West Lake - A Walk Through Lesser Known Hanoi
Join us on an unconventional day out in Hanoi. We walk the whole way around the Vietnamese capitals enormous West Lake. Passing by temples, unique districts, abandoned waterparks and craft coffee shops, a wander around Tay Ho Lake makes for a unique thing to do in Hanoi. Read on for everything we found!
Most visitors to Hanoi will be familiar with the city’s iconic Hoàn Kiếm Lake, but this is not the biggest lake the Vietnamese capital has to offer!
West Lake or Hồ Tây as it is also known, is the largest lake in Hanoi. A massive 17 kilometres (ten and a half miles) of shoreline stretch around the lake in the north-west of Hanoi. From our base on Truc Bach Island (read all about this cute little island here ) we hatched a plan to see some lesser known sights of Hanoi. Far from the busy streets of the Old Quarter we would walk the whole loop of the lake and explore the districts of its shoreline. It was going to be a long walk but one that would show us a side of the Vietnamese capital we had not seen.
This is what we got up to on our day out and our recommendation for a fantastic, unique walking route around Hanoi.
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. We will earn a small commission from any purchases made through these links.
Walking around Hanoi’s West Lake
Our day started on Trúc Bạch Island which had been our home in Hanoi for the last week. We had begun our Hanoi stay with a fantastic week in the Old Quarter before moving up north to the quiet streets of Trúc Bạch Island. You can find Trúc Bạch on a map here, the island is full of cafes, coffee shops and great restaurants and is a fantastic place to stay - make sure you have read our blog on Trúc Bạch Island for more details.
We skipped the cafe’s that day, deciding instead that we would see what we could find to eat and drink around the waters of West Lake. We laced up our walking boots and left our comfy apartment (you can see where we stayed here) for a long day of walking.
Truc Bach Island is an oasis in busy Hanoi.
We would be exploring the lake roughly clockwise, starting in Truc Bach at the bottom and looping all the way around the edge of the lake. But first, a small detour.
Truc Bach island is separated from the main lake by a narrow strip of land. A road cuts across the south-east corner of West Lake creating the much smaller Trúc Bạch Lake. This little spit of land is home to two beautiful temples. For most of the day we would be looping the lake clockwise but we started off in the opposite direction. We headed north from Trúc Bạch Island until we could cross the lake westwards on the Thanh Niên road.
As soon as we started walking on the road spanning the lake we came across the gorgeous Đền Thủy Trung Tiên temple. Sitting serenely on its own little island, the Đền Thủy Trung Tiên is beautiful and well worth a visit. The temple also sits opposite the much larger (but equally pretty), Tran Quoc Pagoda and temple. For more information and a guide to the most amazing temples of Hanoi, make sure you check out our guide here.
Tran Quoc Pagoda is stunning!
For a map of our walking route around Hanoi’s West Lake make sure you read to the end of the article or, if you are in a hurry, you can see it via the link here.
From the temples we continued west across the lake, passing by the statue commemorating the capture of former US senator John McCain. John McCain’s bomber was shot down over West Lake in 1967 - (the small statue can be found here).
We re-joined the mainland on the west bank and walked a short way inland to the Quan Thanh Temple (location). This Taoist Temple has a dramatic arched entrance and many intricate carvings. When we visited the temple was bursting with orange fruit laden trees. Again for more information about this and other beautiful Hanoian temples make sure you check out the article here.
Coming back to the shoreline we started our walk around the main body of Hanoi’s West Lake. We walked north along the shore, passing by the abandoned and dilapidated but still strangely picturesque old seaplane station - Nhà Ga Thủy Phi Cơ Hồ Tây (location). It is no longer in use as a seaplane station but does look like it is occasionally open to the public. Its walls, outside and in, are covered in graffiti and plants are growing out of its concrete floors. To us it was strangely pretty.
We do love abandoned and ruined buildings - the Seaplane station was an unexpected treat on our lake-side wander.
After the seaplane station we walked by the opulent and ornate grounds of Chu Van An High school (location). Built over one hundred years ago, during the era of French rule, the school was full of French colonial style buildings, fountains and manicured gardens. It is still an operational school so we obviously didn’t go in and interrupt the lessons! You can see a lot of the buildings and gardens from the lakeside path. On the lakes edge you can also see a very impressive library that would not be out of place in Versailles!
This is a high school library?!
We are not early risers, despite our best efforts to get up and go we had not had the quickest of starts to the day. We had eaten a small yogurt based brekkie and so, by this point in the walk, now a little way past midday, we were getting peckish. We had been in Hanoi for a couple of weeks at this point and so decided to treat ourselves to something different, something other than a delicious bowl of Bun Bo Hue, Bun Reiu or Pho. We had done some research and found there was a small restaurant just off of the lake selling that well known Vietnamese delicacy, Ramen....
Ok, we know ramen is not remotely Vietnamese! The Japanese noodle soup is completely different to the famous bowls of Vietnam but ramen is one of our favourite meals on the planet. Seeing a well reviewed but cheap and local joint, we couldn’t resist.
The inside of Machi Ramen is fully decorated to look like a proper Japanese ramen joint.
Set down a maze of tiny alleyways is Machi Ramen. It is only a ten minute walk from the lake but feels like it is a world away. Set in the middle of a residential district, we wormed our way down narrow lanes and passages until we found the small, sliding door shop front of the ramen house. You can find Machi Ramen on Google Maps here.
Machi Ramen serves a honed and tight selection of delicious bowls of ramen as well as bento boxes and small Japanese inspired meals. It is not a posh place (some of the dishes are named after Naruto characters!) and the prices are very reasonable at around 70-90,000 VND a bowl. We absolutely loved our lunch at Machi Ramen, the stock was rich, creamy and delicious with slices of meltingly tender pork belly. We know it is not “authentic” but who were we trying to impress? We wanted tasty food not kudos points from imaginary strangers!
Who could resist the cream call of Tonkotsu ramen?
If you are in the area around Machi Ramen you can (and should) visit the B52 Lake and the nearby museum.
The lake is well worth the short walk and sits in a really interesting district of Hanoi. The small lake is surrounded by buildings on all sides and the carcass of the B52 Bomber sticks up out of the lake like a massive decaying eagle.
The area around the lake was once the flower sellers district of Hanoi and it is super colourful and unique.
You can find the lake here. Nearby is a great museum about Hanoi’s air defence during the bombings of the American war. The museum is located here.
Make sure you check out our guide to all the best museums in Hanoi- find it here.
After our fill of ramen we wandered back to the lakes edge and continued around. We were still walking on the western edge of the lake, heading north. Dotted all along this stretch of the lake are loads of coffee shops. All the shops seem to offer mini statues to paint as you sip your coffee. This is a brilliant idea and we are surprised it hasn’t caught on in the West. The painting coffee shops would make a great break if you were travelling Hanoi with children. Set out overlooking the lake and providing the all paints it would be a very relaxing way to spend an afternoon, also most of the cafes served beer…. just saying…
The coffee shops themselves were all very unique, each one having its own aesthetic design. We passed pastel pink saccharine hyper-cuteness, brushed metal modern chic and everything in between. We were in need of some caffeinated refreshment so paused to pick up a cup at the minimalist EVO Coffee (location) . The café den (sweet black Vietnamese coffee - read all about the coffees of Vietnam here), was delicious and not badly priced for such a nice location - 30,000 VND (about £0.90 or $1.18).
Energised from caffeine and full from lunch we continued on. Looking at the map we were starting to get an idea of how big West Lake Hanoi was. The West Lake covers an area over 500 hectares (5,000,000 square metres). We had been walking (and eating and drinking) for nearly two hours but had only covered about a third of the lake's edge. We needed to get a wiggle on!
You never know what you are going to find on the roads of Hanoi!
Hanoi’s West Lake is the subject of many myths and legends. Some stories claim it was created by a huge angry buffalo, looking for its calf. Other stories claim the lake was created by a battle between the Dragon King and a nine-tailed fox (we are really packing in the Naruto references on this walk). The modern, correct and more boring explanation is that the lake was, like many of Hanoi’s lakes, naturally formed by the Red River as it arched, split and flowed towards the sea.
We walked on, passing the Trich Sai Temple (located here). With the lake to our right we continued up the western bank and started to come around to the northern point. At one point we passed an amazing looking coffee shop. AMI Coffee Garden (you can find it here) looks like a treehouse and an Ewok village had a love affair. Made of bamboo and wood, the shop is spread over many sprawling irregular floors and looks like an awesome place to chill out and watch the water flow by. Sadly we were still less than half way around the lake so we soldiered on.
AMI Coffee Garden also lets you do the statue painting - you can see them inside on the ground floor.
Just north of AMI Coffee Garden are the famous dragon statues of Ho Tay, You can find them on a map here. These two curling dragons stretch out on the lake's surface mirroring one another. The statues are a popular photo point for locals and, when we visited, had a huge fundraising bike ride setting off from them.
The Ho Tay (or is it Tay Ho?) dragons marked the halfwayish point of our walk
Now joined on our lake walk by a steady stream of charity cyclists, we continued up to the northern zenith of the lake. At the northern tip of the lake is the Ho Tay water and amusement park. This would be a great day out for those with children but, when we visited, we had the luck of the whole park being shut, closed up for the winter and awaiting refurbishment.
There is something eerie and fascinating about empty theme parks!
We love abandoned and deserted things, theme parks and waterparks especially (watch this space for an article about the abandoned water park of Hue!). There is something both creepy and pretty about modern ruins, or places that should be full of life but stand empty.
The Ho Tay Water Park was awesomely eerie, with dried up swimming pools and looming slides flowing to nowhere. Dominating everything and visible from all over the lake was the enormous Ferris wheel. The Ferris wheel was closed as well but it really added a cool vibe, towering empty over the deserted waterpark.
The water slides and theme park are now apparently back open and look like they have been completely renovated from when we visited. Like we said, we loved seeing them empty and abandoned but we would also love to go to the theme park now it is open!
Would you ride this wheel? It looked like it had seen better days!
Passing the Ferris wheel we came to the edge of what is one of Hanoi’s biggest “Instagram attractions”. Everyone has heard of the Old Quarter and Hanoi’s famous Train Street (read our guide to the Old Quarter here) but the Thung Lũng Hoa - Valley of Flowers, is less well known outside of Vietnam. The ‘Valley of Flowers’ is a large landscaped garden full of blooming flowers as well as scenes, swings and photo spots to get your pose on. You can find the Valley of Flowers on the map here. Just be warned, it is wildly popular with Vietnamese visitors and can get very crowded with selfie-taking teenagers. We still had a long way to go, and no wish to queue for flower-framed photos, so we plodded on.
Now around the northern peak of the lake we began the long walk back south. The first part, past the “Flower Valley”, was not what we expected of a capital city. The lake opened up into a series of smaller bodies of water. Farms dotted the smaller lakes edges and people walked, calf deep in mud, planting seeds and tilling the soil. In the background rose massive modern apartment blocks, it was a strange but interesting contrast. You can see on google maps just how ‘thin’ the city gets here with just a strip of buildings before Hanoi falls away and is replaced by fields all the way up to the Red River.
Not a scene you would expect in the capital city!
It really is a jarring contrast, the farmers toiling away under the shadow of city apartment blocks.
Our path took us in and out of these small lakes and fields, some were covered in lotuses, some looked like they were being dammed and drained to create more land. We passed by a raised bandstand that obviously used to sit in the middle of the water. Now it stands alone, raised up over a muddy drained lake bed(location). A little way inland, just after the becalmed bandstand, we walked through a cute little park full of expats and their children playing on slides and climbing frames (location).
On the knobbled tip of a cape sticking out into the lake, we stumbled across the beautiful Phủ Tây Hồ Shrine and temple complex (located here). Legends say that this was the place where one of Vietnam's “four Immortals” fell in love with the landscapes nature. Wanting to stay amongst the beauty she decided to open a tea shop! Nowadays Phủ Tây Hồ is a stunning temple full of statues, pavilions and red roofed shrines. Phủ Tây Hồ was an unexpected treat on our walk, it was a calm break from the day’s heat and traffic. We would like to come back to the area for lunch one day as the temple was absolutely surrounded by restaurants and places to eat. Sadly we were still full of ramen so we continued on, off of the cape, past the amazing wooden doors of the Chùa Kim Liên temple (location) and onwards round the lake.
The entrance of Phủ Tây Hồ Shrine is very grand - the bats are apparently symbols of good luck, the word "bat" being very close to the word "fortune".
The final part of the eastern edge of the lake is far more built up than the others. It is full of hotels, villas and condos. It is home to the main expat community in Hanoi. It is also a bit harder here to stick to the shoreline as the way is frequently interrupted by resorts and private lake front properties. It was fun however, to duck back a few roads and explore the streets. This district was very artsy and cool, with loads of coffee shops and stylish places to eat. It was what modern Vietnam does so well, a perfect mix of modernity with tradition - pho shops next to craft burger joints. There was a great selection of food and shops to nose around. You could get anything from a plate of banh cuon to a pair of vintage trainers. We can see why it is so popular with expats. We would love to stay in this area and give it a more in depth exploration in the future. There is also a lot of development going on in this part of Hanoi, the streets and skyline will rapidly change in the next few years.
Speaking of expats, we were walking along the lakefront, past a couple of bars when we heard a familiar voice ringing out at us. We had managed to wander past our bartender friend from Nong Khiaw! If you haven't heard of Nong Khiaw or are thinking of travelling to Laos at any point, it is one of our favourite places in the world - check out our guide here. Our friend had travelled from Ireland to Laos and now we had run into him on the side of a lake in Vietnam. It is a small world sometimes!
As the afternoon wore on we circled back down towards Truc Bach lake and our apartment. We arched past the turning we had taken that morning for the Truc Bach temples and finally, over 15km later, we were back where we started. We collapsed into our favourite bia hoi bar on the lake's edge (find out more about Bia Hoi in our article here). After a whole day on our feet, plastic stools never felt so comfy!
The walk had taken us far longer than Google had suggested as we had stopped, wandered off course and taken ramen based detours. We had been walking for just shy of four hours. We had set off late in the morning and were back just before sunset. It had been a fantastic day out.
It had been a long day, but an amazing walk. We had thoroughly earned our sunset drinks!
Truc Bach Island has loads to offer whether you are staying there or just visiting from the Old Quarter. Make sure you check out our guide to Truc Bach island. The Island is a great place to watch a Hanoi sunset. Looking out of the lake as the sun sinks into its own reflection, with a beer in hand and our legs pleasantly aching from the walk, it was a great way to end a great day.
Thoughts on walking Hanoi’s West Lake - the good and the bad
The lake is not always picturesque, sometimes it is a little smelly and there is the occasional dead fish. There had been portions of the walk with dull surroundings and busy traffic, but we had had a truly amazing day. We love just setting off and seeing where our feet take us and, on that day in Hanoi, we had been taken all over the north of the city, seeing temples, neighbourhoods, abandoned ferris wheels, amazing food and so much more. It was not a tour for the guide books, there wasn’t a huge focal point or even a ‘reason why’ for the walk, it was just an amazing experience and a good excuse to get out and see a side of the city not many visitors bother with. If you have the time and like to stretch your legs, do it. You will get a better insight into Hanoi than those who just stick to the streets of the Old Quarter.
Wherever you are in Hanoi, there is always something interesting to see.
Walking map for Hồ Tây Lake
We have made a map of the route we walked and left pointers for all of the points of interest mentioned in this article. If you find something we missed let us know in the comments!
Other things to do around Hanoi’s West Lake
You obviously do not have to do this walk all in one go! You can reach any part of the walk easily via taxi (we recommend using the Grab App in Hanoi). You could split the walk into smaller chunks or not do a circular route. If you are interested in just the temples you can easily hop between the further away ones in a cab.
Another option for exploring West Lake would be to hire bicycles. There were loads of places around Ho Tay Lake offering bike hire, click here for a list on Google Maps. There are also several companies offering bike tours around West Lake and into Hanoi - Check out this tour from Get Your Guide for example.
Hanoi’s West lake is surrounded by interesting districts and neighbourhoods. If you wanted, you could take a neighbourhood per day and really explore the ‘real’ Hanoi. We loved the winding lanes and lake filled squares in the Ngọc Hà neighbourhood, the whole district of Ba Đình was fascinating and we would love to go back and really explore it.
There is so much to find around the West Lake, from parks and farms to restaurants and ruins!
One of the best things about the long lake walk is that it really made us fall in love with everyday Hanoi. It didn't need to be a big temple or dramatic historic site, the streets and bustle of the city were intoxicating all by themselves. Just get out and walk, you never know what you will find.
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
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Truc Bach Lake - An Island Escape in Hanoi
Truc Bach Island is a tiny little island on a small offshoot of Hanoi’s giant West Lake. Relatively unknown to Western travellers, Truc Bach makes a perfect base to explore the temples, streets, restaurants and bars of the Vietnamese capital. Check out our guide to staying, eating, drinking and exploring Truc Bach Lake and Island.
Truc Bach Island and Lake sit just north of the bustling streets of Hanoi’s famous Old Quarter. Despite being so close, Truc Bach couldn’t be more different. The little Island, on its own corner of the enormous West Lake, is an undiscovered treat in Hanoi.
We spent two weeks staying on Truc Bach Island and this is our guide to the history, food, coffee and adventures to be had there!
In this article:
What to do in Truc Bach
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. We will earn a small commission from any purchases made through these links.
The History of Truc Bach Lake
Truc Bach Lake was once a part of Tay Ho - Hanoi’s largest lake. In the 17th century Truc Bach lake was separated from the main lake by a narrow spit of land. The new lake was made to allow locals to raise and farm fish.
Later on but still during the 17th century, the lord of Northern Vietnam Trịnh Giang, had a pleasure palace built on the lake's edge. History doesn’t seem to look too kindly on Trinh Giang, Wikipedia describes him “wasteful, inept and callous”! Over the years the pleasure palace morphed into an unlikely prison. Royal concubines who were convicted of a crime (or just displeased / rebelled against the lord) were sentenced to the prison. We do wonder just how many royal concubines there were, and how badly behaved they were to merit an entire prison! The silk-craft of these incarcerated ladies became famous throughout Hanoi. The silk euphemistically called “bamboo village” silk in references to the communities of bamboo craftsmen who bordered the prison. Not much remains of the old palace/prison on the lake side but the dividing channel of land is home to two beautiful temples, more on them later.
In more recent history, Truc Bach lake became famous, or infamous depending on which side of the Vietnam / American war you were on. Truc Bach lake is the site where former senator John McCain was shot down during a bombing raid. McCain was captured in Truc Bach Lake before being imprisoned in the “Hanoi Hilton”. You can find a small memorial to his capture here on the lakes edge.
Nowadays Truc Bach Island is a popular district for hip coffee shops, new restaurants and cool, small scale bars. Truc Bach Island has a completely different feel to the rest of Hanoi, its streets are quiet, with hardly any motorised traffic and a very laid back feel. The lake around the island is ringed on the shore side with bars, cafes and restaurants with seats spilling out onto the lakes edge.
Truc Bach's mobile bakery!
The lake has a bad reputation for pollution, and we have to say it is not entirely unfounded. On some days you could see dead fish washing up near the shoreline, however, it was nowhere near as bad as we had been led to believe (the internet does love to exaggerate). We drank, ate, sat and watched many sunsets from the lakes edge and it was never smelly or off-putting, Maybe just don’t go for a swim! Seriously don’t let tales of pollution put you off, it was amazing to stay lakeside in Hanoi and enjoy the cooler air and sunset views.
Where is Truc Bach Lake and the Truc Bach Island?
Truc Bach Lake is a small offshoot of Hanoi’s largest lake - Ho Tay, also known as Tay ho or West Lake. Cordoned off from the main lake by a temple studded spit of land, Truc Bach Lake lies in the south-eastern corner of West Lake.
You can find Truc Bach Lake on a map here, The Truc Bach Island is a tiny island joined to the mainland by two bridges. The island is on the eastern edge of Truc Bach Lake - here.
Truc Bach Island is within easy walking distance of Hanoi’s Old Quarter as well as most of the city’s main tourist attractions, museums and famous temples. This makes Truc Bach the ideal place to stay for those wanting something a little more quiet and luxurious than the busy streets of the Old Quarter. This brings us on to:
Staying in Truc Bach - Accommodation on the Island
There are loads of apartments, guesthouses and hotels on the small island. We got very lucky and bagged opening stay discounts on the new Hanoi Shouten Lakeside - Apartment & Homestay. This was one of our favourite stays in the whole of Vietnam. After months of backpacking we had a large apartment with a balcony, living room, kitchen and excellent bathroom. You can have a look at the rooms on offer here. The apartments are a little more expensive now than when we ,but they are well worth the price. The Hanoi Shouten Lakeside was in a great location on the island, a tiny stroll away from some of the best bars, restaurants and cafes. If you are looking for some reasonably priced luxury we cannot recommend Shouten Lakeside enough.
For a look at all of the accommodation Truc Bach Island has to offer, check out our map below:
What is there to do on Truc Bach Island and around Truc Bach Lake?
Truc Bach Island - Things to do and see
On Truc Bach Island itself you have quite a few things to check out:
The Hanoi Studio Gallery
For art lovers there is the Hanoi Studio Gallery. A gallery full of modern Vietnamese artists exploring many different mediums, this space showcases some of the best upcoming talent in Vietnam. The gallery is open from 9:30 to 22:00 on weekdays and between 10:00 and 22:00 on weekends. Entrance to the Hanoi Studio Gallery is free.
Explore the streets of Truc Bach Island
The historic streets of Truc Bach island are great just to wander around and explore. They are full of old houses rubbing shoulders with new apartments, ancient shrines, cobbled alleyways and loads of street art.
You can walk all around the island’s perimeter and take in the lakeside views, parks, cafes and shops. The lakeside promenade is particularly great at sunset as you get fantastic views of the sun blazing down as it sets across the water.
Lake-side Hanoian sunsets are a great way to end a day!
The main street of Truc Bach island is closed to traffic every evening and all of the local restaurants spill chairs and tables across its tarmac. Come sundown, this is the hub of the island and a great place to grab dinner. Read on to the end of this guide for our top restaurant recommendations on Truc Bach Island.
The Chùa Ngũ Xã Temple
In the middle of the island is the gorgeous yellow Chùa Ngũ Xã Temple. This Buddhist temple houses a large (either the largest or one of the largest in the country) bronze statue and is simply beautiful. The temple was burned down and then renovated in the 1950’s but is a fantastic example of temple architecture, it was recognised as a relic of national and cultural importance by the Vietnamese government in 1995. The temple sits on the street, open to the public, in the centre of Truc Bach Island. You can find the temple on a map here.
Outside of the island - things to do on Truc Bach Lake
Around the edge of Truc Bach lake are dozens of cafe’s, craft beer shops, restaurants and Bia Hoi Halls. We would often just take a wander around the lake and stop at whichever coffee shop took our fancy that day. There are loads to choose from, mainly small independent shops offering all the normal Vietnamese coffees (for our guide to coffee in Vietnam read this). There is also a unique outlet of Vietnam's biggest coffee chain, Highlands Coffee. This particular branch is on a large boat floating out in the lake!
Opposite Truc Bach Island, on the strip of land dividing Truc Bach Lake from the West Lake, are two of Hanoi’s most beautiful temples. The Tran Quoc Pagoda and the Đền Thủy Trung Tiên. Both temples sit secluded on tiny offshoot islands in the lake. For more information on these and all the other Hanoi temples make sure to read our guide here.
The West Lake itself is a great place to explore. A massive 15-17 km walk will take you all around the lake (the largest in Hanoi)This walk brings you through interesting neighbourhoods past ancient temples and even some waterparks and flower gardens. We did the whole loop in one day, make sure you have a look at our experience here.
Truc Bach Island is in a great location within Hanoi. You have the streets of the Old Quarter, with all of their markets, food and craziness, within a 15 minute walk from the island. The Ho Chi Minh Museum and Mausoleum are only 20 minutes walk away as well.
All of the city’s main museums, temples and sights are only short walks away. You have the whole city within an hour or two of your front door on Truc Bach Lake. If you do not feel like stretching your legs, you can easily summon a Grab taxi to take you wherever you want to go.
For a guide to the best museums in Hanoi, check out our article:
The best cafes and coffee shops on Truc Bach Island
Cafe hopping on Truc Bach Island was one of our favourite things to do when we wanted a lazy day. Just wander off down the lanes and paths of the island and settle into one of the unique coffee shops that dot the island. There are dozens to choose from each with their own unique vibe and speciality. We will give a special shout out to three of them, but you really cannot go wrong with any of them!
If you're after a cappuccino head to the Mo Cafe!
Này Cafe and Gạt Tàn Coffee
Ok, we are cheating by combining two coffee shops into one, but they are next door neighbours! Gạt Tàn Coffee was, come the evening, the busiest coffee shop on the whole island. Set next to one of the bridges to the mainland, chairs would fill its floors and spill onto the road and across the bridge. Wildly popular with Vietnamese teens, their coffee was fantastic. If you are looking for a little more seclusion then just behind Gạt Tàn Coffee, down the channel separating the island from the mainland, is Này Cafe. Decorated with a kind of ruined modern chic, this cool little spot served great coffee, bottled beers and laid back tunes well into the night.
You can find Này Cafe here on a map and Gạt Tàn Coffee here.
Fu Hoo Cafe
Straddling the island and the canal that breaks the island off from the mainland, the tiny Fu Hoo cafe serves excellent coffee. Their Bac Xiu (Vietnamese Latte) was one of the best in the country. We loved chilling in here or out on the stools in the narrow canal-side alleyway. You can find Fu Hoo Cafe here.
M(8)TE Cafe
Just the other side of a bridge, M(8)TE Cafe is not technically on Truc Bach Island but the coffee is just so good we had to include it. M(8)TE serves a menu of specialty coffee “cocktails” (non alcoholic) along with specialist tea concoctions and a small food menu. You can find M(8)TE here
Coffee with a Truc Bach lakeside view!
Vietnamese coffee is delicious! There are endless different coffees to choose, from the bac xiu to the iconic egg coffee. For a full guide on which coffees to order in Vietnam, check out our guide here.
Nightlife on Truc Bach Island - Where to have a drink after dark
Bia Hoi - Evening beers and plastic chairs
An evening activity that we have a lot of experience with is Bia Hoi. For those new to Northern Vietnam or those unfamiliar with, what we think is its greatest invention, check out our article on Bia Hoi here . The short explanation is that Bia Hoi is fresh beer. Brewed usually the same day and to be sold very quickly before it goes off, bia hoi is a very light and very very cheap beer - We have paid everything between £0.12p to £0.50 for a glass of beer hoi. We love the stuff, it is light enough that you do not get wasted or have a horrible hangover but refreshing and tasty.
Truc Bach island has a great Bia Hoi place right on the lakes edge here . This was our favourite place to spend our sunsets. We would sit down on tiny stools at plastic tables and enjoy some glasses (or jugs!) of fresh beer.
The best way to start an evening - beer and a sunset!
Bia Hoi joints nearly always serve food and we can highly recommend the deep fried tofu at the lakeside place. You can have the tofu with either; a delicious and fragrant spring onion oil or, for the hardcore eaters out there, a fermented shrimp paste sauce. No part of “fermented shrimp paste” sounds appetising The smell isalso well and truly “out there” but, once you get past the funky aroma, the taste is amazing!
Trust us the mam tom is delicious, smelly but delicious!
There are loads of other Bia Hoi places both on the island and around Truc Bach Lake. We had a great evening in the cavernous beer hall overlooking the lake here - make sure to order the fried pork belly!
The Standing Bar - Small plates and craft beers
The Standing Bar opens out onto the lake, near Truc Bach’s little exercise park. This small bar serves up a curated selection of craft beers and some absolutely delicious small plates of food. When we visited they had over 15 beers on tap!
If you're after craft beer in Hanoi, The Standing Bar will have you covered!
The decor inside the bar is effortlessly cool, with brushed concrete walls and a red tiled floor. True to its word most of the bar is standing only, with tall bar tables to lounge at and rest your glasses. There are some tables with chairs but they are usually stowed away on busier nights.
The Standing Bar is definitely more “upmarket” than the Bia Hoi joints nearby and its prices reflect this, you could have a dozen Bia Hoi’s for the price of a pint at the Standing Bar!
That being said, sometimes you should treat yourself - the salt and pepper chicken skin is one of the best bar snacks ever devised! If you want to treat yourself check out the Standing Bar here.
Truc Bach is well known throughout Vietnam, not just as a place but as a beer! First brewed in 1958 Truc Bach lager was the country’s first domestically mass produced beer. Sadly these days it is owned by Heineken (who isn't) but it is still cool to see Truc Bach beer everywhere you go in Vietnam
DOT - Cocktails on a backpackers budget
We stumbled (literally) on DOT after a long day’s exploration of Hanoi. We decided that it had been far, far too long since we had enjoyed a Gin and Tonic.
We had been travelling for a little over two years and the Bombay Sapphires and Plymouth Gins of home were sorely missed. We were, therefore, surprised and delighted to find a cheap and lovely cocktail bar in a small lane behind our apartment. Their cocktails were super cheap, expertly made and completely delicious. You can find DOT here.
What to eat and drink on Truc Bach Island - The best restaurants and street food
Truc Bach Island is overflowing with amazing food. Many people, locals and tourists alike, flock to Truc Bach just for its food scene.
The island is the spiritual home for Phở Cuốn and amazing dish of Phở Chiên Phồng. Pho Cuon is a simplified, deconstructed pho; rolled noodles stuffed with beef and herbs and served with a sharp,sweet yet somehow savoury, dipping sauce. Phở Chiên Phồng is deep fried squares of pho noodles, puffed up into crunchy pillows that are then covered in beef and a light sauce. Both dishes are unique and ubiquitous to the Truc Bach Neighbourhood. They are also both delicious!
Pho Cuon
Pho Chien Phong
There is much more than just some unique phos to the food scene in Truc Bach, here are some of our top recommendations:
Bánh đa cua Hải Phòng
(location) - There is no google listing for this restaurant
This is one of those unexpected treats we just stumbled across. We were hungry, it was there - no higher decision making process was involved. Food was present and, in Vietnam, you are hard pressed to get a bad meal, so we walked in.
We ate delicious steaming bowls of crab noodle soup (cua means crab in Vietnamese and bánh is cake or noodle). The bowls were packed with toppings with crab cakes, roasted pork, fried tofu skin and herbs all vying for a place on our spoons.
The food is cheap and extremely good. We always like when we find somewhere not on google and this place is the perfect example of the internet not always knowing everything. No reviews, no listing, no Tripadvisor, just a proper noodle shop full of school kids and great food.
Each bowl cost 45,000 VND (£1.39 or $1.82), find us a cheaper bowl of crab and we will be very surprised!
Phở Thế Béo
(location)
This streetside pho joint is legendary. The owner is famous for monowheel based antics; pho is served balanced on trays on top of his head as he zooms along on a two wheeled balance board - lunch and a show! Ok so, the balance board is a bit shonky these days and looks in serious need of repair, the serving style is a bit of a gimmick and it is not always used but the pho served here is no joke.
The bowls are generously packed with meat and herbs and the broth is divine; clean, fragrant and complex in the way that only really good pho can be. You can (and should) get a portion of Chinese fried dough sticks to add to your pho, these really complete the meal adding a crunchy yet spongy texture to the bowl.
We were wary of this place as it is very popular and a lot of the emphasis seemed to be on the scooter/balance board gimmick, but we were very pleasantly surprised. The food on offer was fantastic.
A bowl of pho from here can cost anything from 30,000 to 60,000 VND (£0.93 - £1.86 or $1.22 - $2.44) depending on what meat and cut you want.
Ngũ Xã street, Truc Bach - Pho cuon and pho chien phong
The main road through Truc Bach island closes to motor traffic every evening and the restaurants lining the street spill out and take over the tarmac. Most of these restaurants specialise in the local delicacies of pho cuon and pho chien phong. You cannot really go wrong ordering from any of the restaurants and, from our comprehensive experiments, there is not much to pick between them.
We enjoyed the pho chien phong from Phở cuốn 40 on more than one occasion. There are other restaurants offering larger menus on the street. Phở Cuốn 31 offered a much larger selection of dishes and seemed popular with food tours and other tour groups.
Ma Xó Cafe - Western Brunch and great coffee
(location)
The Ma Xo Cafe cafe was, by far, the most popular spot for western style brunch. The cute yet stylish cafe/bistro is set over two narrow floors and has tables set up on the lakes edge. Ma Xó Cafe definitely costs a bit more than the local food offerings but, if you want to treat yourself to a homestyle western brunch it is a great choice. If you are looking for an avocado on toast on Truc Bach Island, this may be your only option!
