Jump Ahead:
Day 6 | Return from Sapa, egg rum coffee, city walk
Day 7 | Banh mi, beef noodles, train street, night market, Pho 10
Day 8 | City walk, Chả Cá Thăng Long, lake temple, water puppet show, bag shopping
Final Day 9 | Last pho, Departure
Day 6 - Hanoi
Arrived back in Hanoi at around 0525 where the hotel bellman was waiting for me at the platform. This time we exited through what must have been the main building (departure was back way?). I realized this because of the insane amount of taxi drivers waiting outside (they must really know the train schedules and want business).
Back at the Bella Rosa Hotel by 0542 but there was no room available to check in to yet. Lot of people were out on the street already… exercise groups, bicycles, motorbikes. Taxi was only about 26000VND (little over $1 USD). Got to eat hotel breakfast at 0630 and my room became available at 0810 so overall pretty good timing. Everything important was working in this room (windows, tv, safe) although the shower door wasn’t working properly again… no biggie.
Didn’t exactly get any quality sleep on the train so I took a nap and rested in the room until 1530. Exchanged $50USD again at the hotel @22000/USD (Sapa hotel was 21000/USD) before going out to explore the town. Walked to Cafe Giảng, close to the hotel, through a small narrow hall entrance from street. Could be easy to miss as the first floor was empty and almost thought I was in the wrong place… instead I went to the second floor where it was more crowded. I ended up trying their egg coffee w/ rum (40,000 VND) as recommended by Andrew (met in Sapa). Overall not bad… thick, creamy, and a good amount of rum. It was a small room and with tiny cramped tables and stools so I didn’t hang out there too long even though it had a nice laid back vibe going for it.
After letting the coffee jumpstart my body again, I went straight to my first dinner (at about 1624) at New Day Restaurant. I decided on having the pork set meal (90,000VND) with a watermelon smoothie (35,000VND).
Just walking around I covered the general areas north and southwest of the hotel on the first night. Saw lots of bag shops, which a guide mentioned you could haggle for 10-30% off. When to negotiate is a difficult question for hotel staff to answer when I asked, but basically if it looks like real established storefront, the price is firm… common sense applies I guess. While walking I noticed a nearby bank exchange rate was 22,600 VND/USD, and airport transfers could be found for as cheap as $11 USD… so yes it’s possible to travel for cheaper than I was doing but in the grand scheme of things the differences were negligible to me. I didn’t think it that critical for my first time, especially since I felt everything had been taken care of satisfactorily, even if paying little more… and I didn’t have the feeling of being taken advantage of.
As I walked around I took in all the different food vendors lined up on sidewalks and storefronts… There were lots of people eating, washing dishes, and cooking on sidewalk which appeared to be the norm for after work hours.
Stopped in at a popular dessert place called Hoa Quả Dầm Hoa Béo… the bowl was huge with lots of stuff and only set me back 50,000VND.
Continuing my walk I noticed some stores were doubling as living rooms… as if you’re walking into someone’s house. I found a shop selling coffee and decided to take a look as that was one of the more interesting foods here for me. I asked some questions to the store worker who luckily spoke some English… apparently the Vietnamese coffee should be ground small…. and any coffee should work with Vietnamese filter but would obviously taste different. I didn’t buy anything yet as I was still shopping around for prices (and this store was kind of hard to tell if prices would be firm or not) however I was really interested in finding a good coffee and filter to take home with me.
Day 7 - Hanoi
Had a small breakfast at the hotel… saving space to eat more later hehe. Staff always greets everyone in the morning and remembers names at least… and it’s actual short conversations, not just meaningless “good mornings”… I also noticed they all seemed to like their tattoos here too. Overall the staff was always friendly and trying to please.
It was much warmer outside today. First stop was to get a sandwich at Banh Mi 25, mixed with everything (25000VND) and pear juice (30000VND). Amazingly cheap and good, warm crispy bread. Just a little spice, good ratio of vegetables and meat. Could’ve eaten so many of these but had to save room (this was quickly turning into an epic food marathon).
Straight to Bún Bò Nam Bộ Bách Phương for beef noodle salad (60,000VND) and Saigon beer (20000VND). So cheap, less than $1. Many buildings appear to be long and skinny with extra seating deep inside or upstairs so you can’t always go by how it looks on street view hehe… maybe a leftover French influence. In the end it was too much food and I couldn’t finish it all…. I know, so bad of me.
Walked over to the train street I read about and it was just as described. Feel awkward walking past peoples “open living rooms” and some places seemed really no bigger than a jail cell. There were electric stoves near entryways, clothes hanging, people cutting vegetables, washing, etc.
Covered a good amount of ground this day… ended up at a grocery store which was much cheaper than street prices (half). Went back to buy some coffee and gifts… the one time I didn’t bring extra money and didn’t have enough on me (wanted to buy more than I expected). They even sold those little coffee drip cups. Ended up going back to the hotel to exchange 50USD more @ 22000VND.
