Not my first time here but I’m traveling with my Nieta who’s a first-timer in Hanoi. Had a list of touristy spots but she crafted her own itinerary which included a visit to Vietnamese Women’s Museum, another café crawl and some honky-tonk noodle joint. Not to forget, she wanted also to check out a rooftop bar with a city view and thankfully , our hotel in Hanoi has a really lovely SkyBar . Would have included a shopping adventure on our last day in Hanoi but there wasn’t enough time . After all, our trip was really focused on Sa Pa in Northwestern Vietnam and we just had to fly in and out of Hanoi. So we made good use of those 2 days in the capital. No war museums, no mausoleum, no prison visits, really nothing that we’d find depressing. Just all positive vibes!
First off my Nieta’s list is the Vietnamese Women’s Museum. Went there for 2 principal reasons: the permanent collection of women’s costumes is awesome AND we were also intrigued by gender issues within some mountain tribes we met when we visited Sapa. One of our guides there recounted how women in her tribe have no say in choosing their grooms. As early as age 15-16, a man can choose a girl to be his wife, “kidnap” her for 3 days, and then arrange their marriage. Bride kidnapping is a tribal custom still practiced in this day and age. How and why? Let me just say it’s utterly bizarre that the custom is still practiced now. But it’s a culture thing and so let’s skip the subject 🧐
We also didn’t miss that Bun Cha noodle shop made popular by the show “Parts Unknown”. It’s a hole in the wall now listed in the Michelin Guide. Check out my earlier blog on this. Another popular spot is Banh Mi 25 in Hanoi’s Old Quarter. We grabbed a couple of banh mis to eat in our room but I must say the banh mis I’ve tried in Hoi An is a notch or so better. Just the same, Banh Mi 25 is reasonably good and value-for-money. Once you’ve had your fill, you should be ready for the nightlife. We’re not party people but we sure know how to enjoy a drink or two. Choosing to enjoy a nightcap in our hotel, we tried the Ignite Sky Bar’s cocktails. Strawberry Daiquiri, Mango Margarita, and more. Sunset and city views are perfect from this rooftop bar. La vie est Belle!
lifeisacelebration 