Hanoi

rainpod

Member
hi tequila, tiger airways is ok.

hi babybear, u will need to check out the guidebooks. vietnam is a pl where u can visit all year round. cos it's geographically elongated, hence when there's a pl that's rainy and cold, there's bound to be a pl where it's warm and sunny.
 


gally

New Member
Just returned from Hanoi.

For great eats, visit 42 Ma May Street for Vietnamese Beef Hotpot (aka Korean BBQ style).
Comes with lots of garlic, tomatoes and spring onions. DIY BBQ with a cold Hanoi beer. Shiok.

English menu available, sets range from 80000Vnd to 150000Vnd (less than $15sing, recommended size for 4 pax).

My group of 4 ordered a 120000Vnd to try. It was so gooooood that we ordered another one at 80000Vnd. So the 4 of us ate 200000Vnd (S$20)
:). This does not include the snacks, drinks and bread that we ordered.

Total bill for 4 hungry people came up to less than 300000Vnd ($30).

Highly recommended for foodies.
 

gally

New Member
Another great makan joint is 31 Doung Thanh for this great viet dish call CHA CA.

It's actually fried fish with chilli and veggies. The fish is actually mekong catfish, which is usually associated with a pungent smell, but the way these guys do it, the fish actually tastes like it's from the sea. Absolutely no muddy taste in it.

Price per pax is USD$5. The drinks cost more too. Hanoi beer is USD$1 each for the smaller bottle.

You see a different Viet crowd eating here, beside my table was a family of 3 (Father: businessman, Mother and daughter teaches English in Hanoi University).

Oh, do remember to ask for the shrimp sauce to try the Cha Ca with.

Another highly recommended makan outlet.
 

gally

New Member
I did not watch Water Puppets as I did not manage to get the front row tickets (S$4) directly from the theatre. There were touts but they were asking for inflated prices so I gave it a miss.

Tip for all: Buy tickets for the shows directly, and early. And buy first row, if not, from what I heard, restricted view means you are better off keeping your $.
 

vincass

Member
Hi, we managed to catch the Water Puppet show. We were seated in the middle section. Seating is theatre style... the rows get progressively higher away from the stage, so no blockage of views. I enjoyed the show.

Do try the french food set lunch at Green Tangerine (can't remember the street name, but it is between Ma May Street and water puppet theatre near the lake). It's delicious and very cheap.
 

puppylove888

New Member
hanoi is nice esp shopping for household stuff but prefer sapa
it is even cheaper than saigon
happy.gif

in hanoi i stay at elegance 3 which stay her business jan 2008 so can imagine clean or not
happy.gif

in Sapa stay at topas eco lodge for 2 nites...really relax and get charge up for hectic singapore working life
did not go halong bay as not enough time
 

panda_chua

New Member
can check with u all,

are there lots of local tours to be booked there in hanoi?cheap n good?

and wat are the budget hotels that can be recommended?
 

janev

New Member
Hereunder some tips you should see to travel to Hanoi


1. Visa -- You can pre-arrange a visa on arrival online but you run the risk of waiting up to 90 minutes in Hanoi airport while the visa officers decide whose turn it is to do some work. Better to get it sorted before you leave, through your local embassy or travel agent.
2. Flights -- Don’t book your flights too soon, but don’t leave it too late either. Airlines tend to jack their prices up six months before the travel date, slowly bring them down until two to three weeks before travel, then start to raise them again.
3. Booking -- When you do book, best options from Hong Kong can be found at these carriers:
Air Asia: www.airasia.com
Cathay Pacific: www.cathaypacific.com
Dragon Air: www.dragonair.com
Hong Kong Airlines: www.hkairlines.com
Vietnam Airlines: www.vietnamairlines.com
4. Taxis -- Hanoi cabs are cheap and pretty decent. A ride into town from Noi Bai airport costs around VND 350,000 (US$17) and a 10-minute ride in-city around VND 30,000. Your hotel may also arrange a pick-up and drop-off service from and to the airport.
Most reputable cab companies are Hanoi Taxi (+84 (0)4 3853 5353), Taxi CP (+84 (0)4 3826 2626) and Mai Linh Taxi (+84 (0)4 3861 6161).
5. Shuttle buses -- Are cheaper: VND 40,000 (US$2) from the airport to the Old Quarter, but drivers may try to persuade you into staying at “their cousin’s hotel†by saying a typhoon in Halong Bay means your chosen hotel is still full. Don’t believe them.
6. Buses -- Are cheaper still, VND 5,000 (US$0.25) from the airport to the Old Quarter, but they won’t take your baggage unless you offer a small “luggage fee.†In town a ride costs a standard fare of VND 3,000.
7. Scooter taxis -- The best way to experience the rush and blur of daily Hanoi life, just make sure you are equipped with a helmet. And as they don’t have meters make sure you know what you’re paying before you set off. A typical 10-minute ride should cost around VND 10,000-15,000 (US$0.50-0.75).
8. Communication -- Most locals speak a few phrases of English, but don’t count on it. You could try your luck with a Vietnamese phrase book, but it’s a tonal language and so your pronunciation may not be quite up to it. Best bet is to hire a personal tour guide or just wing it with the international language of wild bodily gesticulation.
9. Tours -- Everywhere offers guided tours, but one of our favorites is an innovative concept from a student-run NGO: Hanoi Kids Tours. The idea is for tourists to get a flavor of the city by being shown around by local children. www.hanoikids.org; [email protected];
10. Currency -- There are around 20,000 Vietnamese dong to one U.S. dollar, so don’t freak out when the bar tab comes along. U.S. dollars are also widely accepted.


This article is posted by
Jane Vu – Ecommerce Manager
Sunway Hotel Hanoi
19 Pham Dinh Ho Street
Hai Ba Trung District, Hanoi, Vietnam
T +84 4 3971 3888
F +84 4 3971 3967
E [email protected]
Website: http://hanoi.sunwayhotels.com
 

Top