Although I am not done with all the blog postings for Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), I found myself travelling again (Alex, the Great Kon and Lock) to another city in Vietnam; this time, to the capital, Hanoi, also known as the city of lakes!
Over 4,000 photographs and videos, which would likely take me a while to complete! I was asked if I am interested to visit Danang in June and had to politely reject given the terrible backlog right now which includes not just HCMC but also Kluang, Muar / Batu Pahat, and Bangkok.
Whatever the case, it would be helpful for many of you to refer to this travel itinerary first, where we also signed up for day trips, to Ninh Bình and the world famous Halong Bay. Sapa was purposely left out as I would prefer to spend a few more days, which I couldn't afford the time for, in this trip.
Should you have any further question, feel free to LIKE my Facebook page here and send me a message; I shall try my best to respond as quickly as I could. p.s. do note that I do hold a full-time job outside of blogging and replies might not as quick.
Let's go!
> Mua Cave
- Day Trip to Halong Bay
- Sen Spa
Singapore - Hanoi
First time seeing the drought version of the HSBC rain vortex at Jewel Changi; guess it was undergoing maintenance. Not an issue for us since we had seen its stunning glory many times before.
Boarding the plane at about 9.45 am via Terminal 1 of Changi International Airport. Super proud that the airport took the first position of Skytrax World’s Top 20 Airports in 2023!
Immigration didn't take too long at Noi Bai International Airport and our mode of transport to our accommodation was via GRAB (costing 309,000 Dong). Above was Nhat Tan Bridge which spanned 3.9 kilometers and cut across Red River, the "largest river in Northern Vietnam".
Bonsella Hotel - our 3-star accommodation for the next six nights! Staff members manning the reception had a great proficiency in English and were super friendly. Do note that it's a small setup with three rooms on each floor, across ten floors.
First meal and it shall be at Banh Mi Long Hoi; it offered seven types of banh mi with names like Peace, Happy, Love, Luckiness, Success, Wealthy and Longhoi! Personal favorite; the tuna-filling Longhoi.
Tourist-must-do (apparently) - catching a show at Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre! The 50-minute performance showcased Vietnamese traditional musical instrument and was interesting for its water stage where puppeteers would stand behind the screen to work the wood lacquered puppets from beneath the water surface.
Chanced upon the beautiful Kim Ngân Communal House before it closed for the day. Built in the 1400s, this was originally a trading and meeting place for gold and silver merchants.
Allure of Vietnamese ear digging was too hard to resist and when we finally found one at Queen Spa; the Great Kon and Lock decided to go for it! Sadly, it failed to meet the standard of Ho Chi Minh City!
Alex decided to have a haircut (yes, that's the kind of things he would do when he is overseas); so the rest of us took the opportunity to have beer and snacks (frog meat) along the beer street! Do note that the authorities conduct 'spot check' and the entire street would suddenly 'clear up'! Utterly useless exercise, with customers being the most inconvenienced.
We were not done with food yet; my virgin take on the Vietnamese grilled fish at Vua Chả Cá. I love it and can't wait to bring my parents to experience it themselves. A combo was ordered, and it included a hot pot (above)!
Photoshoot for Alex using the Great Kon's new Samsung S23 mobile phone. It managed low light so much better than my iPhone 13 Pro Max. Location: outside Ngoc Son Temple at Hoan Kiem Lake.
Day Two (Friday, 31 March 2023)
Hanoi
Breakfast at the roof level of Bonsella Hotel. Temperature was only about 20 degree Celsius and I would suggest sliding open the window to welcome the nice, cool breeze.
Monument of King Le Thai To and also the location for the Nam Huong communal house, which was completed sometime in the 1200s, and worshipped three gods, one princess and one prince.
Ba Da Pagoda - while reconstructed in 1847, its origin was said to be as early as year 1056. From its narrow, easy-to-miss entrance, you wouldn't have thought that the temple was actually pretty large, and deep in!
Saint Joseph Cathedral - completed in 1886, the neo-gothic church was one of the first few structures built by the French colonial government; making it the oldest church in Hanoi.
