Vietnam Part 1: Crazy Traffic & Authentic Vietnamese Food in Hanoi

My first trip to the Far East was a two-week holiday to Vietnam, which I did for my 49th birthday. After watching the "Top Gear" Vietnam special on TV, myself and my travel buddy (whose birthday is a week before mine) decided that we'd be a bit more adventurous and really broaden our horizons in 2014. We visited the same places as Mr Clarkson, Mr May and Mr Hammond did - only we went from the North to the South instead, and didn't drive ourselves or use any scooters! It was probably one of the best trips I have ever been on - so I really hope you are inspired to visit this fascinating country by reading my blog. Vietnam is changing very rapidly and tourisim is now one of it's major sources of income. It may not have been somewhere you considered as a holiday destination in the past, but it is somewhere I personally would love to return to one day.

We visited Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Hue, Hoi An, The Haivan Pass, Da Nang and Ho Chi Min City in late April - Early May ( just before the monsoon season) and stayed in a range of accomodation - both budget and luxury. All the following hotels, restaurants and places to visit are personal recommendations from our own experience of Vietnam. We booked all our flights, hotels & tours independently rather than using a UK travel agent or large tour operator. This gave us access to some special discounts and deals not offered elsewhere. Hotel Accomodation can be very cheap in Vietnam and most will offer prices and accept payment in US Dollars as well as local currency. We had no problems when sending any communications by email when we booked up tours and accomodation - most were replied to very promptly with a very good command of the English lauguage but were very polite and formal, as is the custom in the Far East.

click here for important information and advice on Vietnamese Visa's

HANOI & HOAN KIEM DISTRICT

Hoan Kiem District and The old town area of Hanoi was our first destination in Vietnam and after arriving at the airport and picking up our Visa's we headed straight for our hotel via the taxi transfer that we had already pre-arranged online. Knowing we would be arriving feeling very jet lagged at 6.30am in the morning local time, we had requested a special early morning check-in at our hotel which was very useful.

Our first room at THE RISING DRAGON was clean & comfortable but a little on the small side for 2 people and had no outside facing window or views of the city. The hotel was very full so we could not change rooms. We decided to book a further night here after our Halong Bay Cruise was cut short by one day. This was not a problem for the staff to arrange at short notice and we were pleasantly surprised upon our return, to be given a free upgrade to a much bigger room, this time with a huge window and street view, but charged at the same rate as our former one. The Rising Dragon is one of seven similar hotels managed by the same company in Hanoi and we would highly recommend any of them as great places to stay with very helpful and pleasant staff. if you are looking for somewhere clean, and comfortable that offers great value for money you'll find it here. Our rooms were in the region of $32 per night. Airport transfers were around $17 - $45 depending on the type of car.

On our arrival we were given complimentary refreshments in the reception area while our luggage was taken upstairs. Throughout our stay here, the staff were more than helpful and very friendly and polite. The buffet breakfast was complimentary each morning and the hotel also had free wifi. At Breakfast time it did get rather busy, and sometimes we did have to wait for seats to become available but the staff were excellent at clearning tables quickly and making sure we did not have to wait too long! They even decorated my plate personally one morning, when I requested Ketchup with my eggs!

We decided to go for a walk and explore the area near our hotel once we had got over our initial jet lag. The first thing that struck us when we went outside was the intense humidity - we recommend that you carry bottled water with you at all times and invest in a cheap paper fan to cool you down. I bought one on our first day and it was the best £2 I spent during the entire holiday. When in Vietnam do as the locals do - you'll see many women cooling themselves off with fans - they are not just a fashion accessory here!

The second thing you will encounter in any big Vietnamese City is the relentless traffic. Scooters are the main mode of local transport and some will be carrying goods or extra people on the back of them - we even spotted one chap transporting a Fridge Freezer on his scooter! You really need to keep your wits about you when you are walking around or crossing the road. In the old town, many shops, kitchens and family eating areas, spill out on to the pavement, so it is impossible not to have to walk in the road at some point. Hooters will sound loudly if pedestrians are in the way - but scooters will not slow down for you - they will just swerve around you if you step out into the road. On side roads, it Is best to try and navigate a safe path between them or wait for a lull in the traffic. Do not cross anywhere other than at desiganted traffic lights on busy main roads. After a few hours you will get the hang of it, and learn the protocol, but at first crossing the road seems like you are taking your life in your hands and can be quite frightening.

EATING OUT IN HANOI

Tradional Vietnamese food is usually governed by the elements and the senses. Vietnamese cooks strive to have five colours on the plate which all refelct natural elements : white ( for metal), green (for wood), yellow (for Earth), red (for fire) and black (for water). Many dishes in Vietnam will appeal to gastronomes via the five senses: Colour and presentation attracts the eyes, sounds come from the crisp ingredients, five spices are detected on the tongue, aromatic ingredients stimulate the nose, and finger food, can be perceived by touching.

