Hanoi

I went to Hanoi by train from Haiphong. Haiphong Station is very picturesque. Like many buildings in the city, it is a throwback to a colonial past. The station is only a short ride from Dien Bien Phu and taxi fare shouldn’t cost more than 15,000 dong. It is possible to buy a ticket to Hanoi the day you depart. Show up at least thirty minutes ahead of the scheduled departure. Seats are reserved. The train ride is between two and three hours and is unbelievably noisy. The cars are without AC, too. At each stop women sell drinks, peanuts, and other snacks.

It’s a short taxi ride from the train station to the Old Quarter, where there are many backpacker hotels. Take your time finding a place, as there are many hotels to choose from. The rate for one night is between 150,000 and 200,000. After traveling down into Vietnam from China, along a path less traveled, it might be a shock to see so many western tourists and menus in English.

I was disappointed with Hanoi. It doesn’t have the lazy, colonial air of Haiphong. Like many cities, it is crowded and noisy and, at least in the Old Quarter, impossible to walk down the sidewalk without having to step around something. Also, the motorbike drivers are more aggressive. They won’t give pedestrians the breaks that the drivers in Haihpong do.

There’s plenty of information about Hanoi from other sources, so it isn’t necessary for me to write about what you can learn on your own.

I only stayed in Hanoi a few days. It wasn't for me.