The Hustle and Bustle of Hanoi
A flower seller by bike.
Hanoi, Vietnam (2024)
Deb and I were in Viet Nam from September 30 – Oct 11. We were primarily based in the Old Quarter of Ha Noi, with short breaks from the capital to do a cruise in Ha Long Bay, and a few days in Ninh Binh. I will write separate posts about those latter excursions later.
Hanoi (in Vietnamese Hà Nội)[1] has a very long history. The name of the city was given by emperor Minh Mạng in 1831, and means "inside the river," due to the fact it is bordered by the Red and the Black Rivers. It was established as the capital in 1010 by Vietnamese emperor Lý Thái Tổ, with the former name Thăng Long ‘dragon ascending’, and was finally freed from Friench colonialists on October 10, 1954. We were lucky to be in the city during the 70th Anniversary of Liberation celebrations.[2] A festival for the traditional dress, the Ao Dai, was also running in early October,[3] and so we were extra fortunate to be in the city while many Vietnamese women took the opportunity to wear their treasured outfits in public and allow us to take photos.
Despite the recent catastrophe of Typhoon Yagi, which hit Hanoi in early September, 2024[4], the Red River flooding had receded, and the city had mainly recovered by the time we arrived on September 30th. It is incredible to think that 321 people died[5] in Viet Nam during this disaster, but the effects were almost unnoticeable during our visit. To me, this really speaks to the resilience of the people of Viet Nam.[6]
We stayed at the Golden Sail Hotel on Hàng Buồm Street in the Old Quarter. We chose this hotel because it was our first time to Viet Nam, and a lot of the main tourist attractions are within walking distance if you stay in the Old Quarter. While I recommend the area for first time visitors, Deb and I both agreed that staying outside of the Old Quarter would be better on subsequent visits. The modern city has a different vibe than the tourist sector, and the Old Quarter, with its charmingly narrow streets and hectic traffic are probably the right vibe for the 20 something party sector, but for older people it may be a bit frantic. I’m glad that we chose to stay at the same hotel for the 3 different periods we were in Ha Noi. It allowed us the time to adjust to the surroundings, get to learn the streets, the shops, the restaurants and food stalls nearby.
We were given a tourist map by the hotel on arrival – but it unfortunately did not show all the street names, or clearly indicate that the same street can and does change name frequently from block to block. We spent a couple of days trying to figure out the map before we realized this. I would highly recommend purchasing a SIM card and using Google Maps to get around. Once I pre-researched online how to get from A to B within the Old Quarter, I was definitely more successful in navigating the area.
Tourist map of the Old Quarter, Hanoi
Many streets are missing, or un-named on this map. This is definitely not the best map for navigating.
The first three days we were in Hanoi, we just walked and ate. We visited the Women’s Museum, which was hosting an Ao Dai fashion show when we happened to arrive. We stood outside in the sweltering, humid heat for as long as we could to watch the show, but eventually chose shelter inside the museum. I was really impressed by this museum. Not only did it tell the story of women in Viet Nam, but provided a window into their perspectives on the history of their country. I was very moved by some of the displays.
We also walked past the Opera House and went to the Ngoc Son Temple on Hoan Kiem Lake. We trekked (the long way) to Tran Quoc Pagoda on the West Lake, and also spent some time wondering around the Botanical Gardens, then strolled through the Don Xuan Market. It was a lot of walking, but I definitely feel we got a better sense of the city, than if we had taken packaged tours.
L-R: Opera House, bridge to Ngoc Son Temple, Tran Quoc Pagoda, view of West Lake, pond at the Botanical Garden, lizard on a palm at the Botanical Garden
On Oct 3rd we transferred by mini-bus to Ha Long Bay. We had arranged pickup and drop-off from Hanoi with the tour company, so we wouldn’t be fiddling with bus schedules. It was not expensive for this addition to the tour, and I would recommend it for a short visit. We had planned a 2 day/1 night cruise on the Orchid Trendy ship. Note that the van did make its requisite tourist stop at a pearl factory, but as this was our only planned trip to the sea during our stay, both Deb and I ended up purchasing pearls there.
Upon returning to Hanoi in the afternoon of the following day, we were both pretty tuckered out, and only managed to enjoy a meal before trying to get some rest. The plan was to depart for Ninh Binh the next morning. We were to spend three nights and four days there.
We returned to Hanoi in the afternoon of October 8th. We spent some time down at Hoan Kiem Lake taking photos and shopping and booked a car to take us to Bat Trang (across the river and to the SE of Hanoi) the next day. I will write a separate post about this pottery village and the museum, so keep an eye out for that.
On our last full day in Viet Nam, we visited the Temple of Literature and the Fine Arts Museum. There was a wonderful photo exhibit at the Temple of Literature, and I walked through the Gate of Talent, hoping to improve my skills.😆 I also purchased a calligraphy scroll from a gentleman, which reads Peace/Health – because the world needs more of that!
The Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum covers both historical and contemporary arts in a multitude of mediums. My favourite piece is shown below. It is another outstanding museum that I recommend visiting, and is conveniently located across the street from the Temple of Literature.
My favourite piece at the Fine Arts Museum - Vu Cao Dam (1908-2000), Vietnamese wearing a ceremonial mitre, 1931, Bronze
Before our flight on the morning of the 11th, we made one last stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake. It really is a haven for both locals and tourists. We took some last photos of beautiful Vietnamese women in Ao Dai, and then I saw a man in a stunning suit about to shoot a video. He sang a passionate song about the city of Hanoi (for the celebration of the liberation) and I watched in awe as I listened to his amazing voice. Ngô Đức definitely has a new fan. While I didn’t understand the Vietnamese lyrics, his voice and the melody were breathtaking. It was a lovely way to end our incredible visit to northern Viet Nam.
Ngô Đức about to sing, at Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi (Oct 11, 2024)
I was enthralled by his performance!
P.S. I had a wonderful Vietnamese boyfriend when I was young, Loi Van. He taught me a lot about his culture and it is because of him that I always wanted to visit his country. I have now ticked off another bucket list item. ✅
[1] Dân trí (2010) Những tên gọi của Hà Nội qua các thời kỳ lịch sử / Names of Hanoi through historical periods. Posted online September 30, 2010 - https://danItri.com.vn/ban-doc/nhung-ten-goi-cua-ha-noi-qua-cac-thoi-ky-lich-su-1286098923.htm
[2] Ngan Ha (2024) National Celebration marks 70th Anniversary of Hanoi Liberation. Hanoi Times. Posted online October 10, 2024. https://hanoitimes.vn/national-celebration-marks-70th-anniversary-of-hanoi-liberation-328209.html#:~:text=The%20national%20celebration%20for%20the,in%20the%20flag%20salute%20ceremony.
[3] Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism (2024) Beautiful Ha Noi shines on Ao dai Tourism Festival 2024. Posted online October 7, 2024 - https://vietnamtourism.gov.vn/en/post/20450
[4] Ng, Kelly (2024) Thousands flee Vietnam floods after typhoon hits. BBC online September 11, 2024 - https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yk131xd4lo
[5] Reliefweb (2024) Viet Nam: Typhoon Yagi and Floods - Situation Update No. 5 (as of 23 October 2024). https://reliefweb.int/report/viet-nam/viet-nam-typhoon-yagi-and-floods-situation-update-no-5-23-october-2024
[6] As a former emergency manager, I really doubt Canada would have been able to cope under this type of loss in such a short period.
