7 Things to Do in Hanoi in 48 Hours

- Graham Greene

Vietnam has always been on one of my bucket lists of places to go. I don’t know if it is because of growing up singing Miss Saigon songs at the top of my lungs, visions of never-ending rice fields, or a quick glimpse of Halong Bay I glanced at from my colleague’s laptop a long time ago. Or maybe because one of my good friends lived in Hanoi for almost a decade. She loved it so much that she uses Hanoi as her profile name extension in all her socials. Since we had a very tight schedule and budget, it was a toss between Da Nang and Hanoi. Saigon is out – as we wanted something more cultural and less commercial. But since we travelled at the end of October, the beginning of winter – Da Nang will be rainy but Hanoi will still be autumnal. I love the rain but fall – no competition. I fall for fall. So with only a few moments to spare in Hanoi and the rest of the trip in the areas outside the city – these are my 7 things to do in Hanoi in 48 hours.

1. Walking Tour of the Old Quarter

Before you venture into the streets of Hanoi, remember they have no pedestrian or traffic rules whatsoever. Motorcycles and even cars come from whatever direction, so when you cross the street, put your hands up and walk, don’t run. If you run – they will not slow down. I know this for a fact because I ran every time when crossing the street, and those evil motorists sped up. Look in both directions. Take it from someone who hit a motorcycle while crossing the street. Yes, we were the ones who bumped into it and not the other way around. The driver’s expression was so affronted and surprised. The entire experience was both hilarious and scary.

Back to your Old Quarter walking tour - you have two ways of going about this. The first option is to join a walking tour with a local. They will tell you random stories then you follow them like sheep and make baa sounds. Or two - use Google Maps and navigate the city by yourself.

It is pretty simple. If you decide on the second option, concentrate on the must places to visit areas – Hanoi is perfect walking. The places to hit are the following:

• Ngoc Son Temple – here you can see the preserved giant tortoise from the legend. I don’t know if it is exactly that, a replica or just a statue. So feel free to enlighten me as sometimes, my brain freezes while travelling.

• Hoan Kiem Lake where they talk about the sword from the lake. Almost like an Arthurian but legend except there’s no Lady of the Lake but a turtle carrying the sword.

• Hanoi Train Street is one of the most picturesque and infamous areas in Hanoi. Ready your phones and take that Instagram shot

• Dong Xuan Market is a building that will wake the sleeping shopaholic in you

• Wet Market has so much to see, hear and smell. And if you want a taste as well – although we were in a hurry and just breezed through here – seeing thousands of items on the sidewalk from crabs, tortoises, meat, dried fruits and more. It’s all here.

• Night Market (open on weekends) – I, unfortunately, arrived there on a Sunday at past midnight – so it was closed. But something for you to experience and plan ahead for.

• Stop to eat – there are sidewalk areas where you can just plonk yourself to eat. Inspired by the Parisian way of having terraces in restaurants – in Hanoi, instead of those French chairs outside the restaurant – they have stools instead for you to sit on. It’s very popular – you can see tons of people everywhere having pho at any time of the day.

Below is a customized map that you can use. (Just click the top left to show the stops).

2. Watch the Water Puppet Show

Quite famous – the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre welcomes you to Vietnamese folk stories. From the origin of Hanoi, legends of the dragons and how a phoenix gives birth to a baby phoenix – partnered with live musical instruments and a Vietnamese narrator (you get English audio guides for an additional $2). Sitting back and watching the show is a good way to catch a breather after walking around in The Old Quarter while getting entertained. My main concern in this is their puppet for the dragon. It does not look like a dragon. And my brain is still bleeding that phoenix babies are apparently made from phoenix parents the normal way. What - no fire and ashes involved? Crushing disappointment! But aside from that – the water puppet show provides a glimpse into the their way of life, their rural roots, the values they uphold, and what matters most to the Hanoians – which is family and work.

3. Bargain Shop 'til you Drop

I mentioned this briefly earlier, but it needs more detail. The Dong Xuan Market is a 2-story building filled with random knickknacks. They sell everything from fresh produce, textiles, apparel, bags, shoes, souvenirs to kitchen items. I even saw sparkly wings and feathered boas. It’s dirt cheap with good quality. I bought a dozen bags of assorted teas for barely $15.

