations, then Hanoi is a perfect travel destination for you. My husband and I are both digital nomads and we decided to stay there for over a month during our six-month Southeast Asia trip. I tell you what, one month is too short. It’s not enough time to explore everything including Halong Bay! We’ll just go back there after the coronavirus pandemic.

Anyhoo, let’s get right to it!

Would you rather watch than read this post? Click the “play” button!

Here Are the Five Reasons Why You Must Visit Hanoi

1. It’s Affordable 

Hanoi is cheaper than in most cities in Asia. You can explore the city with a budget of $30-35 a day. You can shop ’til you drop and get good quality clothes and shoes that’s less than the original price at the mall. I’m not talking about knock-offs either if you pay close attention to your Nike’s, you’ll see that most of it are made in Vietnam.

My mom has a friend in Vietnam who works at the Nike shoe factory. I was told they sell Nike shoes that didn’t pass the quality check on flea markets. So I encouraged my husband to go to Hang Da Market and we bought a few pairs of sneakers! It’s been over a year now and it’s still working great.

2. People are Friendly and Helpful

One thing I really like about Hanoi is that you can talk to almost anybody. Not everybody speaks English in Hanoi so I downloaded Google Translate to communicate with the locals. It’s better if you know basic Vietnamese words like “cảm ơn bạn” for thank you, “bao nhiêu” for how much, and “xin chào” for hello.

Be nice but not too friendly coz some people will take advantage of you. One street vendor overcharged me for one coconut. At that time, I was still figuring out their paper money so I just gave him what he asked for. Later on, I realized he just charged me three times the original price. LOL!

3. Impressive Architecture, History, and Charm 

Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam, therefore they have a long history with the age-old traditional and cultural values. We stayed in the Old Quarter area and we’re impressed with the magnificent mix of eastern and western architecture. Their architectural designs were influenced by the French people.

One of my favorite places in Hanoi is the Opera House, St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Long Bien Bridge, Hoan Kiem Lake, and the Old Quarter. You can also check out the temple of Literature, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Ho Guom Lake, Ngoc Son Temple, West Lake, Huong Pagoda to learn more about Vietnamese history.

4. Vibrant City Life

Hanoi after sunset is vibrant, lively, and full of glitz! There are plenty of bars around Hoan Kiem Lake in the Old Quarter area where you can enjoy great music, all types of booze, and hang out with fun-loving locals and ex-pats. Bia Hoi Junction is probably the most popular street in Hanoi where people sit back on plastic stools and drink draft beer. It’s highly recommended by locals and other travelers, so check it out when you’re in Hanoi.

One thing to keep in mind though is the strict laws. Nightclubs and bars are usually close at midnight, but some remain open until the police show up. Some bars are also controlled by mobs so do your research so you won’t get in trouble.

5. The Food is Delicious

Pho!!!!! Who doesn’t like Pho? I think everybody does! Most Vietnamese foods are healthy and nutritious coz they love to put green vegetables in their recipes. Finding good food in Hanoi is the opposite of a challenge. Hawker food, restaurant food, street food, they’re everywhere and they’re all great!

My favorite Vietnamese dish is Bun Cha, you can find it anywhere in the world but the original is still the best and you can find it in Hanoi. I learned about it from my American client who goes to Vietnam once a year. He said it’s a must-try and he’s right! You’ll never go wrong with grilled pork, rice noodles, fresh herbs with papaya, chili, and garlic! Nom nom nom, it’s like heaven in my mouth! No wonder why Hanoi is the culinary capital of Vietnam!

***

Hanoi is truly fascinating! I recommend doing the ‘city day tour’ if you only have a few days to explore the city. It’s inexpensive and it gives you a good overview of the city. We’ll go back there for sure coz there’s a lot to see!

visit-hanoi-vietnam 2

You can also find me on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

What’s your take on this post? Let us know by leaving a comment down below!

Pin9Share6Tweet4
KT Mina

KT Mina

KT is a digital nomad who quit her job, bought a ticket somewhere, got a tan, fell in love with mother nature and she would never return to the normal life that society dictates. You can also connect with her on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram: @pinaynomad

Related Posts

hiking essentials
Travel

4 Essential Items You Need for a Hiking Trip

January 19, 2021
usa-best-destinations-for-nature-lovers featured
Travel

5 Best Destinations in the U.S. for Nature Lovers

December 18, 2020
sustainable travel featured
Travel

Five Top Sustainable Travel Ideas

October 14, 2020
best national parks in europe featured
Travel

6 of the Best National Parks in Europe

October 6, 2020
Next Post
money-saving-products featured

5 One-Time Purchases That Will Save You Money In The Future

Discussion about this post

No Result
View All Result

Categories

  • Financial Freedom
  • Fitness
  • Travel
Pinay Nomad

© 2013-2020 all rights reserved PinayNomad.com

  • About
  • Travel
  • Fitness
  • Financial Freedom

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Travel
  • Fitness
  • Financial Freedom
  • About

© 2013-2020 all rights reserved PinayNomad.com