Queue at Banh My Mama attracted our attention and with its review score on Google commanding an incredibly high 4.9 from over 500 reviewers; the Great Kon joined the line! After taking a few bites, I personally felt it was unexceptional.
Deep fried snacks at the nearby Quán Gốc Đa ranked higher in taste! Out of 14 items, we only had the opportunity to try two and they were for takeaways.
Temple of Literature - dedicated to Confucius, China's most famous philosopher, this was built in 1070 and was considered as Vietnam's first university. It stretched almost 300 meters in and divided into five courtyards.
Given its distinguished patron deity, the temple is popular with students who would pray for good grades. As seen from the above, graduands would also visit for graduation shoots with their peers.
No disrespect intended; the four of us also carried out our own unorthodox photoshoot. A basic information; three of us were already above 40 years old. p.s. remember planking?
Thang Long Imperial Citadel - walking past and had no intention to visit this time as I am aware of Alex's attention span when it comes to historical stuff. His aim when overseas was purely to relax and if given the chance, he will stay in the hotel room and order room service.
After such a long walk, let's rest our legs at All Day Coffee; a nice chill-out place that served mains in addition to beverages and desserts. We literally had a full meal there!
Hanoi - Ninh Binh - Hanoi
The street alongside Bonsella Hotel was like a mini wet market every morning; there were makeshift stalls for raw meat, vegetables and even live fishes! Be warned though; the energetic fish can make quite a splash before they meet their end.
En-route on our first day trip to Ninh Binh province! It's inevitable that the landscape would give way to more farmland as the bus travelled out of the capital; drove past a herd of water buffalos.
Mua Cave - despite its name, the key attractions were the view points on the two hill peaks. If time is limited, I would suggest going to the taller peak (left one in the photo) which was slightly easier to climb although its top with the dragon structure can be quite scary for those who are clumsy and had a fear for height.
View on top was breathtaking!
Hoa Lu - the abandoned capital in my opinion as the citadel was already non existent although you can still visit the temples built to honor Emperors Đinh Tiên Hoàng and Lê Đại Hành.
Lunch at Nhà hàng Minh Quân Ninh Bình, provided as part of the day tour. Only thing not included was drink and we were advised to ask for the pricing before ordering. The signature dish was said to be the wild goat meat, which we didn't take pleasure with.
Known as the inland halong bay, another highlight of this day tour was taking a sampan and traversed along the river at Trang An; bringing us to the flooded caves underneath limestone hills.
The almost two-hour journey on the sampan was relaxing and definitely medicine for the tired, stressed out soul in me. Every boat had a guide who would manually navigate the non-mechanical vessel but the one we had spoke very little English even though we knew she tried her best to make us comfortable.
Climbing again; this time, up unicorn hill! Easier than the ones at Mua Cave; there was a tiny temple at the summit even though all attention was on the bronze bell, especially for itchy fingers like mine.
Appeared to be a relatively new pagoda for the Ky Lan Lake Park, which I had to admit was visually breathtaking! Despite its height, the structure was hollow and there wasn't any stair going up to the upper levels.
On our way back to Hanoi. p.s. photos of a local Vietnamese cemetery. There's a city of ghosts in Vietnam, located pretty near Hue, and it's a guarantee I would check it out, so long transportation wouldn't be an issue.
The Great Kon introduced the Legend 3-in-1 coffee to us and I made it a point to buy some from Trung Nguyên Legend Cafe for my own consumption back home. We also had beverages onsite; a bad move as the service left a terrible impression of the brand. For details, click here.
Do you know that the streets around Hoan Kiem Lake would be limited to only pedestrians and closed to vehicles from 7.00 pm every Friday till midnight of Sunday? Extremely nice to just walk around, without the need to check for cars and motorbikes!
Hanoi
Following which we strolled over to Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum. While we had no qualms paying our respects to Mr Ho, the line to get in seemed to have no end. Even though it was supposed to be a free day for us, we didn't want to waste the time queuing.
