HANOI, VIETNAM
Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital, is the country’s second largest city and its history is often retold by mythical tales. Very accessible to both the terraced fields of Sa Pa and the gorgeous beaches of Ha Long Bay, Hanoi is a very popular travel destination. You can definitely spend a night or two here without running out of things to see!
Attractions:
Hoan Kiem Lake: The area around this lake is a peaceful place to walk around. You’ll likely get stopped by students practicing their English. Interact with them; it’s a fun way to meet locals! Feel free to ask them about the story of the turtle and the sword in which the lake encapsulates!
Huc Bridge and Ngoc Son Temple: This famous pair is right on Hoan Kiem Lake and the entrance cost is 30,000 VND.
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum: This building holds the preserved remains of Ho Chi Minh and as you might imagine is under very heavy security. Worth a visit for 25,000 VND!
One Pillar Pagoda: Located next door to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, if you’re going to see one pagoda in Hanoi it should be this one!
Temple of Literature: This is a Temple of Confucius that was built in 1070. It is home to Vietnam’s first national university (Imperial Academy) and is a nice place to wander around. The entrance fee is 15,000 VND.
Hoa Lo Prison: At 15,000 VND, the entrance fee is less than $1 USD. I didn’t think it was anything special but if you’re into war relics, then you can’t skip this!
Other things to do: Water Puppet Show, Thang Long Imperial Citadel, Tran Quoc Pagoda, Dong Xuan Market, and Ban Gioc Waterfalls (7-8 hours outside of Hanoi).
Accommodation:
Vietnam Backpackers Hostel (Downtown Location): This hostel’s location is great and the atmosphere is even better. It has good options for both party-goers and those who want to relax. I definitely recommend especially since it only costs $5 USD/night!
Transportation:
Hanoi is the main travel hub in northern Vietnam. You can take a bus from nearly anywhere and it will go through Hanoi.
Ninh Binh is 3 hours by bus from Hanoi and costs 150,000 VND. The train ride is 2.5 hours and costs 170,000 VND.
Hai Phong is 4 hours by bus from Hanoi and costs 290,000 VND. The train ride is 2.5 hours and costs 126,000 VND.
Sa Pa is 6 hours by bus from Hanoi and costs 275,000 VND. The train ride is 8 hours and costs 880,000 VND.
Phong Nha is 12.5 hours by bus from Hanoi and costs 336,000 VND. The train ride to Minh Le is 9.5 hours and costs 459,000 VND. From Minh Le, you must travel an additional hour by taxi.
Da Nang is 15.5 hours by bus from Hanoi and costs 484,000 VND. The train ride is 16.5 hours and costs 630,000 VND. From Da Nang, Hoi An is 1 hour on the city bus (costs $1 USD).
Vientiane, Laos is 24 hours by bus from Hanoi and costs 550,000 VND.
The above photo of me and the group of students was taken by one of the students who interviewed me!