Ma Xó Cafe also serves excellent coffee and great cocktails. They also have a very tasty looking (we didn’t try it so let us know in the comments if you do), dinner menu.
Pizza Bella - Possibly the best pizza in Hanoi
(location)
It happens to us all. Sooner or later the cheese cravings set in and every backpacker needs to be able to find a good pizza. Even in a city as saturated with great local food as Hanoi, sometimes we just need a slice of cheesy goodness. Luckily for us Truc Bach Island has one of Hanoi’s best pizza joints, Pizza Bella.
Pizza Bella serves amazing pizzas cooked in the Neapolitan style - simple toppings with quality ingredients. The bases are thin and crusts crisp, they are loaded with gorgeous imported cheese and other premium ingredients and are simply delicious. If you have to give in to a cheesy craving you can at least do it right - Pizza Bella is definitely doing it right!
The restaurant is on one of the small central streets on the island and its tables come out and crowd the pavements each evening. It is expensive by Vietnam standards and the small kitchen can only serve so many at a time so there may be a wait. It is worth both the wait and the cost!
Two pizza’s (they are small) cost us 360,000VND ( £11.16 or $14.59). You can also get pizza’s to take away if you have a nice apartment like we did!
GoodTime Vietnam - Unique burgers
(location)
Again, not a local Vietnamese delicacy, but sometimes you just need a burger! GoodTime Vietnam is a stylish, modern burger bar selling very unique burgers. The interior of the restaurant is half american diner, half cyberpunk cocktail bar! Each order will get you a go on their arcade style claw game and, when we visited, they gave everyone free shots in celebration of their one year anniversary. This definitely didn’t skew our opinion in their favour, definitely not!
The burgers served at GoodTime are coarse ground beef patties that feel unlike any other burgers we have eaten. When we took a bite they felt like juicy beef mince that was barely holding itself together. Now this sounds like we are being negative but we really are not! It was unique and, in a way that we are completely failing to describe, properly yummy! The burgers were seriously moreish and were served with some of the best chips (fries to our American cousins) we had in Vietnam.
Sometimes you just need a good burger!
The burgers were more expensive than eating local food on the street but well worth the cost. Two cheese burgers and two sets of fries cost 310,000 VND (£9.61 or $12.56).
Quán Ốc Dì Tú - Michelin seafood on the street
(location)
This one is not strictly on Truc Bach Island, but it is only a five minute walk away! This street-side restaurant had been on our to-do list since we had arrived in Hanoi and stumbled across it heading home one night. The smell from the street of barbecuing and grilling seafood was completely intoxicating. We also noticed Quan Oc Di Tu has a Bib gourmand from the Michelin guide. A bib does not automatically mean it is the best place ever but it is a very good indicator that the food is going to be delicious!
We treated ourselves to a seafood feast at Quan Oc Di Tu twice on our Hanoi stay and both times it was fantastic. The seafood is so fresh and cooked expertly. We can particularly recommend the ginger clams, garlic grilled prawns and the honey and garlic tiger snails, all were absolutely fantastic.
There are several seafood places along the same street and the specialty of the area seems to be the bright yellow butter clams. These were super sweet, they tasted like there was a lot of condensed milk involved in their sauce as well as the butter. We found them too sweet for our pallet but noticed that everyone else was ordering them with a side of barbecued garlic filled bread, this was obviously the way to temper the sweetness … next time.
The seafood feasts were very reasonably priced for what you got. Seafood is always more expensive but the portions were big and the meal delicious so it was worth it! A meal of three seafood dishes, fried rice and two soft drinks was around 460,000 VND (£14.25 or $18.64)
In your time in Vietnam you really have to treat yourself to at least one seafood feast. Hanoi is, despite not being on the coast, a great place to do this!
Lẩu Nướng Auth - Hot pot!
(location)
You cannot visit Asia without having a hot pot, seriously we think there is some kind of law against it! We love hot pots, there is something fun and relaxed about having a big pile of ingredients, a pot of soup and no rules! We found Lẩu Nướng Auth late one evening whilst wandering back from the Old Quarter. We just couldn't resist the aromas steaming out from the place!
Lẩu Nướng Auth is a very short walk from Truc Bach Island and not too far from the Old Quarter, if you are staying there. Lẩu Nướng Auth serves no nonsense hot pots: you pick a style, grill barbeque or soup based, and a set menu of delicious things to cook.
We, being just the two of us, went for a soup hot pot with a thai, tom yam soup base and a two person selection of meats, seafood, vegetables and noodles. We were swiftly presented with a bubbling cauldron of soup and a massive basket of things to dip and cook in it. It was such a fun meal, chilling on little plastic tables, John’s knees practically in his ears from the tiny stools, dipping, stirring and slurping up our hot pot. You really do have to try hot pot at least once on your travels!
Our ingredients for our hot pot feast!
Our hot pot for two cost 350,000 VND (£10.85 or $14.18) and that got us more food than we could eat; pork, scallops, beef, squid, vegetables, mushrooms and prawns, it was a bubbling feast!
Fungha Dimsum
(location)
Fungha Dim Sum is not on the island, it may even be a chain restaurant, but we don’t care, the dim sum was just too delicious! It is only a short walk from Truc Bach Island and serves Chinese plates and dim sum. The restaurant is always busy and changes what it is serving between morning and afternoon.
We treated ourselves twice to dim sum and noodles from Fungha. Both times the food was absolutely exceptional. The ha gow (crystal prawn dumplings) and sui mai are some of the best we have ever eaten.
Two plates of dim sum, two drinks and a large plate of noodles to share cost 295,000 VND (£9.14 or $11.96), so not cheap but not too extravagant.
Sabaidee Lao-Thai Cuisine
(location)
Back on the island we found this romantic little restaurant. Set on a quiet corner of Truc Bach island, Sabaidee Lao-Thai has two levels with a balcony looking out over the lake. After the sun has set the tables are lit by strings of fairy lights. It is a small restaurant with only a few tables so you need to get there early or be ok with a little wait.
The food is, as its name suggests, a mix of Lao and Thai cuisine. The owner has pictures of Luang Prabang all over the walls and the menu features lots of salads and unique dishes from both Thailand and Laos.
We had a great selection, sharing a set of fish sauce chicken wings, a massive tom yum soup with luxurious, huge, fat prawns bobbing under its orange surface all finished off with a sharp fresh and very spicy som tam salad. It was a lovely contrast to the subtle broths and flavours we had been enjoying in Vietnam.
Our feast (with four imported Beer Laos) was 480,000 VND (£14.86 or $19.46), again by far not the cheapest meal you can get in Hanoi but worth it as a treat. Looking back over this article we treated ourselves a lot over our time in Truc Bach, which brings us nicely to..
Cheaper eats on and around Truc Bach Island
There are literally dozens of noodle stands, rice and curry joints, banh mi sellers and other food vendors in and around Truc Bach Island. Like a lot of Hanoi, if you just walk down any side street you will find something cheap and delicious.
There are loads of cheap pho shops on the island and plenty of low priced restaurants in the Truc Bach neighbourhood. The lakefront places tend to (for obvious reasons) be more expensive. Take your custom one or two streets back away from the lake and you will quickly find very inexpensive delicious food. Most of the best places won’t have a google listing and some of them can move around so your best bet is just to get out and explore.
A good starting place is in and around the Châu Long market, near the bridge to Truc Bach island. You can find the market on a map here and it was always buzzing with people, food and produce. There is a great roasted meat stall and a fantastic rice and curry joint open in the mornings.
There's always something interesting to find around Truc Bach Lake!
Tours of Truc Bach Lake and island
If you are short on time or enjoy getting a more in depth view of Truc Bach or hanoi in general, consider joining a tour or hiring a guide. You can combine quite a few of Hanoi’s attractions into a single day if you have a local guide to smooth everything over. Many of the organised tours around Hanoi will take you through or end in Truc Bach Island. The temples on the side of Truc Bach Lake are beautiful and famous and the area is growing in popularity. It is, for the most part, a relatively unknown area of Hanoi to the mass backpacker and traveller scene. Lots of tours come to Truc Bach as part of the whole “discover real Hanoi” spiel. There is nothing wrong with this, in fact it is great to see travellers venturing beyond the very touristy confines of the Old Quarter.
Check out the tours of Hanoi on Get Your Guide below, or for one that definitely includes the Truc Bach district click here.
Truc Bach - is it worth staying there or just visiting?
Hanoi’s Truc Bach Island is a fantastic base for exploring Hanoi, close to all the action without being crowded and suffocated by it. Truc Bach has plenty of bars, restaurants and food on your doorstep whilst only being a 15-20 minute walk away from all that Hanoi’s Old Quarter can offer. There are great accommodation choices on the island and you can get something quite luxurious for a lot less money than in the Old Quarter.
We have stayed in both the Old Quarter and Truc Bach and loved both. If you are a young backpacker, in Hanoi for the first time, you will probably be looking for a social hostel and dorm room. Truc Bach Island probably won’t be your best bet. However, for couples, holiday makers, families or long term backpackers looking for a little luxury, Truc Bach island is ideal.
If you don't stay on Truc Bach it is still definitely worth a visit, it is a unique neighbourhood full of specialist food and great cafes. The lake and temples are a definite “must see” for anyone in Hanoi and the whole area just has a really different feel to the hustle of Old Quarter. Truc Bach has plenty to explore and discover even if you are not staying there.
We loved Hanoi’s Truc Bach Lake (if you couldn't already tell). We had been filled with doomsayers regarding the pollution and were unsure if we had made a mistake staying so far north out of Old Quarter. Both of these fears were completely unfounded. Truc Bach was a fantastic little island in the middle of an amazing area of Hanoi. It was not like anything we expected in the capital of Vietnam and we would definitely stay there again!
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
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Bia Hoi - The Best Beer in Vietnam
Bia hoi - possibly Vietnams greatest invention! Read our guide to what may be the cheapest beer in the world. Bia hoi is found througout the north and is a great, backpacker-budget friendly way to have a fun, local night out. Check out our blog for where to find the best bia hoi and what to expect... Mot, Hai Ba, Yo!
Beer, from the streets of London to the mountains of Vietnam it is everywhere. Being British, we are very familiar with the bubbly golden beverage; from pilsners to stouts, craft brewed small batch to cheap and mass produced, we drink and love beer in all its forms. Vietnam shares our love for beer; Every street stall sells it, every restaurant, shop, club, pub and street food vendor will have cans and bottles on standby. No matter what time of day or day of the week there will be groups sat on small stools throwing back a cheeky bevy.
Vietnam has several large scale breweries, many backpackers will have enjoyed cans of Saigon, Hanoi or Truc Bach Beers. But, there is another brew, a cheaper, fresher beer, totally unique to Vietnam…
Let us tell you about Vietnam’s greatest invention - Bia Hoi…
"Mot, hai, ba, yo". Cheers Vietnam!
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What is Bia Hoi
Bia hoi is a light, lager beer, served on draught in a glass. Literally translated, bia hoi means “fresh beer” and the drink certainly lives up to this name! Brewed and delivered daily, the beer is always fresh and has little in the way of preservatives or chemical additives. Anything not finished at the end of the day is tipped away, you will not get “old” beer hoi. It is a simple zesty beer without any bells or whistles but has a refreshing and moreish taste.
The beer is served fresh and the kegs drained and refilled daily. Bia hoi is not a strong beer typically topping out at around 3% abv. Bia hoi is light and refreshing, perfect for beating the muggy heat of Vietnam. The fresh beer, lack of preservatives and low alcohol content mean that you can have a long night out on the bia and not feel too bad the next day. Any backpacker who has been through Thailand will know the dangers of being “kicked by the elephant” - aka drinking too much Chang beer. Bia hoi however, is much more forgiving if you get a little wild on a night out.
From our point of view, as long term backpackers, bia hoi drew us in as it is incredibly cheap. Bia hoi can cost as little as £0.15 a glass. In the heart of the tourist district of Hanoi (The Old Quarter - read more about it here), we were still only paying 13,000 VND (£0.40!) per glass. The servings are over half a pint at around 350ml, so it is not like you're only getting a thimble of beer either!
The History of Bia Hoi
Like the baguettes of banh mi, and the pot of feu that became pho, bia hoi can trace its roots to the colonial French. Like much of Asia, Vietnam traditionally drank rice wine spirits until, under the yoke of the colonial French, they discovered a taste for the Western tipple of beer.
When the French left in the 1950’s the Vietnamese taste for beer did not leave with them. Vietnam began to produce its own beer but struggled with supplies for the glass and metal used in bottles, and casks. The solution was: fresh beer on delivery and reusable glasses. The beer was brewed fresh, delivered in a metal keg and served in washable recycled glasses. The keg would then be picked back up by the brewery and refilled ready to repeat the process again!
For more information on the history of bia hoi and the brewing process make sure you check out Flavours of Hanoi’s blog on the subject, it is a great read!
Where to find Bia Hoi
Bia hoi can be found all over Vietnam but is most common in the north, especially in the capital of Hanoi. You will find bia hoi being served from small streetside bars and in drinking halls. Some restaurants and “posher” bars will serve bia hoi but disguise what it is; if you see “local draught beer” on the menu at a low price - it is probably bia hoi. We would recommend seeking out a proper bia hoi joint - just look out for the red and yellow “Hanoi Bia Hoi” sign. Once you have your eye in you will see these signs everywhere. If you are unsure just run through the checklist:
Red and yellow sign? - Yes!
Tiny Plastic Chairs or Stools? - Yep!
Glasses that have definitely been around the block? - Check!
Frequent chants of “Mot, Hai, Ba, Yo!” echoing from tables full of intoxicated locals? - Tick!
Trays of jugs and glasses full of freshly poured golden beer? - 100%
Congratulations you have found bia hoi!
You can find bia hoi across Vietnam but it becomes less and less common as you travel south. The main brewery for bia hoi seems to be the state owned Hanoi Brewery so as you leave the north the availability of the ultra cheap, fresh beer drops.
In Hanoi we were shocked that backpackers seemed to flock to “Beer Street” rather than the local bia hoi joints - bia hoi is so much cheaper! Once upon a time “Beer Street” was the street full of bia hoi bars but the backpackers and tourists took over and now it is just another bar street.
There is cheap beer on Beer Street and even some very cheap bia hoi but, lots of the places will only sell it if you buy (expensive) food from them. For a real experience, make sure you track down a proper beer hoi place. We don’t want to put you off Beer Street, it is great fun, but it is a totally different vibe from a bia hoi joint.
We had some great nights out at two different bia hoi places. Read on to find out where these are!
Old Quarter Bia Hoi
Our first bia hoi pick is an Old Quarter staple - Quán Bia Hơi Bát Đàn (try saying that after a few glasses). You can find Quan Bia Hoi Ban Dan here. This place serves up bia hoi at 13,000 VND a glass and is an institution of the area. It is permanently busy serving locals and visitors alike. The atmosphere is lively and fun, the staff welcoming and the beer fresh and delicious.
The only drawback of Quan Bia Hoi Bat Dan is that, if there are only two of you, the food can be a bit pricey. The portions are enormous and are definitely set up for banquet eating so it can cost a bit to eat if you are solo travelling! The solutions are simple - either just come for a drink and get some peanuts or get a group together at your hostel before heading out! For all of our food and drink recommendations in Hanoi’s Old Town check out our blog here.
Also, if Quan Bia Hoi Bat Dan is full, just head across the street to Cửa hàng Ngọc Linh another great bia hoi spot!
Truc Bach and West Lake - Sunset Bia Hoi
(location)
Our second recommendation is much less well known to the backpackers and Western visitors of Hanoi. A short twenty minute walk from the busy streets of the Old Quarter is Truc Bach Lake and Truc Bach Island.
On this quiet little island, nearby to hip coffee shops and amazing food (make sure you check out our Truc Bach guide here), you can find our favourite Hanoian bia hoi bar. Sitting lakeside, in the perfect place for sunset drinks, is the imaginatively named Bia Hơi Hà Nội. This was our go-to when we were staying on Truc Bach Island and was a fantastic place to while away an evening. The food was great and the beer; zesty and refreshing! You can find Bia Hơi Hà Nội on a map here.
Bia Hoi in Cao Bang - A True Northern Treat
(location) - The listing may be wrong but the location is right!
We also have to mention a non-Hanoian bia hoi joint, as it was just sooo good. After two days on the backs of bikes exploring Vietnam’s far northern region of Cao Bang region, our drivers brought us to the amazing Cháo Nga Nhâm. We aren't even sure that Cháo Nga Nhâm was its name, there is no clear Google listing but the pin we have given is in the right place! If you are in the area you cannot miss the tables sprawling out onto the riverside. This locals only bia hoi joint was everything you could want from a Vietnamese bar, amazing food (the deep fried frog was to die for), buzzing atmosphere and friendly people. Read about all out Cao Bang adventures, and why it should definitely be on your Vietnamese itinerary, here .
Our epic Cao Bang bia hoi feast!
Bia hoi is a staple of Vietnam and a true treat for the traveller. Whilst we would love the concept to be exported and adopted everywhere (the U.K could certainly benefit from some cheaper beer!), there is something really special about sitting on a tiny plastic chair, smoke from a barbecue mixing with scooter exhaust with the hubbub of a Vietnamese city all around. It really makes for a special drinking experience. Bia hoi is probably the most backpacker friendly night out possible, it is so cheap and if you travel with a group the food is delicious and reasonable too! So round up a hostel crowd, ditch the over popular Beer Street and head out for some bia hoi.
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
Trust us when we say fried tofu is a must when drinking bia hoi!
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A Guide To Hanoi's Prettiest Temples
Hanoi is full of beautiful Buddhist, Confucian and Taoist temples. From the famous Temple of Literature, the One Pillared Pagoda and the Ngoc Son Temple there are plenty of temples to see. Read our Hanoi temple guide for all you need to know about which temples to visit, what to wear and opening times.
The Vietnamese capital of Hanoi is full of beautiful temples. As you wander through the pretty streets of Hanoi’s Old Quarter it won’t be long until you’ll stumble across the smells of burning incense, swinging paper lanterns in the breeze and flowers left as offerings on shrines. Wherever you walk there will be Buddhist, Confucian or Taoist temples all within a short distance from you.
Here’s our guide to some of Hanoi’s prettiest temples you must visit during your trip!
This temple guide only covers some of our favourite temples we visited during our time in Hanoi and obviously cannot include every temple in the city. The Old Quarter is full of smaller temples, so we would recommend you put on your temple wear and head out onto the streets to see what you can find!
Let us know in the comments on which temples you visit!
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If you are planning on visiting any of the temples we’ve suggested on this list, please be respectful.
Please respect the dress code and cover your shoulders and knees and keep the noise down.
All these temples are still active places of worship and you’ll be sharing your visit with other devotees and worshippers.
Please also be aware that there are different expectations for tourists as opposed to local worshippers. It might be acceptable for the young lady going to pray and visit the grave of her elder to be showing her shoulders and legs, but not for us gawking tourists.
Temple of Literature
The Temple of Literature, also known as Văn Miếu Quoc Tu Giam in Vietnamese, is a beautiful Confucius temple set a short walk from Hanoi’s Old Quarter.
The temple was built in 1070 under Ly Thanh Tong, the Emperor of the Ly Dynasty. The temple became Vietnam’s first national university in 1076, after Ly Thanh Tong founded the Imperial Academy at the temple.
At the university, the students spent between three and seven years studying literature, philosophy and history alongside the principles of Confucianism. When the university was first established, only students born into noble families were invited to study, but this was changed in 1442 where admission became more equal.
Today the temple is still a popular place for Vietnamese students to visit. With students coming to pray for good luck in their exams and studies. On both times we’ve visited we’ve also seen countless numbers of graduates dressed up in mortarboards and long cloaks posing for photos in the temple grounds.
To learn more about the Ly Dynasty, we’d recommend visiting the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long located around a twenty minute walk north of the Temple of Literature.
You can read more about visiting the Imperial Citadel in our guide to the museums of Hanoi here.
The entrance to the Temple of Literature is on its southern edge. Once you’ve bought your tickets head on inside. The temple itself is split into five courtyards. The first two courtyards you’ll walk through are filled with tree-lined paths, hedgerows and square ponds filled with lilies.
The Temple of Literature gardens are very pretty!
In the third courtyard you’ll stumble upon a huge square lake, the Thiên Quang well. On both sides of this well are huge stone slabs standing on top of stone turtles. These stone slabs are the stone stelae, ordered by the Emperor Le Thanh Tong to record the achievements of those students who achieved exceptional grades. In the Temple of Literature today, 82 of the original stone stelae still remain.
The faint carvings on the stone stelae can still be seen in the Temple of Literature today.
The stelae stand on the backs of turtles, as the turtle (rùa) is considered to be one of Vietnam’s sacred four animals.
Turtles can be found carved in temples and pagodas throughout Vietnam. They are thought to represent strength, longevity and intelligence.
Continue on through to the fourth and fifth courtyards which are full of halls, bells and a drum house. Inside these buildings are various shrines and altars dedicated to Confusionist disciples as well as to the late Emperors of the Ly Dynasty.
Make sure to head inside all the buildings surrounding courtyards three to five as they house different exhibits that give you more information about the history of the university.
We absolutely love the Temple of Literature. It’s a beautiful example of the type of architecture we adore, with bonsai trees, lotus ponds and incense dotted throughout. There’s so much to see we easily spent a good few hours exploring the temple buildings and grounds. Make sure you take your camera with you!
Check your Vietnamese Dong as the back of the 100,000 note features an image of the Temple of Literature!
There are plenty of guided tours that include the Temple of Literature and other Hanoi sights. If you’re looking to maximise your time in Hanoi, we’d recommend taking a tour to combine some of Hanoi’s top attractions. Check out this tour here on Get Your Guide which includes a trip to the Temple of Literature.
Temple of Literature - Essential Information
Where is it?
The Temple of Literature is located southwest from Hanoi’s Old Quarter, about a half hour walk away. You can find the temple on a map here.
Opening hours:
The temple is open everyday from 8.00am to 17.00pm.
In the run up to Tet or on public holidays, the Temple of Literature can get extremely busy.
Entrance fee:
Tickets to the Temple of Literature cost 70,000 VND each. If you would like to purchase an audio guide, it will cost you an additional 100,000 VND.
Facilities at the Temple of Literature:
There are toilets at the temple as well as vending machines to purchase water, soft drinks and snacks.
Don’t miss the souvenir shop at the exit which sells pretty postcards, posters and t-shirts!
Ngoc Son Temple, Hoan Kiem Lake
A short walk from the streets of the Old Quarter, the Ngoc Son Temple (also known as Temple of the Jade Mountain) sits on a small island in the middle of Hoan Kiem Lake.
The temple was built in the 19th century in commemoration of General Tran Hung Do and Van Xuong De Quan. The temple is a mixture of Buddhist, Confucius and Taoist architecture.
The ticket booth to enter the temple can be found on the shoreline on the eastern edge of the lake. To access the temple, you will need to cross the ‘Cau The Huc’ red wooden bridge which leads you to the grey gatehouse of the temple island. The pretty bridge is a very popular spot for selfies, with Vietnamese locals and tourists all vying for the best spot on the bridge.
Even though Ngoc Son Temple is super busy with others, there's still spaces of calm!
The temple sits in the middle of the island, with a pretty courtyard surrounding it. The courtyard gardens are full of bonsai trees, kumquat trees, statues and flowers. In front of the pavilion hall sits a huge golden urn full of smoking incense. Even with the crowds, it’s a very pretty temple, with views out over the lake and the Hanoi skyline.
One of the main highlights of the temple is seeing the enormous preserved turtles that sit in huge glass boxes. The embalmed turtles are enormous and have a very smug smile on their faces!
It’s hard to imagine them swimming in the lake, as even though they were real, they just don’t look like a normal turtle!
We’ll let you be the judge though when you see them for yourself.
These turtles were once residents of Hoan Kiem Lake itself. There’s a Vietnamese legend behind these turtles, which says that during a war, one of the turtles of Hoan Kiem Lake brought a magic sword to the Vietnamese King Le Loi. It was this magic sword that helped defeat the Ming invaders and helped Vietnam win the war. After the war, the sword was returned to the turtles at the lake.
The Ngoc Son Temple is very pretty, and despite the crowds it draws (it’s a very popular tourist spot), it still feels peaceful.
Ngoc Son Temple - Essential Information
Where is it?
The Ngoc Son Temple sits in the middle of Hoan Kiem lake here.
To buy tickets, head to the eastern edge of the lake and you’ll find the ticket counter next to the Pen Tower, located here.
Opening hours:
The temple is open everyday from 8.00am to 18.00pm.
The temple can get very busy, so if you want to avoid the crowds head to the temple as soon as the ticket counter opens.
We’d recommend wandering around Hoan Kiem Lake after dark to see the Ngoc Son Temple and the Cuc The Huc bridge lit up. It’s really pretty seeing the lights, temple and bridge reflecting in the lake's water.
Entrance fee:
Tickets cost 50,000 VND each.
One Pillar Pagoda
Just over a half an hour walk away from the Old Quarter is the One Pillar Pagoda. Sitting between the Ho Chi Minh Museum and Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum we’d recommend pairing a visit to all three at the same time.
The One Pillar Pagoda is a Buddhist temple built in the shape of a flowering lotus, the Buddhist symbol for purity.
The temple was built in 1049 by King Ly Thai Tong. The story behind the construction of this temple is that King Ly Thai Tong once had a dream where he was handed a son by the Goddess of Mercy. This dream came true for the King, when his wife gave birth to his son. To thank the Goddess of Mercy, the King decided to build the One Pillar Pagoda.
The temple today sits high above a pond and is surrounded by a small shrine, flowers and bonsai trees.
The temple is very busy with Vietnamese locals coming to pray to the Goddess of Mercy to ask for a son.
Burning incense is a common sight in the temples of Hanoi!
One Pillar Pagoda - Essential Information
Where is it?
The One Pillar Pagoda (also known as Dien Huu Tu or Lien Hoa Dai) can be found here.
Opening hours:
The temple is open everyday from 7.00am to 18.00pm.
Entrance fee:
The temple is free to enter.
Quan Thanh Temple
The Quan Thanh Temple was one of our favourite temples we visited in Hanoi. Set behind a huge stone, three arched gateway, the Quan Thanh Temple is an 11th century Taoist temple dedicated to Xuan Hu, a Taoist deity.
The courtyard of the temple is very pretty, with brushed grey stone being interrupted with splashes of colour from vibrant green plants, red roses and orange kumquat trees. Inside the temple, the walls are covered in mahogany wood and gold inscriptions and shrines full to the brim with colourful offerings.
Compared to the first three temples we’ve written about above, this temple was very quiet with only a small handful of visitors.
Quan Thanh Temple - Essential Information
Where is it?
The Quan Thanh Temple is located northwest from the Old Quarter on the southeastern shores of West Lake. You can find the temple here).
Opening hours:
The temple is open everyday from 8.00am to 17.00pm.
Entrance fee:
Tickets cost 10,000 VND to enter.
Tran Quoc Pagoda
The Tran Quoc Pagoda sits on an island on the southeastern shore of Hanoi’s West Lake (Ho Tay).
As you approach the island, the towering terracotta pagoda soars above the bright yellow walls of the Buddhist temple. In each layer of the pagoda, a plain white Buddhist statue sits under an arch.
Inside the temple complex, there are numerous shrines, bonsai trees and Buddhist flags. As you reach the main temple, the smell of incense is thick in the air, whilst the golden interior glints against the sunlight.
We visited on a bright and sunny day and had great views over the West Lake all the way to the northern shore.
Just over the road from Tran Quoc is another temple, Đền Thủy Trung Tiên. Sitting on an island on the smaller lake of Truc Bach, the temple can be accessed by a stone, arched bridge. The temple has one large pagoda and a couple of smaller shrines and is surrounded by tall stone pillars inscribed with Chinese characters. The temple inside is bright yellow and the shrine is full of offerings and donations. When we visited there was just one elderly lady paying her respects and lots of fishermen sitting on the banks of the island.
You can walk around the whole of West Lake (Tay Ho) check out our article on our afternoon exploring a lesser known side of Hanoi here.
Tran Quoc Pagoda - Essential Information
Where is it?
The Tran Quoc Pagoda is located northwest from Hanoi’s Old Quarter and sits on a small island on the West Lake. The pagoda can be found here.
The Đền Thủy Trung Tiên temple is located just over the main road on the spit of land connecting Truc Bach Lake with Ho Tay Lake and can be found here.
Opening hours:
The temple is open everyday from 7.30am to 11.15am before closing for lunch and reopening at 13.30pm to 17.00pm.
Entrance fee:
The pagoda is free to enter.
The very picturesque entrance to Đền Thủy Trung Tiên Temple on Truc Bach Lake.
Chua Ngu Xa Temple, Truc Bach
Sitting in the middle of Truc Bach island of Hanoi, the Chua Ngu Xa Temple was always busy with locals praying and offering incense and flowers.
Inside the restored yellow walls of the temple is a serene shrine atop stone steps.
The island of Truc Bach is full of great restaurants, cafes and pretty streets. To read more about Truc Bach and what there is to do on the island, check out our guide here.
Chua Ngu Xa - Essential Information
Where is it?
The Chua Ngu Xa temple is located on the island of Truc Bach and can be found here.
Opening hours:
There are no official opening hours on Google, but the temple was open from early morning to sunset.
Entrance fee:
The temple is free to enter.
Let us know in the comments which temples you visit!
Thank you for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
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A Guide To The Museums Of Hanoi - What To Do In The Vietnamese Capital
The Vietnamese capital of Hanoi is full of history. To learn more about the cities chaotic and colourful past there's no better way than to explore one of Hanoi's museums. Read our guide for all of the best museums to visit including some you may not have heard of before!
No trip to Vietnam is complete without a visit to the country's colourful capital of Hanoi. The northern Vietnamese city has played a vital role in shaping the Vietnam of today. From its imperial roots under the Ly Dynasty to its role in the Vietnam / American War.
If you’re looking for what to do in Hanoi and want to learn more about Vietnamese culture and history, the best way is to take a deep dive in one of Hanoi’s many museums. With museums covering the Vietnam War and the Vietnamese leader of Ho Chi Minh to ancient uncovered Buddhist relics and traditional outfits of Vietnam’s ethnic minorities, there’s art, culture and history a plenty.
Whatever your niche there will be a Hanoi museum you can sink your teeth into. This is our complete guide to the museums you cannot miss when visiting the Vietnamese capital!
In this Hanoi museum guide:
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. We will earn a small commission from any purchases made through these links.
Hao Lo Prison Relic Museum
Hao Lo Prison was first built by the French in 1896 to imprison Vietnamese individuals who resisted and fought for Vietnam’s independence. Later, during the American / Vietnam War, Hao Lo Prison was used to imprison captured American POWs.
You enter the museum via the large arched gatehouse, the only part of the original French prison that now remains. The first part of the prison focuses on the male, female and death row cells used by the French leaders, and talks about the physical and mental torture the Vietnamese prisoners had to endure here. There is also a guillotine on display that was regularly used.
The entrance to "Maison Centrale".
Outside the cells, there are photographs showing the impact of the US bombing campaign in Hanoi as well as a brick model showing the small gap in the sewer pipes that prisoners had used to escape the prison.
Upstairs, in another building, the museum talks about the Communist Party in Vietnam as well as the treatment of the US prisoners during the American / Vietnam War. The small exhibitions on the American prisoners seemed to suggest the US prisoners were treated extremely well in comparison to the Vietnamese POWs under the French. According to what we were taught in school this seemed to be a very rose-tinted and sugar coated view of what transpired, during the American War. The most famous prisoner of the Hao Lo Prison was former senator John McCain and his stay at the ‘Hanoi Hilton’ seemed far from comfortable.
There is a small gift shop in the middle of the museum selling scarfs, postcards and sweets.
Hao Lo Prison Relic Museum - Essential Information
Where is it?
The Hao Lo Prison Relic Museum is located southwest of Hoan Kiem Lake and can be found on a map here.
Opening times:
The museum is open everyday from 8.00am until 17.00pm.
Entry cost:
Tickets cost 50,000 VND each.
If you would like an audio guide, you can rent headphones for an additional 100,000 VND each. We didn’t do this as it was our second visit to the museum and remembered that all the information was written on the exhibits in Vietnamese, English and French.
Vietnamese Women's Museum
The Vietnamese Women’s Museum was an unexpected highlight and possibly our favourite museum in the whole of Hanoi.
The museum is set in over 5 floors in a white building with colourful windows. The exhibits cover everything from marriage, birth and family to the role of women in religion, farming, and their fight for independence. The museum showcases women’s fashion in Vietnam focusing on the traditional costumes worn by the different ethnic groups of the country. The different dresses varied widely from ethnic group to ethnic group with some being super vibrant and colourful and some dresses being more modest and plain.
