Welcome to the Upon Arrival series, where we decode cities around the world for you! In this episode, we're diving into Hanoi, Vietnam. We’ve got you covered with insider tips, from airport navigation and transportation to the local cuisine you can't miss. Tune in to make your Hanoi trip a memorable adventure!
Highlights:
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Welcome to the Upon Arrival series, where we decode cities around the world for you! In this episode, we're diving into Hanoi, Vietnam. We’ve got you covered with insider tips, from airport navigation and transportation to the local cuisine you can't miss. Tune in to make your Hanoi trip a memorable adventure!
Highlights:
Instagram @katshortsleeve
Tik Tok @katshortsleeve
Youtube Shortsleeve Travel with Kat Shortsleeve
Welcome back to the Short Sleeve Travel podcast, where luxury meets budget and adventure is always a given. I'm your host, Kat Shortsleeve, through inspiring stories, curated guides, and insightful tips, Short Sleeve Travel is your compass. Dive in with me and I'll help you fill in your life with as much travel as you desire. This entire series is called Upon Arrival. And first things first, we're starting off in Hanoi, Vietnam. This will serve as your ultimate arrival guide to Hanoi so you can forget the rest because this guide has all the top insider tips and tricks from someone who's been there, everything you'll need to know as soon as you land on the ground in Hanoi. From breezing through the airport to downtown, how to navigate between the two, the best way you can get through the bustling streets, which converters to bring, what outlets to expect. Can I drink the tap water? What are the cultural must knows to help you blend right in? And of course, the must see sites, as well as the overhyped spots that everyone tells you you need to go to, but you can definitely skip. Welcome to Hanoi. Let's get into it. To sum up this city in two words, one, charming, two, chaotic. It's somehow a unique blend of the two and it's also very old world mixed in with modern era. Before we get into it, I have three major traveler tips for you. So number one, the first thing you will notice about Hanoi, Vietnam, if you haven't been already warned, is that the traffic is extremely overwhelming. When crossing the road, this is my biggest piece of advice specific to Hanoi. Make sure you're moving at a steady pace and allow the swarm of motorbikes to maneuver around you. They do not stop. It seems as though... It'll take an hour for you to get across the street, but just move at a steady pace, and they will flow right around you. It's one of the most wild experiences. Number two, do not miss out on the local cuisine in Hanoi. Street food is a major part of the culture there, and you need to have pho. If you do not do anything else, you need to have pho, as well as Egg coffee. These are their two specialties, and then if you're feeling adventurous, you should definitely try the bun cha. My friends had a ton of street food, but I had a bit of a stomachache when we were in Vietnam from other things I'd eaten in Thailand, so I Had to miss out on a couple of the things Which I regret And number three, again before we dive into it, is safety. So, Hanoi is relatively safe, but like many tourist cities, you have to be aware of pickpockets. Especially in the crowded areas, in the popular spots in Hanoi. Okay, let's start right at the beginning. So how do I get from the airport to downtown? This is the first thing that I'm looking up before I arrive anywhere. I'd like to know exactly how to get downtown because sometimes I fly into an airport and realize there's no Wi Fi, I don't have service, and I do not want to get ripped off by taking some random taxi and not having the cash to pay for it. So there are three ways to get from the airport to downtown. Number one, you're going to want to download the app called Grab. This is the Southeast Asian equivalent to Uber. It's widely used, and the app is super user friendly. Most of the drivers in Hanoi speak basic English, so you're going to be just fine with that. Number two is you can take a taxi right from the airport. this will cost you anywhere from 250, 000 VND to 350, 000, which this is just 10 12. Of course, split it with a few friends. If you're traveling with people, it's really nothing. What I will say, though, about the cars is cars move slowly down the street, and of course if you have some big luggage with you, you're going to need to take a taxi. But motorbikes zip right past, so if you can backpack, I highly recommend it. And finally, there is not a train from the airport to downtown. There really isn't public transportation. There is a bus, that's the third option, but I definitely do not recommend it. So, download Grab, get a Grab, or take a taxi. And if for some reason those don't seem to work out for you, I guess you could get on the bus. But hopefully you've listened to this podcast before you actually arrive. Okay, second biggest question, where do I get money out? So, most international airports in Vietnam have several ATMs and exchange currency counters right in the airport. I never recommend going to the major banks, going to the ATMs inside airports. Instead, what you should do is... If you can exchange some money in advance so that you can have some Vietnamese dong v n d on hand once you've already arrived, that would be optimal. And then the best thing to do is to take out money from an A t M that's connected to a bank downtown, somewhere in a nice area, and make sure that the a t m is connected to a bank rather than just a random a t m up on a wall. Or even in Tulum, Mexico, there are random ATMs out on the street. I don't advise using those. People ask