[TRAVEL VIETNAM 5] HANOI- 5 THINGS TO DO AT THE OLD QUARTERS

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If you only have 1 or 2 nights ( and I mean night only.)to spend in Hanoi, then below are some recommendations.

The Old Quarters

This nostalgic charming maze of 36 streets are littered with shops dedicated to various trades such as silk, toys, ceramic, jewelry etc. Our boutique hotel was on the toys street
( More on that at the end of the post).

With the gloomy weather and muggy air in the morning, we experienced a different pace and atmosphere once we stepped out from the hotel.
The traffic is a dangerous endless stream of motorbikes and the locals go about their daily chores in mere nonchalant.

Erosion of culture?
Have the locals felt the impact from the influx of tourists and foreign faces?
Perhaps for them, live goes on and is a welcome change.

1. Eat at Cha Ca La Vong
Cha Ca La Vong Restaurant is what I will recommend if you are pressed for time and yet wanna experience local cuisine.
I simply loved what they serve only 1 dish Cha Ca La Vong, going by the same name — grilled fish slices, thrown in with dill, shrimp paste, turmeric, fish sacue, chili, peanuts cooked on the sizzling pan, accompanied with rice vermicelli.

In my opinion, the fragrance of the stirred fried along with the condiments was a wonderful marriage that kept me salivating and could not stopped eating with vermicelli.
The store seemed to have renovated, looking more modernized and sporting a larger shop front compared to past photos.

845 000VND for 3 pax.; 280 000 for 1 pax
14 Cha Ca Street, Hang Dao, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
+84 438253929

\he shop is pretty 'subtle' with no signage or lightings, however spot the Petmart just opposite and you will be on the right track.

Here it is! Cooking and preparation will be done by the staff.

2. Walk Hoan Kiem Lake

At the background, northern end of the lake lies Ngoc Son Temple, built in the 18th century. It was a pity we were not able to be there during the day to witness its serenity and authentically humane nature. I would suggest you to make a visit to the temple if time allows to capture the charming temple architecture and that red bridge.

Operating hours:8am to 5pm.

3. "Squat" by the road side

'Lim' ( singapore colloqial for drink) Kopi (coffee) by the hipster area of Hanoi intersection along Pho Ta Hien.

One side is where the pubs, discos, clubs are ( think expensive, atas) and the other corner lies the traditional kopi shops. The night never ends.

Chill and people watch.

They served a range of local food from Pho to Banh Mi but we only ordered snacks to chill, along with Saigon Beer

4. Scale the highest point
The round-about has to be the centrepiece of the Old Quarters.
They are many restaurants lining up along the main focal point round the fountain, but if you wanna get something simple yet offers the panoramic view, head to Highlanders Coffee like we did.

This is the view from up there.

5.Watch Water Puppet Show
Just diagonally across the street from the Hoan Kiem Lake is where Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre lies. Watch scenes of Vietnam's history performed by puppets in elaborate costumes accompanied by folk musics.
One of the most acclaimed theatres in Hanoi and conveniently located with sold-out puppet shows.
** Be there early to snap the shows!
We missed once when the show was full and thank god we had one more night in Hanoi to try again and managed to bought the tickets.
No reservations are allowed and no advanced purchases and no photography inside the theatre.
I love the show for its local folk elements and musics.

We Stayed
on a side note: Victory Hotel is a small boutique hotel with basic facilities, nice friendly staff and breakfast provided. The rooms were cleaned and the bed comfy enough.

No. 3 Hang Quat Street, Hoan Kiem Distirct, Hanoi, Vietnam