Downstairs there is a small cafe and gift shop selling all the usual tourist tat such as Vietnamese postcards, posters and badges.
The Vietnam Women’s Museum would be great if you’re looking for something to do on a rainy day in Hanoi.
Vietnamese Women’s Museum - Essential Information
Where is it?
The Vietnamese Women’s Museum is a short walk south of Hoan Kiem Lake and can be found here.
Opening times:
The museum is open everyday from 8.00am until 17.00pm.
Entry cost:
Entry to the museum costs 40,000 VND per ticket.
If you would like an audio guide, it’ll cost an additional 40,000 VND. We didn’t take one and didn’t regret it as we felt there was enough information written on the displays themselves.
Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum
Set in a beautiful colonial three story building, the Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum is a must for anyone interested in art.
On the first floor there are lots of Buddhist relics, statues and paintings. Our favourite piece on this floor was a huge intricately carved wooden panel showing dragons intertwining in and around triangular spikes that looked almost like smoke. The panel was carved in the 17th Century and was taken from the Keo Pagoda found in the Thai Binh province, southeast of Hanoi.
The second floors showcase exhibits from the 1940s onwards, with a focus on contemporary and modern art. Our favourite pieces upstairs were the different paintings and photographs that focussed on Vietnam’s colourful street life.
We loved our time in the art museum and spent a good couple of hours here, exploring the different floors.
Similarly to the Vietnam Women’s Museum, if you have a rainy day in Hanoi, the National Arts Museum would be a great place to head to on a wet day.
Some of our favourite paintings in Vietnam's Fine Arts Museum!
Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum - Essential Information
Where is the museum?
The Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum is located a short walk from Hanoi’s Old Quarter and the Vietnamese Military History Museum and can be found here.
We’d recommend pairing a visit to this museum with a visit to the beautiful Temple of Literature.
Opening times:
The museum is open everyday from 8.30am until 17.00pm.
Entry cost:
Entry to the museum costs 40,000 VND per ticket.
B-52 Victory Museum and Lake
Before heading to the B-52 Victory Museum, we’d recommend heading to see the rusty remains of a B-52 bomber plane that was shot down into Huu Tiep lake on 27th December 1972. The twisted fuselage and plane wheels poke out of the shallow water, and serve as a ghostly reminder of the atrocities that took place during the Linebacker II campaign in the city fifty years ago.
Around the lake and down the narrow streets, there are plenty of coffee shops and pho restaurants. The area of Huu Tiep was once an area of the city used to grow flowers, and there are lots of colourful murals painted on the walls showing this.
After visiting the lake, walk ten minutes to the B-52 Victory Museum.
Outside the museum, stand huge anti-aircraft guns, satellite and radar dishes, large shells and humongous rocket launchers. In the centre, depending on which way you look at it, is a deconstructed / reconstructed B-52 bomber plane made up of lots of different bits of wreckage. Compared to the tangled metal remains of the B-52 plane shot down in Huu Tiep lake, the wreckage outside the museum really gave us a sense of scale of just how big the B-52 bomber planes were.
History fact: The B-52 planes were nicknamed “Big Ugly Fat Fellow” or BUFF for short.
Inside, the museum is set over two floors and delves into the defence efforts of the Northern Vietnamese against the US bombing campaigns.The exhibits show photographs, newspaper articles and first hand reports on the impact of the bombing raids as well as the weaponry and technology used to shoot down the US planes.
One of our favourite exhibits was seeing a leaflet given to American soldiers to hand out in case they were caught. With instructions written in Vietnamese, Chinese, Laotian, Thai and Burmese it was fascinating to see the different scriptures on one document.
President Nixon ordered the United States Air Force to conduct a strategic bombing campaign called Linebacker II (also known as the Christmas bombings) on Northern Vietnamese targets. During the twelve day bombing campaign, the US sent 200 B-52 planes to Northern Vietnam and dropped over 20,000 tons of bombs.
There is much debate over the outcome of Operation Linebacker II. The end of the operation led to the resumption of the Paris Talks on 8th January 1973 and the signing of the Paris Peace Accord on January 27th that signalled the end of the US involvement in the war.
After exploring the museum, we’d recommend crossing over the road and heading down the narrow alleyway to find the “Tiny Cafe”. Set in a wooden house, with seating inside and out, the cafe serves excellent coffee and plenty of iced teas. We enjoyed two delicious bac xiu’s (Vietnam’s take on a latte) and they hit the spot perfectly.
To learn more about what coffee to order, make sure you check out our Vietnamese guide to coffee here.
B-52 Victory Museum and Lake - Essential Information
Where is the B52 Victory Museum and Lake?
The B52 Victory Museum and lake are an easy ten minute walk away from each other.
The museum can be located here and the B52 lake can be found here.
Opening times:
The museum is open from 8.00am until 11.00am before closing for lunch and reopening from 13.30pm until 16.30pm.
The museum is open everyday except for Monday and Friday.
Entry cost:
Entry to the museum is free.
Vietnam Military History Museum
Continuing on the war theme, Vietnam’s Military History Museum covers all of Vietnam’s war time history. Covering everything from the Indochina Wars, the Vietnam War and Vietnam’s involvement in the Laotian and Cambodian Civil Wars.
The museum is set in lots of different buildings and showcases weaponry, propaganda posters, uniforms, medals, guns and bombs. There are also exhibits talking about the impact of the different wars on the Vietnamese people as well as discussing the demonstrations around the world against the Vietnam War.
The museum itself is quite hard to navigate as it is set over lots of different rooms on different levels and doesn’t seem to follow a set path. Make sure you head upstairs as there’s a whole other floor that we nearly missed.
Outside (at least when we visited) there was a huge statue made up of different plane parts, in the shape of a plane diving downwards with the tail of a plane pointing towards the sky.
To the left of the museum buildings is Hanoi’s Flag Tower (Cột cờ Hà Nội). A huge stepped, square pyramid made up of terracotta brick with an octagonal tower rising up in the centre. On top of this tower flies a huge Vietnamese flag. You are able to climb the base of the pyramid to get views over the museum itself. We can imagine that if you could climb the flag tower itself the view over the city would be incredible.
When we visited the flag tower, we had the added bonus of being treated to a huge dance troupe of elderly ladies waving bright blue fans in unison. It was quite the performance and the opening of the fans created a really cool thud/snapping sound against the gentle breeze.
There is a Highlands Coffee shop on site as well as vending machines to buy water, soft drinks and snacks.
Opposite the museum is Lenin Park (Công Viên Lênin) a small triangular park full of trees, benches and a statue of Lenin. The park is a great place to get a photo of the flag tower.
The museum will eventually be moved from its current site in the centre of the city to a new, larger location in the Tay Mo district outside of Hanoi. The museum is slowly moving its outdoor exhibits to the new site and depending on when you go, there may or may not be any of the war vehicles, planes or anti-aircraft guns on display.
When we visited at the beginning of April 2024, all the outdoor tanks, helicopters and planes that used to be outside the museum had already been moved to the new location and all that remained outside was the plane wreck statue. According to the recent Google reviews it looks as though the statue has now also been moved to the new museum.
Vietnam Military History Museum - Essential Information
Where is it?
The Vietnam Military History Museum can be located here.
Opening times:
The museum is open from 8.00am until 11.00am before closing for lunch. It will reopen between 13.30pm until 16.30pm.
The museum is open everyday except Monday and Friday where it is closed.
Entry cost:
Entry to the museum costs 30,000 VND per person to enter.
Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and the Ho Chi Minh Museum
Sat just off a huge park and parade ground sits the square stone pillared mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh. Inside lies the embalmed body of the leader himself.
Just behind the mausoleum is the Ho Chi Minh Museum, a beautiful white building built in the shape of a lotus flower. Inside the museum, there is a huge bronze statue of Ho Chi Minh as well as exhibits which talk about Ho Chi Minh’s life, his politics and philosophy and the impact he had on education. The museum also covers the on-going legacy of Ho Chi Minh which is still seen in Vietnam today.
From the mausoleum and museum, make sure you don’t miss visiting the One Pillar Pagoda, a beautiful stone and wooden pagoda built in 1049 above a lake.
To visit the mausoleum itself there is a very strict dress code. To enter you will need to cover your shoulders and knees. Please be respectful of the rules, and remember there are no photos allowed inside the mausoleum itself.
The Ho Chi Minh Museum and Mausoleum - Essential Information
Where are they?
Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum can be found here and the museum of Ho Chi Minh is located here.
Opening times:
There are strict opening times for visiting Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum. The opening times vary from season to season:
April to October - open from 7.30am until 10.30am
November to March - open from 8.00am until 11.00am
The mausoleum is open every day except on Monday’s and Friday’s where it is closed.
If you just want to view the mausoleum from the outside, the park is open everyday from 7.00am until 17.00pm. To get into the parade ground outside the mausoleum you will be required to go through a security check.
The Ho Chi Minh Museum is open everyday from 8.00am until 12.00pm and from 14.00pm until 16.30pm. The museum is closed every Monday and Friday.
Entry cost:
Entry to the museum costs 40,000 VND per person for international visitors. The museum is free for Vietnamese citizens.
There is no entrance fee to visit the mausoleum but as a foreign visitor you need to buy a museum ticket to enter.
Imperial Citadel of Thang Long (Hoàng Thành Thăng Long)
The Imperial Citadel of Thang Long was built in the 11th Century by rulers of the Ly Dynasty. Built on the foundations of a previous Chinese fortress, the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long became the Ly Dynasty’s capital and remained the political seat of power in Vietnam for nearly thirteen centuries. When the Vietnamese capital was moved to Hue in the 1800s, the ancient fortress was left abandoned. Today parts of the citadel have been restored and the site was awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in 2010.
Tip - don’t leave the ticket hall foyer without checking out the huge diorama of what the old citadel would have looked like!
After you’ve bought your tickets head out to climb the super imposing Doan Mon Gate. Make sure to climb up the top of the gate to get great views over Hanoi, the citadel grounds and the manicured lawns and gardens. We loved how the gardeners had created flower beds to represent the Vietnamese and hammer and sickle flags.
The museum part of the citadel is a bit like an exhibit treasure hunt, with exhibitions dotted throughout the different citadel buildings. Inside you can learn about the importance of the citadel as a centre of political, social and military power, the history of the Ly Dynasty and the rise and fall of the Ly capital. The citadel is still an on-going active archaeological dig site and each year archaeologists are uncovering more and more treasures from imperial Hanoi. A lot of the artefacts found at the site are on display within the site.
Our favourite part of the citadel was actually a very recent addition in the form of the D67 War Command Bunker. This wartime bunker, along with a network of other communication tunnels, was buried deep in the heart of the citadel. Serving as a communications bunker for Vietnamese commanders to discuss tactics, the bunker is in complete contrast to the rest of the ancient citadel. As you follow the signs to the bunker, you head down a steep set of stairs, through an impenetrable thick steel door and arrive in a wartime bunker full of maps, phones and radar dishes. It feels quite eerie as it looks just as though it would have been back in the late 60s!
If you’re interested in bunkers and are heading south to Ho Chi Minh City, don’t miss visiting the ‘secret weapon’s bunker’ hidden under a busy street. You can read more about our visit here.
Included with the price of entry, is entrance to a massive excavation and archaeological site set just over the road (located here - between the citadel and Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum). From our limited knowledge about archaeology, it looked as though the archaeologists digging there seemed to be uncovering ancient water channels and wells.
There is a cafe on the edge of the archaeological site that was very popular with Vietnamese teenagers when we visited.
It is very easy to miss a lot of the exhibits at the Citadel as a lot of the exhibitions are housed inside buildings in the citadel grounds. We saw lots of other travellers walk past some of the larger exhibits housed in the buildings on the right hand side of the path (as you walk north, leaving the main citadel gate behind you).
Imperial Citadel of Thang Long - Essential Information
Where is it?
The Imperial Citadel is located east of Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum, just behind the Vietnam Military Museum. The citadel can be found here on a map.
Opening times:
The museum is open everyday from 8.00am until 17.00pm.
Entry cost:
Tickets cost 70,000 VND each.
Vietnam National Museum of History
Set in an impressive yellow coloured building with a hexagonal tower rising from the middle, Vietnam’s National Museum of History is a brilliant way to learn all about Vietnam. The museum has exhibits from prehistoric Vietnam all the way to the 1947 revolution and the impact of the American - Vietnam War.
On display are beautiful stone statues, intricately carved Buddhist relics and jewellery as well as photographs from the Vietnam war, revolution posters and war medals.
The museum is a great place to get a comprehensive insight to Vietnam’s complicated past.
Vietnam National Museum of History - Essential Information
Where is it?
The Vietnam National Museum of History can be found on a map here. The exhibitions are located in two buildings, make sure you visit both!
Opening times:
The museum is open from 8.00am until 12.00pm and from 13.30pm until 16.30pm everyday.
The museum is closed every Monday.
Entry cost:
Entry to the museum costs 40,000 VND per person to enter. The ticket price covers entry to both buildings.
Museum of Ethnology
This large museum offers a glimpse into the lives of Vietnam’s different ethnic groups and is a great place to learn about Vietnamese culture. Inside the museum is split into two parts, with one section focussing on Vietnam’s 54 different ethnic groups and the second section focussing on the different ethnic cultures around South East Asia.
Outside, in the museum garden, there are replica scale houses for you to enter. Our favourite was the large, triangular roofed stilted house.
Tip: you will need to take your shoes off to enter any of the houses, so wear shoes that are easy to put on / remove!
The museum is fascinating and you could easily spend a good few hours exploring all there is to see here. There is also a cafe onsite if you need to refresh between exhibit hopping!
Museum of Ethnology - Essential Information
Where is it?
The Museum of Ethnology is located west of the Old Quarter and can be found here.
The museum is around a twenty minute drive from Hanoi’s Old Quarter. To reach here you’ll need to arrange a taxi or scooter.
Opening times:
The museum is open every Tuesday to Sunday from 8.30am until 17.30pm.
The museum is closed every Monday.
Entry cost:
Tickets cost 40,000 VND each.
Hanoi’s museums are a great place to head to if you’re needing to escape Hanoi’s brutal humidity, or if you need to run away from one of its biblical downpours!
Most of the museums have great air conditioning and plenty of exhibits inside.
Guided tours of Hanoi’s Museums
If you have only a little time in Hanoi and want to maximise your museum visits with a curated tour, then why not check out some of the tours on offer with Get Your Guide.
For those interested in the Vietnam War you can check out this tour here.
If you’d like to visit the Museum of Ethnology with a local tour guide to learn more about the different Vietnamese cultures then why not check out this tour here. This tour includes pick up and drop off from Hanoi’s Old Quarter so would be a good solution if you don’t fancy arranging your own transport to the museum.
To learn more about Ho Chi Minh and visit the mausoleum with a guide, check out this full day tour here taking in some of the best Hanoi has to offer.
Check out Get Your Guide here for more Hanoi tour options.
Getting around Hanoi
Most of the museums we’ve listed above are within walking distance of the Old Quarter. However if you’re planning on heading to the Museum of Ethnology or Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum you may want to arrange a taxi.
The easiest way to do this is to order a car or scooter taxi from the Grab app. Just enter your pick up point and where you want to get dropped off and choose whether you want to travel by car or by motorbike.
The quickest way to reach any of the museums will be by ordering a motorbike taxi.
To use the Grab app you will need a Vietnamese sim card. To arrange an eSIM in advance of arriving in Vietnam, check out the options available on Airalo here.
Where to stay in Hanoi?
The best place to stay if it's your first time in Hanoi will be the pretty streets of Hanoi’s Old Quarter. Check out this link here for some of the top rated hostels, guesthouses and hotels to stay at.
Hanoi is a fascinating and Multi-faceted city full of history, culture, art and surprises. It’s museums give a great window into Hanoi and Vietnam as a whole. No matter what you’re interests are, Hanoi will have a museum that will capture and enthral you.
Let us know in the comments which is your favourite or if we’ve missed any from our list.
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
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Hanoi’s Old Quarter - Eating and Drinking Like a Local
Hanoi is a foodies paradise with amazing Vietnamese street food found everywhere! Read our guide to find out the best places to eat from the popular Banh Mi 25 to Michelin recommended pho. We cover how to get the best bowl of bun rieu, a plate of banh xeo and even how to order a glass of the cheapest beer.
If there’s one piece of advice we can give to travellers heading to Hanoi, it’s to travel hungry!
There’s so much food on offer in Hanoi’s Old Quarter it can sometimes be daunting to pick what to eat. Wherever you look on any street, there will be noodles bubbling, meat grilling and woks frying. With delicious food available morning, noon and night, you’ll never be far from a bowl of steaming pho or a crunchy banh mi. The historic streets are full to the brim with restaurants, street food and stalls offering travellers everything from snacks to full meals.
Read on to find out where to eat some of our favourite Hanoi dishes in our guide to what we think is the best food and drink in Hanoi’s Old Quarter!
In this unmissable street eats guide, we tell you where you can eat the best:
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Hanoi Pho
Pho (phở) is synonymous with Vietnam. The Vietnamese noodle soup has gained worldwide fame and can be found on menus across the globe. Pho is perhaps Vietnam’s most famous dish.
Despite its global imitations, the original is always the best. There’s something special about slurping up a bowl of steaming noodles whilst sitting on a plastic stool watching the busy streets of Hanoi.
For those who haven’t eaten pho before; pho pronounced “fur” or “fuh”, refers to the white rice noodles that make up the base of Vietnam’s most famous dish. A bowl of pho comprises of, noodles, slices of meat and scatterings of herbs all topped off by a delicate broth.. There are endless variations of pho available with different meats, broths, styles and garnishes.
With pho, the star of the show is always the broth. Deep, complex and rich, yet supremely clean, it is a slow cooked masterpiece of a soup! Traditional pho shops will usually leave their broth to simmer and develop overnight - you can’t rush a work of art!
Hanoi is legendary for its pho, having a style distinct from the southern flavours found in Ho Chi Minh. Pho can be found all over the Old Quarter from early morning to late at night, with the city offering everything from beef, chicken, vegetable and even vegan variations. It’s a comforting bowl of noodles that will keep you satisfied and full for your day exploring the Old Quarter.
There is fierce debate as to whether northern pho or southern pho is the king in Vietnam. We’re not going to poke the hornet’s nest by answering that!
We have eaten plenty of bowls of pho throughout Vietnam and the main difference we found is that the southern broths were slightly sweeter and punchier whereas the northern broths were more delicate and subtle. We towed the line nicely on that one don’t you think!
Where to have the best bowl of pho in Hanoi’s Old Quarter:
Phở Gia Truyền Bát Đàn located here.
This small shophouse is the perfect example of a traditional pho joint. No nonsense, unpretentious and busy with locals.
Phở Gia Truyền Bát Đàn serves up exceptional bowls of beef pho from its traditional shop house. Just queue up at the wooden counter, next to the swinging slabs of beef and when it's your turn, choose what cut of meat you want and wait for them to create you a masterpiece in a bowl!
Did we also mention Phở Gia Truyền Bát Đàn is Michelin recommended!
Once presented with your bowl of steaming goodness, you have to navigate your own way through the very busy restaurant or out onto the crowded street to find a place to sit. It's hot, crowded and the bowl will scald your hands, but it’s completely worth it!
The pho from Phở Gia Truyền Bát Đàn is phenomenol, probably the best bowl we tried in Hanoi’s Old Quarter. It has the perfect balance of richness and delicacy, with melt in your mouth beef in a near perfect broth.
The restaurant gets very busy with queues out onto the street. If you’re planning to dine here, make sure to get here early, or expect to wait a while!
Prices at Phở Gia Truyền Bát Đàn are very reasonable around 50,000 VND per bowl - you won’t find a better pho!
Bun Cha
Bun Cha (Bún chả) where do we start with this legendary dish?
We’ll start with a little bit of personal history; many, many years ago, a young Jellie first came to Vietnam. Excited, nervous and unsure what we would find, we headed out onto the streets for our first Vietnamese meal. Through blind luck we stumbled into a bun cha joint. This was perhaps the most perfect introduction into Vietnamese food we could have asked for.
Bun cha is unlike anything you’ll find in Western cuisine. It’s sweet, salty, savoury, sharp, crispy yet chewy, soft yet crunchy. It is a delicious maelstrom of contrasting flavours and textures.
To make bun cha, pork patties are grilled on a charcoal flame until they are perfectly barbequed on the outside but still juicy on the inside. These are then plunged into a sweet soup / sauce. It’s really hard to describe this sauce as it really is unlike anything we’re used to in the West. Sweet with sugar, salty from the fish sauce and with a powerful hum of garlic throughout, this sauce absolutely makes the dish. On the side you’ll have fresh vegetables, herbs, sliced chillies and the iconic white bun noodles. All of which you’ll dip, slurp and crunch in the magical broth.
Where to have the best bun cha in Hanoi’s Old Quarter:
Bún Chả 41 Cửa Đông located here.
Always popular from when it opens until it closes, Bún Chả 41 Cửa Đông is a local favourite popular amongst both Hanoian’s and backpackers. You’ll be able to smell the restaurant before you see it as they are always roasting pork over charcoal on the streetside - it’s a great business strategy, you’ll literally be dragged in by the nose!
We’d recommend ordering a plate of their crispy spring rolls alongside your bun cha for added crunch!
A serving of bun cha is around 70,000 VND and spring rolls around 15,000 VND.
Banh Xeo
Banh Xeo (Bánh Xèo) is another Vietnamese classic that hasn’t been exported to the West yet. In simplest terms it is a fried, crispy batter pancake stuffed full of goodies. It can come with pork, prawns, vegetables, sliced beef or any or all of the above. The banh xeo is usually served alongside rice paper, fresh herbs and a dipping sauce. To eat, you smash the pancake, wrap it along with some herbs in the rice paper then dip and devour.
Banh xeo gets its name from the sizzle the pancake makes in the pan and the overall dish is an absolute treat of textures. We ate some brilliant banh xeo from north to south, but our favourite spot in Hanoi was…
Where to eat the best banh xeo in Hanoi’s Old Quarter:
Bánh xèo, Nem cuốn located just over the road from here.
This narrow shop is stuffed full of plastic stools and small metal tables. At the front of the shop sits a row of massive burners, their flames licking the bottom of the banh xeo pans. It’s a permanent hub of activity with the cooks working like a well oiled machine, flipping, folding, and flaming the banh xeo to order.
We ordered two sets of the banh xeo alongside some crispy wontons. The banh xeo was perfectly crunchy and stuffed full of beef, shrimp and beansprouts. It was so good! A riot of textures with the soft rice paper giving way to the crispy pancake and snappy little bean sprouts. The dipping sauce was both sweet and spicy and it, along with the herbs, kept the whole dish light and fresh.
One plate of banh xeo costs 20,000 VND.
Bun Rieu
What is bun rieu (Bún Riêu)? That is a very difficult question to answer as bun rieu is endlessly varied. This staple noodle soup of Vietnam’s only constants are the white bun noodle and the red, tomato laced broth. After that it's anyone's game of what goes into a bun rieu. You might find pork, prawns, crab or even snails in your bun rieu. The variety in Hanoi alone is endless!
One thing we can say in Vietnam is that we never had a bad bowl of bun rieu. It is always different and always delicious.
Where to have the best bowl of bun rieu in Hanoi’s Old Quarter:
There is no Google listing for this bun rieu spot, but you can find Co Thuy Bun Rieu underneath a railway bridge (to the north of Hanoi’s Old Quarter) here. Just look for the busy street side stalls and green sign and you’ll know you’re in the right place.
We ordered the special bowl which came topped with pretty much everything you can think of, Vietnamese sausage, snails, deep fried tofu and pork patties all crowded the bowl. The whole thing was topped with golden crumbs of deep fried garlic and shallots and a scattering of diced spring onions. It was a fantastic bowl with no two mouthfuls being the same. You can’t go wrong with a bowl of bun rieu, but if you really want to go right, you have to try this place.
One special bowl of bun rieu costs around 40,000 VND.
Tell us you're not hungry just looking at this bowl!
We’d recommend pairing a visit to this bun rieu stall either before or after you’ve looked at the nearby street murals. Take a look at what else there is to do in Hanoi’s Old Quarter here.
Banh Mi
It would be impossible to write a food article without acknowledging Vietnam’s most famous sandwich, the banh mi!
Banh mi (bánh mì in Vietnamese) can be found all over Vietnam and is the ultimate crunchy sandwich. Influenced by the French, the Vietnamese take on a sandwich starts with a small crispy baguette. The small batons of bread are cut lengthways then slathered in gamey rich pate. On top of this pate, slices of meat are added before being topped with pickled vegetables, crunchy herbs and chilli sauce.
The banh mi is the ultimate pick up and go meal and has become a budget friendly backpacker favourite. Banh mi’s are available all day and there are endless variations on offer with fried eggs, melted cheese and even sweet banh mi’s!
Where to eat the best banh mi in Hanoi’s Old Quarter:
It’s cliche to say, but the backpacker favourite of Banh Mi 25 (location) really does live up to the hype. Heralded as one of the best, cheap street foods on offer in Hanoi’s Old Quarter, Banh Mi 25 is a firm traveller favourite. Whatever time of day you rock up, there will be queues of other backpackers waiting in line to get their hands on one of these legendary sandwiches.
Banh Mi 25 offers a huge range of options from pork and beef to vegetarian and vegan, whatever you fancy, there will be a sandwich to suit you. The restaurant has always been a traveller favourite. In fact, we made a beeline to try it back in 2016 on our first trip to Hanoi. Nowadays, Banh Mi 25 has evolved into 3 shops and is a non-stop baguette cutting, pate smearing, meat and herb scattering machine that churns out hundreds and hundreds of banh mi’s to hungry travellers everyday!
The baguettes are super crunchy on the outside, but perfectly soft within, creating the perfect vessel for your pate, meat and vegetable combinations! We visited multiple times and loved their barbecued pork and pate banh mi.
To make a really good banh mi takes skill. Throughout our Vietnamese adventure we’ve eaten plenty of these sandwiches, and Banh Mi 25 really does live up to its reputation and deserves its queues. There’s a reason why banh mi is known as the best sandwich in the world.
Banh mi’s range from 35,000 VND to 45,000 VND. You can pick up your sandwich to go or sit in one of their streetside seating areas.
They also serve banh mi chao, sliced baguettes served with a hot pan of pate, fried eggs, and slices of pork or beef. We sadly didn’t get to try it this time, but next time Banh Mi 25, next time!
Like we mentioned Banh Mi 25 does get very busy and you will need to queue. Unlike some other tourist attractions and Instagram favourites, Banh Mi 25 is totally worth the hype.
Hanoi Duck
Hanoi is famous for its duck dishes. Every foodie knows about the legendary, Michelin recommend, Don Duck Old Quarter Restaurant (location) but, there is also a whole crossroads dedicated to the cooking of our quacking compatriots.
Come nightfall, in the heart of Hanoi’s Old Quarter, a busy intersection is swamped by stools, tables and people happily munching on delicious duck dishes from duck pho to platters of roasted duck. We can highly recommend…
Where to eat the best duck in Hanoi?
Ngan Ngon Trâm located here. This restaurant sits on a crossroad surrounded by other duck based eateries.
We ordered a spectacular duck platter. The platter arrived on a massive metal tray full of poached duck leg, deep fried duck, duck soup, pickled vegetables, bun noodles, herbs and a dipping sauce. It was a huge feast definitely big enough for the two of us and the duck was sublime. The different styles of cooking all gave completely different flavours to the rich and luxurious duck meat. Our favourite was the deep fried duck - studded through with lime leaf, garlic and shallots we’re surprised Hanoi fried duck (HFD for short) has not taken off!
A two person platter cost 300,000 VND.
Fried eels and eel soup
We’ve already written about some pretty adventurous eating exploits in Vietnam (you can read more here) but believe us when we say, Hanoi’s eels are a must try! The eels are delicious and unique and worth it far more than just for the kudos and shock value you may think coming from the West.
You can always tell it is an eel shop as they’ll have a glass cabinet stuffed with deep fried eels proudly displayed out front. These deep fried marine monsters are the central part of all of the most famous Hanoian eel dishes. You can have eel porridge, eel soup or eel and glass noodles. Don’t be squeamish, deep fried eel is crunchy, meaty and really moreish.
Eels may look a bit gruesome but they taste amazing!
Where to eat eel in Hanoi?
Miến lươn Đông Thịnh located here. We found Miến lươn Đông Thịnh after following the recommendations of one of our favourite food-tubers Gary Butler and it definitely didn’t disappoint!
We ordered a bowl of eel noodle soup (mien nuoc) and a plate of deep fried eel with glass noodles (mien xao luon). The soup was clean and fresh with the deep fried eels straddling an impossible line between being crunchy and juicy. The eels rehydrated in the soup to create a salty, meaty kick. The deep fried eels with the glass noodles were nutty, crunchy perfection! The dish is not much to look at, but honestly was one of our favourite noodle dishes we have eaten in Vietnam.
Mien nuoc - eel soup
Mien xao luon - deep fried eel and glass noodles
If you’re an adventurous eater or just want to push yourself a little outside your comfort zone, head here!
Our bowl of eel soup cost 45,000 VND and the deep fried eels with glass noodles was 65,000 VND.
Xoi
Xoi (xôi) is a Vietnamese staple. Often served for breakfast, you can find xoi anywhere from restaurants and streetside stands to being sold by passing vendors on the street.
Xoi is sticky rice which is topped with meat, pate, eggs or any number of different toppings. This hearty dish really sets you up for a day of exploring. We love xoi so much we have written an entire article about the dish, you can read it here:
Where to eat xoi in Hanoi?
Xôi Yến (find it here) is conveniently located near many of the tour agencies and bus stops on the edge of the Old Quarter so makes it a perfect place to grab a filling meal before travelling out of Hanoi. In fact, this is just what we did before catching a bus to Ha Giang (read more about the incredible Ha Giang loop here).
We filled up on two plates of delicious xoi topped with sweet roasted pork, Chinese sausage, egg and pork floss. It was super tasty, hearty and just what we needed before a long journey!
We’d recommend ordering the special mixed xoi which costs 45,000 VND.
Bia Hoi
We couldn’t write a Hanoi Old Quarter food and drink guide without mentioning the incredible Bia Hoi. This Northern Vietnamese creation is perhaps the ultimate beer!
Super cheap, super fresh and super easy to drink. The draught beer is brewed fresh each day then left to mature for a short while, before being drunk. We think Bia Hoi is one of the best Vietnamese inventions and we’ve written an entire article about it here.
Where to have the best Bia Hoi in Hanoi’s Old Quarter?
In the Old Quarter you’re never far from a beer, but our favourite place for a bia hoi was up near ‘Train Street’ at Quán Bia Hơi Bát Đàn (location).
As the sun goes down, Quán Bia Hơi Bát Đàn fills up with locals and travellers sipping on cheap beer and dining on delicious foods. There’s a great feel to the place and the beer is fresh, delicious and very cheap.
If you’re after a true Vietnamese night out and are bored of the backpackers of ‘Beer Street’ head for a bia hoi at Quán Bia Hơi Bát Đàn!
A glass of bia hoi will only set you back 13,000 VND.
Hanoi is full of bia hoi joints. If you’re looking to escape the Old Quarter make sure you check out Truc Bach Island for a fantastic bia hoi spot with excellent sunset views. Read more here.
Other Hanoi dishes to try
There are so many more delicious dishes to eat in the Vietnamese capital than what we have listed here. If you’re staying in the Old Quarter make sure you don’t limit yourself to just its winding streets.
A short walk north of the Old Quarter is the Tay Ho West Lake and Truc Bach district which are stuffed full of authentic Vietnamese restaurants, street food and markets. The island of Truc Bach is famous for inventing the pho cuon and pho chien phong. These unique takes on the traditional dish are nothing like your usual bowl of soup. Pho cuon can be thought of as pho enchilada, with a rice noodle roll wrapping up beef and herbs before being dipped in delicious sauce. Pho chien phong is pho’s unhealthy younger brother. Deep fried rice noodles puff up into crispy little squares before being coated in a rich, beef laden gravy. Both are amazing and definitely worth tracking down.
For a guide to Truc Bach and all the delicious food and drink on offer read our full article here:
Taking a food tour around Hanoi’s Old Quarter
There are so many Vietnamese delights on offer in Hanoi’s Old Quarter it can be hard to fit it all in. To sample the best food the Old Quarter has to offer and to get an expert's view of the city's food, check out the food tours of Hanoi’s Old Quarter available on Get Your Guide here.
For those who don’t mind an early start, we took an excellent dawn food tour sampling the best food on offer around the Long Bien Market. You can read more about our morning here.