Azi, the friend I travelled with, grabbed a set of a Mother of Pearl dining set – which she haggled outrageously and got for less than 10$. When we got to Kuala Lumpur and compared – the same set costs almost 50$. So, take the time to shop.

4. Banh Mi and Egg Coffee

Banh Mi is simply a baguette sandwich. It’s a bit like Jambon Beurre or Pan Bagnat but filled with tofu and spicy. And we all know French don’t do spicy. It is so rich and so flavorful. We went to Bahn Mi at the centre of the Old Quarter. Sat by the street, chomped on our sandwich so fast as if someone’s ripping it away from our hands anytime soon. It’s so good – I still had cravings six months after.

Should you want to be adventurous – finish your meal with the infamous Vietnamese Egg Coffee. Yes, it is made of egg yolks blended into coffee with vanilla extract. It’s good to experience - I just couldn’t get over the fact that I was drinking raw egg. The texture is quite rich – like a latte overly filled with cream. In all honesty, you can not taste the egg. Again, very rich and sweet – so almost good to be a dessert. However, if you are not adventurous, maybe try this some other time and not with your Banh Mi.

5. Discover 4P's

Never in my life have I acted like Joey from Friends. Except when I tried Pizza 4P's. I actually chased my dish with a spoon when the server cleared our table. If I were alone or didn’t care about embarrassing my travelling companion – I would have licked their plate. It was that good. Scrumptious. Despite having a name that gives you visions of that American fast-food pizza hut chain copycat - Pizza 4P's is an upscale local chain serving Italian with a Vietnamese twist. They put effort into the aesthetic presentation of their interiors the same way they present their dishes. The best part is - they make their own cheese! And so flavorful! I love cheese. I can live in a house full of cheese like Monica. (yes, again from Friends). I lived in France for almost a year and visited parts of Italy. Never have I salivated about cheese the way they used it in their meals.

We dined in Pizza 4P's two nights in a row, albeit in different outlets – that says it all. The Old District outlet is cozier and has more food availability options. The French Quarter District outlet is roomy and more upscale. Must to order - 5 Cheese Pizzas, Seafood Croquette, and Camembert with Truffle flavoured Mascarpone. I ordered the Crab Tomato Cream Spaghetti with Ricotta Cheese – it looked pretty but not as flavourful as the ones I mentioned earlier.

6. Bonjour, French Quarter

I loved the French Quarter area. Like having a French meal with an Asian twist. The streetlamps' light reflecting on the pavements is almost a replica of that On My Own Scene from Les Miz. The buildings remind me of the streets in Saint Germain or Les Marais, except I am surrounded by Vietnamese, instead of Arab Francophones, with random street vendors. Compared to the Old Quarter - the area is newer, more posh, and more commercial boasting international brands. I saw Tom Holland’s face plastered on one of the shop walls – so clearly, it is far from traditional. You can find the Hanoi Opera House here, modelled after the Palais Garnier. It is as beautiful from the outside but looks more recent and does not carry that air of aged grace that old Parisian buildings seem to have. I hope without a Vietnamese Phantom lurking behind the stage.

7. Afternoon tea at Sofitel

As a hotelier, it has been one of my guilty pleasures to visit hotels to lounge. The Sofitel Legend Metropolitan Hanoi is one of the five legends of this brand – these are buildings of historical importance to the destination that was converted into a hotel. Yes, I used to handle this brand that’s why I know it by heart. I have been to 2 Sofitel Legends before – in Aswan and in Amsterdam. Before I digress to talking nonstop about a brand I no longer work for – this hotel oozes pure luxury and history. They have a walk of history which shows photos from the beginning of the 19th century. Go to their All Day Dining Area by the pool and order their afternoon tea. If you are not so keen on that, just lounge back with a couple of drinks.

There are places to travel alone. Yet, there are also destinations best explored with someone. Hanoi is that destination.

I was lucky enough to travel with a friend who has a similar idea on what are the things to do in Hanoi, loves to walk - whether aimlessly or with a purpose, happy to stay up until past midnight reliving our day and still eager to face the dawn for more adventures, loves to eat as much as I do, and most of all, loves to laugh.

My highlight of our Hanoi visit was standing on a street corner of the French Quarter, struggling against the wind with my teeny tiny umbrella, trying miserably not to get wet in the pouring rain, shivering on the first night of Hanoian winter and laughing my head off. I barely remember what we were laughing about, but memories are like that. The words fade. The feeling will always stay with you.