Brunch - Vietnamese Rice Rolls at Quán Bánh Cuốn Nóng Gia Truyền Đội Cấn. Not our Cantonese style chee cheong fun, which would have appealed to our taste buds better. Price point was very local though; three different types of rice rolls, plus an egg roll and a bowl of chicken soup cost less than S$11.00.
Hanoi Weekend Walking / Pedestrian Streets in the daytime! Temperature was slightly higher that day, maybe about 27-28 degree Celcius but the whole place was filled with activities. As the roads were wide, you don't get the feeling of it being jam-packed.
Even though they reminded me of my childhood, the helium balloons actually created a lot of problems. At the trees around Hoan Kiem lake, you can find many deflated balloons that were stuck. Unsightly they sure were.
Vanilla ice cream from the brand "Kem Tươi Plo". Having eaten so many, I am well aware that kem refers to ice cream. Price: 15,000 Dong.
I noticed that activities / stalls were usually concentrated; portrait drawing would be along the stretch opposite Lý Thái Tổ Monument whereas the hot dog vendors were nearer to the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre.
Do you know that Vietnam is apparently also famous for chocolates!? I chanced upon the Alluvia Chocolatier, and you can sample to decide which one to buy! For sugarless, go for 100% dark chocolate; I personally like the milk chocolate which has only about 40% cocoa.
Checking out The Note Coffee; listed on "the 50 Most Instagrammable Cafes in the World", it's quite a sight to behold. The premises were almost entirely pasted with sticky notes, penned and contributed by customers.
Pens and empty notes were freely placed on tables and it's up to you decide what message you want to write. While an innovative concept, wouldn't they trap a lot of dirt? p.s. it's not a post-it note; the entire backing was a sticker.
Back at the roof top level of Bonsella Hotel. The area we had breakfast was level 11 and this level was more for the bar, which I, sadly, didn't manage to patronize throughout my 6-night stay.
Back on the pedestrian streets again; this area that was not too far from Hanoi Opera House had a lot of kiddy rides; some on bikes, some on tanks and others, like this kid above, was driving a fire engine. These, you would have to look out for, as the drivers obviously had minimal driving experience.
Kem Tràng Tiền - established in 1958, this had the same standing as potong ice cream for many of us in Singapore. Traditional taste aside, I thought Kem Tươi Plo was better, especially their cone.
Lý Thái Tổ Monument - standing at 10.1 meters high, this was to honor Emperor Ly Thai To, who founded the city of Thang Long (former name of Hanoi) in Year 1010.
Egg coffee was said to originate from Hanoi and the creator was none other than Giang Coffee. After what I had at Ho Chi Minh City, I told myself I am going to give it a miss. However, I read somewhere that Giang Coffee also offered an egg beer; and curiosity got to me! I love it!
While on GRAB from the airport to Bonsella Hotel on the first day, we drove past this street that had a lot of piggy banks! Using my phone to save the GPS position, I am back to buy one to add to my collection at home. So many to choose from!
Phung Hung Mural Street - although I had no intention to visit the mural street, we happened to walk past and I guess why not just go through a short section. p.s. only some of the walls had murals.
Chilling out at La Mensa Cafe as we had arranged for dinner with our friends at a nearby eatery. A befuddling incident at the counter though; they had no change for 2000 dong, and decided to just leave it as that. Okay, it's only about 10 cents...
Dinner at Hong Hoai's Restaurant; another highly rated eatery on Google with a score 4.8 from over 3,400 reviewers. Similar to Tung's Kitchen, we still couldn't comprehend the insanely high rating.
Hanoi Old Quarter Night Market; which took place from 6.00 - 11.00 pm every Fridays to Sundays over a distance of over 700 meters. Definitely the perfect place to digest after a heavy meal; just don't get tempted by the food and drinks.
Most iconic building at Hanoi Old Quarter; the Shark Jaws building behind the water fountain! Completed in 1993, it was known to be an eyesore although given its prime location, it was said to command high rental. I had my first Vietnamese grilled fish at Vua Chả Cá in the building.