You won't need to look far for streetside food in Hanoi ... it's literally everywhere!
Final Thoughts
You really cannot go wrong with eating in Hanoi’s Old Quarter, in fact it is a challenge to find bad food. The only other advice we can give would apply to pretty much anywhere in the world; if you’re looking for good food, look for the locals. You’re never going to find the best Vietnamese food in your hotel's restaurant!
Just head out onto the busy streets of the Old Quarter, pull up a plastic stool and dive into the fantastic street food of Hanoi.
If we’ve missed your favourite Hanoi dish off this list, let us know in the comments.
Happy munching!
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
If you’re heading south to Ho Chi Minh, don’t miss reading our article on some of the best food available in Vietnam’s southern city here.
Check out all our other Hanoi travel guides here:
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Old Quarter Hanoi - A Complete Travel Guide
Hanoi's Old Quarter is a beautiful, colourful, historic warren of streets, people, bikes and food. Read our complete guide to getting the best out of the popular backpacking neighbourhood. From where to stay, what to eat and what to do, to how to get around and lesser known things not to miss, we cover it all!
Hanoi’s Old Quarter is the beating heart of the Vietnamese capital. Nestled between the ancient Imperial Citadel and the banks of the Hoan Kiem Lake, this historic neighbourhood is a labyrinth of narrow streets, picturesque temples and buzzing markets. Full of great restaurants, lively bars and lots of things to see and do, the Old Quarter of Hanoi is where travellers and backpackers will spend the majority of their stay.
Read on for our complete guide on how to fill your time in Hanoi’s historic Old Quarter.
In this Hanoi Old Quarter travel guide:
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. We will earn a small commission from any purchases made through these links.
The streets of the Old Quarter are filled with food, some of it even comes to you!
What is the Old Quarter of Hanoi and where can you find it on a map?
The Old Quarter of Hanoi is a district set in the heart of the Vietnamese capital. The Old Quarter is ringed by the railway tracks and ancient Imperial Citadel to the west, the banks of the Hoan Kiem Lake to the south and the banks of the mighty Red River to the east.
You can find the Old Quarter here:
A Brief History of the Old Quarter
The area has been a centre of commerce since the 11th century when Emperor Ly Thai To moved the capital of Dai Viet to Hanoi. As the city grew and grew, crafters and guilds set up shop and the streets of the Old Quarter became a thriving hub of merchants selling their wares. During the colonial period under French rule, western architecture was introduced to the streets with St Joseph’s Cathedral being the most famous addition to the area.
Today the Old Quarter is a maze of tiny streets and alleyways full of thin shophouses, street food vendors, motorbikes and people. It’s a complete assault on the senses with colourful flowers and lanterns hanging from every doorway, huge cauldrons of pho wafting their herby stock through the air and constant honks of scooters as drivers weave their way in and around the busy streets.
How to get to Hanoi’s Old Quarter
For most travellers, Hanoi will either be the beginning or end point of their Vietnamese adventure. Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport has frequent flights to the whole of Asia as well as to the UK, Europe, Australia, the Middle East and the USA.
The airport is located around 32 km away from the Old Quarter of Hanoi and will take just under an hour to get to. From the airport there are two main options on how to get to the city:
Hanoi Airport to the Old Quarter - By bus
Taking one of Hanoi’s public buses to the Old Quarter will by far be the cheapest option for backpackers and travellers. There are two main bus routes serving Hanoi’s Old Quarter:
Bus 86 runs every 45 minutes from 7am until 10pm and costs 45,000 VND per ticket. The route for bus 86 takes you from the airport, through the Old Quarter and finishes at Hanoi’s Railway Station.
Bus 17 runs every 15 minutes from 5.10am until 10pm and costs just 9000 VND per ticket. Bus 17 runs from the airport to Long Bien bus station located just north of the Old Quarter.
During rush hour, the buses can get very busy with locals and journey times to and from the airport can vary depending on traffic.
Colourful flowers can be found on sale everywhere in Hanoi's Old Quarter!
Hanoi Airport to the Old Quarter - By taxi
Taking a taxi will be more pricey, but will obviously be the quicker and more luxe-y of options.
You can arrange a taxi in advance when you arrive or book a taxi at the arrivals terminal.
We arrived from Mumbai, India and after an overnight flight with a pre-dawn arrival. As we had arrived before the local buses had started running, we splashed cash and arranged a taxi transfer. This would let us enjoy a bowl of early morning pho with the locals as soon as we arrived in the Old Quarter. You can book an airport taxi transfer with Kiwi Taxis here.
In Vietnam anything can be transported by bike!
Getting to Hanoi from elsewhere in Vietnam
If you’re already travelling within Vietnam, getting to Hanoi is super easy with almost every town and city offering bus or train links to the capital. We’d recommend booking your train and bus tickets in advance with 12Go.
Getting to Hanoi by bus
If you’re travelling from the north down to Hanoi you’ll almost certainly arrive at Ben Xe My Dinh Bus Station (located here) to the west of the Old Quarter.
If you’re arriving from the south of Hanoi, your bus will come into the southern bus station of Ben Xe Giap Bat bus station (located here).
For both the bus stations listed above you will need to arrange a taxi to take you into the Old Quarter. We’d recommend using the Grab app, see more about this later.
Many of the smaller mini-bus operators will drop you off in the Old Quarter itself where the companies have their booking offices. Just check your tickets to see where you’ll be dropped off.
Getting to Hanoi by train
Hanoi Railway Station is located here, southwest of the Old Quarter. It’s an easy 30 minute (2km) walk to get to the Old Quarter, or if you’d prefer, a 10 minute taxi drive.
There is colour everywhere you look in the Old Quarter!
What to do in Hanoi’s Old Quarter
Visit some of Hanoi’s most notable craft streets - exploring the Old Quarter by foot
Hanoi’s Old Quarter is a beautiful maze of thin shophouses rising up from narrow streets, criss-crossing like small wires on a circuit board. There’s a reason behind the tall, thin shop fronts, as in the 16th to 18th century, the buildings were taxed on their width and as a result, narrow, tall buildings were constructed.
The Old Quarter has been an area of commerce and craftsmanship since the 11th century, when merchants and craft makers followed Emperor Ly Thai To to the new Imperial capital. As Hanoi grew and grew, more and more artisans moved to the city bringing with them their crafts. This created new craft neighbourhoods and guilds to specialise and protect their professions. Each street or neighbourhood was named Hang (meaning shop or merchant) followed by what they sold e.g. Hang Duong (sugar shop).
Today as you walk through the Old Quarter, you can still see remnants of these historic streets with whole streets full to the brim with shops all selling the same products.
Some of our favourite streets to explore were Hang Ma (street of paper offerings) which was full to the brim with paper lanterns of every colour, temple offerings and decorations. Another of our favourite streets were the more industrious; with Hang Tre (street of bamboo) which sold bamboo poles in every height and Hang Thiec (street of tin) which was full of metal goods from watering cans to woks. We’d recommend just getting lost in the web of streets. We spent days wandering the maze and loved seeing all the different wares for sale.
If you’re travelling with children, Luong Van Can street will be a popular stop as wherever you look, the street is filled with cuddly teddy bears and plastic toys!
Some more of our photos taken on the busy streets of Hanoi’s Old Quarter
Hoan Kiem Lake
Dominating the southern edge of Hanoi’s Old Quarter is Hoan Kiem Lake. Surrounded by trees and flower beds, the 1.1 mile loop walk is great for a bit of escapism from the busy streets.
It’s a great circular walk that can be completed in either direction. We particularly love stopping on the shores of the western bank and looking up at the horizon where glass fronted offices rise up behind the stone pagoda that sits in the middle of the lake. It’s a perfect example of Hanoi’s historic past blending with modernity of the changing city.
We’d recommend walking the loop twice, once early in the morning and then again when the sun goes down. In the day, the lake is popular with elderly Vietnamese ladies dancing and doing exercise classes, whereas in the night, the lake lights up and the route is full of families and children.
Just off the northern shore is Ngoc San Temple, a beautiful Vietnamese / Chinese style temple set on an island in the middle of the lake. The temple is accessed via an ornate red wooden bridge and the temple complex is full of intricate carvings, incense and shrines. We’ve written all about visiting this temple in our Hanoi temple guide which you can read here.
For those backpackers who need a bit of western comfort from the ‘golden arches’, McDonalds can be found to the south of the lake… we may or may not have treated ourselves to a burger there!
Visit Hanoi’s famous ‘Train Street’
If you type Hanoi into Tik Tok or Instagram, one of the most popular search results will be Hanoi’s ‘Train Street’. Listed as one of the “top things to do” in the city, there are literally thousands of posts showing travellers posing on or sitting next to the narrow railway tracks. In fact, we just typed “Hanoi” in ourselves on Instagram, and out of the 12 top results, 8 were showing images or videos of ‘Train Street’.
For those whose socials’ have not yet spoiled ‘Train Street’; the famous street is quite simply a railway track that runs through the middle of a building lined thoroughfare. Over the years, the street's popularity has grown and more and more businesses have opened up. Today, the street is a lantern covered railway track lined with restaurants, cafes and bars all offering you the chance to sit down with an ice cold beer whilst watching as a train passes by within a foot of you.
We’re going to be completely honest here, we really don’t understand the hype around ‘Train Street’. It’s become one of the things that’s recommended as a ‘must do’ but honestly, it felt completely fake to us. We have visited the street twice now, and during our most recent visit, we felt as though what was once there has now been lost.
Social media can be such a powerful tool, it can show you places you’ve never heard of and bring to light unknown treats, however sometimes it goes far too far. The algorithm can get too over-saturated, with the same posts again and again. As a result, places can succumb to over tourism, with thousands of visitors trying to get the same photo and video content as everyone else.
As you reach the crossroads with ‘Train Street’ you’ll find barriers and guards at either entrance to ‘Train Street’. Due to some recent incidents on the line, authorities are trying to shut the street down, with access supposedly by ‘invitation only’ from one of the restaurant owners lining the street. We were lucky when we visited this time as the guard didn’t seem to be too bothered about stopping anyone and we just walked on by.
As we wandered down the street, it felt a bit like a tacky theme park, with bartenders and restaurant owners desperately shouting at us for our custom. Even though it was the middle of the afternoon and no trains were due down the lines until later that evening, the tracks were overrun with other travellers.
There are only a few trains that travel down the tracks each day, with around 4 trains running in the evening.
If you’re planning to visit ‘Train Street’ and want to watch a train go past on the tracks, check the times before heading out.
Train times are not definite as delays and cancellations can occur.
We’re going to sound like those preachy boomers by saying ‘back in our day’, but when we visited Hanoi back in 2016, ‘Train Street’ did feel like a “real" place. There were no barriers, no tourists and any cafes were just small hole-in-the-wall joints full of locals. Today, with the brightly coloured lanterns, neon lights and crowds, it really felt as though the street had lost all its authenticity. We really hate to use the word ‘authenticity’ but the street felt a world away from what we saw all those years ago.
'Train Street' in 2016 looked a little different than it does today!
With all the negativity out the way, we’re not going to say don’t visit ‘Train Street’. We’d be hypocrites if we said not too as we did walk down the tracks ourselves. There is something fun about walking down railway tracks, it sparks that inner child as you skip from one sleeper to the next. But if you’re looking for a real Hanoi experience, head to a local market, eat with the locals and sip a beer in a local bia hoi joint. There’s so much more on offer than the bland, copy-paste, Western offerings of ‘Train Street’.
Street Murals
Painted on the railway arches stretching all along Phung Hung Street, are huge street art murals depicting scenes of local Hanoi life. In one painting, a young Vietnamese girl can be seen walking into a school, whilst in another, a lady wearing the iconic conical hat carries two baskets full of flowers on either shoulder. Temples, markets and the Red River are all represented in these colourful pieces of street art.
One of our favourite pieces we spotted was an archway split in two. One half of the archway was an architectural line drawing of a doorway and window, whilst the other half was a fully painted door and window. Another favourite was a black and white temple. The bridge and path looked so realistic it felt as though we could step right into the painting.
Some of our favourite street art murals in Hanoi!
Most of the murals have been painted straight onto the railway arch, but there are a few that seem to have been made up of recycled tiles and other materials to create huge mosaics and collages.
It can be quite tricky to get photos of the street art pieces as the pavement is also a motorbike park, so you’ll have to spend a lot of time weaving your way through parked bikes to get that “perfect shot”.
The street murals have been created in partnership with Korea, to help make an art district within the Old Quarter.
If you are coming to visit the street art murals, just be aware that If you are squeamish, the road is also home to several meat sellers barbequing a certain kind of meat that as Westerners you may, or may not want to see. To know more of what this meat may be, check out the Google reviews for the Street Murals.
St Joseph Cathedral
Rising up out of the narrow alleyways and streets of the Old Quarter is the towering square spires of St Joseph’s Cathedral. Built in 1886, the French style neo-gothic cathedral looks out of place next to its Vietnamese shophouse neighbours.
The streets are filled with scooters in Hanoi's Old Quarter!
Stumbling upon the cathedral feels very surreal. One minute you’re dodging motorbikes and plastic stools, and the next you’re standing in front of a towering cathedral on a square that looks as though you’ve been transported straight to the heart of Europe.
St Joseph’s Cathedral was designed to mirror that of Paris’s Notre Dame cathedral. There are some similarities with the square towers, but St Joseph’s Cathedral is a much smaller affair. However, there is something about the cathedral that feels intimidating. It may be the many arched windows carved into the square towers, or it may be the weathered dark grey stone that stands in stark contrast to the colourful streets.
St Joseph’s Cathedral is free to enter, but just be aware that it does close for lunch. The cathedral is open from 8am to 11am and from 2pm until 5pm everyday.
As this is a religious site there is a strict dress code to enter the cathedral. Like the temples in and around the Old Quarter, shoulders and knees need to be covered.
There are lots of restaurants and coffee shops that overlook the cathedral square. To get a really good view over the cathedral, we’d recommend heading up to one of the cafe's balconies and grabbing a seat.
Exploring one of Hanoi’s markets
Hanoi is a city full of markets. From wet markets selling live fish, frogs and chickens to tourist markets selling scarfs, elephant pants and candles.
Dong Xuan Market
If you’re in the Old Quarter we’d recommend visiting Dong Xuan Market (location). This huge, 3-storey building is home to Hanoi’s largest indoor market.
First built in 1889 by the French, the market has undergone several renovations over the years following the war and then a fire in 1994. It is now a curious mix of colonial, soviet and modern styles.
Set over 3 floors, the market is full of clothes, toiletries and electrical stalls. It’s a fascinating place to wander around and really feels like a local Vietnamese market. Outside on the streets surrounding the market there are plenty of pho and noodle joints.
Dong Xuang Market is full to the brim with market stalls!
If you’re looking for souvenirs to take home you’d probably be best shopping at the Weekend Market. Which brings us nicely on to …
Hanoi’s Weekend Night Market
Stretching the length of Hang Dao, Hang Ngang, Hang Duong and Dong Xuan streets, Hanoi’s weekend night market is full of stalls selling everything from stickers to fridge magnets, knock off North Face gear to dresses, phone cases to vintage cameras. If you want to purchase anything, just remember to haggle!
Dotted throughout the market are street food stalls selling everything from banh mi to dumplings. There is also a small food court outside of Dong Xuan market.
We’d recommend heading here and walking up and down the length of the market.
The market is open from 6pm to 11pm every Friday to Sunday.
Visit one of Hanoi’s many museums
Hanoi has a rich history from the ancient city of Ly Thong to the turbulent war time years of the Vietnam / American War.
There’s no better way to learn about its colourful past than by visiting one of its many museums. Some of our favourite museums to visit were the Vietnamese Women’s Museum, the Hao Lo Prison Relic museum and the Imperial Citadel.
For more information about which museums to visit, check out our Hanoi museum guide below:
Take a look at some of Hanoi’s temples
Nestled in between the thin shophouses, are plenty of ornate, colourful temples and shrines. Wherever you are in the Old Quarter, it won’t be long until you stumble upon a temple.
The Old Quarter houses dozens of beautiful temples including the Bach Ma Temple, the Xuan Yen Temple and Dinh Tan Khai Temple. All of which can be visited on a walk around the historic streets of the Old Quarter.
If you only have time to visit one temple in Hanoi, we’d especially recommend visiting the Temple of Literature. Only a short walk away from the Old Quarter, the Temple of Literature is a stunning temple set over 5 courtyards and is full of beautiful pagodas, lakes and ornate gardens.
To read more about some of the other temples of Hanoi, including the Temple of Literature check out our temple’s of Hanoi guide below:
If you are planning to visit the temples be respectful and make sure you dress appropriately.
No shorts, mini skirts or vest tops. Shoulders and knees need to be covered.
Have an egg coffee whilst cafe hopping
Wherever you end up in the Old Quarter, you’ll never be far from a cafe or coffee shop. Serving everything from your standard black to your Vietnamese bac xiu, the coffee culture in Vietnam is huge!
One coffee you must try before leaving Hanoi though is Vietnam’s famous egg coffee. This is never the easiest sell, but egg coffee is literally what it says on the tin. An egg is whisked with coffee, sugar and condensed milk and the result is a rocket fuel laden, super sweet custardy rich coffee. It’s super delicious and super addictive. It’s more of a dessert than a coffee so we’d recommend having one as pudding after a bowl of pho!
Vietnamese egg coffee looks more like a custard dessert!
Almost every TikTok video or Instagram reel will recommend you head to the Note Cafe. A very popular cafe set just off the banks of Hoan Kiem Lake. Whilst it’s fun to write a post-it note and stick it to the multi-coloured sticker filled walls. We feel the coffee was quite expensive and not as good as other cheaper local offerings. It seems to be a victim of its own fame with queues of tourists waiting outside at all times of day. If you’re after an egg coffee with an Old Quarter view, our favourite coffee shops were:
Coffee A (location) set on a busy crossroads in the heart of the Old Quarter. Once you’ve ordered, head upstairs and get a seat on their balcony overlooking the streets below. Whatever time of day, the streets were always busy with locals playing Da Cau (foot badminton), fruit sellers and cloth merchants. Coffee A’s coffee was super delicious, especially paired with a banana muffin!
The streets of the Old Quarter are always full of life!
Ca Bop (location) also set on the edge of a busy crossroads, Ca Bop Egg Coffee is a great place for a pick me up. The coffee shop is located in one of Hanoi’s very narrow shophouses and once you’ve ordered you have to climb up to the very steep stairs to reach the balcony and upstairs seats. The best seats in the house are on the small balcony that overlooks a small temple, a busy restaurant and the bamboo sellers of Hang Tre. The egg coffees here are delicious and we can highly recommend them!
Hanoi is best viewed from a balcony!
Read more about Vietnamese coffee and what coffee you should order in our Vietnamese coffee guide below:
Taking a food tour in Hanoi
Vietnamese food is renowned worldwide for its herby flavours, delicate broths and elegant contrasts. Pho and banh mi have become a favourite amongst travellers in Vietnam, but there’s so many more dishes to try!
On our travels, we feel that one of the best ways to really understand a cuisine and delve deep into the dishes is by taking a food tour with a local expert. We took an incredible pre-dawn food tour with A Chef’s Tour where we dined with the locals in the incredibly busy Long Bien Market. Read more about our munch filled morning here.
The very busy Long Bien morning market was filled with hundreds of stalls selling fresh fruit and vegetables of every variety!
If a 4am start is too early for you, there are plenty of other food tours on offer in Hanoi from morning till nightfall. Check out this tour on Get Your Guide where you can sample 7 very tasty dishes!
Have a drink with other backpackers on Hanoi’s famous ‘Beer Street’
As night falls the bars and clubs of Ta Hien or ‘Beer Street’ open their doors and the street is filled with backpackers, locals and travellers sitting on plastic stools sipping on ice cold beers.
Cheap beer, live bands, thumping clubs and street food, if you’re after a beer with other travellers, Ta Hien is an absolute must!
There are plenty of organised pub crawls in Hanoi which will take you to some of the best bars and clubs on the street. Check out this after dark tour with Get Your Guide here.
Other things to do in Hanoi’s Old Quarter
Hanoi Opera House
Even if you’re not into opera, Hanoi’s Opera House is an impressive yellow and white domed building set just off the eastern edge of Hoan Kiem Lake. Built in 1911, the opera house still showcases music, opera and dance performances. To visit the inside of the opera house you will need to book tickets for a show.
To see what’s on, check out their website here.
For those not on a backpacker budget like us, if you’re after high-end luxury goods, think Prada and Gucci handbags, then the streets surrounding the opera house are Hanoi’s equivalent to Knightsbridge!
You can see the European influences in Hanoi's Opera House.
Watch a Water Puppet Show
Water puppetry has a long history in Hanoi. First performed in rural villages to celebrate rice harvests and other festivals, before being brought to the Imperial Court. The puppetry was an instant hit with the Royals and it wasn’t long before water puppetry theatres were established in Hanoi.
Today you can watch a Water Puppet Show at the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre located just off the northeastern banks of Hoan Kiem Lake.
Escape to nature in one of Hanoi’s green parks
Hanoi can sometimes feel very busy. The roads and narrow streets are filled to the brim with motorbikes and scooters. To escape from hecticness we’d recommend heading to one of Hanoi’s green spaces.
Our favourite park was the Thong Nhat Park. A huge park that centres out around a large lake.
Don’t miss taking a look at the VTC Tower, a red and white telecommunications tower that looks a little like a cross between the Tokyo Tower and the Eiffel Tower. You can find it to the east of the park here.
If you need a wardrobe revamp, the park is only a short walk away from the Vincom Center, a huge shopping mall with UNIQLO, Adidas, Mango, Zara and other Western branded stores.
Just north of the Old Quarter is the small Hang Dau Garden (location), a small paved park full of benches, trees and water fountains. In the centre is a large stone monument dedicated to those who fought in the Vietnam. If you’re heading to Truc Bach Island or the West Lake you’ll almost certainly pass through this park.
Hang Dau Garden is very popular with locals and you may even see some cock fighting!
If you’re after a coffee there are plenty of coffee shops rining this park.
Visit Truc Bach Island
North of Hanoi’s Old Quarter lies the small island of Truc Bach Island. Famous for its pho cuon dish (white rice noodles wrapped in a roll and filled with sauteed beef and herbs), the little island is full of small eateries, coffee shops and bars.
We spent a fortnight staying on the island, check out our guide below:
Walk around West Lake
Hanoi is dominated by a huge lake to the northwest of the Old Quarter called West Lake. Popular with expats and locals, the lake feels a world away from the busy streets of Hanoi. If you’re after doing something a little different with your time in Hanoi, why not do what we did and spend an afternoon walking around the shoreline of the lake.
Read more about West Lake and the walk we did here.
Where to eat and drink in Hanoi’s Old Quarter?
Hanoi’s Old Quarter has a plethora of restaurants, street food vendors and markets offering Vietnamese dishes and Western favourites. Whatever you fancy eating, whether you’re a foodie or a fussy eater, there will be something for you to eat in the busy streets.
We’ve written a whole article on our favourite Vietnamse dishes to try in the Old Quarter. Read more below:
Guided tours of Hanoi
If you’re short on time and want to maximise seeing as much of Hanoi as possible we’d recommend taking a guided tour. There are plenty of guided tours on offer from food and drink options to history tours, check out Get Your Guide to book a Hanoi tour.
Most tours will include pick up and drop off at your accommodation as well as transport to all the sites. Perfect if you’re short on time and want to see as many of Hanoi’s attractions as possible!
Getting around Hanoi’s Old Quarter
The easiest way to explore the Old Quarter is by foot. Just head out and get lost amongst the busy streets!
Hanoi’s motorbike-filled traffic can be very busy and overwhelming for first time travellers in Vietnam. Our advice is don’t stop in the middle of the road. Cross with confidence and don’t dither. As long as you are predictable, the motorbikes will just flow around you!
To get further afield in Hanoi the easiest way is to book a taxi. To do this we’d recommend downloading the Grab app. Grab lets you book both car and motorbike taxis and can take you anywhere in the city. To use Grab you will need a Vietnamese sim card. Check out the eSIMS available on Airalo here.
The pavements in Hanoi's Old Quarter are also used for scooter parking!
If you’re after a unique way to see the Old Quarter then why not hop on a cyclo. Available on any of the streets of the historic centre, just flag down one of these pedal powered taxis, let them know where you want to go and negotiate a price. We can’t think of anything more embarrassing than being carted around like Lord and Lady Farquaad, but we saw plenty of people loving it.
If you’re short on time and want to see as much of the Old Quarter as possible then they’re a great option. To book a cyclo tour in advance check out this tour on Get Your Guide here.
Where to stay in the Old Quarter of Hanoi
Whatever your budget and whatever your accommodation needs, there’ll be something for you.
If you’re after hostels there are plenty to choose from including the popular Mad Monkey, Hanoi Buffalo Hostel and the Old Quarter View Hostel.
To book a hostel stay, check out all of Hanoi’s hostels here.
For hotels and guesthouses, there’s everything from 5-star mega luxury to the boutique. On our first trip to Hanoi (when we weren’t on a backpacking budget) we stayed at the excellent Hotel Tirant which boasted an incredible rooftop pool and restaurant that overlooked Hoan Kiem Lake. We also had a couple of nights stay in the very comfy Hong Ngoc Dynastie Hotel & Spa located in the heart of the Old Quarter.
To book a stay in a Hanoi hotel, click here.
This time, we spent a fortnight in the Old Quarter and booked an apartment to stay in. Our flat was located right in the heart of the Old Quarter with a balcony overlooking the busy streets below. There was no better way than opening up our French doors, sitting on our own balcony and enjoying our morning coffee whilst watching the Old Quarter come alive!
Check out all the apartments on offer here.
The view from our balcony in Hanoi!
To take a look at all the accommodation on offer in Hanoi’s Old Quarter, use the map below:
All our other Hanoi travel guides
If you’re heading to Hanoi, make sure you check out all our other guides to the city below:
Where to go after Hanoi
Hanoi is extremely well connected with the rest of Vietnam.
If you’re into hiking we’d recommend heading West to the rice terraces of Sapa or if you’d prefer some vitamin sea you could head east to the island of Cat Ba and Ha Long Bay.
We left Hanoi for the mountains of northern Vietnam and ticked off a major bucket list item by riding around the jaw dropping Ha Giang Loop. Seriously, if there’s one thing we’d recommend any traveller do, it’s ride the loop. We had 4 incredible days riding on the back of a motorbike and if we could have, we’d have done it all again at the end! From Ha Giang we continued further north to Cao Bang another incredible mountain, home to the famous Ban Gioc Waterfalls that border both Vietnam and China and the amazing ‘Angel Eye’ mountain. After Cao Bang we caught a bus via Hanoi to Ninh Binh.
If you’re heading south we’d recommend heading to Ninh Binh (the inland Ha Long Bay), or continuing down to Central Vietnam to visit the ancient capital of Hue or the adventure hub of Phong Nha.
Book your tickets from Hanoi here.
Final thoughts
Hanoi’s Old Quarter is an absolute treasure trove. A chaotic tangle of narrow streets full of colour, smell and noise.
Wherever you are in the Old Quarter, the historic neighbourhood feels like an artist's collage of the past meeting modernity; with historic bamboo, silk and tin stores sitting next to the neon lights of Circle K supermarkets.
As you walk through the historic streets, there’s a frenetic, colourful energy that takes over you as you weave your way through parked motorbikes, plastic stools and makeshift market stalls. It’s a place unlike anywhere else. It’s busy, crowded and full of life, whatever the time of day, you can guarantee you’ll stumble upon something interesting on the streets of the Old Quarter. Suffice to say, we love it!
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
Obligatory 'Train Street' selfie!
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Cao Bang - North Vietnam’s Best Kept Secret
Cao Bang province and city lie in northern Vietnam. Often overlooked by backpackers and travellers this amazing region holds some of the most beautiful scenery and mountain roads in the country. Read our guide for all the best accommodation, what to do, where to go and what to eat in Cao Bang.
Nestled in far northeastern Vietnam is the city of Cao Bang. Surrounded by mountains, rivers and waterfalls, Cao Bang was a stunning surprise on our Vietnamese trip. From the breathtakingly enormous Ban Gioc waterfalls on the border with China to the incredible Angel Eye Mountain and the blue waters of Lenin’s Stream, Cao Bang was full of little known gems.
Far from the crowds of Hanoi, the tourists of Sapa or the streams of motorbikes on the Ha Giang Loop, Cao Bang’s incredible scenery and winding mountain roads enchanted and bewitched us. Cao Bang is not ‘touristy’ and is, for now, a genuinely magical place to escape to in Northern Vietnam.
If you are looking for somewhere ‘off the beaten path’ in Vietnam, if you want to see beyond the traditional tourist stops in the north, then follow us to Cao Bang. The city is welcoming and fun with cheap and comfy accommodation as well as great food and amazing sights. The surrounding countryside is absolutely stunning and perfect for motorbike exploration.
This guide will give you all you need to know to make your own adventure in Cao Bang.
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. We will earn a small commission from any purchases made through these links.
In this guide to Cao Bang:
Motorbiking from Ha Giang - route map
Getting around Cao Bang and the mountains
How long should you stay in Cao Bang?
When should you visit Cao Bang?
What is there to do in Cao Bang?
Blacksmithing villages and craft towns
The Tiger Cave - Dong Nguom Ngao
Motorbike route for northern Cao Bang
Relic Tomb of Kim Dong and mountain road viewpoints
Angel Eye Mountain - Nui Maat Than
Nightlife in Cao Bang - Bia Hoi
Tours and organised trips to Ban Gioc and the Angel Eye Mountain - from Cao Bang or Hanoi
So, where is Cao Bang?
Cao Bang is far up in northeastern Vietnam, close to the border with China and about 280 kilometres (175 miles) from the capital of Hanoi. Cao Bang is the region's major city but still keeps a small mountain town feel. You can find Cao Bang on a map here.
The town itself is set across both banks of the Song Bang River. At one point, the Song Bang river splits and this creates a large ‘island’, joined to the mainland only by a small bud of land - This ‘island’ is home to most of the accommodation, food, markets and shops.
Welcome to Cao Bang!
How to get to Cao Bang
Travelling to Cao Bang from Hanoi
There are many daily buses and minivans that depart Hanoi’s Old Quarter for Cao Bang. It takes between six and nine hours to reach Cao Bang depending on the bus and road conditions.
Book your bus ticket here:
If you have a motorbike and want to ride yourself it is around 5-6 hours by road on Google. Just be aware that this may be inaccurate as it is winding mountain roads all the way!
Getting to Cao Bang from Ha Giang
There are direct buses from Ha Giang to Cao Bang, you can either ask at the local bus companies or book through 12go here:
If you are booking through 12GO’s website, make sure you enter “Ha Giang City” not Ha Giang. For some reason it won’t show you the buses otherwise!
Ha Giang to Cao Bang by motorbike
If you are doing an epic northern road trip then the route between Ha Giang and Cao Bang would be a stunning addition to your travel plans. Google states it is between 5 and 6 hours but it will almost certainly take longer. The route will take you through some incredible mountain roads including the Khau Coc Cha Mountain Pass and the Đèo Nà Tềnh viewpoint .
Check out this map for the Google suggested route:
Getting to Ha Giang from Sapa, Ninh Binh or elsewhere
If you are travelling from further afield you will need to transfer back through Hanoi then get a bus onwards to Cao Bang. This is not difficult and you can easily book it through 12Go, just make sure you give yourself enough time to change buses and remember that up in the mountains, there can be unexpected delays!
Where to go after Cao Bang
After you have finished exploring the hills, mountains and waterfalls of Cao Bang you can either go on to Ha Giang or back down to Hanoi.
There are not many buses you can book online other than for the Cao Bang - > Hanoi route but, if you ask around, there are lots of bus companies serving other northern locations and further afield.
If you get the bus back down to Hanoi you can then connect to pretty much anywhere in Vietnam. We came to Cao bang from Ha Giang so returned to Hanoi before connecting to a bus to take us south to Ninh Binh.
Getting around Cao Bang - Transport in the Mountains
Scooter and Motorbike Rental
The best way to see all the sights of Cao Bang independently is with a motorbike. A scooter or motorbike gives you complete freedom to come and go as you wish and is a cheap, fun way to get out and explore. Our guesthouse, DH homestay (more on them later) charged 180,000 VND for a semi-automatic bike and 250,000 VND for an automatic scooter (£5.49/£7.63 or $7.21/$10.01).
If you are only going to Ban Gioc waterfalls then you can probably make do with an automatic scooter (although it will be slow going and not brilliant on the busier roads). If you want to get properly out into the mountains, explore Lenin’s stream and the Angel Eye Mountain (more on these later) you will need at least a semi-automatic 125cc to get up the steep winding roads.
