Hanoi Street Food Tour<\/strong><\/a> (US$20\/approx 500.000 VND\/person).\u00a0 Our excellent guide Elena introduced us to a lot of delicious local delicacies including Bun Cha (a new favourite!), spring rolls, egg coffee.\u00a0 It’s well worth doing to get to try the best of Hanoi street food.\u00a0 Make sure you’re hungry before you start the tour as there’s a lot of food!<\/p>\nWe took the Hanoi Hop On, Hop Off Bus Tour<\/strong> which stops at all the main sights in the city, including Hoa Lo Prison (Hanoi Hilton), Tran Quoc Pagoda, Hanoi Cathedral, The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and The Temple of Literature, the most historic temple in Hanoi dating back to 1076 when it was built as the first university in Vietnam. When we were there groups of students were graduating, so it was nice to watch them posing for photos and celebrating.\u00a0 Note that there are two similar bus companies, so check which one you are booking!<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||5px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_gallery gallery_ids=”2025,2026,2027,2028,2053,2054,2066,2065″ posts_number=”8″ show_title_and_caption=”off” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” max_width=”100%” min_height=”357px” height=”410px” max_height=”410px” custom_margin=”-16px||31px|||” custom_padding=”||0px|||” border_style_all_image=”none” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_gallery][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Lato||||||||” text_font_size=”16px” custom_margin=”||-18px|||” custom_padding=”0px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
You can’t visit Hanoi without going to Train Street<\/strong>!\u00a0 Train Street is a narrow alley with cafes at both sides really close to the train track. Several times a day the train passes through close to people sitting in the cafes. We were lucky to time it so that we could see two trains, from different places along the track. The second one was the best where we felt really close to the train. Cafe owners are very good at ensuring safety, checking that nobody is too close to the track. Obviously it is a tourist attraction and we expected coffee prices to be much higher there, but any mark up was minimal.\u00a0 \u00a0We sat outside the Railway Tuan Cafe<\/strong> and the egg coffee and coconut coffee was very good and reasonably priced.\u00a0 To get a good view it’s best to be there at least 20 minutes before the train is due.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”-4px|||||” custom_padding=”2px||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”0px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_gallery gallery_ids=”2030,2031,2032,2056″ show_title_and_caption=”off” show_pagination=”off” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_gallery][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”0px||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”5px||22px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Lato||||||||” text_font_size=”16px” custom_padding=”0px||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
We had some great food and drinks in Hanoi. The coffees are delicious. Egg coffee was invented in the 1940s during a milk shortage and is made from a rich, creamy, egg yolk mixture layered over strong Vietnamese coffee. We had been concerned that it would be too sweet but it was very subtle.\u00a0 We had our first egg coffee at Cafe Giang which was where egg coffee was invented in 1946, when milk was scarce.\u00a0 The coffee was very nice, but the place gets pretty busy, service wasn’t with the usual smile, and we had just as good egg coffees elsewhere.\u00a0 Other interesting coffees we tried were coconut coffee (very subtle coconut flavour) and salt coffee (again, just a touch of salt) which were served cold, but also very tasty.<\/p>\n
Some of our favourite meals were as follows: (photos in order)<\/p>\n
Ph\u1edf B\u00f2, B\u00fan Ch\u1ea3 & Nem<\/strong> – This was the first place we tried Bun Cha and it was delicious!\u00a0 The pork patties were really tasty and the broth was perfectly balanced (photo 1).\u00a0 Most places served it with a mixture patties and slices of pork, but occasionally the slices were a bit fatty.\u00a0 This was the only place we just got the patties.\u00a0 It was served with a spring roll, all for 100,000 VND (about 3.20 euros).<\/p>\n\u00a0We had a nice meal at Hanoi Corner<\/strong>.\u00a0 The B\u00e1nh X\u00e8o (Vietnamese pancake) was delicious (photo 2 below) and our waiter showed us how to properly roll it up (easier said than done!).\u00a0 The salad we had with it was also very nice.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n\u00a0We had dinner at Mia’s<\/strong> on our last night (photos 3 & 4 below).\u00a0 It was a bit pricier than most, but still great value for money and delicious food – maybe the best spring rolls we’d had and a slightly different but delicious Bun Cha.\u00a0 Just a shame that our arrogant waiter got the order wrong and we missed out on the Mango & Passion fruit salad to start.\u00a0 The rest of the staff were lovely, the restaurant has a nice ambiance and the food we got was very tasty.