Experiencing Hanoi, Vietnam

Just recently me and my husband took a trip to Hanoi.....

The airport in Hanoi is quite small, look bit like the airport in Kuching, Malaysia but nice of course. Maybe because the airport is quite old , it kind of have some smell or its just my nose too sensitive. if I remember correctly the airport only have 2 luggage belts.... and you go to wait really long for ur luggages!! Once you get through this, get ready for a non stop car and motobikes honkings when you get outside the departure hall.

When we walk out the departure hall after we collected our luggages, we were met by the hotel driver to pick us up, we stay in this hotel called Movenpick Hotel, very nice hotel and very friendly staff there. So the drive from the airport to the hotel was interesting, we see rice fields, overloaded motobikes, they really stacked up on a small bike but I guess the most interesting was all the honkings! it absolutely non stop, I saw the driver his thumb is just stuck on the horn button.Also the way people drive in Hanoi got the car ride to the hotel was more interesting than being in the F1 race. Apparently we were told that driving in Hanoi is like X games, also one word of advise when you cross the road in Hanoi just pretend you are a rock rolling slowly on the road, you do not have to worry about the cars and bikes, they will avoid you, all we got to do is walk slow , do not run and if you see a car coming your way just stand still like a rock, the cars and bikes are like flowing water , they will eventually avoid you.

We did not do much on our first day , we jsut walked in the town center, look at the old quaters, walked around the lake. You can take a cyclo to take you around the town, its abt USD4/ hour, its a really good experience. When you walked around in the town you can see food stalls and the tables and chairs u sit on are so cute, tehya re all low tables and chairs like the ones children uses, that their tradition. Also you can see their shops and house are tall but very very narrow.

On the 2nd day we went to Halong Bay, this is one thing you should do when you do go to Hanoi, you can choose to do the day tour or you can stay in the junk boat. The day tour we took was a private tour, cost about USD120 per person include transporatation, tour guide and lunch. You can also buy extra seafood from the fishing village, all fresh seafood. Then later you will be taken to a rock cave, this is a tiring walk up the cave but worth to go to. After this you head back to dock.

Another thing you got to do is go see the water puppets show, very interesting you will definitely love it, its about VND60,000 per person shud be abt USD 2-3, word of advised get your tickets early its always sold out for tour groups. As for shopping in Hanoi, maybe I live in Bangkok or I do not find anything much that interest me to buy, but I did get some really nice oil painting, reasonable price too, got a few trays maid from bamboo, a linen table clothes and a few other stuff. I did not get any silk though but I was interested in the material for the Vietnamese style ladies wear, very beautiful textiles, some shops can get ur dress tailor made in 1 day. By the way, you u plan to shop in Hanoi you can actually choose the things u want to buy , pay and get your receipt and you can asked the shop if they can deliver it to your hotel. i did that so it more relaxing and I do not have to carry all my shopping with me.

Thought we stayed in Movenpick Hotel but we went to take a look at the Hilton Hotel had coffee there cause theres a band there but each time we go we go at the wrong time. Then we also have lunch at Sofitel Metropole Hotel....if you wanna buy LV handbags thats where you should be heading. Lunch was good in the hotel the ceasar sald and sandwich was really good!

Well this is about it for now will continue again soon , many more interesting things to do in Hanoi.