The roads are not as ‘extreme’ as those around the Ha Giang Loop (make sure you have read our article for everything you need to know about the loop here). The roads are all well paved and pretty wide with plenty. However, the roads are just as steep as those you find on the famous loop! If you are following the advice of this blog on visiting the Angel Eye Mountain viewpoint, you will need to be confident driving up a steep sloped pebble road - not the route for a total novice.
Cao Bang is very remote and the mountain roads are very quiet, not a place to have an accident if you can help it!
From our personal point of view; we had not, at the time, done much driving on scooters or motorbikes - we were not confident enough to rent a bike. However, hindsight is 20/20 and now we think we could have managed on the smooth roads around Cao Bang.
Our under-confidence meant that we needed…
Easy riders in Cao Bang
We knew we wanted to get out of the town and see the incredible landscapes around Cao Bang. If we weren't confident driving ourselves, we were going to need some help!
We did a little bit of research and reached out to Cao Bang Travel, Motorbike Tours and Rental (you can find them here on Google Maps) . We Whatsapp-ed with them and told them what we wanted to see, they suggested some additions and we agreed on a one day trip to Ban Gioc falls and the Tiger cave. They would supply the bikes, local easy riders and the helmets and we would be able to zoom off around the local landscape without worry.
We had such a good time with them that day we instantly booked another day to explore further into the mountains. They sent us suggestions and we came up with the itinerary you will see below.
There are advantages to being a passenger princess!
We were so glad we booked easy riders, they took us places we had never heard of and we had two fantastic days biking around the mountains. It would have been great to drive ourselves but, having easy riders meant we could sit back and enjoy the views without worrying about what was around the next bend.
Our easy riders were amazing, full of local knowledge, they really went out of their way to make sure we had a great time. We mentioned that we love proper, hole in the wall, Vietnamese food and for two days they took us to out of the way restaurants for cheap and delicious food - not another tourist in sight! On the last day they invited us out for food and drinks at an amazing bia hoi joint in town, but more on that later….
Even if you are confident on a bike it really helps to have a local to guide you around. Google Maps will give you what it thinks is the most direct route between A and B but you really need a local to show you the most stunning mountain roads! Make sure to read to the end of this article for our motorbike map and more tours and trips you can organise in Cao Bang.
There are so many stunning motorbike journeys to be had near Cao Bang.
How long should you stay in Cao Bang?
We would recommend spending at least two full days exploring the areas around Cao Bang so, three nights is a good start. You could condense your time in Cao Bang further, to two nights, if you skipped some of the furthest away stops on our suggested itinerary (see below) - You could get to Ban Gioc Waterfall, the Tiger Cave and the Angel Eye Mountain in a single day if you don't mind rushing around, but you would miss the amazing roads and views found further north. Ultimately it will be about how much time you have to spare;
Cao Bang is a long bus ride from Hanoi or Ha Giang so you should make the most of it!
When should you visit Cao Bang?
The best time to visit Cao Bang is during the dry season which runs from October to April. In the dry season you have the best chance of clear sunny days and less chance of landslides and being rained off. Just remember that northern Vietnam can get very cold in the winter months, stock up on coats and trousers in Hanoi if you are visiting November - February! If you can brave the cold, the mountains are meant to be stunning during the winter.
This road would have been a whole different story in the wet season!
We visited in late April and were lucky, there had been a dry spell and we got to explore on dry roads and under (mostly) blue skies. We did have a truly enormous thunderstorm on our last evening but we had luckily made it back to our guest house by then!
You can visit during the wet season and it should be quieter with less tourists around. Just be prepared to be flexible with your plans and know that some of the roads will get slippy!
What to do in and around Cao Bang
Cao Bang is set in the middle of some incredible landscapes. On all sides of the city rise the mountains of Northern Vietnam, crisscrossed with beautiful roads, small villages, towns and unique things to do and explore. To get the best out of Cao Bang’s amazing sights we would recommend hopping on a motorbike or scooter - We had our easy rider local guides to help us maximise our time.
Cao Bang is ringed with amazing things to go and see. Cao Bang’s attractions are spread out through the mountainous regions around the town so we have split them into two suggested days of sightseeing. This will (hopefully) let you get the most out of Cao Bang without doubling back on yourselves repeatedly.
Day 1
Phuc Sen -Blacksmithing Village
(location)
A short ride north from Cao Bang city and the landscape opens up into rice field carpeted valleys between the towering mountains. Studding the landscape are small towns and villages full of traditional wooden houses. On the roadside we started to see lots of shops selling Dao - hand forged knives.
We are not normally ones for ‘craft villages’. The name alone conjures images of tourists standing in queues around theme park villages, being overcharged for “handmade silks” and other mass produced tat. The craft villages of Cao bang are nothing like this.
The blacksmithing village of Phuc Sen is part of a government initiative to bring revenue and tourists to rural communities. The village has always been a hub for metalworking, the government just put it on a map, installed some signs and directed tourism operators to it.
We visited the blacksmithing village but there are other local traditional handicraft villages in the area. If blacksmiting doesn't float your boat then there are also paper craft villages, incense makers, silversmiths, beeswax printers and embroidery villages to explore.
We wandered around the traditional houses and watched as drop hammers smashed into metal, thinning the glowing ore and beating it into shape. It was really interesting and actually felt like the real deal. We were not escorted to a gift shop or asked for tips, we just walked around a pretty village and watched craftsmen at work.
Its a real eye opener seeing how much effort goes into smithing a single sickle!
As we have said we do not normally recommend this kind of thing but, honestly, we really liked walking around the blacksmithing village and would suggest giving it a go!
Bo Hay Viewpoint
(location)
Continuing north for around an hour from village of Phuc Sen, we found ourselves following a turquoise river as it flowed through a valley. We passed tiny villages full of shouting and waving children, some smiling, some giving more colourful gestures. After passing a pond that was so blue it looked almost glowing, we pulled over at a shed on the outskirts of a small village.
The roads through northern Vietnam are amazing, There is always something to stop and look at.
We have no idea how anyone finds this place without a guidebook or a local, it was literally a woodshed on the outside of a tiny village. The only clue as to what lay ahead was a blue sign hidden behind the shed.
Following the sign, a rocky path leads sharply up the valley side and onto the mountain. The climb is hot and steep but only around twenty minutes long. We hauled ourselves up the rocks and were greeted by a truly amazing vista. The valley spreads away, lined on either side with mountains and with the flat river arcing through like a snaking mirror. It was spectacular!
This was the advantage of Cao Bang; Vietnam has some of the most incredible viewpoints on earth but you usually have to share them with lots of other visitors. Here, in a village so small Google hasn't recorded its name, there was just us and a couple of other bikers. The valley below had barely a hint of modernity, the small village, dirt roads and rice fields looked timeless.
We even made a new friend on the way down the Bo Hay viewpoint!
Ban Gioc Waterfalls
The Ban Gioc Waterfalls are very famous, they are the reason most people go to Cao Bang and they may well be the reason you stumbled across this article! Ban Gioc waterfall is known for both its size and its location. The falls are enormous, one of the largest in the world at around 30 metres high and over 300 metres across. Split into two sets of waterfalls Ban Gioc also acts as a border between China and Vietnam, the Chinese call them Détiān Falls (德天瀑布).
The stunning waterfalls of Ban Gioc are far out to the north east of Cao Bang. Travelling from Cao Bang to Ban Gioc, the falls are 85km (53 miles) away - around a two hour drive. The entrance to Ban Gioc waterfalls is located here.
You can get to Ban Gioc waterfalls easily from Cao Bang, either by driving yourself or by jumping on one of the local buses that run the along route there.
The buses are clearly marked and go from all around Cao Bang. You can catch the bus from around here or around here. The buses run around 10 times a day and take around 2-4 hours depending on road conditions.
There are tours running from Hanoi to Ban Gioc waterfalls. You can do a day trip between the two but it would be a very long drive there and back. Another good option would be a two day tour - Get Your Guide offers an amazing two day tour from Hanoi to Ban Gioc, taking in the falls as well as local caves and viewpoints, you can check it out here.
Alternatively, If you have transport but were very limited on time, you could drive up to see the falls, stay in one of the local boutique hotels or homestays (like this one set in a cave!) then drive back via some of the other sights we have mentioned.
To visit Ban Gioc falls you will need to purchase a ticket. The entrance fee is 40,000 VND (£1.23 or $1.60).
We bought our tickets from the booth in the car park and walked down the pretty landscaped path towards the falls. We could hear them before we could see them - the low drumming roar of tons of water crashing down, growing louder and louder as we walked down the path. We turned a corner and there, spread out in front of us were the falls.
We are running out of words to describe massive natural beauty! The falls were stunning (4x so far in this article), incredible (5x so far), beautiful (only once!), they were … nearly indescribable!
The right had bank is China, the left hand, Vietnam!
A vast cliff edge curves out above the wide river. Ribbons of water fell over two levels of falls cascading down the rocks into churning pools below. Ban Gioc waterfalls are enormous! The main falls were easily the largest we have ever seen. They are, in fact, one of the largest in the world and the 4th largest waterfall to separate two countries!
We were visiting after a sunny spell so the falls were not even in full flow and they were still dramatic and powerful. The sheer size of the falls was amazing, with multiple falls stretching all across the wide river. There is a dam upstream which impacts the flow at the falls, apparently around lunchtime is the best time to visit as the dam will have opened and allowed the torrent to flow through.
See how small the boats are compare to the Ban Gioc Falls!
For a further 50,000 VND (£1.54 or $2.01) you can take a raft boat right up to the falls. This will get you soaking wet if the falls are in full flow, but allow a much closer view of the amazing falling water.
There is a smaller secondary set of falls to the left of the main falls. These were less violent and powerful than the larger set but we loved the way the snakes of water fell through thick green vines and plants.
The smaller falls were completely beautiful, Ellie isn't bad to look at either!
Is Ban Gioc waterfall worth it? Absolutely, it is a natural wonder and amazing in whatever season you visit. It is famous within Vietnam and China but less so with western tourists, it is a proper hidden gem of Northern Vietnam and one hundred percent worth the trip!
Dong Nguom Ngao - The Tiger Cave
(location)
The Dong Nguom Ngao Cave or Tiger Cave, is a short, ten minute drive from the Ban Gioc falls. The caves are amazing, with incredible rock formations stalagmites and stalactites spearing up from the floor or down from the ceilings.
the dwarves delved too greedily and too deep....
The cave has two routes and two tickets available. There is the short route, which will take you about twenty to thirty minutes and the long route that will take between 1 and a half to 2 hours. We have heard that the long route is utterly amazing, a completely incredible cave experience but, sadly, we only had time for the shorter route on our day’s exploration.
The short route costs 45,000 VND (£1.39 or $1.81)
The guided long-route tour costs around 200,000 VND (£6.16 or $8.02).
Even though we couldn't take the long route we can highly recommend the Tiger Cave, the rock formations are incredible and the caves are beautifully lit and fantastic to walk around. If you have the time then absolutely do the longer route but if you, like us, left it a little late, then still go on the shorter route. Do not miss these caves!
Some of the caverns in the Tiger Cave were huge!
After the Tiger Cave, you have a long but beautiful drive back to Cao Bang, take your time and stop for lots of photos in the pretty valleys and dramatic mountain passes!
Day 2
The second day of exploration in Cao Bang is as much about the journey as the destinations. This was some of the most incredibly beautiful scenery we have ever travelled through! Seriously, we could easily have just spent the whole day riding around the jaw dropping scenery and incredible mountain passes.
Check out our ultimate motorbike day trip map below for some of the best mountain road exploration around northeastern Cao Bang:
The map has several way points that are not necessarily stops but should guide you along stunning mountain roads whilst avoiding as much doubling back as possible!
Relic Tomb of Kim Dong
(location)
We set off from Cao Bang and rode about an hour straight north. The road was incredible, winding up through the mountains with huge drops and incredible views. If you are following our map make sure you don't miss Cúc đá Lũng Luông viewpoint and Keo Yen Panorama
Down in a valley we saw a huge sign fixed high up on one of the mountain sides, curious we pulled into a carpack and went to investigate.
Please note that the Google Map location for Kim Dong’s Tomb will bring you up an unnecessarily long detour road. You can instead, park just off of the main road here and cross the bridge over the river on foot.
We had stumbled upon the relic tomb of the Vietnamese war hero and martyr Kim Dong. A child messenger in the resistance against the French, Kim Dong was shot when he was 14 years old whilst leading French troops away from officers of the resistance. He became a martyr and symbol of Vietnamese resistance. Kim Dong is an honorific name that translates to; golden or beautiful child.
Kim Dong’s tomb is in a beautiful stretch of a flower filled valley, nearby to the mountain he was buried on. The gardens are well maintained and very pretty, with a large memorial statue in the middle of the park.
There was no entry fee for Kim Dong’s Relic Tomb.
It was an interesting site and Kim Dong is very revered in Vietnam, especially in Cao Bang where the main walking street is named after him.
Lenin’s Stream
Around 52km (32 miles) north of Cao Bang, through yet more beautiful green valleys and mountains, is a true hidden gem of Cao Bang - Lenin’s Stream.
We parked up a little way outside of the site (here on the map). From there we bought tickets and electric shuttle bus transfers. We are not sure if you have to buy the bus transfers as we did see other people biking into the site but we were told it was best to. There is a good sized walk between the car park and Lenin’s stream itself and we didn't want to get boiled in the Vietnamese sun!
The entrance tickets to Lenin Stream cost 50,000 VND including the buses (£1.54 or $2.01) they were 20,000 VND without the transport.
Our first stop on the electric bus was a huge stone monument to Ho Chi Minh and the area of Pac Bo. The village and region of Pac Bo and Lenin’s stream is historically very significant for the Vietnamese. After his worldwide travels Ho Chi Minh came and settled in a cave in Pac Bo to contemplate how to help his people and save his country.
Lenin’s stream is named as such because Ho Chi Minh named it that in honour of the communist leader. The nearby mountain is named Karl Marx Mountain, so you can see Ho Chi Minh was on a roll with naming things after Russian Communist thinkers and leaders! The area is hugely culturally and historically significant to the Vietnamese and there has been a great effort to keep it pretty and looking its best.
Lenin's stream and the Pac Bo area can become very popular on the weekends so, if you can, plan for a weekday trip to avoid the crowds.
After the monument we left the main road and came to the start of the stream. On our first glance it was a little underwhelming. A midsize lake with streams flowing in and out at both ends. It was crystal clear and vibrantly blue but nothing that would justify a long trip to visit. Luckily this was only the beginning, As we walked along pretty, tree shaded paths with the stream next to us, it just got more and more beautiful.
The stream winds back into the mountain until it reaches the cave from which its spring bubbles up. It is diamond clear and sapphire blue. The water is so clear you cannot tell if the old trees and fish in the river are a foot below the surface or twenty feet deeper. The stream widens and shrinks, splits and rejoins itself. It forms mini delta’s full of lush grasses and carves whirling rock pools out of the stony mountain’s foot.
The pools at Lenin's Stream were impossibly coloured!
Where the water comes out the cave is a series of unbelievably picturesque pools, with neon blue water and green branches hanging over the waters edge. We were not alone in finding the location photogenic. There were at least ten Vietnamese teens, all in white flowing dresses posing like fairies on rocks lining the pool’s edges.
Inside the Lenin Stream park is the Pac Bo Cave where Ho Chi Minh stayed. The cave was badly damaged in the war with China but has been partially restored. We walked the short way up a mountain path and into the cool air of the cave. It was small and did not take us longer than a couple of minutes to look around but it was very interesting to see where such a key piece of Vietnamese history took place. You can find the cave on the circular walk around Lenin’s Stream or on Google Maps here.
Angel Eye Mountain - Nui Maat Than
We cannot believe this isn't more famous! The Angel Eye Mountain of Cao Bang is absolutely spectacular. In the valley between towering mountainsides, a series of spiked, triangular mountains rise up like broken shark’s teeth. Dominating the valley floor and the highest of these sharp mountains, is the Angel Eye mountain. Near the top of the pointed, foliage covered formation is a huge circular hole - the angel's eye.
The Angel Eye Mountain is a perfect emblem of north Vietnam - unexpected, unique and amazing!
Getting to Angel Eye mountain from Cao Bang takes about 45 minutes to an hour. Mount Angel Mountain or Nui Maat Than as it is called locally, can be seen from many vantage points The one we would recommend, if you don't mind some muddy dirt roads, is this one . All except the last two kilometres are on main roads so are not difficult. The last two kilometres however can be busy muddy, steep and slippery!
As sunset approaches the Angel Eye Mountain gets busier. The sight is very large so it doesn’t feel crowded but the area where you park your motorbikes will get very full very quickly. Add to this that the parking space is at the top of a very steep rocky path and you get some complicated traffic jams. We would not recommend this to anyone who was not very confident on a motorbike! Out easy riders meant we had no issues but if you are worried, you can always leave your bike somewhere at the bottom of the hill or back nearer the main road.
We bumped and bounced down the muddy track and then up a very steep rocky path to a small overlook. Dismounting our bikes, we walked over to the view and promptly lost our breath.
The valley of Angel Eye Mountain stretched away in front of us carpeted in green and glowing under the late afternoon sun. On all sides rose mountains and in front of us, its opening showing the hills beyond, Angel Eye Mountain. It doesn't look real, it looks like something from fiction, something beautiful but alien, something completely otherworldly. Words do not do it justice, neither do our pictures but it was one of the most unique and beautiful places we have ever been.
In wetter months there is a river that floods a lot of the valley. We were in the dry season, the river was dry and the undulating valley floor rolled out in gentle hillocks and dips all the way to the base of the Angel Eye. It was a landscape unlike anything we have seen.
The Angel Eye Mountain really looks like it belongs on some alien world.
Making our way into the valley we could see a few glamping sites set up and ready for visitors. If we had known about this beforehand, we would have been very tempted to end our day here and stay the night. There cannot be many better places to watch the sun go down with a beer! If you are interested you can book a spot at the camp sites here or have a less tent based stay nearby here .
You would get an amazing sunset from the glamping site under the Angel Eye!
We spent the next hour or so walking around the trails on the valley floor, admiring the insane landscape. We took photos, lounged on pretty outcrops and just generally relaxed in one of the most beautiful places we have ever been.
As the afternoon wore on we needed to get going back to town so, reluctantly, we got back on the bikes and as the sun began to set, headed home.
Route options for exploring Cao Bang
This two day route is just a suggestion, you could easily add Angel Eye Mountain to the end of a day exploring the Ban Gioc Waterfalls. We added it on to this day as it would create an epic drive from Lenin’s Stream followed by a shorter one for the home stretch from the mountain to Cao Bang.
The easiest way to think of where everything is located is that Ban Gioc falls, the craft villages and the Tiger Cave are all northeast of Cao Bang whereas Lenin’s stream, the Tomb of Kim Dong and the incredible mountain roads are mainly northwest. The Angel Eye Mountain is straight up north from Cao Bang city, in the middle of the others.
If you have the time, two full days is ideal to see everything. If you have longer then you can go further afield, maybe check out the “Windy” Khau Coc Cha Mountain Pass, it looks spectacular!
Exploring Cao Bang City
Cao Bang Riverside walk
Cao Bang city is full of pretty streets, alleyways and interesting places to explore. We would definitely recommend taking a walk around the circumference of the ‘island’ or at least until it joins the mainland at the bottom. The riverside walk is mostly a proper foot path. In places you may have to come a street inland from the river but for most of the way around you can be on the water’s edge.
Cao Bang has done a great job with the riverwalk, it has been developed into a sort of public park / space and is used for lots of communal activities; Houses spill out onto it for dinner in the evenings, restaurants use the paved space for outside seating and there is even a roller skating area!
On the eastern edge of the ‘island’ the riverwalk widens and there is a promenade of restaurants and coffee shops overlooking the river (more on these later). This is where a lot of the Cao Bang evening and nightlife is centred. At sunset there was always something interesting happening there.
Cao Bang Markets
In the city of Cao Bang we found a few markets to explore. We always love nosing about a market and the ones in Cao Bang were great; full of stalls selling everything and anything but surprisingly missing the high pressure sales we had found in Hanoi and elsewhere. The people were very welcoming and helpful without being pushy or trying to squeeze money out of us. Our favourite markets were:
Cao Bang Central Market
(location)
This covered market is a hub for the town, full of machinery, toys, watches and random bits and bobs. It is definitely not a tourist market - there were no elephant pants or questionable “folk art” anywhere. There were some restaurants around the outside and it was great to wander around and see what was being sold.
Cao Bang Wet Market
(location)
For some reason this large market is not showing up on Google, but it was the largest wet market on the ‘island’ of Cao Bang city. With stalls selling fruit and vegetables of every shape and hue as well as fresh meat and live fish, it was a proper asian wet market. The outside of the market has many shops selling miscellaneous things, from kitchenware to beauty products.
When we needed a set of sealable travel bottles for shampoo and sun cream, a lovely lady led us up and down stalls until she found them for us - You really can find anything in a Vietnamese market!
Cao Bang Walking Street - Kim Dong Street
(location)
Every Friday and Saturday Kim Dong Street closes to cars and the walking street night market springs up. The street is wider than many other ‘walking streets’ we have encountered in Asia and the pace was less hectic and far less crowded. Full of families sitting down at food vendors or painting little ceramic figurines, the Cao Bang walking street was really chilled out and fun. There are lots of food stalls, fairground games and unique things to see. When we visited there was a large crowd of people, young and old having a go at the Hmong Tribe stick dancing!
When it is not the weekend you will still find some stalls set up along this road. There are also lots of permanent restaurants and bars on the river side of the road.
Cao Bang Park
(location)
Nestled in the middle of the ‘island’ is Cao Bang park. We would argue that this is more a square than a park but who are we to judge! On one side you have a large Ho Chi Minh Memorial and the Cao Bang Cultural Centre and on the other you have a large tree lined square. In the evenings some small stalls set up here and there are the usual remote control children's cars careening about! It is a nice little space and used throughout the year for events.
Eating in Cao Bang - The Best Restaurants and Street Stalls
Cao Bang is stuffed with good food, coffee and lively drinking spots. We would recommended the following:
Nem Nuong Nha Trang
(location)
This little stall (as you can see it has no proper google listing) operates out of a small alcove under Lapin Coffee (more on them in a bit). Serving Nem Nuong Nha Trang - literally grilled meat Nha Trang style, this restaurant became our go-to in Cao Bang.
Consisting of a platter of grilled meat, crunchy veg, fried tofu skins, dipping sauces, herbs and rice paper wraps, this was a DIY addiction on a wicker plate! We just wrapped up whatever we felt like in the rice paper and dipped it into the incredible peanut sauce. Like so much great Vietnamese food it was a symphony of textures; crunchy veg, charred meat, fresh herbs and chewy rice paper, overall delicious!
Just wrap up a combo of anything and everything and dip in the spicy sweet peanut sauce - Nem Nuong is so good!
This shop was also ridiculously affordable. Two plates of nem nuong and two kumquat iced teams cost 90,000 VND (£2.76 or $3.61), a true backpacker bargain!
Banh Cuon
(location)
Banh Cuon, aka Vietnam's best kept secret: Sweet, savoury and everything in between. Banh coun is steamed and stuffed rice flour rolls served with a dipping stock / soup. You can have the rolls filled with various different stuffings and every place will serve it a little differently. We have had Banh cuon all over Vietnam and it is always fresh, delicious and cheap.
Banh Cuon may not look refined but it is completely delicious.
We found a great little shop/stall serving up banh cuon in Cao Bang city. We took our plastic seats and watched as the rice paper was expertly steamed, stuffed and rolled up in front of us. We opted for pork and mushroom filling and it was deliciously topped with deep fried shallots - a sure fire way to our hearts. The dipping sauce was perfectly balanced between sweet and savoury and was exactly what was needed to contrast the rice rice roll.
Two bowls of banh cuon set us back a whopping 70,000 VND (£2.15 or $2.81)
Market Side Restaurants
(location)
Lining the river facing side of Cao Bang’s wet market are a string of small restaurants. Serving everything from pho to rice and curry, they cook up delicious and affordable meals. You know you are in the right place when it is only locals eating!
We ate duck pho noodles and a rice and curry plate and they were both fantastic. The curries were spicy and unique in the way that only Vietnam can manage wheras the duck was rich and sweet with an incredible, complex broth.
A bowl of noodles and a plate of curry cost us 60,000 VND (£1.84 or $2.41). Cao Bang was fantastic value for money with food!
Motorbike Trip Pork Noodles
(location)
If you are setting off for Ban Gioc waterfall or the Angel Eye Mountain you will find yourself driving past this restaurant. Here, at a nondescript fork in the road, we found some absolutely amazing pork noodles.
Our dining companions!
It is the kind of restaurant that, if you are new to SE Asia, you may be wary of. The restaurant (if you can call it that) was dark and dingy and the locals were all passing around a bamboo water pipe, whose base appeared to be an old paint pot. It was not what you would assume to be a setting for a gourmet experience!
We have learnt, over the course of our travels, to never judge a restaurant by its appearance. If it is busy with locals that is all the encouragement we need!
We opted for crispy belly pork noodle soup and it was fantastic - rich yet light, with an amazing soup and still, somehow, crispy pork crackling, it was just what we needed to fuel a day's bike borne exploration!
Who can resist a bowl of crispy pork noodles? Not us!
Two bowls of belly pork noodles and two bottles of water cost us the princely sum of 55,000 VND (£1.69 or $2.21)!
Chợ ẩm thực Cao Bằng - Barbeque and Food Court
(location)
This makes it onto the, “we wish we had” list. It is a large food and beer hall with lots of barbecue operators and different stalls. Next time, when we are less distracted by bia hoi and nem nuong, we will investigate.
If you try this place out please let us know in the comments how it was!
Bia Hoi - Drinking in Cao Bang
Bia hoi is one of our favourite Vietnamese inventions. Fresh beer served by the glass or jug, ultra cheap and weak enough that you don't have to deal with a horrible hangover the next day! Bia hoi is one of those cultural things we wished Vietnam could export - who could say no to twelve pence beer!
In Cao Bang we had two places where we enjoyed evenings out with Beer Hoi:
In the central riverfront area you can find Bia Phe (located here). The google listing for Bia Phe is not much to look at but, when the sun sets this lively bar spills out onto the square and was abuzz with people eating and drinking. We had many small glasses of beer, peanuts, prawn crackers and fried tofu and it was still only 165,000 VND (£5.06 or $6.62)
Bia Phe has the added advantage of having a resident corgi!
The other bia hoi place we loved was introduced to us by our easy riders after the last day of the trip - Quán Nga Nhâm. Again the google listing doesn't give any clue as to how awesome this place was but you can find it here.
This locals only joint was a great place to eat, drink and watch the sun go down. The beer (or should we say bia?) was even cheaper than the central place and the food was fantastic!
We and our drivers tucked into fried chicken, deep fried frog (delicious - do not knock it until you have tried it - check out our experiences in Ho Chi Minh City for more unusual eats here), stir fried morning glory, sour pork wrapped in leaves and deep fried tofu with spring onion oil.
The frog is the middle plate at the top, it was delicious - deep fried frog skin is like roast chicken skin mixed with pork crackling!
We downed a good many jugs of beer as well and the whole feast, for four people, only cost 520,000VND (£15.94 or $20.86).
You can find bia hoi all throughout Cao Bang - if you find an especially good one let us know in the comments. There are many restaurants, bars and beer holes lining the river on both banks, you are certainly not starved for options for a cheeky beer in Cao Bang!
The Best Coffee in Cao Bang
We found loads of great coffee in Cao Bang but there were two places that stood out:
Lapin Coffee
(location)
Set up on the first floor, with views across the river and riverfront parade, Lapin Coffee is a luxurious place to indulge in Vietnamese coffee. With lots of fans to keep you cool and loads of comfy seating ranging from bar stools to swinging chairs, it is a great place to relax and chill out. The coffee is also amazing!
We visited a few times and always had their bac xiu or Vietnamese latte, this layered coffee always hit the sweet spot of bitter rich coffee and sweet milk. Less sugary than a regular, condensed milk, white vietnamese coffee, bac xiu is our go-to when we want a larger cup. For our complete guide to the coffees of Vietnam, make sure you’ve read our guide.
Two bac xiu coffee at Lapin cost us 60,000 VND (£1.84 or $2.41). Bac xiu is never the cheapest on the menu and Lapin is a premium coffee shop but even so, this was fantastic value!
Lapin Coffee also serves meals and deserts if you are looking for a posher meal with a view!
A5 Coffee, Beer & Bar
(location)
We are recommending A5 as much for its location as its excellent coffee. Set on the quiet western riverside of Cao Bang ‘island’, A5 coffee spills its chairs out onto the riverfront in a cosy and secluded little oasis.
The coffee was fantastic and it was great to lounge on camping chairs under parasols at the river’s edge. We stumbled across A5 coffee on one of our rambling wanders about Cao Bang. It was only when we came to get the google location later that we realised it did beer. This would have been a lovely place to enjoy some sundowner beers on the water!
Accommodation - Where to stay in Cao Bang
Cao Bang city has loads of accommodation to choose from, with excellent cheap options for backpackers and luxury boutique hotels for the more well-heeled traveller. We would recommend staying on or very near the ‘island’.
Backpacker and Budget accommodation in Cao Bang
For backpacker recommendations, we have three places:
The most popular backpacker hostel seemed to be Lan’s Home. Located on a central street and an easy walking distance to all the food and drink of Cao Bang ‘island’, Lans Home was where most of the other backpackers on our bus from Ha Giang were staying. Lans home has private rooms, four person rooms and dorms available. We didn't stay ourselves but Lan’s home has great reviews and offers one of the most popular tours to see the sights in Cao Bang.
You can book a room or dorm bed at Lan’s House here.
DH Homestay - DH Homestay was our first guest house in Cao Bang and we would have stayed there our whole trip but it was booked out before we could extend our stay. Simple, cheap, comfy and clean. DH Homestay was everything you needed and nothing you didn’t! Set on a pretty street nearby to the riverfront, a bridge to the ‘mainland’ as well as the buses that take you to Ban Gioc, it was in the perfect location. DH Homestay was also, when we stayed, very cheap. We had a private double room with an ensuite bathroom for around £7.00 a night.
You can book a room with DH Homestay here
DH Homestay was friendly cosy and cute, it was just what we needed as a base for our Cao Bang adventure!
Khách Sạn Hoàng Trang - Cheap comfy basic room with a private bathroom, this was where we moved after we couldn't extend at DH homestay. This guesthouse was slightly more in the town and just across the street from the popular backpacker hostel Lan’s Home. We booked out room for a great deal after just walking up and asking. The owner was amazingly friendly but spoke no english, the room cost us around £6.30 for the night.
You can find Khách Sạn Hoàng Trang guest house here on a map.
Luxury, boutique and other accommodation choices in Cao Bang
If you need a little more luxury in your life and want a more refined hotel, check out these offerings on booking.com.
There are so many more places you could stay in Cao Bang, whatever your budget and luxury levels are. Check out or handy accommodation map for all your options:
Zoom out for more options.
Tours and Organised Trips around Cao Bang, Ban Gioc and the Angel Eye Mountain
You do not need to drive yourself in order to see the incredible landscapes and natural wonders around Cao Bang. An organised tour can show you around and take you to some amazing, local knowledge only, sights.
We used Cao Bang Travel, Motorbike Tours and Rental (find them here) and had an amazing two days. What you have read in this article, was mostly the itinerary we agreed on with them. We paid 600,000 VND (£18.31 or $24.00) per rider, per day for the trips we took and it was worth every dong! Our easy riders / drivers were really helpful, listened to what we did and did not want to do and tailored everything to us. Also, it was just us two on the tour, so it was extra amazing zooming around deserted mountain roads!
Our local easy riders really made our trip to Cao Bang
There are several other tours on offer in and around Cao Bang, we would recommend checking out Get Your Guide for vetted, rated and reviewed tours. They run a tour to the amazing “Windy Pass” as well as a Ban Gioc waterfall day trip.
Tours to Cao Bang from Hanoi
If you are short on time, there are several tours starting in Hanoi. You can do single day tours or have a multi day tour with accommodation included. There are many operators who will organise Hanoi to Ban Gioc waterfall trips. Check out the widget below for some suggestions.
Conclusion - is Cao Bang worth a trip?
Yes, yes a billion times yes! Cao Bang right now is on the cusp of being “discovered” by the backpacker trail. It is un-touristy, genuine, beautiful and welcoming. Some of Vietnam can seem a little forced, a little unfriendly, maybe even over-touristed but not Cao Bang. The city was as friendly as it was reasonably priced. We were eating whole meals for less than a single person's portion in Hanoi’s Old Quarter. The food was great and the accommodation cheap and comfy.