Later in the evening I walked up and down the popular night market (opens around 7pm). Lot of typical junk although I did try some kind of meat stick for 10000VND with chili sauce that was good. Mopeds still riding through when the street was closed and cops didn’t seem to care. Pretty crowded overall but still cool to have the town square area pedestrians only (with some mopeds). Made sure to keep an eye on my pockets the entire time.
Decided to stop into a bag shop between Ly Quoc and Hang Trong on Hang Gai/Bong. Lady seemed nice enough but I wasn’t in a rush to decide on bags so I went to eat at Pho 10 on Ly Quoc (65000VND, ~$3). Was very curious to compare the soup and noodles to what I’m used to back in Hawaii… here it seemed the noodles were wider, with no sauces on the table for the soup. Condiments included only lime, chili, garlic. I got the Nam Gau which was overall pretty good with a clean tasting broth. Naturally, it was a crowded place so you’re literally sharing a small table space next to other people so there wasn’t a whole lot of time to sit and eat comfortably.
After eating and thinking about it more, I went back to bag store which was now more crowded with foreigners. I saw a fanny pack and 20L dry bag also this time. She was asking 400000VND (~$18) for a duffle, 300000VND (~$14) for a dry bag and 150000VND (~$7) for the fanny pack – 850000 (~$39) total asking, I offered 600000VND (~$27). After a little chuckle she came back with 650000 (~$30), and I said ok. Easy deal. Hotel said normal haggle is 10-30%; 650/850 = 76% so 24% reduction was not bad I guess. Looked over products pretty thoroughly before buying and quality seems better than most products of this nature that I’ve seen before. Looking back now, I’ve also made good use of them since then too.
Feeling a bit satisfied now, I took a little time just people watching at the town square… more crowded now but still nice with no cars. Went to get milk tea (coffee) near the square at TocoToco (L-size, 44000VND, $2). Some punk cut in front of me with his girlfriend and didn’t even know what they wanted. No bubbles in the milk tea either which I assumed was included by default according to the menu picture… guess you have to ask for it. After the long day, finally went back to the hotel and called it a night.
Day 8 - Hanoi
Last full day in Hanoi. This morning I decided to try ordering off the a la carte menu… turns our their “Pancakes” with honey and lemon was more of a crepe with honey and lime. Not bad still hehe.
Out and about walking again, the road on the east side of the lake was closed as I made my way around the perimeter to the west side/south side. The south side seemed more fancy and was not as interesting for me. Noticed a lot of people chewing sunflower seeds while drinking their coffee at a cafe… just throwing their shells on the ground under the table… is this a thing? Lots of people were also taking pictures in the streets in traditional clothing, dresses… not sure if they were locals or tourists…
Ended up back at the grocery store (Intimex) again to buy the rest of the instant coffee now that I had more money on me. Had to use one of the free lockers outside for my backpack this time. Upon leaving I think I got candy as change at the register? It was odd change nonetheless (is there no bill for less than 1000 dong? And if not why price things that way?)
Next I walked over to Chả Cá Thăng Long for lunch. I read they were known for their fish specialty which ended up being really tasty (120000 + 30000VND). It’s a one dish restaurant with great reviews so you know they must be doing it right. The server actually cooked for me and served the first portion as if to show me how to eat it properly. By this time I was so full…. too much food again (common theme here hehe).
On the way back to the hotel I ended up buying some magnets from a sidewalk guy just north of the lake. He asked for 20000 each so I asked him for buy 2 get 1 free… he said buy 5 get 1 free and I said don’t need that much… I replied with buy 3 get 1 free to which he finally said ok. Then I picked 4 but he said 25000 x 3ea = 75000VND. Clearly not the same price he agreed to earlier (20000 each), which I pointed out, so then he tried to lie about the exchange rate. I said 60000VND for all 4 mulitple times, and he tried for 65000 but finally gave up for 60000. “Very cheap!” He said to me. Oh well I thought…
After the magnet guy, I walked around a little more looking at some backpacks and shoes. Looked like they were having a small concert at the town square area with a lot of roads blocked off (which I liked). By this point in my trip, the traffic was starting to get irritating… can’t imagine living there honestly, let alone trying to drive there.
Back to the hotel for a break… room wasn’t made up yet. Exchanged $65 more at hotel (still 22000/USD), then went to buy a ticket for the 1720 water puppet show (time now was 1640) but it was already sold out so I bought one for the 1830 show instead (100000VND, < $5). Kind of a last minute decision since it was cheap and not so long, plus I had the time.
While waiting for the show, I went to the temple on the lake, Đền Ngọc Sơn. Entrance was actually only 30000VND but for some reason earlier I thought it said 300000 so I avoided going then. It’s a small temple and the whole thing took less than 20 minutes for me… cheap enough to see anyway. The bridge by itself was free if you just want to visit that.
By this time it was getting more crowded on the street as I walked past some old guys smoking some huge pipes on the sidewalk. Various dances, singing, and performances were going on. Still had some time so I went to Highlands coffee, got a sandwich (19000VND) and a coffee freeze drink (59000VND) and sat on the balcony to watch people below. At the time, I was thinking of how it reminded me of sitting in Shibuya Starbucks, just more craziness.
