Hanoi Hotspots

One of the first places I visited on my Asian Adventure was Hanoi in Vietnam. Hanoi was one of my favourite places on my trip. Its evident its becoming more of a tourist destination like Thailand and Bali with its introduction of English food on their menus and souvenirs but its traditions and customs still remain fully intact for the time being.

Hanoi’s crowded streets and suicidal drivers creates an exciting buzz within the city and results in an interesting adventure on foot especially as they have conveniently put their attractions at polar ends of the city. However, I highly recommend you tour the city on foot as we stumbled across some amazing forgotten old style temples, which clearly had withstood the test of time and some of the best Pho (A Vietnamese noodle dish) whilst getting lost on our way.

For me one the most interesting places we visited in Hanoi was Hao Lo Prison where Vietnamese political prisoners were kept during the French colonisation of Vietnam and later American prisoners of war during the Vietnamese war. The place had a very eerie feel to it but was very interesting and insightful and I would highly recommend it.

Should you want to escape the city, paradise is just 3 hours away by bus. The very beautiful Ha long Bay with its clear blue waters and limestone islands perfectly fits the definition of paradise, weaving through the hundreds of islands topped with lush forestation and monkeys swinging between the branches is a sight you won’t easily forget.

As a result of the journey time I’d suggest either doing a two or three-day trip, it’s definitely worth it. They offer a wide range of activities such as kayaking between the islands or exploring some of the caves on the islands alternatively should you want to relax you can take a dip in the cool clear water.