The mountain roads around Cao Bang are simply magic!
The scenery is some of the most stunning that we have ever seen and we mainly had it to ourselves! Nipping around mountain roads and exploring places we had previously never heard of, Cao Bang felt like a proper adventure. Sometimes with backpacking these days you sort of feel that you have ‘missed the boat’ that some of these places would have been amazing twenty years ago but nowadays are little more than glorified resorts, Cao Bang was the opposite of this. We were there at the right time, the infrastructure was enough to support backpackers but tourism had not taken the town’s soul. It reminded us of our beloved Nong Khiaw in Laos (read all about that amazing place here ) it was fantastic.
Cao Bang felt like an adventure, one that not the whole of the backpacking world has already done. Come now before everyone else finds out!
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
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The Ha Giang Loop - An Epic Motorbike Journey Across Northern Vietnam
The Ha Giang Loop is a bucket list item for travellers heading to Vietnam. The Ha Giang Loop is an incredible motorbike route that winds its way through towering limestone mountains, past small villages and brushes against the border with China. Read our guide for everything you need to know about riding the loop from which tour group to choose, how to plan a trip independently, the best places to visit, what to pack and how long to spend driving around the incredible Ha Giang Loop!
The Ha Giang Loop of Vietnam has become legendary amongst backpackers and travellers. An unbelievably beautiful motorbike trip that curves and weaves its way through the green mountains and hidden passes of Northern Vietnam.
The loop starts in the city of Ha Giang and rides up through the countryside all the way to the border with China before looping back around to return to the town. The route passes through small villages and towns, rice terraced valleys and vertigo-inducing limestone mountains. The Ha Giang Loop is a staple on the backpacker and traveller scene in Vietnam and is an essential stop on any Vietnamese itinerary.
This is our complete guide for everything you need to know about riding the famous Ha Giang Loop. With all the information you’ll need to plan, pack and get the most out of this ‘once in a lifetime’ motorbike adventure.
In this bumper Ha Giang guide:
Riding a motorbike yourself
Riding with a friend
Easy rider
Which tour to choose? Hostel groups, small tours, accommodation and food
Big hostel groups - Jasmine Tours, Mama’s Homestay and Bong Hostel
Smaller group tours
Route planning
Accommodation
What motorbike to drive?
Is the Ha Giang Loop dangerous? How to stay safe riding the loop
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. We will earn a small commission from any purchases made through these links.
What is the Ha Giang Loop and where is it?
The Ha Giang Loop takes its name from the starting and end point, the city of Ha Giang. Ha Giang sits around six hours north of Vietnam’s capital Hanoi. You can find Ha Giang on a map here.
The Ha Giang Loop is the motorbike trail that works its way through the mountains up to the Chinese border and then back around to the town. Typically, lasting between two and five days, the exact route is fluid with different tours and hostels doing different variations.
The Ma Pi Leng Pass is a jaw dropping ride, with sheer drops and stunning scenery!
Most tours will include the Quan Ba Heaven’s Gate, the famous winding road of Doc Tham Ma, the breathtaking Ma Pi Leng Skywalk as well as the iconic Lung Cu Flag Tower. Whichever route you take, you’ll be treated to spectacular mountain roads, jaw dropping river valleys, beautiful rice terraces and stunning scenery.
The winding Doc Tham Ma road - also known as the 'Snake Pass'.
There are lots of “loops” to choose from (more on this later) and they can last anywhere from two to fourteen days. During the loop, you’ll ride through the day, taking in the sights from your bike. In the evenings you will stop at a guesthouse or hostel and enjoy the best of local hospitality and, maybe, a few cheeky ‘'happy waters’ as well.
The Ha Giang Loop has become a legendary experience both for young backpackers and experienced travellers. No matter what your style of travel is, the Ha Giang Loop is a once in a lifetime experience and not to be missed!
How to get to Ha Giang? Coming from Hanoi
The Vietnamese capital of Hanoi is the obvious choice for travelling to Ha Giang. Multiple buses from many operators leave at all times of day and travel the five to six hours up to Ha Giang.
The buses can be as luxurious or cheap as your budget allows, but we would recommend booking your tickets in advance as they will sell out. Throughout Vietnam we used 12Go to book our tickets. Have a look at the widget below for all your options.
You can get to Ha Giang from most of the northern Vietnamese travel hubs of Sapa, Ninh Binh and Ha Long Bay. Buses will be less frequent than from the capital and may involve a change in Hanoi, but this will all be included with your ticket, again, check out 12Go for all your options.
All of the Ha Giang Loop tours and hostels will set off somewhere in or around the city of Ha Giang. Some of the larger hostels like Jasmine Hostel are a little way outside of town, but most tours and hostels will offer a pick up from Ha Giang Bus Station (located here).
The Ha Giang Loop - How to ride the loop?
The most popular way to ride the Ha Giang Loop is with an organised group. There are three main ways to experience a group tour on the Ha Giang Loop:
Riding a motorbike yourself
If you are very confident in your motorbike skills and have an International Driving Licence then all the hostels and group tours will allow you to drive the loop yourself. You can bring your own motorbike or rent a bike from the hostel / tour. Just remember the loop is not suitable for scooters! You will need at least a semi-automatic motorbike.
All the usual safety warnings to riding bikes apply.
Make sure your travel insurance covers motorbike trips, insist on a good helmet and don’t drive yourself if you're not 100% confident.
The route in places is very steep and you’re sharing the road with enormous lorries heading to the Chinese border!
Riding yourself will usually be a bit cheaper than hiring an easy rider and will obviously be an incredible achievement!
The views on the Ha Giang Loop are breathtaking!
Riding a motorbike with a friend
If you have an experienced and confident friend you can always ride on the back of their bike. This will save you both the cost of an easy rider, and on the cost of hiring two bikes. Just be aware you’ll both be carrying your own luggage. More on this later in the “what to pack” section.
Riding the Ha Giang Loop with an ‘easy rider’
The most popular and arguably safest way to experience the Ha Giang Loop is by riding with an expert. Easy riders are local to the area and very experienced on driving the twisting mountainous roads. If you cannot ride a motorbike or are not very experienced then this is definitely the best option for your Ha Giang Loop trip.
Easy riders cost a little more (although not as much as you think) but come with quite a few advantages:
All the driving is taken care of, you can be a passenger princess and sit back and relax - especially important if the 'happy water' was free flowing the previous night!
You are free to admire, photograph and film the spectacular landscapes all around
Being on the back of a bike means you really get to appreciate the journey - the Ha Giang Loop is incredible and beautiful and an easy rider means that you’re just not staring at the road ahead.
As our experience of motorbikes extends to some light scootering, we both opted for the easy rider option and we’re so glad we did.
Our incredible easy riders from Road King's who heroically drove us around the loop!
Ellie's driver was Man (first on the left) and John's driver was Bien (third from the left).
Choosing a tour for the Ha Giang Loop - Big social hostels versus small group tour
There are plenty of different groups and tours that run every length and variation of the Ha Giang Loop imaginable. Depending on your budget and travel style you can pick from lots of different operators.
Big hostel groups - Jasmine Tours, Mama’s Homestay and Bong Hostel
These are the big hostel groups and are definitely the most popular way of riding the Ha Giang Loop. These hostels are huge and we were told that at any given point there were around a 1000 people riding the loop from just these hostels alone, with hundreds of motorbikes leaving Ha Giang each day. These are the social and party hostels.
In larger Ha Giang groups you'll need to stick to the main roads!
These tours are great if you are a solo traveller or already have a large group you're travelling with. You can expect parties, copious amounts of beer and 'happy water', karaoke and a younger crowd.
You will be staying in large dorm rooms and bunk beds.
On the loop you will be travelling in large groups of fifteen to thirty riders.
The Ha Giang Loop is stunning! There are so many viewpoints to stop at to take in the incredible landscapes.
The advantages of the big hostel groups is that they are much cheaper than the smaller group tours and if you’re looking for the party hostel vibe, they will definitely meet your needs.
The disadvantage is obviously the group size. It will take you much longer to get going and you'll be much more limited in where you can stop and the routes you can go on. Also hundred person dorms are not for everyone!
Smaller group tours
Smaller group tours offer a more free and relaxed way to experience the Ha Giang Loop. There are plenty of operators offering small group tours. After a lot of research, we chose Road King’s and honestly we cannot recommend them enough.
Our Road King's motorbikes lined up for a group shot!
Road King’s offers a few different length tours with a budget option of up to twelve people and a premium option with a maximum group size of eight. As Ha Giang was going to be an unforgettable experience and coincided with Ellie’s birthday, we opted for the premium four day trip.
The view from our room on the first night of the loop!
Our trip would include four days on the loop with an easy rider.
As well as all meals, unlimited 'happy water', coffee and soft drinks on the loop, as well as a luxury bus transfer from Hanoi to Ha Giang on a VIP sleeper bus.
The accommodation included in our Road Kings trip was fantastic! Beautiful private rooms set in stunning guesthouses with friendly owners and brilliant food.
If you book through Road King’s you will need to spend the first night in their dorm room in Ha Giang.
This is not representative of the rest of their accommodation at all and you can book elsewhere for the night if you don’t want to sleep in a dorm.
The advantages of Road King’s or any small group tour is that you get to go ‘off the beaten path’ and explore areas where large groups simply cannot get to or stay in. We stayed in beautiful guest houses deep in the mountains in picturesque villages and drove down narrow, cliff hugging paths to secret waterfalls, caves and viewpoints. There was no way you could park a group of twenty bikes in some of the places we visited!
Can you imagine fitting thirty bikes down here!
Although the big groups are definitely geared to younger, party crowds the small groups were no slouch in the 'happy water' and karaoke department. Every night on the loop we had an amazing evening chatting, singing and drinking with our group and drivers.
To book a tour with Road King’s click here.
How long is the Ha Giang Loop - 2, 3 and 4 day loop tours
The Ha Giang Loop can be as long or as short as you want it to be. If you’re organising your own tour and driving yourself, you can go anywhere you want and even do a multi-week tour taking in all the highlights of northern Vietnam.
The most popular Ha Giang Loop tours are between two and four days long. Most people opt for the three day loop, but if you’re strapped for time you can do a condensed two day tour. We have seen one day tours advertised but we feel Ha Giang is quite a long way to come to only do one day on the loop.
If you were really unsure of riding on the back of a bike, a one day tour might be a good way of checking you were comfortable or reassuring yourself that you’d have a good time on a multi-day tour.
We opted for the four day loop to make the most of this amazing region.
The three day loop (the most popular one) is around 350 km long and will rise up to a peak of 1500 metres at the Ma Pi Leng Pass, take you up to the Chinese border and loop you back to Ha Giang.
Booking a tour on the Ha Giang Loop
Depending on which tour or hostel group you want to travel with, you can either book directly through their website or use Get Your Guide below.
Take a look at all the different options as there are different itineraries, group sizes and experiences to suit every taste.
If you want to book the tour we recommend with Road King’s, click this link.
Wherever you are in Vietnam, any hostel or tour agency will be able to book you a Ha Giang tour, just do your research and make sure you go with a reputable company.
Make sure you book a Ha Giang Loop tour - we promise you won't be disappointed!
Riding the Ha Giang Loop independently
If you are an experienced motorcyclist and want to ride the Ha Giang Loop free and independently it’s easy to organise your own itinerary.
Route planning
Starting the loop in the city of Ha Giang, you have plenty of options for routes and overnight towns to stop in.
We’d recommend planning the route with Dong Van town as your halfway point or northern hub on longer trips. Another good town to aim for is Meo Vac.
The Ma Pi Leng Pass connects Dong Van with Meo Vac.
For more suggestions on places you shouldn’t miss whilst on the loop, read on to our experience below.
Accommodation
You’ll find accommodation all over the Ha Giang Loop, every town, village and hamlet will have guest houses and homestays and most will include dinner and breakfast in the price. Just pull up and ask if they have a room.
What motorbike to drive?
You should not be attempting the Ha Giang Loop in an automatic scooter. That cute little Honda Click you’ve been driving around Ninh Binh will not cut it on the steep mountain roads of northern Vietnam.
You will need at least a semi-automatic and nothing below a 125cc.
If you stick to the main roads on the Ha Giang Loop they are well maintained tarmac. They are also very busy with other riders, lorries and locals. The loop itself is full of sharp, steep, switchbacking hairpins clinging to the very edge of cliffs and has very little margin for error. If you are going a little off-piste the roads get extremely narrow (sometimes no more than a single tyre path) and the roads surface can be anything from tarmac to loose gravel, sand or mud.
The roads on the Ha Giang Loop can vary widly in quality!
When we visited there were portions of the loop undergoing roadworks, this included a switchback staircase climbing a steep mountainside. You need to be confident riding over loose surfaces and bring proper eye protection and mask if you don’t have a full-face helmet.
Riding the loop solo would be an amazing experience, one day we’ll be back to do this ourselves!
Is the Ha Giang Loop dangerous? How to stay safe riding the loop
The Ha Giang Loop is first and foremost a public road on the side of some very steep mountains. The road is filled with locals and large lorries but perhaps most dangerously, the road is filled with bikers.
If you are a confident motorcyclist and you stick to the main roads you will not have any issues on the Ha Giang Loop. Similarly, if you go with a reputable company and hire an experienced local easy rider, you shouldn’t run into any difficulties.
The Ha Giang Loop is only dangerous if you overestimate your abilities, drive when you shouldn’t (after too much ‘happy water’) or take unnecessary risks or dangerous paths. The thing to watch out for on the Ha Giang Loop is other drivers.
The roads of the Ha Giang Loop literally cling to the edges of the mountains!
The Ha Giang Loop is not somewhere where you learn to drive a semi-automatic bike. No matter what your friends at Jasmine or Mama’s hostel tell you.
To stay as safe as you can, don’t take any stupid risks, only ride if you’re super confident, wear a helmet and do your research to find a reputable company.
If you are hiring a bike to do the loop, check the quality of the bike before you set off. You don’t want to find out that your brakes aren’t working whilst switch-backing down a near vertical, cliff edge road.
For our British, New Zealand and Aussie drivers out there, Vietnam drives on the right hand side of the road!
What to pack and what to wear on the Ha Giang Loop
If you’re doing a group tour, then you’ll only be able to take one small backpack with you. The idea is to pack as light as possible. With the hostel groups and small tours you’ll be able to leave your main bag with the accommodation in Ha Giang.
You’ll be riding or sitting on the back of a motorbike for long periods of time each day so make sure what you’re wearing is comfortable.
Depending on when you go you may need to bring some warmer clothes and waterproofs. Layers are your friends here! The higher up you go into the mountains, the more rain there will be and the colder it will get, especially at night.
When we drove the loop in April, we were super lucky to have extremely warm weather and no rain!
We’d recommend bringing a couple of pairs of shorts or leggings and some comfy t-shirts or vest tops. For your shoes, good trainers are essential even for those just sitting on the back of the bike. A lot of the viewpoints on the Ha Giang Loop are up steep mountainsides and may require a bit of walking. If you can squeeze them in, flip flops are very handy in the evenings when you’re chilling in the homestays.
Save this Ha Giang 'what to pack' list for later!
When to go on the Ha Giang Loop?
Tours of the Ha Giang Loop run all year round through both the wet and the dry season.
The rainy season in Ha Giang runs from mid-May to September with the rainiest months being June and July. During this time, there is a chance of flooding and landslides in the area which will lead to cancellations, delays and re-routing of Ha Giang trips. If you’re travelling during the wet season, it should be less busy on the loop and you’ll get some majestic views through the mists and above the cloudline. However you can also expect to get very wet. If you’re driving yourself, be careful on wet roads and mountain passes.
The dry season runs from the end of September to the beginning of May and is the high season for tourism in the region. During this time you should experience sunnier weather, however you are in the mountains so rainstorms are not unheard of. In the dry summer months, the roads will be busier as it's the most popular time to visit Ha Giang.
The prettiest time to visit is during the autumn months of September and October where despite the colder weather, the nature and rice terraces will be at their best.
If you are travelling in December, January and February, northern Vietnam can get very cold so pack layers and maybe a scarf and gloves.
We visited in April at the end of the dry season and were lucky enough to have no rain, hot sunny days on the bike, clear views and warm evenings, with only the occasional overcast sky.
What to expect on the Ha Giang Loop - Our experience of the loop, a 4 day tour with Road King’s
Our four day tour of the Ha Giang Loop started at the Road King’s homebase in Ha Giang. We arrived on the luxurious sleeper bus they had booked us from Hanoi, ate some lovely tacos at the restaurant next door and had an early night in their dorm.
The first group shot of many! Our Road King's group ready to depart on four incredible days riding the Ha Giang Loop!
Bright and early on the morning of the trip we got up for breakfast and orientation. After an egg banh mi and being run through the route we would be taking through the loop. We met our easy riders, saddled up and rode out of town.
Our first day was spent winding up higher and higher into the mountains. We stopped at viewpoints, waterfalls and coffee shops perched on the edge of cliffs. We drove from riverbanks at the bottom of valleys, passing by villages and markets, before climbing higher into the peaks.
We checked into our homestay at Du Gia village before heading off for a swim at a nearby waterfall. The evening was spent eating a feast of a meal and drinking plenty of 'happy water' until, inevitably, karaoke broke out.
For those wondering or cannot work it out from context, 'happy water' is the local, home-brewed firewater. A clear, fiery spirit of unknown alcoholic potential. Depending on the make, it can be extremely smooth or as rough as a rhino’s loofah! On the loop, it is a staple of every evening. Over the course of dinner and well into the night, your guides, easy riders and you will all lift shot after shot of 'happy water' to the Vietnamese cheers of ‘Mot Hai, Ba, Yo!’
The next morning began with breakfast noodles and we were quickly back on the bikes. Our route took us through the village of Du Gia and up into the next valley. We rose higher and higher, with terraced rice fields all around.
Day two was definitely one of the advantages of going with Road King’s. We were off the beaten path now and had left the large groups of hostel bikers behind. It was just us and the epic landscapes.
We continued rising up and down this vertical mountain pass, passing by water buffalos, farmers taming their rice paddies and high-fiving children in the villages. We stopped for photos and at one point even had to dodge a bright green snake as it slithered across the mountain road.
At the bottom of the valley, we stopped at the banks of a turquoise blue river that flowed into the mouth of an enormous cave. To reach the cave, we were paddled on traditional bamboo rafts before giving up and diving into the water!
After cooling off in the cool shade of the cave it was back on the bikes for what was to be the hardest leg of the loop. A rough mountain pass full of potholes, loose stone and sheer drops wound out of the village and up through jaw dropping landscapes. We were shaken, bounced, jolted and rattled. At this point we were so thankful we had easy riders and had gone with Road King’s.
Our drivers were experts at the loose surface and kept us safe and stable, effortlessly guiding the bikes through the rough terrain. We pulled into lunch and felt like our bums and lower backs had been thoroughly tenderarised. The road had been hard but totally worth it. The views and the experience were amazing!
A facemask and visor is a must on some of the rougher parts of the Ha Giang Loop. It gets very, very dusty!
After lunch we set off again but it wasn’t long before the coffee cravings descended. We stopped at a cafe with a phenomenal view over a rocky landscape that looked as though we had been teleported to another planet.
The jaw dropping Ma Pi Leng Pass!
We continued driving up and up into the steep limestone mountains until we found ourselves at the vertigo-inducing Ma Pi Leng Skywalk. The short walk leads up the side of a mountain until it comes to a vertiginous rocky pinnacle. Here, for those that want to, you can climb up further still and stand on a small rock that juts out over the enormous drops below. With China behind us, Vietnam in front of us and the sun starting to sink towards the horizon, it was an amazing place. Also it happened to be Ellie’s birthday, it was a pretty special way to start the celebrations!
The 'Skywalk' is not for those with a fear of heights!
It is very, very high!
We had what was possibly the best drive so far back down the Skywalk to the town of Dong Van. Wiggling down the narrow path, we rejoined the road and made our way to our homestay. This last drive was absolutely epic. As we wove through valleys and between mountain peaks, the setting sun blazed out at us before being eclipsed by the mountain sides.
In Dong Van it was time for dinner, more 'happy water' and birthday celebrations. We enjoyed an incredible hot pot feast, birthday cake, lots of 'happy water' and beer before singing the night away. The karaoke ranged from Slim Shady to Frank Sinatera and everything in between! Up in the mountains with the calls of ‘Mot, Hai, Ba, Yo’ ringing down the valley, it was a birthday to remember!
Birthday celebrations on the Ha Giang Loop involve a lot of cake, a lot of 'happy water' and a lot of karaoke!
Day three started with fried eggs, banh mi and strong Vietnamese coffee. All welcome after the previous nights partying. We jumped back on the bikes and drove up the curvy road past more incredible viewpoints until we pulled into a small cafe. Behind this small unassuming cafe was the border with China. We drove closer to China, passing the Lung Cu Flag Tower that dominates the landscape all around before pulling into the Lo Lo Chai village. This small village is full of traditional houses, friendly hmong locals and lots of cute coffee shops.
After Lo Lo Chai village we followed the road back towards Dong Van, stopping at a lunch spot with rock strewn, lunar-like views all the way down the valley. After lunch we rejoined the more popular route towards the Quan Ba Heaven's Gate road and viewpoint and the famous winding roads of the Doc Tham Ma Pass. Pulling over we viewed the “snake road” as it coiled its way up the mountain.
You can easily see why Doc Tham Ma Pass has the nick-name 'Snake Road'.
Back on the bikes, we descended down what was possibly the steepest drive of the trip. Huge hair-pin bends dropped us further and further down the mountain side towards the flat valley floor. Our homestay that night was another beautiful traditional house, with our rooms in newly built bungalows next door. That night again, we had a massive feast with the local family, before the evening devolved into toasts, 'happy water' and singing. As it was our last night with our easy riders, we all gave speeches of varying coherence, thanking each other and wishing for health, wealth and happiness!
Our final day on the loop arrived and we headed out of the village with the children high-fiving us on their way to school. Our road quickly diverged from the main route and became a single track through the mountains. We passed through villages where it looked like time had stood still for centuries. Men sat smoking wooden pipes whilst the women toiled away in the fields. We came to a stop in a small village at the base of another huge mountain. It was time for a short hike.
We climbed the narrow stairs and pathways through the fields up to the Lung Khuy Cave. The view from the entrance to the cave was incredible, it looked like we were standing on the edge of a flat plateau with a cliff edge leading to the valley floor far below. The cave itself was great fun, full of huge formations and stagelites stretching down from the roof like church organ pipes.
After the cave and the hike back down we hopped on the bikes and had one of the best drives of the whole loop. We zoomed through fields, down narrow paths and through landscapes straight out of a fantasy novel. With our little group we got right off of the ‘main’ Ha Giang Loop and it was amazing!
Leaving the farmers fields behind we stopped in another village for our final lunch. Out came a feast of spring rolls, stir fried veg, beef, pork, tofu and rice. After eating our fill it was back on the road for our final hidden gem of the Ha Giang Loop - the so-called ‘secret waterfall’.
We drove down a tiny hidden road and pulled up, seemingly at random, on a roadside bordered by thick jungle. A steep, muddy and slippery descent later and we started to hear the faint roar of water. Turning a corner in the forest we were greeted by the sight of a curtain of white water falling in a cascade into a deep emerald pool.
Back on the bikes, it was finally time to loop back to Ha Giang. Our final ride was filled with viewpoints, selfies and incredible roads. As we pulled back into Ha Giang, the sun was setting and we were all bittersweet with the end of the adventure.
We had had an amazing four days on the loop. Our group was fantastic, a great mix of personalities who had all quickly bonded over food, 'happy water' and karaoke. John usually regards karaoke as one of the ‘circles of hell' but even he loved it by the end…after a lot of 'happy water'.
Our awesome Ha Giang biking buddies!
Road King’s had been great, the route they planned was perfect, a mix of all the best famous sights as well as hidden gems away from the crowds. Our small group had been expertly driven around some of the most exciting roads in the world, never feeling unsafe or worrying about the route ahead. Our drivers, Man and Bien were hilarious, kind, welcoming and just what we had hoped for. They helped with everything on the loop, from coffee stops to restaurants, homestays to waterfalls, they smoothed over everything and made sure we had a great time.
It had been an epic 4 days and if we could have, we’d have just jumped back on the bike and done it all over again!
Where to go after Ha Giang?
As with all epic travel adventures, there comes a time to head to some place new.
After Ha Giang you can easily head south back to the capital of Hanoi or head onto the limestone karsts of Ninh Binh. If Ha Giang has whetted your appetite, you could copy us and head further north for more biking adventures in the city of Cao Bang. If you’d like to stretch your legs, you can easily catch a bus to the popular hiking region of Sapa. Or if you’d prefer to enjoy some ‘vitamin sea’ you could head to the coast to Ha Long Bay or Cat Ba island.
Book bus tickets to some of the most popular bus routes below:
Is the Ha Giang Loop worth it?
If we haven’t convinced you, we don’t know what will. The Ha Giang Loop takes you through some of the most beautiful landscapes on earth in one of the most exciting ways possible. This motorcycle trip will live in our heads rent free, and brighten our memories for the rest of our lives. It has since inspired us to get on bikes and we know that in the future we have to come back and explore the loop on our own two wheels.
The Ha Giang Loop is famous and popular for a reason. Whether you’re in a group of thirty people doing the hostel tour or you’re off the beaten path with Road King’s it’s an amazing adventure and one we cannot recommend enough.
Just look at this road!
The Ha Giang Loop is legendary amongst motorcyclists and has been described as one of the ‘roads you must ride on once in your life’ and after spending four days driving the loop we see why. If there is only one adventurous thing you do in Vietnam make sure it’s an epic motorbike trip around the Ha Giang Loop!
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
Some more photos from our incredible time on the Ha Giang Loop!
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A Guide To Coffee In Vietnam - A Haven For Caffeine Addicts
Vietnam is rightly famous for its coffee. From the bustling streets of Hanoi to the scenic alleys of Hoi An or the highlands of Da Lat, you’re never far from a cup of caffeinated goodness. Read our guide on all the best coffee Vietnam has to offer, from north to south, high-end to cheap we have tried it all!
From the bustling streets of Hanoi’s Old Quarter, to the cool mountains of Da Lat, from walking down the sleek, modern boulevards of downtown Ho Chi Minh City to navigating a bustling pre-dawn night market, we can absolutely guarantee one thing and that is, you’ll never be far from a coffee in Vietnam!
Coffee isn’t just a scene in Vietnam, it’s a way of life. Going out for a coffee is essential for the Vietnamese and could be seen as one of their daily rituals! Wherever you are in Vietnam, you won’t be far from a small street side coffee stall or modern air conditioned coffee shop. The Vietnamese are in love with their coffee, and there’s a good reason why… It's delicious!
Honestly, we think Vietnam may have come up with the perfect coffee recipe. A rich, rocket fuel laden brew, combined with sweet buttery notes, a cup of coffee in Vietnam will certainly wake and set you up for a busy day of sightseeing! As soon as you take the first sip of the dark nectar, you’ll feel the caffeine rushing through your body. To say it's a pick me up is an understatement. It’s a live wire straight to the brain.
Frequently in Vietnam your coffee will come with a view!
Wherever you are in Vietnam you’ll be able to track down your Italian espresso or your Aussie Flat White, however if you just stick to your Western favourites, you’ll be missing out on some of the best coffee Vietnam has to offer.
Read our guide for all the information you need on the best coffees to order during your time in Vietnam!
In this coffee guide: -
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. We will earn a small commission from any purchases made through these links.
Useful phrases to know before ordering a coffee in Vietnam
The Vietnamese word for coffee is cà phê (pronounced car-fay).
Once you've hunted down your coffee, you'll need to decide (depending on the type of coffee you choose) the temperature of your brew.
If you want it hot, you'll need to say nóng (pronounced no-ung) and if you want it iced, you will need to ask for đá (pronounced daa).
Milk is sữa (pronounced sue-ah) and for sugar you’ll need đường (pronounced du-oong).
Once you’ve finished your coffee you’ll need to pay. To ask “how much” in Vietnamese you’ll need to say bao nhiêu (pronounced baan nee-oh). Of-course if they answer you in Vietnamese, you’re going to have to learn more numbers. We’d always recommend pulling your calculator on your phone to help things along!
Types of Vietnamese coffee
Now you’ve got your Vietnamese nailed down, you’ll need to decide what coffee to order.
Cà phê đen - black coffee
Black as a witches cat, Vietnamese black coffee or cà phê đen is super strong and the ultimate chemical way to kick start your brain in the morning.
The butter roasted coffee beans make it smooth and less bitter than a European Americano. As with most of the coffees on this list, you can have cà phê đen hot or over ice.
Cà phê sữa - Vietnamese white coffee with condensed milk
A thin layer of sweet, thick condensed milk lines the bottom of a glass of black Vietnamese coffee. You stir and you stir until the sweet milk has turned the whole cup a chocolatey brown and then enjoy.
Cà phê sữa is sweet, buttery and by far the most common and popular coffee we enjoyed in Vietnam.
Over ice, cà phê sữa is a refreshing way to imbibe your daily dose of Vietnamese kerosine.
Phin cà phê - Vietnamese drip coffee
Perhaps the most elegant choice on the list, phin cà phê or Vietnamese drip coffee arrives at your table in two parts. A glass or cup is placed underneath a metal coffee filter. Inside the cup is a little condensed milk and the filter slowly drips the black coffee on top.
It’s coffee for the patient and should not be rushed. When the cup is full, you take off its filter hat, stir the milk and coffee together and savour the creamy, nutty brew!
Bạc xỉu - Vietnamese milk coffee
Known as the “Vietnamese latte”, bạc xỉu (Vietnamese milk coffee) is similar to a cà phê sữa but extra creamy. Usually served in a bigger glass, condensed milk is mixed with fresh milk before being stirred through black coffee.
It lives up to its name as the Vietnamese latte and feels lighter and less sweet than the Vietnamese white coffee. Honestly, bạc xỉu may be the perfect recipe for Vietnamese coffee.
If you’re looking for a Vietnamese twist on your usual coffee order then bạc xỉu is a great way to start.
Cà phê dừa - Vietnamese coconut coffee
Fruit and coffee seems to be the new trend for Asia and no where does this better than Vietnam with their cà phê dừa, a Vietnamese coconut coffee. A shot of black coffee is topped with ice, coconut milk and sometimes ice-cream and is crowned with crisp shavings of sweet coconut. It sounds like it shouldn’t work, but it really does! It’s a delicious combination.
The iced coconut milk mixed with the rich coffee creates a decadent texture. The sweet creamy coconut pairs deliciously with the dark, bitter coffee, each balancing the other.
After a day of delicious street food we would often hunt down cà phê dừa as pudding!
Speaking of which, another coffee that could also be described as a dessert is ….
Cà phê trứng - Vietnamese egg coffee
This one is a harder sell. Egg coffee does not sound too appealing but trust us it really is great!
Egg yolks are whisked and whipped with condensed milk until they form a smooth, creamy, foamy texture. This egg cream is mixed with coffee to create a tasty coffee / egg / custard hybrid.
We found that you half ate and half drank egg coffee and no matter what you did, you would always end up with a mini moustache made of coffee foam.
It’s a delicious combination and a really unique treat, sitting somewhere between a drink and a pudding, it’s a must try in Vietnam!
We first tried egg coffee during an early morning market food tour of Long Bien Market in Hanoi, read more about this tour here.
Cà phê muối - Vietnamese salt coffee
We know what you’re thinking, in fact we thought the very same thing. Coffee and salt, really?!
On paper this shouldn’t work but if you think about it for a moment, sweet Vietnamese coffee spiked with salt is actually a really good idea. If it works for salted caramel then why not salted coffee. We’re happy to report that the combination works fantastically well. Coffee in Vietnam can sometimes veer towards the sickly side of the sweet spectrum but with the addition of salt it balances the sweetness and creates a completely different flavour profile.
Like egg coffee, salt coffee is completely unique but is an absolute treat. We can really see it catching on outside of Vietnam.
Salt coffee is the signature coffee of Hoi An but you can find it all over the country.
Kopi luwak - Weasel poop coffee
This is a tricky one and we’re not going to lie, we can’t give you a fair review of it as we didn’t actually try it, but you can’t talk about Vietnamese coffee without mentioning weasel poop or civet coffee.
For those who don’t know, small civets (cute weasel-like mammals) eat coffee grounds and then poop them out after their digestive system has chemically altered the beans. The result is supposedly an unparalleled coffee with the bitterness removed and the sweetness accentuated and some have even reported mild psychedelic effects!