<\/p>\nOur favourite bar in Hanoi was Leo’s Tavern<\/strong>, a small, cozy bar with subdued lighting across the road from our hotel, friendly staff, nice drinks at reasonable prices and a nice ambiance.\u00a0 Don’t be put off by the strange alley and steps you have to go along to get to the bar – it’s worth it!\u00a0 It has a medieval\/supernatural theme and regularly plays traditional Irish music, which isn’t really our thing, but it worked.\u00a0 They have regular drinks specials and interesting cocktails.\u00a0 There’s a small balcony overlooking the street as well as indoor seating.<\/p>\nThe Note Cafe<\/strong> is another place worth a visit.\u00a0 It’s an unusual coffee shop on several floors near the lake where they encourage everyone to write a note and stick it to the wall, so the walls are completely covered in post-it notes.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”17px||9px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”13px|auto||auto||” custom_padding=”0px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_gallery gallery_ids=”2059,2067,2068,2069″ posts_number=”8″ show_title_and_caption=”off” show_pagination=”off” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_gallery][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”0px||16px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Lato||||||||” text_font_size=”16px” custom_padding=”22px||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
We loved our time in Hanoi but after 5 days it was time to move on to our next stop Ninh Binh<\/strong>. We booked a shared mini bus which took just over 2 hours, door to door.\u00a0 The main reason for going here was to do a boat trip at Trang An and to climb Huang Ma. We based ourselves in Tam Coc<\/strong>, which is the main town, and stayed at Tam Coc Serenity Hotel,<\/strong> about 10 minutes walk from the centre of the town.\u00a0 We had a nice big room, overlooking the swimming pool, the bed was comfortable, the shower good, but after the super friendly reception staff in Hanoi the welcome here was most definitely subdued!\u00a0 There seemed to be one guy who did it all, and if he was helping out at breakfast there was nobody on Reception.\u00a0 Not a problem though and it was a nice place to stay.\u00a0 \u00a0We used the free bikes at the hotel and cycled to Bitch Dong Pagoda<\/strong>, and along some country roads – a nice relaxing cycle trip.<\/p>\nTam Coc itself isn’t up to much to be honest.\u00a0 It’s really just a base for doing the main tourist attractions in the area.\u00a0 There are quite a lot of bars and restaurants, bars selling beer for as little as 7000 VND (about 25p!) and the Linh Chi Craft Beer Pub<\/strong> was a popular friendly place with cheap beer and cocktails.\u00a0 We didn’t think much of the restaurants.\u00a0 The speciality here is goat and duck and we tried both but weren’t impressed!\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\nWe did have a nice lunch and delicious coffees at Vi Tam Coc<\/strong> on the corner at the end of the main street. The coconut coffee was probably the best on the whole trip, and the ginger tea was very nice too.\u00a0 The pumpkin soup and mango and papaya salad were also very tasty and it was a good place to watch the world go by.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\nIt was pouring rain one evening and we didn’t feel like walking into town, so we went to the nearby Luminiere<\/strong>, just across from our hotel.\u00a0 The BBQ chicken pizza was very nice (the only night we had western food) as were the spring rolls.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\nWe shared a delicious poke bowl with super fresh ingredients at Lang’s Salad<\/strong>.\u00a0 It’s located along one of the back roads, but very popular and rightly so, as the food and fruit shakes were very nice.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”0px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_gallery gallery_ids=”2089,2095,2087,2096″ show_title_and_caption=”off” show_pagination=”off” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”21px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_gallery][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”6px||12px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”13px||23px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Lato||||||||” text_font_size=”16px” custom_padding=”||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