Went to the puppet theater about 15 minutes prior (1815) to the start and it was already crowded. Got seated with absolutely no idea of what to expect from this show. In the end it was surprisingly entertaining, with good music and my kind of humor. I couldn’t figure out how the puppets worked at first with the water but I guess they’re more like horizontal puppets rather than vertical. Interesting anyway, and new for me… 50 minutes of entertainment for only 100000VND, can’t go wrong.
Of course, after the show it was time for more food so I stopped at Che Ngon 93 Huong Hai for a 3 bean ice drink (17000VND). Very refreshing though the menu’s at these kind of places can be a bit intimidating or sometimes a guessing game (in terms of ingredients) at the very least hehe. Most cases in my travels I’ve had luck with the food tasting good even if I didn’t always know what was in it hehe.
After dessert was all shopping time. While shopping for more bags and whatnot, decided I didn’t need the Keen sandals and large hiking packs, largely because I couldn’t trust the quality (stitching but especially the zippers). I did end up getting another fanny pack for 120,000 VND (was asking 160000) and a vest for 400000 (asking 600000). Considering how long I spent looking around different shops and comparing offers, I’m surprised I didn’t buy more but the whole experience can just be really exhausting. I definitely would rather just know the cost of an item and pay it… that being said, here are some tips that all happened to be true for me but could probably be used at any time:
(1) Pretend you’re buying for someone else who has a fixed price… then no emotional attachment for you and appear able to walk away with nothing loss.
(2) Pretend you’re interested in a different color that they don’t have and that you are settling for the one you actually want. Request it for cheaper or you can just find “correct” color somewhere else.
(3) Separate money in your pockets and say it’s all you have left when you empty one and also state you need some leftover money for the airport the next day.
(4) Go before closing as they may be more anxious to make quick sale.
(5) The zippers will usually make or break the bag. Everything else can be re-stitched if necessary
It being late now, I walked around a bit looking for some dinner but I couldn’t decide on anything so I ended up at a Circle K convenience store (haha). Instant noodles with mini sausage (14000), meatballs (5000), 2 Tiger beer and large water (total 72000VND, ~$3). Many shops started closing around 2200 and it seemed like even the streets get emptier but they all must’ve gone to Luong Ngoc Quyen Street because it was packed there!
Final Day 9 - Hanoi
On the last morning in Hanoi, I skipped the hotel breakfast to eat pho one last time at Quan Phở Sướng. The place had good reviews but when I got there it was not a very well established looking joint. No menu when I sat down so I just pointed at what everyone else seemed to be having. On the table this time were more condiments… I accidentally made mine a little too spicy but overall it was very good. It was also only 45000VND. The one reservation I had might’ve been the cleanliness though, especially with the wooden chopsticks… definitely a more street like place but so worth it.
After breakfast I went to get coffee one last time at Cộng Cà Phê in the town square area… it was small but only 35000VND so hard to complain. Luckily I could get a seat upstairs on the balcony, so I took my time, watched all the movement in the town square below and just reflected on the trip and where I was in the moment. On my way back to the hotel, as if I hadn’t eaten enough already, I got TocoToco with bubbles this time (learned you have to ask for it even though it’s in all the pictures). Melon Milk tea with bubbles, 50% ice, best ratio (49000VND).
Checked out of the hotel around 1150. Staff asked me to leave a good review (again…hmmm?). This time there was a good, clean SUV waiting to take me to the airport. The traffic was not too bad though they still couldn’t manage to drive in lanes on the highway and the driver was using his phone while driving.
Got to the airport by 1230. I wasn’t sure if there were shops/food after security so I ate at one of the second floor restaurants. Had about 114000VND left on me which was enough to have a sandwich for lunch. The sandwich was good… and I noticed the bread in general was really crispy and flaky in Vietnam which I really liked. French fries seem to be a gourmet item or something as they were actually relatively expensive…. my lunch cost 69000VND so it was a fairly pricey place all things considered. Air Force One rolled by while I sat in the restaurant… totally random but guess Trump was already in town. I thought to myself, good thing I’m leaving.
Gift shops in the airport were a rip-off… and I know some people will think that’s always the case but there are still some good ones out there. Instant coffee was more than double the price of the grocery store that I bought from. Just for future reference, there are shops in the departure gate area after security. Eximbank at the airport listed their currency exchange buying USD 22660, selling 23316 (current Market being 22713 VND/USD). Shops in departure gate area (and food) were strangely all priced in USD and more expensive than before security. Then when you ask how much in VND, it’s marked up even more! As if you weren’t in Vietnam still. No charging stations were available (not convenient ones anyway) but it did seem newer international terminal. Just avoid shopping at the airport if you can. Somehow $1.5 USD = 40000VND by their crazy math. For VAT refund, need form from shops (like duty free shops). At least they had free wifi… ahh well, homeward bound.