if they need money at the airport. Yes, it is advisable to have some for initial expenses like transportation. You know, you don't want to be caught without cash, in my opinion. Or a snack. Sometimes you have to pay, actually, for access to the bathrooms as well. I remember that in Hanoi. But if you haven't exchanged money before arriving... I would recommend get down to your hotel, get downtown and do it there. Number three, what part of the city should I stay in? There are two areas, and they're pretty different from each other. First is the Old Quarter. This is the historic district of Hanoi with very narrow, winding, labyrinth, bustling streets. Tons of activity going on here, lots of little bars and dive spots. It's a great place if you want to be in the heart of the action. There's lots of little shops that you can pop into there. And the second part of the city, I did not stay here because I stayed in the Old Quarter, but this is going to be the French Quarter. It's a lot less chaotic, and it's filled with wide boulevards and French colonial buildings. My friends and I, we went over here and had dinner, and got to explore some of these streets. It's a pretty romantic part of the city. Number four, how to get around. There are four ways to get around. The first is my absolute favorite, and this is motorbikes. So, download the Grab app, and what will show up instead of an Uber is a motorbike. So, if you're traveling with three friends like I was, we each had to call our own Grab, and the motorbikes showed up. They're very, very inexpensive. It was about 50 cents for us to cross the entire city. Took a long ride, and it's the dominant mode of transportation. You could rent a motorbike, and while I rent motorbikes everywhere I go, I love to grab a Vespa. This is not for the faint hearted, because the bikes are so close to each other, and it's a pretty unforgivable driving experience. So maybe just hop on the back of another one. But make sure you have a helmet, too. The second mode of transportation is called a cyclo. This is the traditional bicycle taxi. So kind of think about a tuk tuk. These are great for short distances and it's a unique way to see the city. It's so fun to ride around in them. Some of them even have lights. And they'll have microphones, you could sing along in the back, but ensure that you agree on the price before starting your journey because there have been some bad stories of tourists just getting caught up, riding around for far too long, and then ending up with a massive bill. Number three, you can always opt to take a taxi, but in Hanoi, make sure it's a reputable company like one of these two. Number one, Vinasun. V I N A S U N. Or, the second option is Mai Lin. So, M A I L I N H. And, if you're taking a taxi, make sure that they put the meter on. Similar to the Cyclos, you want to make sure you're getting a good rate. Fourth, and finally... Hanoi has a comprehensive bus system. It's the least expensive option. It might be a little bit challenging for foreigners due to the language barrier. Not a ton of people will speak other languages and speak English, but I always think it's a good idea to give the public transportation a shot. And so if you're up for the challenge, definitely try it. We took a bus up to Halong Bay and it was very easy. So you can do something like that. How many days do I need in Hanoi? I will say two to three full days are typically recommended in order to see the main attractions. The main attractions, there are three in my opinion. The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, number two is going to be the One Pillar Pagoda, and number three is going to be the Temple of Literature. If you have a layover of 6 hours or more, you could definitely consider a quick visit to the city center. Make sure that you're checking visa requirements at the time, because you might need a little bit extra to go back through security at the airport if you're flying to another country or coming in from another country. So, depends on what your situation is, but I'd say 6 to 8 hours of a layover in Hanoi, you should probably go downtown and have a nice... Big bowl of pho, and maybe do a little bit of shopping. Okay, the next three I will run through quickly. Language, the converters that you need, and tap water. So, language. The official language is Vietnamese, but in touristy areas, English is commonly spoken, and I do recommend downloading Google Translate or some sort of translation app. It can be helpful, I mean, if you don't know about this, but... The Google Translate app, you can point it at a menu or point it at a sign and it will actually translate in real time if you have it downloaded or if you're on Wi Fi or if you have service. In terms of converters, Vietnam uses type A, C, and D plugs. Make sure you have the right one. But you can also just grab them for 25 cents at any little convenience store. I think it's best to invest in a nice international converter and you don't have to worry about it. You can just throw that in the bag no matter where you're going. Finally, tap water. Drinking tap water is not recommended. Always opt for bottled water. And an extra little thing here is ensure that the bottle of water is intact when purchasing it. And maybe inspect it pretty closely. There have been some awful little videos and rumors going around, and they're not rumors, it is true, where young kids have been known to take bottles and refill them with water that isn't filtered bottled water. Just more of a local water, and then it looks as though it's been sealed, and when you open it, it'll make a little pop sound, but it's just because it has been glued on there. And I'm not trying to scare you, but just take an extra hard