We’re still deeply suspicious of the first person to discover weasel poop coffee, but that’s not why we didn’t try it. We didn’t sample this particular caffeinated delight as there is a lot of controversy about how you farm it. Let’s just say it's not a happy ‘Garden of Eden’ with cute little civets munching on fallen berries… Oh, and it can also cost up to £20 a cup, there’s that as well!
If you’d like to learn more about kopi luwak there are plenty of coffee plantations outside of Da Lat city which offer you the chance to try kopi luwak and see the weasels themselves. To hear more about civet coffee and the coffee growing area surrounding Da Lat check out our guide here.
In Vietnamese coffee shops it is not uncommon to get served a small glass of iced tea along with your coffee. The iced tea varies from shop to shop. During our time in Vietnam we’ve had everything from jasmine to peach, green to oolong. This tea is completely free and is a great way to extend your coffee break.
How much is a cup of coffee in Vietnam?
Coffee in Vietnam is usually extremely reasonable.
Your basic white coffee (cà phê sữa) will typically range from anywhere between 15,000 a cup for a street side stall coffee to 50,000 to 60,000 VND for an air-conditioned cafe in a touristy place like Hoi An.
We usually found the middle ground and paid between 25,000 to 30,000 VND for a normal cà phê sữa and a little more for a coconut coffee or egg coffee.
Our favourite coffee shops in Vietnam
Coffee in Hanoi
The Old Quarter of Hanoi is chock full of coffee shops. Most travellers head to the Note Coffee (location) near the shoreline of Hoàn Kiếm Lake, however we didn’t feel like queuing in an endless stream of Instagrammers so we explored some of Old Quarter’s other coffee shops.
Our favourites were Coffee A (location) set on a busy crossroads in the heart of the old town. Coffee A serves fantastic white coffees and we loved sitting on their upstairs balconies watching Old Quarter life unfurl below. Make sure to pair your coffee with one of their delicious, warm banana cakes!
Another favourite of ours was Ca Bop (location). Set up stairs amidst bamboo sellers and craft stores, this cafe is worth it for the location alone. Order your coffee downstairs then clamber up the tiny staircase and enjoy your brew with a fantastic view of the local temple and neighbourhood. The coffee shop also makes a great place to try egg coffee.
Outside of the Old Quarter, we’d recommend heading towards Trúc Bạch island which is stuffed full and surrounded by cute cafes and funky coffee shops. One of our favourites was the M(8)TE cafe (location) which served fantastic specialty coffees and was super busy with the local youth. Another popular coffee spot is just round the corner at Ma Xó Cafe (location) which serves good coffee and excellent brunches all with a lovely lakeside view.
For those with families, we’d recommend heading to any of the coffee shops of West Lake as nearly all of them give you or your children (of all ages!) to paint small ceramic figurines alongside your coffee.
Coffee in Hue
Head off in any direction away from the backpacker district of Hue’s Walking Street and you’ll find plenty of cute coffee shops to cool down with a quick caffeinated brew.
One of our favourites was the HÚE Cafe (location). This funky art cafe was set off an alleyway in a modern brushed concrete building full of green plants, modern art and wooden furniture. The cafe serves all your coffee favourites alongside some delicious French pastries. We loved pairing a bạc xỉu with a sweet and sticky cinnamon bun!
Another great coffee shop we enjoyed was Bom Cafe (location) to the south of Hue’s Walking Street which served delicious and cheap coconut coffees.
Coffee in Hoi An
Hoi An is a coffee lovers paradise which is overflowing with achingly cool coffee shops located inside beautiful historic buildings all through the Old Town. These Old Town coffee shops are a little more pricey than usual, but are worth it just for the ambiance.
Our favourite coffee shop in the Old Town was CACA Coffee & Tea (location) which was set in a traditional shophouse. They serve excellent coffee with the best seats in the house looking right out onto the street.
If you’re staying outside of the Old Town our go to place for coffee was the 1989 Cafe & Bistro (location). Attached to a hotel this is about as far away from our usual food and drink recommendations as it gets but despite its posh, air conditioned interior, this coffee shop was super cheap and delicious.
We’d recommend trying their coconut coffee - it was super tasty and the cheapest one we found in the whole of Vietnam!
Coffee in Da Lat
Set high in the mountains, Da Lat is Vietnam’s coffee growing hub and with that it should come as no surprise that the city has a famously great coffee scene.
We thoroughly enjoyed drinking at LYN Coffee & Tea (location) and Amélie Pâtisserie et Café (location). To read more about these coffee shops and our time in Da Lat check out our guide here.
Coffee in Ho Chi Minh city
Vietnam’s second city and the southern hub, Ho Chi Minh, has hundreds of coffee shops for you to choose from. From the coffee shops set in the famous Cafe Apartments building (location) to the traditional market stall coffee in Ben Thanh Market (location) you’re never far from a good cup of coffee.
In our time in Ho Chi Minh we’ve stayed far away from the tourist area of District 1, we got “right off the beaten path” and found some great local coffee shops. We particularly liked Hoas The Coffee (location) and the Rebel Kafe (location).
Chain coffee shops in Vietnam
Wherever you are in Vietnam, you’ll quickly notice that the country hasn’t escaped the scourge of chain coffee shops.
Two of the most popular chains are Highlands Coffee and Cong Ca Phe.
Highlands Coffee can found literally everywhere and you’ll recognise them from their red and white logo. If you’re in Hanoi they have a very cool cafe on a boat floating on the West Lake (location).
Cong Ca Phe seem to be the “cool” chain. There stores are always eclectically decorated with lots of military memorabilia and army fatigue colours and are frequently housed in interesting buildings. The coffee is excellent and we didn’t realise it was a chain until we started seeing them all over the place.
Of-course if you’re criminally insane and want a Starbucks, you’ll find them in most of the bigger malls.
Coffee delivery - Can I order coffee online?
Yes you most certainly can!
Coffee delivery is a booming business in Vietnam, with almost every coffee shop / stall offering delivery.
To order a coffee online, just download the Grab app and place your order. If you’re ordering from Grab, once your order is confirmed you’ll be able to track your coffee from the barista, to bike, all the way to your hand.
To use Grab and any other food delivery apps you will need a Vietnamese SIM card. These can be brought on arrival at the airport or in any Viettel store. Or if you would prefer to arrange an eSIM in advance of landing, check out the packages available on Airalo.
Booking a coffee tour in Vietnam
If you’d prefer to sample the Vietnamese coffees all in one hit, then why not take a coffee tour?
There are plenty of different tour operators throughout all the major cities of Vietnam. Check out below for some ideas from GetYourGuide below:
Final Thoughts
Wherever you are in this beautiful country, you’ll never be far from a ‘cup of Joe’, with coffee shops open all hours, from first light till late you'll never not find your caffeine kick. Just pull up a tiny pew, order your chosen coffee and savour the powerful nectar of Vietnamese coffee!
For anyone who is a coffee addict, we cannot recommend Vietnamese coffee enough. It’s super strong, super cheap and super addictive!
Trust us, after a couple of months in this incredible country, we don’t know how we’re going to get by without our daily cà phê fix.
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
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Vietnam’s Lesser Known Delicacy - Xôi - An Adventure In Sticky Rice
Sticky rice may not be as internationally famous as pho or banh mi but is an iconic delicious dish of Vietnam. Read our guide for our top recommendations of where to find the best Xôi including the famous street side stall of Xôi Yến in Hanoi’s Old Quarter as well as the Michelin Guide recommended of Xôi Bát in Ho Chi Minh / Saigon.
Wherever you are in Vietnam you’ll never go hungry. Food is available 24/7. From the pavement of the bustling scooter filled streets, to high-end, Michelin Guide restaurants. Vietnam is famous the worldover for its delicate pho broths, its flat rice noodles, punchy herbs and of-course the ubiquitous banh mi, but what if we told you about another delicacy? A Vietnamese speciality that’s not as well known to travellers as pho or bun bo hue, but a hearty, comforting dish, full of flavour. Let us introduce you to xôi.
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. We will earn a small commission from any purchases made through these links.
What is Xôi?
Xôi in Vietnamese, literally translates to ‘sticky rice’. Although completely accurate in naming the ingredient of the dish, it feels a bit flat. Yes the rice is sticky, but there’s so much more to it than that!
Xôi in Vietnam can come in two different forms, the savoury (which we will talk about in more detail below), or sweet. In either form, the base ingredient is the same with glutinous rice either being steamed or cooked to create a sticky base layer to soak up and carry other flavours.
For the sweet versions, the rice is usually cooked in sugar and served with mung bean paste and coconut. There’s a celebratory sweet xôi called Xôi Chè which is eaten during Tet celebrations, or when a baby is born, a bit like wetting the babies head in the UK. This type of xôi is a sweet version, made up of glutinous rice, ginger and sugar!
If you’re visiting Hanoi during the autumn there’s also another sweet xôi called Xôi Com. A bright green xôi that is only available for a small window of the year. Similar to traditional sweet xôi, the xôi com is cooked with sugar, mung beans and coconut strips, however the colour of the xôi is completely different. Xôi com is bright green due to the mature green rice grains used. Once cooked the xôi com is then topped with lotus seeds, strips of white coconut and a sprinkling of sugar. The taste is supposed to be silky and sweet. Let us know in the comments if you try it!
For savoury versions of xôi, the rice grains are steamed in a meaty stock and topped with any combination of; rich pâté, slices of meat, eggs, meat floss or beans. Rice is one of those great carriers of flavour. On its own, rice is quite plain with only a subtle hint of nuttiness but pair it with stock, meat or sauces and the flavours just leach into the grains. Savoury xôi is just one big flavour bomb, full of different layers of taste making each mouthful a unique and interesting bite.
Whether you’re more of a sweet or savoury person, a vegetarian or a meat eater, there’s a bowl of xôi for you!
There are so many different variations of xôi available in Vietnam, it would take us too long to list them all (it is believed that almost every city within the country has their own variation). If you want to learn more about the different xôi’s types available throughout Vietnam, check out this guide by the Vietnam Nomad.
Where to eat Xôi?
As we mentioned above, xôi can be found all over Vietnam, from the highlands of Ha Giang and Cao Bang all the way to the waterways of the Mekong Delta. Served in modern, air conditioned restaurants, to small, roadside stalls with only a few plastic chairs, a serving of xôi can be found all over the country. It’s a Vietnamese staple, and popular amongst the locals for a reason!
In the bigger cities, during the day you will often see local Vietnamese ladies carrying large baskets of xôi on their shoulders. To order, just hail them down and they’ll stop on the street to make a parcel of xôi right there and then for you. Some ladies will have plastic stools for you to sit on after you’ve ordered, but a lot of the time the xôi is made for take away.
If you are ever unsure just look for the word xôi on menus, signs or posters. Many restaurants are named after their most famous dish, so if the restaurant has xôi in the title you will be in good hands!
Although xôi is available throughout the whole day, the dish is an extremely popular breakfast item, especially for those working in or around one of the fresh markets. If you’re after a really local experience, we’d recommend heading over to your nearest market (chợ in Vietnamese) and dining with the locals as dawn breaks with a banana leaf package of xôi. In fact we did just this on our early morning tour of Long Bien Market in Hanoi where we sampled four different types of savoury xôi, coated with purple beans, pork floss, roasted garlic, shallots and crushed peanuts. It was delicious with a salty, nutty undertone from the toppings. After trying it that morning, we can see why it's such a popular ‘go to’ breakfast in the market as its tasty carby-ness and would keep you full all morning!
Read on to find out about two restaurants we recommend you seeking out on your Vietnamese travels; one up north in the capital of Hanoi and the other down south in the bustling city of Ho Chi Minh
Eating Xôi in Hanoi - Xôi Yến restaurant
Hanoi’s Old Quarter is a rabbit warren of old streets full to the brim with different eateries, street food stalls and restaurants. We were leaving Hanoi to head north to the town of Ha Giang. Before catching our bus we wanted a hearty lunch and so headed to Xôi Yến (location) to try our first bowl of savoury xôi.
Set in a narrow street of Hanoi’s Old Quarter, Xôi Yến is an institution famous throughout Hanoi and beyond. There are tables inside the restaurant, but the best seats are the small chairs that crowd the pavement, right next to the parked scooters.
When we visited it was extremely busy with locals with a seemingly never ending queue of Grab drivers picking up plates of xôi for take away. Ordering from the restaurant is simple, just wait in line, head up to the server, place your order and take a seat.
The restaurant serves three types of xôi. Xôi xéo, a bright yellow sticky rice cooked in turmeric to give its golden colour, xôi trắng, the traditional white rice and xôi ngô, sticky rice cooked with corn. We both chose to stay traditional and so opted for the xôi trắng.
Our toppings however were where things got interesting. John kept it classic and went for the Chinese stewed roast pork and egg. Simple, but roast pork is always a crowd pleaser. I, the princess, who can never just have one topping, decided that as I’m special, I wanted a bit of everything and chose the mixed meat with egg.
After ordering, we navigated our way through the scooters, stored our backpacks as out of the way as they could be (always an embarrassing issue when backpacking), and took our seats.
John’s bowl of xôi came to the table first. It looked amazing! The roast pork looked incredible. Small squares of delicious meat, with alternating layers of sweet meat and fat and topped by a crispy square of crackling. It looked divine. To say I was jealous is an understatement. As is always the case whenever John chooses something different to me, I was overwhelmed with jealousy. Thinking that he had made the better choice, I had to resist the urge not to stomp my foot in frustration! This jealousy ended rather quickly however, when my bowl came out. I didn’t have the crisp roast pork like John, instead I had a bit of meat from everything they had on the menu. On top of my xôi sat strips of stewed pork meat, a wedge of peppery Vietnamese sausage, a spoonful of rich dark pâté, slithers of thin, almost translucent Chinese sausage and pork floss. Now feeling rather smug with my decision, we dove in.
There’s something special about the ‘first’ time you have a dish. The anticipation and excitement of trying something new, is something that can never be recreated. The first mouthful is always one you’ll remember, with the new tastes and flavour zinging all across your tongue. As travellers who love their food, seeking out new food to try is just one of the many pleasures of exploring. Tasting the xôi for the first time was just one of those times.
The xôi at Xôi Yến was incredible. Nutty and meaty, with a soft snap from the glutinous rice. It was everything we had hoped it would be. To counteract the rich xôi, we added pickled cucumbers soaked in a tangy vinegar and chilli to our bowls which gave a needed sourness to the decadent bowl of rice.
We finished our bowls with not even a grain of rice grain left, and headed to our bus. If you’re in Hanoi, Xôi Yến is great. We can’t say if it’s the best xôi restaurant in the city, but for our first try of this Vietnamese delicacy it really didn’t disappoint!
Eating Xôi in Ho Chi Minh City - Xôi Bát restaurant
We arrived in Ho Chi Minh city, after three incredible months travelling north to south through Vietnam. Despite having eaten our weight in noodles and rice, we were still craving another bowl of some delicious savoury xôi.
Throughout our travels in the country, we had stumbled upon it numerous times on the streets and in the local markets, but still we wanted more!
Back in our favourite neighbourhood of Saigon (a small enclave far to the north of District 1) we started googling around to find some xôi and this led us to - Xôi Bát (location).
Already excited by the prospect of more xôi, our interest was piqued by a certain review mentioning that the restaurant had been featured in the Michelin 2023 guide. To anyone who is a foodie, this is like being fed catnip! It was possible we may even get a better bowl of xôi than we had eaten in Hanoi!
The restaurant is located off a side road off of Hoàng Hoa Thám. From the outside the restaurant doesn’t look like much, and if you weren’t looking for it specifically, you could easily just walk past without noticing it.
Inside, the restaurant is very small with only a handful of tables. We visited late on a Monday lunchtime and easily grabbed a table, but if it was the weekend we can imagine we might have had to wait a little.
Xôi Bát translates to bowl of sticky rice and the restaurant's small menu offers just that. With about ten different bowls on offer, each topped with a variety of meaty toppings. It was a hard decision, both the pork options were strong contenders, but in the end we both opted for the xôi thịt kho tàu, a bowl of sticky rice served with caramelised pork and eggs.
Shortly after ordering out came our ricey feast! A small bowl of sticky rice was topped with a large chunk of caramelised pork, a whole boiled egg, crispy shallots and coriander. Next came out small bowls of a clear soup and carrots, and finally two small dishes of pickled vegetables.
It was time to dig in, and boy were we in for a treat! The pork was sweet and tender. It was so soft you could easily cut it with a spoon and when you put it in your mouth it literally melted away. The deep fried shallots and garlic were sweet and crunchy and were a great texture against the soft meat and egg.
The toppings were delicious, but the xôi itself was ‘star of the show’. The grains had been cooked in a rich meaty stock with a taste of coconut studded through. The rice was chewy, snappy and hearty with a sweet undertone from the coconut. On top of this sweet, meaty, rice layer sat a thin covering of salty pâté. It was the perfect, savoury counterpoint to the sticky sweetness of the rice.
The bowl of xôi had the perfect balance of sweet and salty, but pair this with the pickled vegetables and suddenly you have the perfect mouthful. Tangy and sour, the vinegary cabbage and carrots gave a sharp kick to the rich rice and meat. The clear soup on the side was delicately flavoured with pepper and a subtle vegetable notes. It was a perfect refresher for the xôi flavour bomb.
We can see why this restaurant was recommended in the Michelin guide for 2023. Everything seemed to pair perfectly well with each other, in a wonderful harmony. It was an incredible lunch!
If you’re in Ho Chi Minh City we’d recommend hailing a taxi and heading here. Not only is the food amazing at Xôi Bát, but if you’re still hungry after, the whole area is packed full of local eateries, street food stalls and coffee shops. We’ve stayed in the area for nearly a month in total now and haven’t even gotten close to eating everywhere. There’s just so much choice!
If you’re short on time, and Xôi Bát is a bit far from your accommodation, then you can always get a bowl delivered straight to your door via Grab. Something we’ve already earmarked for a few days' time when we head to the airport. A bowl of xôi from Xôi Bát will certainly be cheaper and will almost certainly beat the usual drab airport food offerings!
To order food via the Grab app, you will need a Vietnamese SIM card. To arrange this in advance of landing in Vietnam, why not order a Vietnamese eSIM from Airalo.
We cannot stress how good a bowl of xôi is. It’s hearty, filling and packs a huge punch of flavour. Whatever time of day, it’ll keep you full for a very long time, and will set you up for a full day of exploring. If you’re in Vietnam, Xôi is a must try dish. Trust us, you won’t be disappointed!
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
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A day out from Dalat - The Elephant Waterfalls , Linh An Pagoda and an Alpine Roller Coaster
Outside the Vietnamese city of Da Lat the Central Highlands are packed full of things to do and see. We took a scooter and had a day of adventure, travelling to the Linh An Temple, the “closed” Elephant Waterfalls and Da Lat’s famous Alpine Rollercoaster! Read all about what we got up to and how to plan your own day out from Da Lat.
Dalat is a fantastic city, unlike any other in Vietnam, full of green spaces, lakes, fantastic foods and funky places to visit. However, there is more to this highland area of Vietnam than just Dalat. In the rolling hills around the town there is so much to discover! This article has three amazing things to do just outside of Dalat.
We had seen pictures of the famous alpine roller coaster that winds down to the Datanla Waterfall and we knew we had to go. We had also heard (via Int Affair on YouTube) of the Elephant Waterfall - Thác Voi which sits next to the incredible looking Linh Ẩn Pagoda. So Ellie planned a route, we rented a scooter and set off to see what we could find!
In this blog:
Our experience with the Alpine Rollercoaster and Datanla Falls
Practical Information on:
Getting to and looking around the Linh Ẩn Pagoda - Ticket costs, dress codes, waterfall views etc
The ‘closed’ Elephant Waterfalls - How to get an up close view and how much it costs.
The Alpine Coaster and Datanla Falls - How to get there, ticket prices and how to have the best time!
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. We will earn a small commission from any purchases made through these links.
The Journey to the Temple and Waterfall
We left our lovely guest house (literally - the guest house is called Lovely House!) and headed out through the morning traffic in DaLat. Traffic in Vietnam is always exciting on a bike. From the pavement the chaotic Brownian motion of bikes cars and people looks impossible to navigate but, once you are a part of the swarm, it all just sort of works! It's not exactly relaxing but driving is nothing like as stressful as it looks from the outside!
Once out of Dalat town we headed off to the Linh Ẩn Pagoda and the Elephant Waterfalls. Our route took us out from the town, along winding hill roads that snaked around towering green highlands.
We passed miles of greenhouses and farms, Dalat is a hub of luxury agriculture in Vietnam. Micro herbs, strawberries and all manner of delicious fresh fruit and vegetables - Da Lat produces it all. This fresh produce is one of the reasons Dalat has such good food, the veg is grown right on the outskirts of town! Many of these farms offer tours or farm shops. There was even an intriguing sign for “Little Hobbiton”… next time… maybe!
Another of Da Lat’s claims to fame is its coffee. We love / are dependent on a good cup of coffee and have indulged in many during our time in Da Lat. The coffee is amazing, cheap and abundant with loads of cute cafes serving every style of cup imaginable. We have not, however, tried Da Lat’s famous Kopi Luwak - weasel poo coffee.
The idea is simple: weasel eats coffee bean, weasels digestion alters coffee bean chemically, weasels poop out altered bean, bean is harvested....profit! It is meant to taste incredible with more sweetness and less bitterness.
Along the road to the temple there were many farms making this Kopi Luwak. Despite being the caffeine fiends that we are, we didn't stop. The Kopi Luwak is very expensive and well outside of what we are prepared to pay for a cup. There are also some (quite major) ethical issues at some of these farms. Some have large enclosures for the weasel / civets to roam around and eat coffee beans at their leisure and some....don’t…
The most famous farm for tourists in the area is Me Linh Coffee Garden and we drove past it on the road to the temple. It is a large site with coach parking and tours of the coffee fields. It looked like it had a great view over the surrounding countryside but we didn’t stop.
If you are interested in coffee in Da Lat check out some tour options here:
We, with our limited time and budget, scooted on.
After the coffee farms the road to the temple and falls got pretty busy with lorries and locals in every kind of car, bike and HGV imaginable. It wasn’t horrible to drive on, but it was very disconcerting how many people appeared to be happy texting whilst driving a bike down a hill at 50kph! We took it safe and slow.
Google put the travel time to be around 45 minutes to an hour between Dalat and the Linh Ẩn Pagoda. Due to getting stuck behind a lorry transporting concrete slabs, it took us a little over an hour. Soon enough though we could see the huge white statue of the Linh Ẩn Temple rising above the buildings of a small town. We had arrived.
The Linh Ẩn Pagoda, Guan Yin Statue and a view of the Elephant Falls
We had set off that morning knowing that we may be disappointed. The recent Google reviews of the Elephant waterfalls had all mentioned that they were closed to the public at the moment. There was hope that we could still get some views of the falls from the temple and other viewpoints further down the valley. There was also an intriguing comment left in a review about another, less official viewpoint...
We knew we wanted to go around the temple and see the statue so we pulled off the main road and into the (massive) car park for the pagoda. Parking was free (they just ask for a donation in a box as you leave). So, scooter parked and our helmet hair swaying in the breeze (John’s could only be described as Pomeranian), we walked towards the temple.
You can find the temple and car park here on a map.
Towering over everything and visible from miles around is the massive Guan Yin (Aka Guanyin or Kwan Yuan) statue. Pure white and over seventy metres tall the statue dwarves everything around it. The statue is of the female Buddha or Guan Yin, a revered Buddha who even after achieving enlightenment, refused to escape reincarnation. Guan Yin chose instead to be reborn again and again in order to help others. The full story of Guan Yin is fascinating (and frankly wild) if you have a spare moment have a read here.
We skirted around the base of the statue and walked down some stairs to the left. We could hear, even at this distance, the roar of the Elephant waterfall. Our first view of the falls was spectacular: A little way off, across a ravine and between some trees, a churning, thundering torrent of water boiled over the lip of the falls before crashing down and exploding into a fog of spray far below. We were a good few hundred metres away but it was still a fantastic sight!
From our vantage point we could also see the rusted remains of viewing platforms, walkways and gantries. The waterfall's official entrance (next to the temple) was, quite definitely, closed and from up here you could see why. Whether it was by neglect, flooding or just the march of time, the old ways of getting to the waterfall had fallen apart and were now rusted and unstable. However, on the other side of the falls we could see a small platform... the Google review commenter was right, we would still be able to get up close to the Elephant Falls, just not by official means!
Zoom Lenses
Are fun!
Continuing our exploration of the Linh Ẩn Temple we walked across the raised path towards the enormous Guan Yin statue. Inside a small doorway to the side we removed our shoes and began to climb stairs that run all the way up the inside of the seventy one metre statue. After each set of stairs, on every floor, were shrines with colourful wall paintings, statues and a matted area for meditation and prayer. Around the walls small windows gave an increasingly amazing view of the surrounding hills and countryside. At the very top was an especially grand shrine. The view through the (tiny) windows was amazing, stretching off over the town and surrounding countryside.
You can’t see from this photo but the windows at the top of the statue are tiny!
After we had plodded back down the many, many stairs and re-shoed ourselves, we walked back up into the temple complex. There are shrines, statues and carvings everywhere. There is an especially amazing stone turtle with a live tree being carried on its back.
Inside the main temple building are large beautiful statues of the Buddha in various incarnations, including the many armed reincarnation of Guan Yin (again a wild story).
You can see Guan Yin on the left.
The site was not busy at all when we visited on a Thursday morning, there were a few other scooter mounted tourists and one bus full of pilgrims arrived just as we were leaving. When we had climbed the statue we were the only ones inside. The whole complex is free to explore, there is just a small donation box at the entrance to the car park along with a few offering stands and religious trinket sellers. There were the ever-present photographers offering to take photos of you and the statue but really no hassle or pressure from hawkers.
The Linh Ẩn temple had been planned as an afterthought, just a way of getting a glimpse at the waterfall but we ended up spending the best part of an hour and a half wandering around, climbing the statue and just taking in the sights. The photo’s online do not do it justice, it is so much bigger than it looks! We would recommend checking this out even if it wasn’t near the Elephant falls, the site is just so impressive and beautiful.
After we were done admiring the temple we mounted our little scooter, posted a small donation in the box and headed to the other side of the Elephant Falls.
Getting to the Elephant Falls viewpoint - Elephant Coffee
A very short drive from the temple and closed waterfall entrance, right on the main road and just over the bridge, is Elephant Coffee (located here). This enterprising cliff side coffee house is clearly benefiting from the closure of the official waterfall entrance. It costs 50,000 VND (about £1.55 or $1.95) per person to park your bike and access the falls. We paid up and clambered down some slippery moss grown steps towards the roaring water.
As soon as you start down the path you can feel the spray from the falls. You cannot see the water yet but it saturates the air. We picked our way down the steps and came out onto the first viewing platform. Spectacular is a word too easily thrown around (that’s the second time we have used it in this one article for example), but we couldn’t think of another way of describing the falls. Up close the power of the water is unmistakable, It pounds down, smashing through rocks and carving a gash out through the vegetation before diving into a churning pool below. It had been raining for the past couple of evenings so the flow was in full impressive force.
We walked down to the next viewing stage, a precarious wedge of rock set right up near the falling water. There was no way not to get wet here, the water was atomised into spray by its own power and the misty drifted up and coated everything. We stood, getting gradually soggier and took in the power of the place.
At points it was like walking through a cloud!
There were a couple more viewpoints, each offering different angles on the waterfalls, we scrambled between them snapping away with our worryingly wet cameras. We were so relieved to have been able to get up close to the falls. The pessimistic reviews online had prepared us for the worst when we set off but we were very happy to have found this alternative viewpoint.
You can see the old rusted viewing platforms on the left of the picture. You wouldn't want to chance falling in to the Elephant Falls!
The weather forecast for the afternoon and evening was dire - thundershowers and torrential rain were predicted across the region. We had no wish to ride our scooter back in a storm so we didn’t stay for coffees. We jumped on our bike and headed back along the road to Da Lat.
The Roller Coaster and the Datanla Falls
We had not originally planned on doing Da Lat’s famous alpine roller coaster and Datanla waterfalls that day. The forecast had said rain would be coming in the after lunch and continuing all afternoon. However, as we were approaching Dalat town again, the skies were still clear and the sun was still out. On the horizon we could see a few dark clouds but it didn’t look like it was about to rain just yet.
The falls and roller-coaster are only a 15 minute or so drive from downtown Dalat, and we didn’t really want to rent a scooter for another day or pay for a Grab taxi, when we could do it all in one go that day. So we gambled with the weather, drove straight through Da Lat and headed for the Datanla Alpine Coaster.
The alpine coaster is located out the other side of Da Lat from the road to the temple. Just past the bus station and down a wide stretch of modern highway the road splits off into a wooded area and the entrance to the Dalat alpine roller coaster and the Datanala falls.
You can find the entrance and parking on a map here.
The falls and the alpine coaster are part of an activities park offering everything from alpine coasters to zip lining, canyoneering to trekking. There are multiple routes through the park with two coasters to try.
We knew we wanted the newer roller coaster - coaster number three as it offers the longest ride to the falls. Route one is a much shorter ride (and doesn’t go to Datanla Falls) and it looks like route two is not currently running. Route three costs 250,000 VND (£7.75 or $9.75) each for tickets down the alpine coaster and then back up from the waterfall.
At this point we should probably explain, to those who didn’t play Roller Coaster Tycoon, what an alpine coaster is: You sit in a little car, attached to metal rails underneath, that rolls and careens down a track that resembles a bobsleigh run. It is very, very fun. The Dalat coaster has the added pressure / thrill of making you responsible for your own braking. Levers on the left and right will apply or remove the brakes, throughout the ride there are signs advising you to brake or accelerate through various sections.
Very very very fun!
With the weather warnings as they were and the fact that it was early afternoon on a Thursday, We didn’t have to queue for tickets or the ride at all. You can ride as a couple but we decided to each take a car down individually. We were strapped in given some basic instructions - i.e. don’t hit the car in front - and let loose!
How do you describe a roller coaster ride? It was a roller coaster! Twists and turns flung you around, the cars accelerating down helixes and nearly flying over bumps. The forest all around flashing past as the cart below rattled and careened down the track. All the while the adrenaline pumping, stomach flipping g forces attacking you. In short, it was great! Around halfway through the ride we slowed to a halt as the cars waited to be pulled up a massive incline. We clicked and clacked up the huge hill before charging in a mad swoop of turns and drops down to the finish.
There may be no better way of travelling to a waterfall.
The alpine coaster drops you off right at the base of the Datanla waterfall. Buzzing from the ride we walked down to admire the falls. Although not on the same scale or violence as the Elephant falls from earlier, the Datanla falls were beautiful; a multi stage waterfall that falls in silver rivulets down the mountainside we had just ridden past. The falls then splits into small streams which criss-cross each other and are spanned by bridges and selfie points. It is a little theme-parky (we know, it shouldn’t be surprising - we had just got off a roller coaster), but was still a very pretty place. There are plenty of spots to take photos and admire the view from.
Our ticket also entitled us to a return trip up the hill to the entrance. So, after we had had our fill of the waterfall we headed back onto the coaster.
The return trip was an unexpected bonus, it looks from the bottom that you are just going to be dragged straight back up the hill to the starting station, but there is actually a whole other section of coaster! Definitely not as long as the first set but still great fun.
At the top the sky had darkened noticeably and we could feel the occasional raindrop fall. We hurried back to our scooter, paid the parking fee (5000 VND) and drove off back to Da Lat.
Not all the best things in life are free, sometimes you have to pay the entrance fee!
The roller coaster was quite an expensive experience. The ride had lasted maybe 8 minutes down and 5 back up and had cost us the best part of £16 between us. However, sometimes you do have to open your wallet and have some good silly fun. It has been far too long since we were last on a roller coaster and, if we were still in Dalat, we would definitely go again!
We had crammed a lot into one day, we had driven south for about an hour, seen a massive statue, beautiful temple and huge waterfall. We had ridden back through town and raced down a mountain to a waterfall on a rollercoaster! As we drove back, the beginnings of a storm dusting our faces, we couldn’t help but grin, it had been a great day.
The practical stuff
Linh Ẩn Temple and Pagoda information
Where is the Linh Ẩn Temple?
Right here. It is a medium length (45 minutes to an hour) scooter ride from Dalat town along a quite busy stretch of road. We are no experts on two wheels but wouldn’t recommend this as a learning experience on a scooter. There is a fair bit of traffic to share the road with. If you are ok on a scooter and this is not your first time on public roads you should be ok.
Scooter rental seems to be uniform across Da Lat at around 150,000 VND per day.