Hanoi - Halong Bay - Hanoi
Finally got to jog around Hoan Kiem Lake again as I had to miss my exercise the day before due to a sprained ankle on Day Three. That seemingly abandoned structure was called the Turtle Tower and it resided on an island in the middle of the lake.
Preparing our second day trip (booked via KLOOK) by eating heavy for breakfast in the hotel since I had no idea what time lunch would be served. Above was Pho Ga, which mean chicken noodle soup.
This time, we would be travelling to the most famous attraction in Vietnam and a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site; Halong Bay! Journey was expected to take over three hours with two toilet breaks.
Second one was at Legend Pearl factory where we were informed of the three types of oysters that were bred for their mesmerizing pearls at Halong Bay and how they were cultivated for the purpose of jewelry and to a large part, even as an ingredient for cosmetics.
Tuan Chau Port, where we waited around 30 minutes for the arrival of our cruise ship. The delay appeared to be due to a group of passengers who did something wrong and the ship could only depart later from Halong Bay.
Name of the vessel that would be accompanying us for the whole day; Light Cruise. Compared to many day cruise ships we spotted in Halong Bay, ours was the most modern! Do keep in mind that Halong Bay doesn't allow disposable mineral bottles so you can't bring any on the cruise.
Cruising towards the many limestone cliffs that made up the landscape. The area making up the bay is huge, of which there are about 2,000 karsts / islets. Tour agencies usually have a few routes (ours would be the second route) and there are over a hundred cruise ships to choose from; some of which offered overnight stays.
Seafood lunch on board Light Cruise! The package we purchased had a picture of steamed crabs, so I assumed they would be offered, Guess photos are for illustration only. Nevertheless, the food was good, with the exception of the fishy clams. Drinks were charged, separately.
Disembarked at Ti Top Island where you can suntan at the beach with the beautiful sight in front of you. Honestly, the weather was still a bit too cool for sun tanning and I also didn't bring my snorkeling mask!
More motivated to climb 424 steps to the peak of Ti Top Island for this incredible view. Without a doubt, I believe my dad would have enjoyed a trip to Halong Bay. Should I organize for a free and easy one, or with a tour agency in Singapore?
Luon Cave, a half submerged cave that allowed us to explore the hidden lagoon beyond. You can choose to kayak yourself or take a wooden boat with a rower.
With the exception of Lock, the three of us opted for the boat. It was packed with around 10-12 persons and I found it extremely boring. We miss the sampan ride at Trang An in Ninh Binh. :(
Last stop at Hang Sung Sot! Known as the Surprise Grotto, the cave was said to be one of the biggest in Halong Bay, and was "found by the French in 1901".
I have been to quite a few caves in China and in terms of singular chamber size; this one at Hang Sung Sot was huge! Unlike the Chinese, who would have worked out some legends and raised similarities with items, animals etc to create interest, the stalactites and stalagmites at this cave were just described as naturally created mineral formations.
The view point at the exit of Surprise Grotto. Alex and the Great Kon decided to stay on Light Cruise; for Alex, he was just too lazy to make the climb! If he was alone with me, he would have no choice but to accompany me.
Enjoying the breeze as Light Cruise sent us back to Tuan Chau Port. By the time we arrived back to our hotel, it was already close to 8.30 pm. Thankfully, we managed to buy some small bites at rest station during a short stopover for toilet break.
Going for my reserved appointment at Sen Spa, where I had an invigorating back and shoulder massage by a male masseur! 45 minutes for 330,000 Dong (about S$20).
Stir fried beef noodle for supper at The Corner Food Restaurant and Cafe, which was just two doors away from Bonsella Hotel. Not bad even though the item that really impressed us was this kudzu starch with lemon; essentially arrowhead powder with water and lemon!
Hanoi
Happiness should have enveloped me when I saw the sun in the morning; I should if the temperature were to remain in the low 20s. Day Six was the hottest at 30 degree Celsius. Totally missed the temperature in our first few days in Hanoi.
Phở Thế Béo - took GRAB over to check out this eatery that was said to be so popular; it would be sold out by late morning! The broth was more flavorful than Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su; I didn't like the chewy Chinese dough sticks though. The signature meatballs with salted egg were nothing to scream about (no salted egg lover here unless it was in sauce form).
