Shiok Travels!

Heading south from the Old Quarter will lead you to another popular district – the French Quarter which boasts uptown funk and colonial architectural remains from the days of colonial rule by the French. You will be able to find upmarket dining and shopping options here which resembles Orchard Road. While it potentially offers you a break from the rest of the hectic Hanoi capital, I prefer the kampong vibe of the Old Quarter, as it was quainter and more unique an experience for me personally.

What comes first to mind when I say Vietnam? Chances are that it’s Halong Bay. Aggressively marketed as the top tourist attraction, Halong Bay has been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its outstanding geological and scenic value. Certainly, the long journey from Hanoi has not daunted tourists who continue to swarm the area to enjoy picturesque natural landscapes all around.  Halong Bay by day: Emerald seas and limestone karsts against the azure blue sky!

The few tourist attractions here may not be as popular as those in the other circuits described earlier, but may offer a good photo stop whilst traversing the roads of Hanoi. You may be surprised as to what you will be able to find here.

Understandably, not every local delicacy is within our usual comfort zones, due to the influences of different cultures and traditions. Rather than shying away from these dishes and dismissing them as grotesque, I enjoy taking up the challenge and learning more about their cultures through trying and appreciating their local fare. Here are some unusual delicacies which I tried during my visit to Hanoi, which you may like to savour when you're there as well!

If you are visiting Hanoi, chances are that you will be staying in an accommodation located in the famous Old Quarter which resembles a maze composed of 36 streets each named after the commodity which used to be sold along that road back in the olden days. During my visit, I was unaware of this fact and was thus perplexed as to why all the shops along one street would want to place themselves in a huge flurry of competition to sell the same item – but now I guess it’s just uniquely Hanoi. 

Food is definitely an important factor that can either make a vacation a success or an absolute failure. Foodies need not worry about Hanoi, though, as the street food culture here is well established and you can almost always find a dependable café or roadside stall to satiate your appetite!

Ninh Binh Province is approximately 90 kilometres south of Hanoi. Nicknamed Serenity, the province indeed sheds light on the more rural areas of Vietnam and the citizens’ peaceful livelihood primarily on agriculture, evident from the miles and miles of rice paddy fields.  Harvested rice is left to dry (on the roads) before being collected.

If you are planning to walk around the Hanoi district just like I did, you may wish to note that the Western Circuit will involve the longest walking distance out of the Old Quarter (approximately 25 minutes). You may wish to take this journey early in the morning as you will be able to avoid the massive crowds that will be visiting the tourist attractions you will be exploring in this circuit. Trust me, you will want these places to yourselves to capture the best photographs. Let’s start tracing Uncle Ho’s footsteps!

I was really impressed with how easy it was to get around this sleepy capital city in one of the last communist countries in the world. Here's some tips on moving around here!

In this series, I will be sharing with all of you about my ventures in Hanoi during my visit in October/November 2017. Hopefully, my experiences and itineraries will be able to help those of you out there who are planning to visit this charming little city with its unique kampong feel.