The First-Timer’s Travel Guide to Hanoi, Vietnam

Hanoi was supposed to be a stopover, a base for more exotic destinations in Northern Vietnam like Sapa and Ha Long Bay. I googled “how many days in hanoi” and that’s exactly what many people said.

Like any Southeast Asian metropolis, Hanoi is a big and chaotic city. It can be overwhelming for many so it’s often treated as little more than a port of entry into Vietnam. Tourists arrive in Hanoi, staying a day or two to explore the Old Quarter, before moving on to less urban parts of the country. Had we not been on a quest to try as much Vietnamese street food as we could in Hanoi, then we probably would have done the same. I’m glad we stayed.

As chaotic and busy as Hanoi can be, its also a city teeming with character. Walk around the Old Quarter for a day and you’ll see what I mean. An eclectic mix of foreign influences, you get the sense that this city has seen a lot in its thousand year history. Stick around long enough, and you may just get to hear its…