Hanoi - Gateway To The North

Hanoi had been on my radar for a very long time, I knew that it did not have many great sights but it had such a history in the struggle of the Vietnamese people it was a destination I was looking forward to seeing.

The impressive Presidential Palace

I flew into Hanoi’s airport in the company of Mark, the manager at the Hanoi backpackers, whom I had met during my short stay in Hue in central Vietnam. He was courteous enough to let me bum a ride with his pickup at the airport so the usual two hours plus ride in on the bus was shortened to a mere hour.

I checked into the backpackers, how could I not, and found quite a buzzing atmosphere. With a bar on the roof and three buildings in the same street it seemed that they had the corner on the market.

My guide book had a good list of sights to see but they could wait, I was after some traditional Hanoi nightlife and wanted to explore the old city and the madness within. The traffic was a little less manic than Saigon probably due to narrower streets that seemed to funnel kamikaze motorbikes at you as you endeavoured to cross the roads heart in your mouth.

Even as impressive is the Hanoi Opera House

I had planned to meet some friends at the beer hoi spot in Hanoi, I was told it was easy to find and you would know it when you saw it. This was clear as I stumbled upon a small intersection packed with both locals and foreigners quaffing cold beers perched on kiddie stools perilously close to the almost choreographed passage of motorbikes, bicycles, street vendors and taxis.

I squeezed in to a vacant spot, soon joined by my friends, and proceeded to join in the festivities. More chairs were brought over and new friends were made instantly as we were almost in one another’s laps.

Getting a hunger on we headed for a famous local pit stop for fried steaks in garlic, piled with French fries and eggs on the side, amusingly this street kitchen had a cctv feed of the chef cooking in the kitchen above.

The mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh is a must see

Next day it was down to serious business and hitting the main sights. The mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh is a must see but it must be seen before 10am so an early start was in order. The line moved slowly through the building with guards ready to quash any sounds or unseemly behaviour from the visitors.

Ejected out of the back of the mausoleum we had to follow a fixed route through to the palace, the house on stilts and finally the Ho Chi Minh museum. It was all well organised for the numbers passing through and there was plenty of time to relax in the gardens of the complex.

My next stop was the infamous Hanoi Hilton the name dubbed by American pilots to the Hoa Lo prison where they were incarcerated up to 1973 in the American War, as the Vietnamese call it. What is left of the prison is a stark reminder to the colonial past in Vietnam and the fate of political prisoners of every hue that were held here. John McCain was imprisoned here after his plane crashed in a lake a little to the north of the city and there is a heavily propagandized video playing in the cells showing how the American pilots were well treated during their stay. Make of it what you will.

Remnants of Vietnams violent struggles cn be seen around the city

More remnants of the past can be found in the Military History Museum; tanks, helicopters, aircraft and historical documents are on show to remind visitors that their struggle was a long and arduous journey for generations.

Hanoi is not all doom and gloom history though, pleasant boulevards in the French quarter allow strolling in relative peace, the wedding cake Opera House stands out in the mayhem of traffic whereas the main lake affords a relaxing oasis in the heart of the city.

The nightlife here is pretty tame; the hostel bar closes at 9.30pm and the party seeks out the mean streets of the beer hoi bars and a few other overpriced joints until about midnight. I wanted to hit some live jazz places but ran out of time, there does seem to be a growing live music scene here and I will be sure to catch up on it on my next visit.

Many, many travellers make the short trip to Halong Bay for a two or three day excursion to the beautiful limestone cliffs and serene waters. It is not without controversy, I believe the pollution of the environment by the hundreds of boats and the cattle herd like mentality of the tourists in the main make it a thumbs down for some. Given Hanoi’s lack of control so far I do not expect much change.

Join the growing trend and tour around by motorcycle

On a brighter note the old city is delightful, the markets abound with sights and smells, plenty of smells, and the frenetic daily life that is the pulse of the city. Food stalls are everywhere and the sheer array of offerings will tempt all but the most fastidious of eaters. Sitting down for a rich Vietnamese coffee is an experience in itself.

Hanoi is a transit city, some heading for the mountains and the town of Sapa and others meandering south to the heat and humidity of southern Vietnam. A growing trend is to buy a motorbike and hit the road under your own steam; a good buy is a refurbished Minsk hardy enough for the trip. I think I may have to start a savings fund for one myself!

Comments

• says:

  Thanks for share this post.

  1 year ago

• dcar says:

  I've never had much interest in visiting Vietnam, but this story makes me think that I should reconsider.

  2 years ago

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