We took a taxi to Trang An<\/strong> reasonably early to do the boat trip. It’s often called the inland Halong Bay and is regularly compared favourably to Vietnam’s more well known tourist attraction. People say Halong Bay is too crowded, polluted, full of tour groups and only worth doing if you are willing to spend a lot of money on a luxury cruise over a couple of nights, whereas Trang An is much more peaceful, relaxing and uncrowded option which you can easily organise yourself and don’t have to do as part of a tour. We haven’t been to Halong Bay so can’t compare them, but we thoroughly enjoyed the experience at Trang An.\u00a0 \u00a0The boat trip offers a scenic tour of about 2\u00bd<\/strong> hours through spectacular limestone mountains, through caves, and with a few stops at some quite spectacular temples.\u00a0 We thought it was excellent value for money at\u00a0 250,000 VND each (about 8 euros).\u00a0 For that you share a boat with another couple, or, if you prefer, you can pay double to have the boat to yourselves.\u00a0 There are 3 different routes, and we chose Route 2.\u00a0 \u00a0 Route 3 is similar to Route 2 but one of the caves is 1km long and is seemingly full of bats – that was enough to put us off!\u00a0 Route 1 takes you through the most caves and is a slightly longer route, but we felt that Route 2 was a good balance.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”21px|auto||auto||” custom_padding=”0px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_gallery gallery_ids=”2472,2475,2422,2424,2832,2473,2421,2419″ posts_number=”8″ show_title_and_caption=”off” show_pagination=”off” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_gallery][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”0px||23px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”20px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Lato||||||||” text_font_size=”16px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Our other reason for going to Ninh Binh was to climb the spectacular Hang Mua<\/strong> viewpoint. It’s about 500 steps to the top and the steps aren’t great quality, but it’s worth it to get to the top, even if it was a bit overcast so the views weren’t the best.\u00a0 There are twin peaks.\u00a0 Once you’ve climbed just over half way, there is a fork.\u00a0 It’s recommended to take the left path first and walk up towards the dragon at the very top.\u00a0 There is a viewing platform just below the dragon with great views.\u00a0 Unless you’re very confident don’t bother going the whole way up to the dragon as the footpath is very rough and dangerous and there’s not much to hold on to apart from jaggy rocks.\u00a0 Climb back down to the fork and then take the other steep path up to the pagoda for different but equally spectacular views.\u00a0 It costs 100,000 VND (about 3.50 euros) to climb Hang Mua.\u00a0 There are a few cafes at the base, and you can walk around through the lotus lake, although depending on time of year there may not be many flowers as was the case with us in early December.\u00a0 It is seemingly best in May or June.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||5px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_gallery gallery_ids=”2425,2413,2836,2414,2426,2833,2456,2457,2427,2453,2458,2454″ posts_number=”12″ show_title_and_caption=”off” _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” width=”100%” max_width=”100%” min_height=”585px” height=”585px” max_height=”585px” custom_margin=”-16px||31px|||” custom_padding=”||0px|||” border_style_all_image=”none” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_gallery][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.5″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Lato||||||||” text_font_size=”16px” custom_margin=”||-18px|||” custom_padding=”0px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
So, we absolutely loved our time in Northern Vietnam. We preferred Hanoi<\/strong> to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), although we did enjoy our time there too. Hanoi just had such a nice buzz about it, and the people were so super friendly. The boat trip at Trang An<\/strong> and the spectacular climb at Hang Mua<\/strong> exceeded expectations.<\/p>\n[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Five nights in Hanoi and three in Ninh Binh in November\/December 2025<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2009,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"1080","footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2007","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/traveljimmy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2007","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/traveljimmy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/traveljimmy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/traveljimmy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/traveljimmy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2007"}],"version-history":[{"count":36,"href":"https:\/\/traveljimmy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2007\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3113,"href":"https:\/\/traveljimmy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2007\/revisions\/3113"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/traveljimmy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2009"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/traveljimmy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2007"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/traveljimmy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2007"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/traveljimmy.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2007"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}