Things To Do in Hanoi

The city is very green and there is a lot to see and do. Restaurants and coffee shops abound – try the world renowned ‘egg coffee’. The cost of living is cheap, if you buy local. Obviously, buying imported western goods increases the price considerably. The people are friendly, but not pushy. They will smile and say ‘hello’ but won’t want to know your life story. Hanoi is becoming more of a modern 21st century city, with electric buses/cars/bikes (own by Vingroup – which pretty much owns EVERYTHING) everywhere. Yes, the traffic can be awful, particularly in rush hour (5-7pm) but people are courteous and calm, not losing their temper. June is the hottest month, (35oC+) with storms frequently. All in all it is a much more all round pleasant experience than Bangkok.

With over 1000 years of culture, Hanoi is the largest cultural center in Vietnam with many cultural relics. The land has produced folklore with many songs, proverbs, famous heroes and people, and festivals imbued with history. What makes Hanoi special, are the different cultures from many parts of the world, making the culture here so diverse and nowhere in Vietnam are there many civilized villages like Hanoi. Villages with Buddhist influence, or French architecture are scattered throughout the city, making visitors extremely excited about the cultural values ​​that exist in a busy city like Hanoi.