Hanoi

May 2015

"the cultural heartbeat"

You will most certainly start your journey in Hanoi, capital of Vietnam. Busy (but not Saigon chaotic) and teeming with life,
Hanoi is a palatable destination destined to become Asia’s next great destination.

Never, ever agree to take a metered taxi from Hanoi international airport to downtown Hanoi (Old Quarter). We were
charged over 500K VND because we assumed metered taxis would be the best deal. Always agree to a price with
the driver before setting off - 350-400K VND would be a reasonable range.

The Old Quarter and French Quarter are sprawling neighborhoods filled with hawkersods and really tasty restaurants. Fall pray to
traveler’s diarrhea and soup up a hearty bowl of herbal chicken. It is really that good. Drink chendol with the locals. Chill out with
the locals at the beer corner. Try bizarre street food. Buy adulterated but not obviously counterfeit ,
retailers selling fake (and deceptively real) apparel.

For accommodations, we highly suggest living in Old Quater simply because there are spectacular hotels for rent.
We stayed in Essential Palace and Oriental Central Hotel - the service cannot be better, the rooms are new, clean, well-furnished and
the prices unbeatable. We would pick Essential Palace over Oriental Central Hotel though simply because the breakfast is better
- served fresh by Gia Ngu restaurant.

Protip: remember to buy a SIM card for 3G connection. You will need it for the circuit.

The busy streets transform into an even busier night market on the weekends. Fortunately/Unfortunately, our night was
drenched by a torrential rain which quickly cleared. The experience of walking around a flooded, dirty Hanoi was exhilarating.

You should aim to spend at least 2 days to fully soak up what Hanoi is about.