Vietnam — I. Hanoi

Following my flights from America to Singapore I boarded a Vietnam Airlines flight to the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi. I paid $99 for an economy ticket and the flight was under 2.5 hours long — but I was pleasantly surprised to be served a full meal, a snack, and multiple rounds of tea (separate from general beverage service). The seats were comfortable with beautiful ornamented designs. Television screens dropped from the ceilings and randomly played Adele’s SNL episode (with Vietnamese subtitles). From this flight alone I knew Vietnam was going to be incredible.

Now, as a side note — there is one aspect to SE Asia that had me a bit stressed, and that is the high use of motorbikes/scooters. I worried that it would be difficult to explore without one, and/or I that I would get hit by one in the streets. Thankfully public transit and buses connect most places, but motorbikes are still seen as the best way to get off the beaten path. Just before the trip I got an international drivers permit, but I still don’t think I am legally able to ride a motor bike in most of Asia without also possessing a motorcycle license from my country. This doesn’t seem to stop most travelers, as it is very easy to obtain motorbikes in Asia without any kind of license check. As someone who’s never driven one, I question my ability to do so in Asia, and without the proper licensing I worry that I would be denied insurance coverage in the case of a serious injury.

Speaking of motorbikes, the streets of Hanoi are supposedly some of the most chaotic in the world for such traffic. This was evident as I took the 86 bus from the airport into the old district. Getting off I met another traveler heading to the same hostel to begin their Vietnam trip. We weren’t really sure how to navigate the streets, with motor bikes zig zagging through intersections, most without traffic lights. Sometimes there’s sidewalks, sometimes not. You just have to trust that drivers will swerve around you as you cross the busy streets. As much as I felt I would get run over during my three days in the city I came to appreciate and find confidence in the experience.

In the month before I flew to Hanoi I created a 3.5 month itinerary covering six countries. With this I also chose hostel preferences to book along the way. Hanoi Buffalo Hostel easily had the best free breakfast of any hostel I’ve stayed at, setting the bar pretty high with a buffet spread of eggs, fried rice, fruits, cucumber, bread/jam, tea, juice, and coffee. And for $6/night this was a bargain. It makes me think, over a year ago I paid $150 for a hotel in Atlanta that didn’t even include WIFI (wifi is a pretty much a given at any hostel, even in remote places). Being the rainy season in Vietnam I used the small but adorable pool at the hostel to cool off each day after hours of dodging motorbikes in the humid streets. The small space made it easy to socialize with other travelers and to compare travel itineraries.

Only a few months ago when I was still in Australia I purposely kept myself from eating at Vietnamese restaurants, I had a feeling that I would end up in Vietnam soon — and here we are! I’m glad I waited, as a bowl of pho will cost between $1.5 – $2 here in Hanoi (compared to more than triple that amount in a developed nation). I plan to be in Vietnam for the full 30 days of my visa, and I’m excited to continue sampling all of Vietnams culinary specialties.

Well known for its coffee scene, one of the Vietnamese favorites is coconut coffee. At Cong Cafe the drink resembles that of a Starbucks Frappuccino, but with more of a sherbet consistency. I had no clue that coconut and coffee could pair so well, it was a nice way to sit back and people watch near the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hanoi.

One of the most touristic spots in Hanoi, Train Street is a narrow street lined with bars, tea shops, and cafes — and of course an operational train track. So, you can pick a place to chill and enjoy a 12-bean milk tea or a beer in a tiny cafe as a roaring train passes by. For some, the word “claustrophobic” might come to mind…

Aside from wandering the maze like streets of the old town, I tried to get out of the tourist zones. One of the areas I loved was the Công Viên Thống Nhất park, located a decent walk south from my hostel. It was interesting how just a couple blocks had me without another western tourist in sight. I practically had the park to myself.

The park wraps around a large lake, and with an entrance fee of 17 cents there were very few people around. I came upon a building that could have been a restaurant or cafe, but appeared abandoned. Wandering inside, items were broken and dispersed, with random objects such as a bust of former Vietnamese president Ho-Chi-Minh sitting about. I found it wild that I paid to get into an empty park with an abandoned building. I probably wasn’t supposed to be in there but it was strangely exhilarating.

In just three days I’m already in love with SE Asia — the wildly different culture than my own, the delicious and cheap food, and the locals who gracefully navigate the language barrier. I will be moving cities every 2 to 3 days, so the challenge for me will be to pace myself throughout these coming months.

Next stop: Vietnam II. “Cao Bang Province“