Ha Long Bay

This World Heritage Site, about three hours away from Hanoi by car, or a short, 45-minute flight from Hanoi by seaplane, is worth a visit.

We booked with Bhaya Cruises, and were not disappointed.  One of the reasons we chose Bhaya was because of its reputation as being a leader in helping to preserve (or improve) the environmental quality of the bay.  We've also heard good things about Emeraude Cruises, among many other companies from which you can choose.

I'd recommend visiting in the early spring or in the fall, to avoid the sticky heat of late spring or summer.

Our itinerary included a visit to a fishing village, in a small, uncovered boat; and to a large, very popular cave (lots of steps to climb to access the cave, and then hordes of other tourists to maneuver around inside).

It is true what I had heard about how the boats don't really go very far, and cluster around each other.  But there was enough distance between our boat and the others that in the evenings, we could still relax and enjoy conversation on deck, with pleasant breezes, admiring the unusual limestone formations surrounding us.

Hoi An

About a 30-minute car ride from Danang's airport, Hoi An reminds me of Ubud, Bali, in many charming ways.  The center of Hoi An is laid-back, cozy even, with plenty of good restaurants, cafes, and shops to wander among.

Like Ubud, Hoi An is not far from the beach, so you could easily stay at one of the many beachfront properties in Danang, such as the Furama, Hyatt, Pullman, or others, and make a day trip (or day trips) to Hoi An.

On one visit, we stayed at a friendly place in Hoi An, sort of on the periphery of the center of that town.  Alma Courtyard had just opened a few months before, and while they are still getting the staff trained up, there was much that the hotel was already getting right.  The lobby of the spa was perfectly peaceful.  I'm not so much in to spa treatments, and even though I tried a massage that was part of our rate package, I found that just sitting in the lobby was calming.  The rooms were spacious, clean, and soothingly decorated, as was in fact the entire property.  The food and beverage from each of the property's kitchens were delicious and presented well.  Service was friendly and would have been even better if I spoke Vietnamese or if the staff spoke better English.

On another visit, we stayed at the tasteful, luxurious Nam Hai, right on the beach.

Among the restaurants we liked in Hoi An was the Cargo Club.  I have to admit, the hotels were so comfortable that we didn't dine out very much.

Dining virtuously - STREETS, located at 17 Le Loi, is a wonderful restaurant in the heart of Hoi An, offering cheerful, attractive decor, delicious food, and reasonable prices.  And by supporting STREETS, you are contributing to a great cause.  The restaurant is a non-profit organization that aims to teach underprivileged kids skills in hospitality.  Many of the servers and those working in the kitchen are kids from the street who might otherwise not have a way up.  Many of the staff go on to high-end hotels and restaurants, making room for the next cohort.

Hoi An has a reputation for being a great place for tailoring, so my spouse and I set about getting suits made.  There are certainly a number of tailors in town, so perhaps our experience was not indicative of tailoring there in general, but I think we found that as fast a turnaround time as our tailor offered, and as attractive as the price for the suits we ordered was, the quality just wasn't worth it in my view.  I would urge caution.

Tips for a Visit to Hanoi

Visa requirements

Americans need a visa in order to enter Vietnam.  Americans may wish to consult this site for further details about entry requirements for Vietnam: https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/country/vietnam.html

E-visas are available for travel to Vietnam.  Instructions and applications are available online, via https://www.immigration.gov.vn/  There are other e-visa services available, but they may be less reliable and more costly than going directly with the Government of Vietnam's process.

Nationals of other countries may wish to check with the Vietnamese embassy or consulate nearest to them for entry and exit requirements for Vietnam.

Do I need any vaccinations?

It seems the main health concerns for travelers here are mosquito-borne ailments, including malaria and dengue, so travelers may wish to bring their favorite mosquito-repellent.  However, here's a link to what the experts recommend in terms of vaccinations: 

http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/vietnam

May I bring prescription medication with me?

Here's a link to comprehensive expert advice for Americans traveling to Vietnam, which seems to indicate no problem for bringing personal prescription medication to Vietnam: https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/country/vietnam.html

What's the weather like?

Travelers may wish to consult their favorite weather site for up-to-date information about and forecasts for the weather in Hanoi.  One such site might include this one:
http://www.timeanddate.com/weather/vietnam/hanoi

Getting to town and around

If arriving from an international flight, you'll arrive at the fairly new Noi Bai Airport, about 35 -45 minutes away from the Hoan Kiem Lake area.

Grab a taxi from the stand outside of the arrivals hall; should cost about VD 400,000, or about $20, to get to the Hoan Kiem Lake area, where the Metropole and the Hanoi Opera House are also landmarks.

Uber operates here, sometimes making getting around town comfortable and affordable.  Many of the Uber vehicles I've been in have been Toyota Camrys, but there are also Kias and Honda CRVs serving as Uber black vehicles.  UberX is also here.  But don't get your hopes up too much.  I've had enough disappointments with Uber that I'd just as soon hail a taxi from the street.  Taxis are plentiful and very reasonably priced - just make sure the meter's on and keep an eye on it to make sure it's working right.

Hanoi Taxi Group is great, and they have an app that I have found to be much more reliable than Uber.

House guests have told me that Hanoi Transfer Service is very good.  You can book online, and rates appear to be very reasonable.