We ate out at a couple of really good local restaurants whilst in Hanoi. HIGHWAY 4 was just a few doors down from our hotel in Bat Su - but it also has 5 more restaurants in other locations in Hanoi. We found all the food here very well cooked and presented and extremley good value for money. They also serve local beers, spirits and cocktails - although we would reccommend avoiding the one with chilli and pepper - called "The Devil's Fart". The emphasis is on fresh modern Vietnamese cuisine, and there are also cookery classes available.

We also dinned at THE PURPLE CHERRY on two different evenings. It is situated on the rooftop of one of the sister hotels to the Rising Dragon. Reservations can easily be made by the hotel reception staff and are recommended. On our first evening, we got caught in a torrential rainstorm and were soaked through on arrival. We were really disappointed not to be able to eat out on the rooftop terrace but the staff were very apologetic and gave us plenty of towels with which to dry ourselves. They were also very helpful at explaining all the Vietnamese dishes on the menu. On our second visit we were much luckier and got a table out on the rooftop, which has wonderful views across Hanoi. Both the food and the cocktails are delicious here and the service is outstanding. We were still enjoying our after dinner drinks when the staff wanted to close up. As we were guests at their sister hotel, they left us to enjoy our cocktails on the terrace bar, saying, "just leave and shut the door behind you when you have finished". We spent a wonderful hour, alone in a bar, watching life in Hanoi whizz by below us. It was an amazing end to our time in the city and a great way for my buddy to enjoy a bithday!

THE "REAL" KANGAROO CAFE is a great little Aussie place to go for Brunch or Breakfast - especially if you want to have an ocassional break from boiled rice or spring rolls. As well as Vietnamese cuisine and vegetarian dishes, they serve excellent scrambled eggs on toast, and you can get your tea or coffee served in big mugs. Their beef burgers and chips are also very tasty and filling and definatley worth a try if you are not a Veggie! Whilst there you can check out and book up a whole host of tours and excursions. These guys are experts on Vietnam and will be happy to talk to you before your trip as well as during it, to ensure you get the most from your stay there.

PLACES TO VISIT IN HANOI & GETTING AROUND

The main Hanoi sights sometimes seem less important in this old French colonial capital than absorbing the vibrant atmosphere of a city that seems to be eternally on the move. There is plenty to see just walking around the many streets in the old quarter. There are shops galore, selling absolutley everything, and you will find that the area is divided into clear sections - shops for paper goods- clothes - food - metalworkers - and many others are all gathered together. Wander around in the daytime and people are hard at work. Wander around at night time and everyone is cooking and eating outside their shops and homes. The smells and aroma's coming from makeshift kitchens set up on the pavements, will assault your senses, and you feel like you HAVE to walk in the road to avoid strolling through a family dinning room, all be it with tiny plastic tables and chairs.

if you do want to visit a few interesting places and do some sightseeing in Hanoi, then here are the places we went to and enjoyed.

Hoan Kiem Lake, The Temple of the Jade Mountain and The Huc Bridge

Hoan Kiem Lake meaning "Lake of the Returned Sword" or "Lake of the Restored Sword" is in the historical center of Hanoi. The lake is one of the major scenic spots in the city and serves as a focal point for its public life. It's also a place for Tourists to escape the madness of the traffic and is somewhere to sit and contemplate life or just people watch with a cold drink in your hand. We walked there from our hotel and it was easy to find with a map. There are plenty of benches to sit on and you will often find, as we did, that Vietnamese students will come up and want to chat to you. We met a lovely group of college students who wanted to ask us about life in London and practice their spoken English - and in turn we were also able to find out something about their lives and their plans for work and further study.

The lake has a beautiful mythical story attached to it. According to the legend, Emperor Lê Lợi was boating on the lake when a Golden Turtle God surfaced and asked for his magic sword. Lợi concluded that the Turtle God had come to reclaim the sword that its master, a local God, the Dragon King Long Vương had given Lợi some time earlier, during his revolt against the Chinese Ming Dynasty. Lợi renamed the lake to commemorate this event - it was formerly known as Luc Thuy meaning "Green Water".

The Turtle Tower standing on a small island near the centre of the lake is linked to the legend. Large soft-shell turtles have been sighted in the lake. The species is critically endangered and the number of individual turtles in the lake is still unclear.

Near the northern shore of the lake lies Jade Island on which the Temple of the Jade Mountain stands. The temple was erected in the 18th century. It honors the 13th-century military leader Tran Hung Dao who distinguished himself in the fight against the Yuan Dynasty, Van Xuong, a scholar, and Nguyen Van Sieu, a Confucian master and famous writer in charge of repairs made to the temple in 1864. Jade Island is connected to the shore by the wooden red-painted Huc Bridge or Morning Sunlight Bridge. Many couples who get married in Hanoi come to have their wedding pictures taken here, as water is meant to be a sign of good luck.

The Ho Chi Min Museum and Mausoleum

The Ho Chi Minh Museum is dedicated to the late Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh and Vietnam's revolutionary struggle against foreign powers. It was constructed in the 1990s. The museum is often regarded by some as a propaganda tool of the Vietnamese Communist regime, used to whitewash both the Communist Party and Ho Chi Minh's legacy and historical image.