Checked out the exterior of Quan Thanh Temple and strolled along the bank of West Lake, the biggest in Hanoi. From what we saw, it paled in comparison to the same-named lake, which was known for its beauty, in Suzhou, China.
Tran Quoc Pagoda - guess the age of this Buddhist temple? It has a history of over 1,500 years and the last major repair was in 1815, a few years before Singapore was founded by Sir Stamford Raffles!
Having ice cream again, right across the temple; Kem Tươi Hồ Tây. So far, this had the cheapest pricing even though I was charged 25,000 for two ice cream cones. Did I get scammed?
GRAB to Dong Xuan Market, it's Hanoi's biggest indoor market and reminded me of Chợ Bình Tây in Ho Chi Minh City; albeit messier and dirtier.
My objective was to purchase the lotus seeds and I eventually went with this lady at 37-37a, B1 (store name: Lan Ca). She might not be that conversant in English and needed help from her neighbor, but she was so cheerful and kept forcing us to sample the delicious lotus seeds! I so regretted not buying more as I had already run out!
Brought Kon and Lock to check out Giang Coffee! I ordered the egg coffee this time and my verdict was I would be better off with egg beer or normal Vietnamese coffee instead.
Took a time-lapsed video at Cong Cafe! Does that cafe name ring a bell? It should as I blogged about its branch near Turtle Lake when I made my inaugural trip to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam last October!
Revisited Sen Spa and went for its Vietnamese massage! They always make us feel welcome; I went in and tea will be served with snacks. I am done with the massage, and another serving of tea and snacks would be placed on the table. They even extended the same hospitality to Alex, who was just waiting for me. p.s. their sugar coated lotus seeds were irresistible!
LAIKA Cafe on the fifth floor of Shark Jaws building; reason being I had the intention for another time lapsed video and the location was desired. Their iced blueberry tea and iced cherry tea were so, so good; sweet with a tinge of sourness.
Nightfall and it's time to meet up with Kon and Lock for dinner!
Our intention to have burger fell through as the eatery I identified, which was still operating on day one / two of our trip, had decided to move to another location! Whatever the case, we got a light dinner at Bánh Mì Vui!
For our last dinner in Hanoi, having the banh mi wouldn't end it with a bang. So we took to Google map for our next search. And it brought us to this gorgeous house that wouldn't have looked out of place in Penang.
It housed another Vietnamese grilled fish restaurant; Chả Cá Thăng Long, and there was only one main dish on the menu with options for top up to fish guts and desserts. I liked what I had but service could have been improved.
Hanoi - Singapore
A 2-dimensional angle shot of the Turtle Tower. Now, Hoan Kiem means restored sword and it had to do with a legend that required the return of a magical sword to a turtle god after the emperor defeated the Chinese army from the Ming dynasty.
Taking the time in the morning to visit Ngoc Son Temple! I had walked past so many times; it just didn't make sense if I didn't pay the entrance fee and cross the vermillion red bridge to check it out.
Remember the legend of Hoan Kiem Lake? It was a fact that large soft-shell turtles (suspected to be the Yangtze giant softshell turtle species) did reside in the lake and two preserved specimens were actually showcased in Ngoc Son Temple!
Our luggage home! There was a nagging thought that I should have purchased more souvenirs and my sixth sense was proven right as I didn't have enough to pass around. Rule of thumb for future references; just buy more!
Unlike most airports, Noi Bai International Airport didn't have any branded shops. In their place were souvenir shops for last minute shopping, It should have appealed to me but I am aware of the prices outside the airport and they were on average about 50-70% higher!
Well, I will be back again!
So pleasant to see the blue sky after a week.
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In summary, food was strangely not as impressionable as HCMC although the bigger draws for me would be the historical, cultural and scenic aspects of Hanoi.
Furthermore, the climate, at least for March, was just right for someone who dislikes the heat and humidity in Singapore, yet couldn't endure the cold. For sure, Hanoi would appeal to my parents!
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