Where to stay

The legendary Metropole Hotel, near scenic Hoan Kiem Lake and the old quarter.  Doesn't get better than this for luxurious accommodations in Hanoi.

Hilton Opera House, also near Hoan Kiem Lake, and adjacent to the Opera House.

The award-winning JW Marriott, a bit of a trek from the city center, but worth the journey.  Designed by an American architect who sought to evoke the Vietnamese legend of the dragon and the fairy, and I believe succeeded.

There are a number of budget, but (I've heard) still comfortable, hotels around, including The Conifer, near Hoan Kiem Lake, and the various Essence Hotels around the Old Quarter.

What to do

Take a tour.  You may wish to consider:

- Sophie's Art Tour

- Electric Cart Tour of Hanoi's Old Quarter

- Hanoi Street Food Tour

- Day Tours Hanoi

Relax at Anam QT Spa, in the Old Quarter (42 Hang Trong)

Stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake

Visit the Old Quarter

Check out Art Vietnam, a modern art gallery near the cathedral, steps away from Hang Gai Street, one of the main expat shopping streets in the old quarter.

Explore the Museum of Ethnology.  This is a bit of a trek from Hoan Kiem Lake, but worth a visit. The museum has two main buildings - the older one, designed to resemble a drum, focuses specifically on Vietnam and its people.  The newer building houses a collection of art from throughout Southeast Asia.  You can also wander around the extensive grounds of the property and discover examples of ancient Vietnamese housing structures and medicinal plants.  Plus, at certain times, you can watch water puppet shows. There is a stand-alone cafe on the premises.

The Women's Museum is a beautifully maintained museum, conveniently located in Central Hanoi.  Worth a visit.

Visit the Temple of Literature, an ancient complex dedicated to learning, knowledge.

Try egg coffee, a delightful concoction that tastes kind of like tiramisu.

Take in a water puppet show.

Experience Thanh Chuong's Viet Palace, a wonderland of Vietnamese art and traditional design on the outskirts of Hanoi.

Where to shop

I'd recommend spending an hour or two strolling down Hang Gai Street, near Hoan Kiem Lake. You'll come across three lovely stores: Khai Silk, Tan My Design, and Hanoi Moment - each of which offers handsomely presented and packaged higher-end products from Vietnam, in attractive spaces.  You'll find scarves and ties at Khai Silk, all kinds of home wares, clothing, and gifts at Tan My Design, and home wares and gifts at Hanoi Moment.  Across the street from Tan My Design is Tan My's embroidery shop, featuring beautiful clothing and accessories, as well as bed linens, napkins, and related items, at very good value.

Shopping virtuously:

Mekong Quilts - A non-profit organization that helps women bring their beautiful crafts to market.

Craft Link - Another non-profit organization that helps women bring their beautiful crafts to market. These crafts include scarves, beads, greeting cards, home decor items, iPad covers, purses, and the like.

Where to eat

Home (near Ho Tay/West Lake), Ngon Villa, Ly Club (near the Opera House), and Madame Hien (Old Quarter) offer Vietnamese fare in casually elegant surroundings, as do Wild Rice, Club Opera, and Club de l'Oriental, among others.  There are also any number of much more casual local restaurants and cafes around the capital, including Cha Ca La Vong, featuring the famous fish cutlets fried at your table.  A new  favorite of mine is La Verticale, where you can savor excellent French cuisine in an attractive French colonial space at very reasonable prices.

Metropole - Their French restaurant, Le Beaulieu, is charming.  They have an ample, decadent weekend brunch.  Spices Garden offers delicious Vietnamese-French cuisine.  Angelina, the upscale Italian restaurant and bar (yes, named, I understand, after Ms. Jolie) is much improved from my earlier visit - I understand there's a new chef.  I love their risottos, especially the pumpkin risotto.

Casa Italia - Great little neighborhood restaurant/cultural center.  The predominant theme of the place is the Vespa.  The fare is delicious and not exorbitantly priced.  The pizzas are all right, the daily specials are often interesting and delicious, and the desserts are pretty good.  They're open most days (including Sundays and most holidays), from 9am - 9pm.

Speaking of Italian cuisine, my new favorite spot is Mamma Mia, also in the Hoan Kiem district, near the Old Quarter.  World-class, unpretentious dining experience, from start to finish.

French Grill - Located in the beautiful JW Marriott, a bit of a hike from central Hanoi (maybe 40 minutes away from Hoan Kiem), French Grille is extraordinarily good.  Their set menu showcases the best of French cuisine, artfully presented.

Farther afield

Ha Long Bay, about a three hour's drive from Ha Noi, is worth a visit.  Altogether, it's about a two-day trip - you leave Ha Noi in the morning, explore the bay in the afternoon, overnight on a boat, explore a bit more in the morning, and then you're back in Ha Noi later that afternoon.  More information about visiting the World Heritage Site is available here.

Alternatively, there's Tam Coc - the inland Ha Long Bay, just a two-hour drive from Hanoi.

Hue and Hoi An are also worth a visit, if you have the time.  Each city is about an hour's flight from Ha Noi.  For more information about visiting Hue, click here.  For more information about Hoi An, click here.

Tour operators/Travel agencies

You may wish to consider any of the following tour operators/travel agencies to assist in making your travel plans and booking tours:

Haivenu Tours

Journeys to the East

EXO Travel

Buffalo Tours