look. Make sure the seal before you buy it looks like it's truly sealed and not just taped or glued. I think it's pretty obvious once you know what you're looking for. So just take an extra look. It's not going to kill you to look. Getting into a little bit of the culture and the etiquette of what you should know when you're arriving in Hanoi. I think these are things that it's important to know about before you arrive there and get a little bit of a sense as to your surroundings, the history. So some basics that you just really, really need to know in terms of culture. Overarching is this. dominating respect for elders. So Vietnamese culture places a lot of emphasis on respect of elders and it's customary to greet the oldest person in the room first when in a group setting. Pretty interesting. Secondly, when you're visiting religious sites, temples, pagodas, you're going to want to wear clothing that covers your shoulders and your knees. This is a sign of respect and In most places it's actually going to be required that you do this. I always travel with a black or grey scarf that I have. Just a little pashmina so I can throw it over my shoulders, throw it in a bag, and make sure that I'm dressed appropriately wherever I'm going. Number three, it is customary to remove your shoes when entering someone's home and sometimes, actually even in certain businesses or shops. You take your shoes off indoors. So we went into this little clothing store where you could pick out fabric and then have some custom suits and custom shirts and dresses made. And they actually had us take off our shoes. And that's just a nice sign of respect. And you'll notice everyone else in the store is doing the exact same thing. Number four, culture and etiquette is bargaining. While shopping in local markets, especially the open air markets, bargaining is part of the culture, it's a part of the way of life. Always make sure that you're remaining very polite, keep it light hearted, and try not to drive too hard of a bargain because even if you're negotiating a hundred thousand, dong down, it's only going to be 5. So maybe it's best to just pay up a little bit too, but have fun with it. It is fun to just get a little bit of a deal or bring the price down a little bit. It can be exciting and it's definitely something to try. Something I wasn't really expecting upon arrival in Hanoi was the culture shock. So there were three main reasons as to why I felt it was a bit intense arriving there. First, it was all the noise and the chaos. There's this constant hum of motorbikes, street vendors, and chatter. It can be a bit overwhelming and it's just very sensory overloading and it's constant. So, even the smells sometimes. It can be pleasant and sometimes not so pleasant. Um, the sights and the sounds. It can be a lot to take in. And most of the buildings aren't that tall. And so when it comes to the noise and the chaos, maybe bring earplugs if you're a light sleeper. The city is loud and it's intense. And second, a bit of a culture shock for me was, You'll see a major difference in the economy there. So it's very diverse and it's kind of Two ends of the spectrum. So you'll see very luxury brands and modern establishments And that's going to be juxtaposed against these wet markets and street vendors similarly, you see these luxury brands, but then you'll also see very fake luxury brands as well. So it's kind of weird to see both in the city, both are being marketed, both are being sold at a grand scale. And people do go to Hanoi to get some fake things, like they have a lot of fake Goyard bags there, and fake Louis Vuitton bags, and that's very common and popular. They sell a lot of fake Ray Bans, I mean it's pretty easy to see some things that don't look so good and are fake, but they also have some things that mimic the real stuff pretty well. Okay, now let's get into what to expect. The top sites to see and what you can really miss. So what to expect, you will notice a lot of warmth and hospitality. So the Vietnamese are incredibly welcoming. They're very proud of their culture and their heritage, and they do want to share it. And so they, they kind of open their arms and welcome you into that. There's a very rich history as well. The city has a complex history that's evident through the architecture, the museums, and the cultural sites, and it's easy to get a great sense of that pretty immediately. And again, prepare yourself for these active streets. From sunrise to sunset, there's always activity on the streets of Hanoi, and even in the hours in between. There are people out and about, sitting on the side of the street, having beers, working on things, families all together, lots of animals. It's a ton going on. A few of the favorite sights to see. Number one is the Hoan Kiem Lake. This is a very serene spot in the middle of the city, amidst all the hustle and bustle. If you go in the early mornings, you'll see locals practicing tai chi. A lot of the locals walking and working out together. And there are often light shows there at night. It's a very cool spot and definitely a top hit. Number two, I mentioned this earlier, the Temple of Literature. This is a Confucian temple, and it's also Vietnam's first national university. So it's a great, beautiful spot to see. Number three is going to be the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. This is the resting place of the revered Vietnamese leader and... When you look up what to see and what to do in Hanoi, this is the number one. I think it's important to find out history of any place that you're traveling to. So you'll want to check this out. And then right next door, located in the French Quarter, is going to be the Hanoi Opera House. This is a major