“One’s destination is never a place, but always a new way of seeing things.”
– Henry Miller
Vietnam might be a small country, but there is certainly a lot to see. The country’s 3,000-kilometre long coastline means that the north, south and even center of the country can seem completely different to each other at times; different people, different food, different culture, and wildly different histories.
Whether it’s trekking through the misty mountains of the north, biking around the coastal jungle of the center, or traversing fertile deltas on
It is highly recommended you visit Hanoi during the months of October to early December. The air is cool and dry and there are not yet many tourists (compared to the peak season of late December to early January). The period after Tet holiday from March to April is also a great time to visit as there are many festivals in and around Hanoi. If you don’t mind the heat, summer is otherwise a good time to be as accommodation and tour activities are considerably cheaper than in winter time.
Hanoi is a very safe place to be in, especially in Hanoi Old Quarter area. Here and there there can be petty crimes such as pick pocketing, so beware of your belongings. Single woman travelers have consistently rated Hanoi as one of the safest cities to travel in, with very low crime rate against tourists.
It really depends on how much time you have got. The minimum recommended duration is 3 days while you can stay as long as 3 weeks to fully enjoy the city. Although Hanoi does not seem to have a lot of things to do at first sight, one will have to dig deeper to know the must-dos. From nightly street food scenes to the hidden shopping alleys, and occasional visit to craft village, Hanoi may just well be your most special destination thus far. If you need some suggestion, contact us.
Hanoi is famous for its Old Quarter where each street often specialize in one single product (production and sales). Once you get here you will know exactly what you should buy. Some ideas include conical hats, handcrafted bags, silverwares… Souvenir shops that crowd Au Trieu Street, Nha Tho Street or Hang Be Street also offer more extension selection: coffee, tea, essential oils, and silk. If there is no price tag attached, it is always good to bargain.
Hanoi weather often reaches a record low of 7 Celsius degree in late December or early January. However the humid wind often makes it a lot harsher than its sounds. If you plan to travel to Hanoi during this period, make sure to pack some serious sweater or jackets. In case you travel beyond Hanoi to the mountain region of Sapa, the temperature may even drop further.
