Hey you guys, it's Phoebe here from Little Grey Box with Matt behind the camera
and on this channel, we share with you all our experiences
and tips to help you travel well
and in today's episode, I'm going to be sharing
some of our favourite things to see eat and do in Hanoi, Vietnam
Now if you don't already be sure to subscribe right now so you never miss a single episode
but, let's dive right in
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We kicked off our most recent visit to Hanoi with two guided tours
with the guys from Vietnam Vintage Vespa Tours
Now if you've been to Hanoi or Vietnam in general you will know there are scooters everywhere
so being able to climb on the back of a scooter and get in there amongst it
is such an exhilarating experience and it gave me the chance to see Hanoi
from a completely different perspective now what's great about these guys is they offer
a range of tours, we did a foodie based one and kind of a city exploration one
Our guides were so knowledgable they took us to some really amazing places
and gave us that in-depth history and knowledge that we wouldn't have been able to get otherwise
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Now in terms of must-try food I've got quite a few recommendations for you
One of my all-time favourite places to eat in Hanoi has to be
Bun Cha Huong Lien which you might recognise
as the bun cha restaurant where Obama and Bourdain ate together on Bourdain's show
Now I thought it was going to be super touristy and crowded and the food wouldn't be any good but
it was amazing and I have to say it's probably my
highlight food experience from our most recent trip to Hanoi
Another thing Matt and I love to do is get above the city so there is a little spot
called the Diamond Sky Bar which sits atop a restaurant called Gourmet Corner
The food here is fantastic you can eat at the bar the cocktails
are amazing, they play great music and you get to see
all the beautiful lights of Hanoi below you
Now street food in Hanoi is definitely king so don't be afraid to roll up your sleeves
and get stuck into some amazing street food like Pho, the soup or Bánh mì of course
those beautiful crunchy french bread rolls stuffed full of freshly grilled meat
Another thing Matt and I like to do after dark is head to Beer Street
and yeah, it lives up to the name basically you have seats lining the sides of the streets
you sit there, the beers are cheap they are ice cold and you get to do a spot of people watching
which I personally really enjoy
and you guys you have not been to Hanoi unless you have tried some Vietnamese coffee
now I am going to warn you upfront this stuff is pretty much rocket fuel so take it easy
if it is your first time experiencing it
and my favourite place to go is a chain called Cong Caphe
they have restaurants or locations dotted all over Hanoi
so you can duck in the air-con is cold, the Wi-Fi is free and the coffee is delicious
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Hanoi is an ancient city and it has a really interesting history
so it's well worth going to some of the temples and cathedrals dotted around the place
and I'm going to share with you three of my favourites
I absolutely love visiting the Temple of Literature
it is so picturesque and just a beautiful calm space
the temple itself was built way back in 1070
and it's dedicated to Confucious, scholars and sages
Another highlight spot for me is the Tran Quoc Pagoda it is just beautiful
and it is the oldest Buddist temple in Hanoi
and of course, my last pick has to be Saint Joseph's Cathedral
now the neo-gothic architecture here is just staggering
and the hot tip is to get yourself a lovely little seat at one of the nearby cafes overlooking
you can do a spot of people watching and soak in the views of the cathedral from a distance
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You could easily fill your days in Hanoi
by simply wandering around exploring the many unique neighbourhoods
Now two of my favourite would have to be the French Quarter located on the southeastern end of beautiful
Hoàn Kiếm Lake. Now this area you will notice there are wider streets
there are some really great luxury hotels, upmarket restaurants, boutiques, galleries and bookstores
on the opposite end, you have the Old Quarter now this is where you are going to get to explore that narrow
maze of never-ending streets and laneways, this is such a great spot
haggle with street vendors, pick up some really cheap goods
maybe explore a few silk stores and of course get stuck into some delicious street food
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Vietnam is home to some amazing scenery and Hanoi is the perfect access point
to some of the countries most beautiful locations
Now if you have the time and the budget I would highly recommend adding either a day trip
or a short trip to your itinerary
Ha Long Bay is the perfect one to add onto your itinerary you guys
It is going to take you about 3 and a half hours each way to get from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay
so what they usually do is come and pick you up at your hotel at 7:30 in the morning
by about midday you are out there out at Halong Bay, you board and you begin your cruise
now typically you can choose from one or two-night cruises
the majority of people seem to go for a one night cruise, having done both
I'm gonna have to recommend you go with a two-night cruise if you can
It just gives you a little bit more time to see and experience the area and trust me once you get out there
you are not going to want to leave now if that sounds like a little bit too much
in terms of budget or time, you might like to consider a day trip to Ninh Binh
Now we did this on our most recent trip and it was a real surprise for us
we were blown away by just how beautiful it is out there
we got to ride bicycles around the rice paddy fields we also got to join a cooking class
and the highlight had to be the epic boat trip that we got to do
Have you ever thought about visiting Hanoi?
Is Vietnam on your travel to-do list?
or have you visited and you have some great tips for other people?
Be sure to share to let me know in the comments below you guys so I can check out all your tips and insight
Now if you are planning a trip to Hanoi or Vietnam we have a range of great, free travel guides for you
here on YouTube and on the website including a really detailed guide on how to choose
the perfect Ha Long Bay adventure If you found this video useful be sure to use our
affiliate links when you are booking your next adventure either to Hanoi or anywhere in the world
Matt and I will earn a small commission at no extra cost for you
And with that, that brings this week's video to a close I really hope you enjoyed it
Now if you don't already, be sure to subscribe right now so you never miss a single episode
and say hello in the comments below
Have a great weekend you guys and I will see you for a brand new episode next week
Love ya!
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