EXPLORE HANOI BY CYCLO
by balhannah
A nice way to explore Hanoi is by Cyclo. My Hotel got one for me, and I was very pleased.
A nice man, that could speak good English, would stop for me to take photos, and would tell me about the places I was seeing, what a way to go!!
AND...... An experience, sitting in the "frontline," watching all those Motorbikes whizzing past and around you, hoping that you and the Motorbike do not hit!
If you do take a cyclo ride, see if you can go past the Embassy homes, they were colonial, and beautiful.
COST IN 2008 FOR 2 HOURS... 60,000 DONG
I asked for a city tour, and was very happy with what I got. I used this same Cyclo a few times as he did an excellent job!
Sapa Market
by neurochic
Sapa Market is a wonderful place to go to if you can say No. Every weekend in Sapa they have an open air market where the Hmong people come into the town from their respective villages to sell wares and to shop. Also it is a place for the Hmong to con tourists into paying 2 times the price for their wonderful handmade wares. Also beware if you look like a tourist (my poor white bald and huge husband) you will be attacked by the Hmong girls and they are quite persistent. Just be polite and say no thank you and move on. However you can't miss the brilliant display of wares that are on sell. There are great deals to be had. I bought my nephew a handmade wooden flute for 33 cents. I also bought beautiful silver patina bracelets for $1 and handmade sewn handbags for $5. Just be ready to haggle.
U r a fan of sea food and sea gifts ? Shop here
by UScutie about Halong market
It's market ,not a private shop or supper maket as US and Europe ,so no name ,sorry. If u r fan of sea food .Here is place ,u can find a hundred kinds of sea food in Ha Long market ,fresh ,still alive ,some kind of crab,shimp and fish ...that I never see in my life .Many Euopean news come here to take a short film .It's interested to see how wonderful sea product here . Need negociation half of price ,some places agree to cook right the way 4 u ( steam )if u agree to wait .
Taxi to and from the Airport
by Etoile2B
The easiest way to get from the airport into town is by taxi. The airport is located 35km from the city and the ride takes about 45 minutes to an hour. A taxi into the city generally costs between $10 and $12 US. Settle on the price with your driver prior to departure and also determine if you are responsible for the $2 US toll at the bridge. There is also a bus service that is much cheaper, it runs between 5 am and 9 pm but it can take considerably longer than a taxi service.
If you make a reservation at a guesthouse or hotel prior to arriving in Hanoi most will arrange to have a driver waiting for you at the airport if your provide your flight information at the time of booking. Some hotels will provide the taxi service for free, but most of them will charge you for the ride. Just check with your hotel at the time of booking to determine their policy. If the taxi ride isn’t included check, likely you will pay the fee directly to your guesthouse NOT to the driver, so again confirm with your hotel.
Don't be intimated!
by bluebug about Street stalls.
Being a chef I've eaten some awesome food in my lifetime. Hanoi street stalls are one of the best places in the world I've had a meal.
When you see a sign that says:
Pho Bo= rice noodles in a beef broth topped with slices of tender beef.
Pho Ga= same as above but with chicken
Bun cha = rice noodles with a sweet sauce topped with bbq pork slices and grilled pork sausage. Amazing!
Mein= crispy noodles
com= rice dishes
ca= fish
*Remeber to always ask how much the dish will cost before you sit dow. Many vendors will hike up the price for tourists after they've finished their yummy meal.
These street stalls usually just serve one specialty all day everyday. This is good for the places that serve dog. Weather you want to try it or not, you know where to go by seeing a sign that says:
Thit cho= dog.
Dog is usually served from the 15 till the end of the month. On the last day of the month, these restaurants are packed with thousands of locals ready to get their fill.
Fortunatly for me I did not see any of these restaurants in the city center. Near the river there is a 1 kilometer stretch of road of about 60 dog meat restaurants.
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Lakeside Bench,Hoan Kiem Lake,Ha Noi,Vietnam.
Funeral Wreaths
Emie and Jamie in Sapa mountain
Always at your service - Hoa Sua staff