symbol of Hanoi and it showcases a lot of the beautiful architecture I was talking about. And there's lots of great shopping and restaurants in this area as well. Finally, you can go visit the Tran Quoc Pagoda. This is the oldest pagoda in the city, very historic, and it's located on a small island in West Lake. It's a little bit out of the way, but in my opinion, it's worth it. And now, one of the sights to miss, because it's overly touristic, is there are a lot of water puppetry. traditional art shows and a lot of them cater to Taurus and ultimately lack true authenticity. So You can skip that and then also skip out on some of the extremely touristy restaurants. Try to find more local, very cheap, hole in the wall spots rather than going to the spots with the huge menu out front where everything's lit up and all sorts of lights and looks very inviting, but it's just not going to be as great of an experience or a meal. So I had a girl reach out to me on Instagram a few weeks ago and she was asking me a bunch of questions about Hanoi because I had spoken with her about places I've been and she was talking about where she wants to go and I jotted down her top 7 questions. That I thought other people would find really helpful for me to answer. So, this girl, she is traveling on her own to Vietnam. She's in her early thirties and she was asking me a couple things. And so I just want to run through her questions. First and foremost, she was asking, Is Vietnam safe for solo female travelers? I have had a few friends travel to Vietnam solo. I traveled there with three of my best girlfriends. But Vietnam, and Hanoi in particular, is considered very safe for solo female travelers. However, as with anywhere, it's essential to take general safety precautions and Sometimes what I like to do is either stay in a very upscale, well known hostel so that you're surrounded with other people or stay in a bit nicer of a hotel rather than staying in an Airbnb. Whereas if I'm in, you know, the south of France or I'm in Italy, I might stay in an Airbnb. At least for me, Vietnam is a bit more uncharted and I don't know the language and so it's... It's something I'd recommend. Stay in a hotel. You have 24 hour concierge right at the front desk to help you. Or stay at a hostel. Again, 24 hour concierge. It's nice to have that little added security. Okay, I need to run through these a bit faster. Number two, do I need a visa for Vietnam? Of course, that depends on your nationality, the duration of your stay, the purpose of your visit. Always check the most current visa requirements for the specific country that you're going to before planning your trip. But she and I are from the U. S. And so you can go online and you can see yes, if you're staying for less than 30 days you do need a visa. You can process it automatically online and I, I do think you might be able to get one on, on the ground in person once you arrive at the airport, but I don't recommend that. I recommend doing it in advance, make sure you're good to go. It took three days for them to process and it was emailed to me directly and it was about 30 40 dollars. What is the best time to visit Hanoi? So, So, Hanoi has a tropical monsoon climate, and the most popular times to travel there are going to be during the cool, drier months between October and April, but I visited in June, or no, sorry, I visited in March, and we had a great time, and it rained one of the four days we were there. Is it safe to eat the street food? So, as I mentioned, street food is a major part of Vietnamese culture. It's generally safe to eat. However, look for the busy stalls. It's a sign that the food turnover is going to be high, and food is a bit more fresh and freshly cooked in front of you. I was sick, as I mentioned, so I didn't eat a ton of the street food, but my friends ate it and they were just fine. She asked, can I drink the tap water? Um, I would definitely not. Bottled water is cheap. It's readily available. Go for that. How do I handle the currency? So, the Vietnamese currency is the Vietnamese Dong, V N D. It's a good idea to have a mix of cash for local markets, small businesses, use a credit card for your hotels or upscale restaurants, and that's my kind of rule of thumb. Last two questions. How can I stay connected? Should I buy a local SIM card? So most travelers find it useful to buy a local SIM card on arrival in Hanoi for data and local calls. They're very affordable, very widely available, easy to do. So I recommend that. Especially if you're on your own, try to get some service. Sometimes if I'm traveling with a few friends, I'll just go off the grid and not even worry about it. Or if I'm with my family, I go off the grid. But if you're alone, you want to stay connected. How do I negotiate prices and or haggle in the markets? So bargaining, as I mentioned, is commonplace in these Vietnamese markets. So start by offering half of the asking price. I know it sounds like a big difference, but go from there and do it with a smile, do it in a friendly manner, do your best, have some fun with it, and um, try not to make any enemies. Okay. That will be a story for another time. But hey, if you never go, you will never know. Thank you for listening and thank you for hanging out. I really appreciate all of you who do come listen and if you enjoyed this, please subscribe to the Short Sleeve Travel Podcast. New episodes coming out each week. You can also follow me on any platform, whether it be Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, all at K A T, that's Kat Shortsleeve, if you want to see what I'm up to. You can also email me if you'd like at katshortsleeve at gmail. com. Cannot wait for next week and next episode. Thank you all and cheers.