The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is a large memorial located in the centre of Ba Dinh Square. This is the place where Ho Chi Minh, Chairman of the Communist Party from 1951-1969, read the Declaration of Independence on 2 September 1945, establishing the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. The Mausoleum was ranked as the "sixth most ugly" building in the world by CNN International in 2012.

Construction work began on 2 September 1973, and the structure was formally inaugurated on 29 August 1975. The mausoleum was inspired by Lenin's Mausoleum in Moscow but incorporates distinct Vietnamese architectural elements, such as the sloping roof. The exterior is made of grey granite, while the interior is grey, black and red polished stone. The mausoleum's portico has the words "Chủ tịch Hồ Chí Minh" (Chairman Ho Chi Minh) inscribed across it. The banner beside says "Nước Cộng Hòa Xã Hội Chủ Nghĩa Việt Nam Muôn Năm" or "State of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam forever".

For those of you into facts and figures, the structure is 21.6 metres (70.9 feet) high and 41.2 metres (135.2 feet) wide. Flanking the mausoleum are two platforms with seven steps for parade viewing. The plaza in front of the mausoleum is divided into 240 green squares separated by pathways. The gardens surrounding the mausoleum have nearly 250 different species of plants and flowers, all from different regions of Vietnam.

The embalmed body of Ho Chi Minh is preserved in the cooled, central hall of the mausoleum, which is protected by a military honour guard. The body lies in a glass case with dim lights. The mausoleum is closed occasionally while work is done to restore and preserve the body but is normally open daily from 09:00 to 12:00 to the public. Lines of visitors, including visiting foreign dignitaries, pay their respects at the mausoleum every day.

Rules regarding dress and behaviour are strictly enforced by staff and guards. Legs must be covered (no shorts or miniskirts). Visitors must be silent, and walk in two lines. Hands must not be in pockets, nor arms crossed. Smoking, drinking, eating, photography and video taping are also not permitted anywhere inside the mausoleum.

The One Pillar Pagoda

The One Pillar Pagoda is a historic Buddhist temple in the Ho Chi Min Complex. It is regarded as one of Vietnam's most iconic temples.

The temple was built by Emperor Lý Thái Tông, who ruled from 1028 to 1054. According to the court records, Lý Thái Tông was childless and dreamt that he met the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, who handed him a baby son while seated on a lotus flower. Lý Thái Tông then married a peasant girl that he had met and she bore him a son. The emperor constructed the temple in gratitude for this in 1049 having been told by a monk named Thiền Tuệ to build the temple, by erecting a pillar in the middle of a lotus pond, similar to the one he saw in the dream.

The temple was located in what was then the Tây Cấm Garden in Thạch Bảo, Vĩnh Thuận district in the capital Thăng Long (now known as Hanoi). Before the pagoda was opened, prayers were held for the longevity of the monarch. During the Lý Dynasty era, the temple was the site of an annual royal ceremony on the occasion of Vesak, the birthday of Gautama Buddha. A Buddha-bathing ceremony was held annually by the monarch, and it attracted monks and laymen alike to the ceremony. The monarch would then free a bird, which was followed by the people.

The temple was renovated in 1105 by Emperor Lý Nhân Tông and a bell was cast and an installation was attempted in 1109. However, the bell, which was regarded as one of the four major capital works of Vietnam at the time, was much too large and heavy, and could not be installed. The temple is built of wood on a single stone pillar 1.25 m in diameter, and it is designed to resemble a lotus blossom, which is a Buddhist symbol of purity, since a lotus blossoms in a muddy pond. In 1954, the French Union forces destroyed the pagoda before withdrawing from Vietnam after the First Indochina War, It was rebuilt afterwards.

As the mausoleum and museum complex were about 3km away from the Old Quarter, we booked a mini cab through our hotel receptionist and hailed a cyclo Rickshaw to take us back. These "Bicycle Taxi's can be found all over the city touting for business. The price agreed for this journey was 35,000 Dong ($2US) which is an absolute bargain for two reasons. First of all we actually got where we were going without getting lost and secondly we experienced the total madness of sitting in the middle of Hanoi’s traffic.

The poor old man worked really hard to convey us across the city, so we paid him 50,000 Dong (just over $3US) and told him to keep the change. A $1US tip to us was nothing (even though it represents 50%) and for the hard work the rider has to do to earn a pittance this guy really earned it. The Cyclo is certainly the quaintest form of Hanoi transport and well worth the journey just for the experience of it. Just make sure you agree a fair price before getting in otherwise you could be grossly overcharged!

There are plenty metered taxis around which are exteremely cheap too, but just be sure that the meter has been reset when you start. Once you’ve seen the madness on the roads you’ll understand why taking the offer of a ride from a local motorcycle taxi, standing on a street corner isn’t the safest option. They’re just as cheap as a cyclo but not recommended. There are buses around but working out routes is complicated as well as knowing where to get on and off so it’s better to stick with the other 2 options.

WATCH OUR EXCLUSIVE VIDEO "IMPRESSIONS OF HANOI"