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Vietnam: Hanoi, Halong, Bai Tu Bay
27
items What we experienced during a week in Hanoi and an overnight cruise out of Halong Bay. (Adding as I go!)
Sections
3
Appetite
Places
Before you go
Appetite
Quick and delicious pho, the chicken breast was so tender. I’ll have to try the dry version rather than soup next time!
PHO GA NGUYET, Hanoi - Restaurant Reviews, Photos & Phone Number
Don’t miss the small alley turn, tucked back and to the right, only thing on the menu is bun cha and spring rolls, they bring it all and it’s sooo good
Secret bun cha · Hanoi, Hoàn Kiếm, Hanoi
The name suits it. Tranquil corner amidst a noisy city. People were here working and reading. The coffee is LEGIT (no egg coffee on the menu, rather different country’s beans). Burnt cheesecake was good enough. Would come here often if I lived here!
...
Tranquil Books & Coffee - 5 Nguyễn Quang Bích
The line for this place drew us in
Banh Mi 25
The Italians we met on our cruise rated Vietnamese coffee as good, if not better, than Italian coffee. I loved the cafe culture and hidden spots. Vietnamese/brown coffee has condensed milk in it (delish) and egg coffee is famous here.
Hanoi Coffee Shops Rating
2 locations, great options
Craft Beer Vietnam - The Bottle Shop
Idk about the beer part, but the avocado/mango/orange smoothie was one of the best things that has ever happened to me
Fresh Juice Thuỷ Phạm & Local craft BEER · Hanoi, Hoàn Kiếm, Hanoi
great vibes and drinks
manzi art space
Michelin guide spot
Phở Cuốn Chinh Thắng
Another Michelin guide spot with AMAZING bun cha and multiple locations. We noticed they also have daily cooking classes where you can go shopping for the ingredients, cook/eat it, and get a cookbook at the end!
Bun Cha Ta Hanoi
Places
Nice to walk around, lots of nearby cafes
Hoan Kiem Lake: Explore the iconic place in the heart of Hanoi
Great variety of Asian ethnicities and Vietnamese minority groups represented. Cool exhibits in and outdoors. About 5km from old quarter
Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
We were prepared for the strict dress code, but alas, it was closed to visitors (Oct. 6, 2025)
Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum
We went to the ticket stand 5 mins after the show started and got seated in row 2. An enjoyable 50 mins
Lotus Water Puppet
Messaged them on WhatsApp to make and update our reservation. Very helpful in guiding us to choose the best time to get a seat - it totally fills up! Being that close was semi-frightening, but worth it. Going at night is a vibe.
Note that this part ...
Hanoi 1990s
Lots around here, cafe/artsy vibes and little shops
Complex 01
Emphasis on road. Busy but worth walking down
Ceramic mosaic mural road · Hanoi, Hoàn Kiếm, Hanoi
Crammed in there, but did get some nice and cheap gifts for others!
A Local's Guide To Dong Xuan Market In Hanoi for New Visitors
Linen for cheap! Our friends highly recommended this place based on the custom skirt and suit they had made here.
Lo's Corner | Hanoi
Note that it’s a 45 minute drive from the center of Hanoi and shows are only Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Tinh Hoa Bắc Bộ - The Quintessence of Tonkin | Hanoi
Staff are wonderful, as is breakfast. Very central.
Our room didn’t really have a window, but it was quiet and comfortable.
San Premium Hotel (aka San Palace Hotel)
Great experience to overnight in the infamous bay!
There are 500 boats that go into Halong Bay each day. 200 of them are the overnight boats. We didn’t plan to go on Garden Bay, we got switched to it last minute but it turned out great. Classic, woo...
Garden Bay Cruise Halong - Official Website
We had to cancel with them due to a typhoon forecast and ended up with Garden Bay for earlier in our trip. Worked out well. Customer service here (without experiencing the boat) was already top notch.
Mon Chéri Cruises: Discount Cruises, Last Minute Cruise Deals, Summer and Winter Cruise Deals, Early Bird Deals 2025
Before you go
Very helpful!
Spent 5 days in Hanoi and here's our takeaway!
If you can wait to exchange cash, go to “gold street” in Hanoi.
For our USD at the airport, $10 was 250,000dong whereas on “gold street” $10 was 260,000dong, and even better for $50s and $100s.
Also, the better condition the bill, the better the ...
Best places to exchange money in Hanoi
Be aware of the rainy season.
Reminded myself that what’s inconvenient as a tourist could be the worst day of a local person’s year.
Typhoons can be deadly. Streets can flood badly and transportation becomes difficult.
Up close and personal in Viet Nam’s flooded central region
We never had an issue; better to stay in the app rather than cancelling to save a couple bucks.
Grab app for taxi and food