If you don’t have a scooter you can easily get to the temple (and anywhere else) by Grab Taxi or by booking an Easy Rider in Da Lat town.
How much does Linh Ẩn Temple cost?
Nothing, it is free to enter and free to park your bike. There is a donation box that we would encourage you to use on the way out. It is a beautiful place and it would be nice if it stayed that way.
Is there a dress code at Linh Ẩn Temple?
Dress respectfully, it is a place of worship. Shoulders and knees should be covered, just be respectful. It isn't rocket science!
What are the opening times for the temple?
The temple is listed as being open 24 hours a day. It will be much busier on weekends and on festival days. The Statue and temple halls may close if you visit very early or late.
Can we get a view of the Elephant falls from Linh Ẩn Temple?
Absolutely. From the carpark head to the left of the statue (facing it) and go down the steps to the wide area around the base. From the railings here you can see the falls, however it is not the best vantage point. For a better view of the Elephant Falls, continue on the left and go down the next set of stairs to the gardens area (still under construction at the moment) and you will be treated to a great view of the waterfalls.
Also the view from the top of the statue is fantastic. Just beware the windows to look out from are tiny.
The Elephant Waterfalls (Thác Voi) Information:
Where are the Elephant Falls?
Beware! The google listing for the falls is here however, this will take you to the closed (at the moment) entrance. For the best view of the falls see below
Please let us know in the comments if the official Elephant Falls viewpoint reopens.
Is Elephant Falls closed? Can we still see it?
Until the main entrance reopens the best way to see Elephant Falls up close is from Elephant Coffee (location). They charge 50,000 VND for access to their viewing platforms but they do give a spectacular view of the Elephant waterfalls. Just park your bike / Grab taxi / tour bus, in the large car park, pay the attendant and go down the steps at the rear of the building.
There are 3 main viewing areas from Elephant Coffee. Make sure you check out all of them, just beware of the slippery rocks and steps!
As we mentioned in the main article, you can also get good views from the Linh Ẩn temple, although they are from much further away. Just head to the left of the statue and down the stairs (two sets of stairs for the best view). You can see the falls from within the massive statue but the windows are very small so they aren’t the best place to see it from.
You can also get some good long distance views from some of the cliff side coffee plantations and cafes along the valley. If we had better weather and more time we would have definitely explored further on down the valley as it looked very pretty!
The Alpine Roller Coaster and the Datanla Falls information:
Where is Da Lat’s Alpine Rollercoaster?
You can find the ticket booth, parking and entrance to the Alpine Roller Coaster here. It is an easy drive down a big busy road from Dalat. Again, due to the traffic we wouldn’t recommend self driving to new or nervous drivers but it is not a long ride - only about 15 minutes from town. This can, like everything in and around Da Lat, be easily done via Grab taxi or easy rider.
How much does the Alpine Coaster Cost?
The coaster itself costs 250,000 VND per person for a return ride taking you down to the waterfall and back up to the entrance.
The parking costs 5000 VND per motorbike and a little more for cars.
These costs are for the longest roller coaster - Coaster number 3
Tips and advice for riding the alpine coaster - How to have the best time.
The roller coaster is great fun when it is quiet. As you, and everyone else on the ride, control their own speed, your experience is greatly affected by other people. There are signs and multi language loudspeakers warning you that you are responsible for your own speed and you are not to run into the car in front. We can imagine it being a frustrating and miserable experience if you are stuck in a queue of people never being able to take your hands off of the brakes.
We visited on a quiet Thursday afternoon when it was threatening rain and had the whole run to ourselves, we could go as fast or slow as we wanted! On our way back up however, we were treated to the sight of an elderly lady going around 2 mph down the steepest part of the descent, we were glad we were not behind her!
The park will be much busier on the weekends and holidays so try and plan around this.
Is the Alpine Coaster worth the money?
This comes down to your personal experience and preference but, for us it is a resounding yes! We had an absolute blast on the roller coaster and at the falls. It cost more than we would usually spend on such a short amount of time, but we had a great time! As we mentioned above, do try and get there at a quieter time as it would not be as fun if it was busy.
Can I ride the coaster with someone else? I don’t want to drive myself!
You can ride the Alpine coaster tandem, with one sitting in front of the other. The braking is easy and, by default on. You accelerate by pushing the control lever away from you and brake by letting it come back. You can definitely make this someone else’s issue and ride with a friend but it was good fun driving yourself!
Organised trips and tours including the Elephant Waterfall Linh Ẩn Temple and alpine coaster
If you want to organise your holiday or exploration in advance and make the logistics someone else’s problem then you can easily arrange a tour around Dalat and the surrounding countryside. All the attractions we talked about here are outside of the town but not a great distance from each other. You can book a tour inside the town, either with a group in a minibus or on the back of a bike with an easy rider. Alternately you can get it all organised online via Get Your Guide:
We hope you found all this useful, it is only a tiny fraction of the adventures you can get up to around Dalat. If you have more time there is hiking, staying in other hill towns and tons more to explore.
Dalat is absolutely stuffed full of things to do For ideas of what to do, where to stay and what delicious food to munch on in Da Lat City itself, check out our article:
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
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Dalat City - Flowers, Food and Crazy Mazes
High in the hills of Central Vietnam, the city of Dalat is famous for it’s coffee, farms, alpine roller coaster and night market but, dig a little deeper and you will find there is much more to this small city than the standard tourist stops. Read our guide for the best food to sample, all the things to go and see as well as where to stay and what to avoid.
High up in the hills of Vietnam’s Central Highlands, the city of Dalat (or Da Lat) sits around a large lake, with the town spiralling out into the surrounding forests and hills. Known as the “City of Eternal Spring” or “The Paris of Vietnam”. Popular with backpackers, holidaymakers and domestic tourists, Dalat has so much to to see and do. Famous for its architecture, fresh foods and coffee, Dalat has so much to offer.
Year round Dalat enjoys a milder climate than the rest of Vietnam, its mountains and fresh air make it a popular escape during the hot and muggy months. Dalat’s cooler temperatures and elevation make it the fresh fruit and vegetable capital of Vietnam, with the local restaurants making the most of the tasty produce.
Dalat is a perfect stop for any traveller on a Vietnamese adventure, from backpacker to luxury, with a wide range of accommodation, food and drink choices.
The Dalat Flower Park is always full of beautiful colours!
We travelled there as part of our North to South backpacking trip through Vietnam and had an absolute blast! What did we get up to? What did we eat? How lost did we get in the Maze Bar? Read on to find out.
Note: We cannot find any definitive answer as to whether it is Da Lat or Dalat so we will be using both depending on our mood!
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. We will earn a small commission from any purchases made through these links.
Da Lat - What is there to do?
The Crazy House
If ever there was an apt name for a place, this is it. Designed by the artist Đặng Việt Nga, daughter of a former president, the Crazy House looks like Salvador Dali and Gaudi had a lovechild in a theme park. Corridors twist in on themselves, pathways arch, curve and melt into each other. A staircase becomes the claw of a dragon or the back of a giraffe, it is bizarre and beautiful.
Like we said, the crazy house lives up to its name!
Located off of a small back road, south of Dalat’s central lake (here), the Crazy House is one of the most famous and iconic attractions in Dalat. The entrance is deceptively small but the labyrinth of corridors, flying walkways and passages actually covers quite a large area. We wandered, climbed and got lost in its knotty pathways for at least an hour and you could easily spend longer.
Three floors down and under the dome is the “deep sea” themed zone.
There is an expensive coffee shop and a souvenir stand in the grounds as well as toilets.
Entrance to the Crazy House costs 80,000 VND per person (£2.47 or $3.14). This was one of the more expensive things we did in Da Lat but it was worth it. The crazy architecture, gardens, views of the city and art displays are completely unique and should definitely be not be missed.
It is hard to explain how bizarre the Crazy House of Dalat is - Its like architecture meets spaghetti!
The Maze Bar
Whilst we are on the subject of bizarre. The maze bar has taken the concept of the Crazy House, condensed it and added alcohol. The entrance is a small nondescript doorway on a street above near Dalat’s central market (find it here). Nothing outside the bar gives any indication of what lies beneath. The Maze Bar looks small, unassuming and ordinary, right until you buy a drink and go down into the basement…
It looks small from the outside….
Through some clever redesign, or possibly magic, the small bar becomes a sprawling maze of themed rooms, tiny staircases, dead ends, secret doors and tight passages. You go down a floor into the basement to start but quickly lose track of where you are - there are far more floors and levels than a 3 story building should contain!
After clambering around, getting lost and attempting to balance a beer can whilst squeezing through a small hole at the top of a ladder, you will eventually find yourself on the top 2 floors where the upper bar, seating and balcony are. The upper bar marks the end of the maze and rewards you with a nice view of Da Lat.... and the KFC across the street.
Before coming to the Maze Bar we were prepared for disappointment, ready for it to be an overhyped expensive tourist gimmick. We were very happy to be proved wrong!
It is very hard to take photos inside the maze itself so we will leave it as a surprise!
Entrance is free but you have to buy a drink. The drinks cost more than buying from the street (beer was 45,000 VND) but nothing too bad. We had a great time getting lost before finding the actual main bars on the top floors. We highly recommend the Maze Bar, it was worthy of the hype.
A couple of tips for the maze bar:
The bar downstairs is open all day but the upper level bar (when you complete the maze) only serves drinks from 9pm onwards. The whole thing is open until midnight when they will then run a shuttle bus to the backpacker night club and late night bar - The Six Floor Bar.
If you do not like enclosed spaces, or have arrived earlier than 9pm and completed the maze, there is a quick way from the upper bar back to the entrance and lower bar. From the entrance just go up the stairs rather than down to the basement, you can then just go up one more floor to the bar. From the upper bar just do the reverse and spiral back down.
Honestly if you were only in Dalat for one night and couldn’t get to the Crazy House, the Maze Bar would be a worthy substitute!
Dalat Train Station
Da Lat Train Station is not like Ho Chi Minh Central or Da Nang, it is a small pretty building with only one operating train line. This historic building however, is the oldest train station in Vietnam! Having been built by the French to join up hill communities, the station was never connected to the main railway of Vietnam. After the war it became a tourist attraction with the one remaining line ferrying passengers to and from the nearby town of Trai Mat.
These days you can visit the station, admire the architecture and take selfies with the old engines and carriages. The train to Trai Mat still runs today, with two trains every day and up to seven in busy times! Tickets for a return journey depend on the train and range from 108,000 VND to 226,000 VND per person. We didn’t take the train this time but next time we visit Dalat we would like to maybe stay a night up in Trai Mat, it looks like there are a lot of good places to eat with fantastic views over Dalat.
For train times, have a look at the schedule below:
The train station itself only cost 5,000 VND per person to visit and was a fun detour and an interesting piece of history on our wander around Dalat’s central lake. Speaking of which...
Da Lat Lake - Xuan Huong Lake
If you have read any of our blogs you will know that we are walkers, if it is possible to go on foot we will do it. We love wandering around a new place or city and just seeing what we stumble across. As soon as we landed in Da Lat we saw the large lake and thought, “yep lets walk around that!”
The walk around the edge of Dalat Lake is around 7 km, without detours. This lakeside walk takes you past or near several interesting Dalat landmarks: It comes within 5 minutes of the Da Lat Railway station we mentioned above, brings you right next to the Flower Park (mentioned below) and walks you right alongside the Lam Vien Square.
The Lam Vien Square lies right on the lake's edge and is dominated by two very unique buildings.
The “Flower” building.
Made of glass, these large buildings are sculpted into the shape of Dalat icons: a massive flower and an artichoke bud (artichokes being a Da Lat speciality).
The square and buildings are used for exhibitions, public performances and pop up vendors.
When we passed on our wanderings around the lake, there were only a few vendors out. There were some extremely cute, but hot looking, Huskies who you could pay to take photos with.... honestly even in the cooler climbs of Da Lat we cannot think of a less appropriate dog than a Husky for Vietnam.
Hot dogs left behind, we wandered on around the lake passing parks, memorials, shops and golf courses. It is a great way to stretch your legs and get out around the city. We ended up doing the full loop twice in our time in Da Lat, once when we first arrived as we wanted to have a look around and then a second time to visit the Railway Station, Flower Garden and....
Da Lat Lake Swan Boats
I gave in ok, I gave in… Ellie gave me the puppy eyes and wanted to have a float around on the lake. Before I knew it I had been relegated to being a motor whilst Ellie literally swanned about on the lake.
The swan boats of Dalat lake certainly are ... tasteful ...
The swan boats are available for hire at a few points around the lake (we hired ours from here) and cost 70,000 VND for one hour. To be fair, it was fun pedalling around on the lake and being enthusiastically waved at by a selection of Vietnamese families. I even got Ellie to pedal, eventually, in the end... for about five minutes...
Swan boats and tandems - Why do romantic couple activities always involve pedalling!
The Flower Park - Vườn hoa thành phố Đà Lạt
(location)
Sitting just around the northern tip of the lake is Dalat’s Flower park. We were, like the Maze Bar, wary of this. We have been in quite a few flower parks and botanical gardens ranging from Bogor in Indonesia to Pondicherry in India. Depending on when you go, botanical gardens can be a little bit hit or miss. We had also spoken to some fellow travellers in Da lat. Our backpacking compatriots had reported that the Flower Park currently lacked any flowers, which we thought was quite a fundamental flaw.
We are happy to report that our fears were unfounded. The Flower Park is definitely worth the hour or so it takes to walk about.
Entrance to the Flower Park costs 100,000 VND per person. Once we had paid, we wandered about the manicured gardens and water features. On the hill to the right of the entrance is the Japanese friendship garden, with tori gate framed views over the park as a whole. Despite some strange design decisions (why did they need to include Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs?) the park was very pretty and there were plenty of blooming flowers. On the left hand of the park (if you are walking in from the entrance), was a large field full of tall bright orange flowers. There were small pathways so you could wander right in and get lost amongst the flowers and bees, it was a great spot for photos!
We really liked the Flower Park, we were so ready for disappointment but were pleasantly surprised. 100,000 VND well spent!
The Markets of Da Lat - The Central Market and Night Market
The markets of Da Lat were...odd... We visited the Central Market on a quiet afternoon and couldn’t make heads or tails of it. Every shop inside the large building sold exactly the same selection of dried fruits and sweets. We understand this is the speciality of the region but it was odd walking through repeating rows of, what was essentially, the same shop. The building is quite impressive with a high ceiling and a brutalist utilitarian vibe. The market would make a good place for souvenir shopping if you have relatives or friends who would appreciate Vietnamese dried fruit.
We visited the market late in the afternoon, so it may well be that the non-dried fruit vendors had already packed up and left. Let us know in the comments below.
Outside the covered market it is a whole different story, it felt like Dalat’s “real” market. Flower vendors crowd the outer walls of the central market with vibrant colours. Shops and street food spill out onto the pavements and all manner of goods are on sale.
In the districts behind the market (up the stairs) you can find every variety of food, drink and crafts for sale. If you explore a little further you will find a charming cluster of alleyways and cafes all decked out in incredible street art (location).
The Night Market
Da Lat night market is a major draw for tourists, both internally from Vietnam and internationally (it seemed to be very popular with Koreans). We are not completely sure why.
The Da Lat night market is not like most South East Asian night markets which, despite usually being very similar to each other, still have plenty of food and drink along side a decent selection of tourist tat and trinket stalls. Da Lat night market seemed to specialise in woollen “designer” goods. If you wanted a Louis Vuitton scarf of questionable providence then this is the place. Variations on this one stall filled the high street, broken only by the occasional toy stand. It was not a very varied market.
The night market gets very busy at the weekend!
There is a large busy food court style restaurant on the right hand side (as you face the central market) and a few street food vendors clustered around the central market.
As cheesy as they tend to be, we usually love a night market in South East Asia but for some reason Da Lat’s just didn’t vibe with us. We visited on a busy night (Saturday) so presumably most of the stalls should have been present but there just wasn’t the variety to keep us exploring. We are not saying skip it, it is free and runs every night (some busier than others) so definitely go have a look, just don’t expect anything too exceptional.
Day trips from Da Lat - What to do outside the city?
As Da Lat is surrounded by hills, there is plenty to keep you busy outside of the city from hiking to coffee farms.
We had a great day out exploring the Elephant Waterfalls, the Linh Ẩn Pagoda and statue and, of course, the famous alpine roller coaster. You can read all about our trip, how to get there and what to expect here
Food and drink - Where to eat in Dalat
Roast Chicken - A Dalat delicacy
Da Lat is famous for its roasted chickens, not your peas and gravy Sunday lunch variety, but a wonderful Vietnamese concoction. Roasted and grilled over flames and served with herbs, dipping sauce and bamboo steamed rice tubes Cơm lam gà nướng is chickeney perfection.
We found a fantastic little roadside place serving up a whole chicken for only 200,000 VND (£6.16 or $7.86). With only a couple of tables and a constant stream of Grab drivers getting deliveries, we knew we were in the right place!
The chicken arrived on a bamboo woven plate, chopped into chunks by cleaver. To say it was delicious is an insult. It was beyond tasty. It had been roasted once, then re-crisped on a rotisserie and, despite this double cook, was one of the juiciest chickens of our adventure so far! The chicken lay on a bed of herbs to refresh our pallets and the spicy sauce and sticky rice made for amazing accompaniments.
I’m now hungry just because of the memory this photo brought back!
The whole meal including chicken, herbs, dip and 2 tubes of bamboo rice, cost us 240,000 VND, which for a treat for two people is seriously good value. You can find Cơm lam gà nướng everywhere in and around Da Lat, just look out for the rotisserie grills and roasting ovens. If you want to eat where we did (we definitely recommend it), the tiny shop is located here .
Wonton and Dumplings
Surprisingly, at least for us, Da Lat had lots of wonton noodle shops and dim sum / dumpling sellers. We love dumplings and wonton an unhealthy amount so there is no way we could resist.
Our favourite wonton noodles came from a little, permanently busy, shop near our accommodation. There is no google listing but it is around here.
This is the shop, just look for the piles of fresh wonton on the cart at the front!
The bowls here were piled high with char sui pork, bone in meltingly tender pork joints and, of course, wonton. The egg noodles were perfectly firm with a wonderful snappy chew. All in all it was a fantastic bowl of noodles and a nice change from the more traditional Vietnamese food we had been having. Also, they were really cheap, the big bowl with everything in it only cost us 35,000 VND each (£1.08 or $1.37)!
For dumplings we headed to Há Cảo Trần Lê. Another small shop with big tastes. They do a full menu of cheap and delicious dumplings but we opted to have the special dumplings in soup. The wontons were delicious with wafer thin wrappers and peppery pork fillings. The special dumplings however were on another level. Lurking at the bottom of our bowls these enormous dumplings dwarfed any of the other offerings. A whole prawn was wrapped in minced pork before being encased in a delicate wrap. It was fantastic! A bowl of the special dumpling noodle soup costs 45,000 (£1.39 or $1.77).
How good does that look?!
Mi Quang - Speciality noodles
We love watching some foodtubers and took our next recommendation from the Vietnam based Max Mcfarlin. Mi Quang is a noodle dish (mi = noodles) from the Quang area of Central Vietnam. A rich broth spiced with turmeric (not very common in Vietnamese cooking) is filled with meat (usually pork and or beef but sometimes chicken), prawns, peanuts and sesame rice. Sounds good right? It tastes even better!
We, following Mr Mcfarlin's advice and ate at Loan’s Spicy Beef Noodle Soup. Despite its beef focused name, this side alley shop is renowned for its pork mi quang. It deserves its reputation! The broth was packed with flavour and meltingly soft pork, with the shrimps giving a savoury sea twang. The thick noodles were the perfect conveyor belt for the soup and the sesame cracker gave a wonderful crisp texture. On the table were sauces, chillies and other favour tweakers to really make the bowl your own. For those with an adventurous palate, or at least one now acclimatised to fermented flavours, we would recommend a little of the mam tom - fermented shrimp sauce, it gives such a depth of flavour. Just remember that a little goes a very long way!
The mi quang here was one of our favourite bowls in the whole of Vietnam. It is completely unique and, unlike pho, doesn't seem to have made it onto the international stage yet. You can find it everywhere across Central Vietnam, but if you are in Da Lat come to Loan’s - you won't find better!
A bowl of the mi quang from Loan’s only costs 40,000 VND (£1.23 or $1.57) so there is really no excuse not to try one!
Banh Mi - The backpacker staple
Banh Mi as a dining choice in Dalat should come as no surprise to anyone. If you are in Da Lat you must have travelled through at least some of Vietnam and, unless you did this blindfolded, you cannot have avoided Banh Mi. Iconic throughout Vietnam and the rest of the world, the so-called “best sandwich in the world” is very well represented in Da Lat. In fact we found our favourite banh mi of the trip in this hilltop city.
A com tam (broken rice) shop had a little stall out front advertising banh mi heo quay, or roast pork banh mi. With no official Google listing (this is the place - Just look for the red and yellow cart under the green awning) this little stall made us the best banh mi we have ever had. Chunks of crispy roast pork and slices char siu pork with chillies and pickles were sprinkled with sesame seeds and powdered peanuts, it was rich, fresh, crunchy and everything the world's best sandwich should be! It was also very reasonably priced at 20,000 VND (£0.61 or $0.77)!
It didn’t look like much but it really was the best banh mi of our three month trip!
Soy Milk - Pure comfort
All over Da Lat, from noodle joints to street vendors, you will find Sua Dau Nanh - soy milk drink. Served hot or over ice it is either supremely refreshing or warming and comforting. It was nutty, creamy and very moreish! John is not a massive lover of milk drinks but even he admitted this was lovely.
Coffee - Dalat’s most famous speciality
Dalat is rightly famous for it’s coffee. From the ultra high end, prohibitively expensive (and dubiously ethical) Civet poop coffee, all the way to a cheap cup of bog standard joe, Da Lat does coffee well. There are literally hundreds of coffee shops in the city and the surrounding countryside. Here are two of our favourites in Dalat City itself:
Lyn Coffee and Tea
(location).
We stumbled into Lyn’s coffee at around 6 in the morning after getting off our overnight bus from Hoi An. We were in desperate need of caffeine and it was the closest coffee to us! Luckily for us Lyn’s was excellent, cheap and stylish! We knew we were in good hands as, even at this early hour, there was a steady stream of locals sitting down for their morning pick me up.
We found ourselves in Lyn’s on more than a few occasions and nearly always ordered the bac xiu or Vietnamese latte. Layers of condensed and fresh milk mixed with the rocket fuel coffee common in ‘Nam makes for a creamy, moreish, delicious wake up call.
A bac xiu (far from the cheapest coffee) from Lyn’s costs 25,000 VND (£0.77 or £0.98). This is brilliant value for money, in Hoi An you would be paying 50,000 for one of these!
Amélie Pâtisserie et Café
(location)
This achingly cool looking coffee shop serves up fantastic coffee and pastries. We had some very decadent treats here, a deliciously sticky cinnamon swirl bun and a camembert and walnut stuffed roll. They were as good as they sound! The shops website looks like this should be quite a pricey place but, when we visited there was a range of deals for a coffee and a pastry. We paid 70,000 VND for a bac xui and bun / roll. Given the quality of the coffee and the deliciousness of the baked goods this was a very well priced treat! The cafe also offers some frankly stunning looking desserts, proper patisserie faire - sculpted eggs, edible candles, the whole shebang. These more ornate treats cost upwards of 120,000 VND each. These were a little outside out backpacking budget so we just settled for looking at them and salivating.
If you are interested in the Coffee scene of Vietnam, make sure you read our guide:
Where to stay - Accommodation in Dalat
Da Lat is a popular city for both Vietnamese and international tourists. As such it has a wide range of accommodation to choose from. There is something for every budget from the most basic hostel through to the high end luxury.
When looking for somewhere to stay we would recommend concentrating on the areas around the central market, this way you should be within walking distance of all the town’s attractions.
Backpacker hostels in Dalat
For those backpackers looking for a hostel with good sociable vibes we were recommended either Mr Peace Backpacker’s House or the top rated place on hostelworld; Mooka’s Home. Both are a short walk into town and have dorms and private rooms on offer for reasonable hostel prices.
Budget guest house (our recommendation)
For us, we love staying in small guesthouses and found an absolute gem in the back alleys of Da Lat - The Lovely House. We had a massive double bedroom with a small balcony and great private bathroom, all for around £9.00 ($11.32) a night! It was down a quiet alley just off of a road chock full of great places to eat. The guest house also offered scooter rental at 150,000 VND (£4.65 or $5.85) a day, this appeared to be standard price across Da Lat. Lovely House was well named, we can highly recommend this as a great place to stay. Book a stay here.
Our lovely bed in our lovely room in the Lovely House!
High end accommodation
For those not on a backpacking budget Da Lat is full of higher end hotels as well as boutique apartments and resorts to stay at. Click the button below to check out these 5 star well reviewed options:
Dalat accommodation map
For all of the accommodation available in the city, have a look at our handy map below, zoom in or out for more choices:
Getting to Dalat
Being on the Vietnamese tourist trail, Dalat / Da Lat is very well connected by road. You will be able to find a bus from any major town or city that will take you to Da Lat. We travelled to Dalat from Hoi An on a twelve hour overnight bus.
Most of our long bus journeys through Vietnam have been on sleeper buses and we think we have now had every level of luxury, from the very bottom (9 hours next to a non closing toilet door in a 42 person bus) to the most bougie (4 hours with a massive private capsule on double beds- why couldn’t these have been reversed!?).
Our bus from Hoi An to Da Lat was a pretty comfy 33 person sleeper bus booked through 12Go. You can easily get down from anywhere north on the same service and there are multiple buses per day from most locations:
Hanoi to Da Lat (flights)
When it came time for us to head south there was more than one bus every hour going to Ho Chi Minh City. Check out some of the routes below:
Da Lat to Phu Quoc (Flights)
Just reverse the destination and starting point if you are travelling from south to north!
For those with less patience or deeper pockets you could organise a private taxi to take you to Da Lat.
You can book an advance ticket on buses, trains taxi’s or planes from pretty much anywhere in Vietnam, just check out 12go:
Dalat’s railway station is not connected to the mainline of Vietnam. You cannot get to Dalat via train.
Another option for those wanting to include Da Lat on their itinerary but don’t feel like using the buses, you could book yourself onto a tour that includes a stop in the hill city. Have a look at some of the options below.
Final thoughts on Dalat City
When we arrived in Da Lat we were not sure what to think. Tired and bus-lagged (definitely a thing after a sleeper bus in Vietnam), we initially had doubts on the city. It looked, at first, quite theme-parkey a little gimmicky and shallow. We were wrong. Dalat is wonderful, full of fantastic food and great things to explore and do. Make sure you delve a little deeper than just the roller coaster and night market when you visit Da Lat. Dive into its fantastic food scene, enjoy a walk around it's pretty lake and gardens and just enjoy the clean mountain air.
Da Lat, you were a wonderful surprise.
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
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Long Bien Market - The Ultimate Food Tour in Hanoi
Hanoi is the perfect city for a foodie, every corner of every street seems to have amazing food. But how do you dive deeper than the tourist spots, how do you go beyond the Old Quarter favourites? Read our guide to A Chef’s Tour - Hanoi Dawn for all the information about the most amazing food and market tour in northern Vietnam.
The Vietnamese capital of Hanoi is a food travellers dream, from the labyrinth of alleyways in the Old Quarter to shophouse restaurants and Michelin starred market traders, it's a city bursting full of culinary delights. With the famous bun cha and northern style pho, as well as iconic banh mi and egg coffee, the city has countless tasty treats and delicious delicacies to tantalise the taste buds of any traveller! If you’ve read any of our blogs in the past, you’ll know that we love a food tour and we frequently put our trust in “A Chef’s Tour” when landing in a new city.
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. We will earn a small commission from any purchases made through these links.
Hanoi is no different. In order to dive in straight at the deep end and find the best hidden eateries beyond Instagram and Lonely Planet guidebooks, we booked ourselves on the “Hanoi Dawn” walking street food tour.
The Food Tour - Hanoi Dawn Eats
Very little that is good happens at 4am. If you’re still out and partying it is around the time you start to question your life choices, or at least start regretting those beer goggles. 4am is not a time, generally speaking, that people are awake by choice.
Outside of our apartment in Hanoi’s Old Quarter a group of revellers were noisily soaking up (and in some cases topping up) the night's alcohol with roasted dried squid. Our alarms, mixed with their singing dragged us out of sleep and groggily summoned us to the street, for us, this 4am held promise. It was time for street food.
We were being picked up outside our accommodation in the Old Quarter of Hanoi to be whisked away on an early morning food tour, dining with the locals in and around the capital's busy Long Bien market.
The Beef Pho Market
After a short drive through the dark streets of the Old Quarter we hopped out of our taxi and found ourselves at a surprisingly busy crossroads. Next to us a truck swung open its backdoors revealing its grisly cargo. If you’re interested in food and interested in Vietnam, then you’ll already know about pho.
This delicious noodle soup is made from a complex broth and takes well over twelve hours to make. The most popular pho is pho bo (beef pho) and what was being unloaded next to us was the key ingredient to its magical broth, the beef carcasses. Huge rib cages, spines and shins clattered out of the truck and onto the waiting tarpaulin. Up and down the streets from the crossroads similar stalls were selling cuts of beef, bones and other essentials for the iconic pho soup. At a little past 4am this was a very full on introduction to what was going to be a very full on market tour!
Luckily we had our expert guide Duyen, an ex-market trader, chef, teacher who had appeared on Gordon Ramsay’s Asian Adventures and basically knew everybody and everything in and around the markets of Hanoi. Duyen also runs cooking classes, check out the notes at the end of this blog if you’re interested.
Long Bien Market
Leaving the streets of the Old Quarter behind us, we crossed the main road and arrived at the Long Bien market. Despite it being 4am and our guide Duyen saying the market was actually winding down, the place was packed. A raging current of people, produce, bikes, porters and trucks flowed and crashed around us. Our small group was split up and reformed repeatedly by the tides of market goers around us.
The organised chaos of a morning market!
We moved past piles of pineapples stacked higher than our head, avalanches of avocados, each one bigger than we had ever seen and mountains of melons precariously perched on top of each other. We delved deeper and deeper into the market.
Our guide Duyen was great at showing us where every exotic fruit came from, what the fruits could be used for and even at one point taking us down a market alley to where a group of women were painstakingly crafting wedding displays.
The displays were made out of betel nut and leaves, colourful flowers and fruits, all mounted into fantastic carnivalesque displays. Duyen explained how depending on the economic background of the family, these displays could fetch staggering sums of money.
Sugar Cane
Our first market treat was a cube of freshly cut sugar cane. Piled high they looked like enormous bamboo poles, we hadn’t realised just how big sugar cane could grow.
We walked through the sugar cane warehouse, with sheafs of green and brown canes rising high overhead. We tried picking up a bundle and could barely lift the 12 foot sugar canes. We had seen lengths of sugar cane strapped to the backs of 50cc motorbikes and we have no idea how these daring delivery drivers did this without their bikes being in a permanent state of wheelie!
The long canes are usually used to make sugar cane juice. Sections of long cane are fed through a metal mangle which squeezes out their sweet juice. You can see sugar cane juice for sale on the street all throughout Vietnam and South East Asia and it is a perfect sweet antidote to a sweltering day. The cubes we were gnawing on were the raw product. The cane had simply been shaved and cut into chunks, ready to eat. The chunks were deliciously sweet with a soft woody texture, they were strangely addictive and gave us an early morning energy boost.
Chewing on our stringy sweet treat, Duyen led us behind the towering sugar canes, to the market’s temple, an Aladdin’s cave full to the brim with offerings, paper money, beer cans and fruit.
We were visiting Long Bien market just before the full moon, a particular auspicious time for the Vietnamese market traders, and our guide explained that during the course of the weekend, the temple would swell with offerings.
Even at this early morning hour, a market trader stopped by to sweep the temple and donate a small offering. Leaving the tranquillity of the temple behind us, we delved back into the throngs of people and the turbulence of the market.
Vietnamese Fish Cakes - Cha Ca
We wove our way past bubbling tanks and styrofoam boxes full to the brim with fish and seafood. We passed sturgeon in enormous tanks, coils of eels and even baskets full of frogs!
Vietnam and Hanoi in particular are famous for street side snails and they were here in abundance. Piles of tiger striped shells, enormous whelks and fresh oysters were everywhere. Particularly lively were the laundry baskets full of dancing shrimp which popped, bounced and attempted to throw themselves to freedom as we walked past. The Vietnamese like their food fresh, and there was no way of getting fresher than the still swimming seafood of Long Bien.
Our group came to halt outside a vat of boiling oil. In front laid metal trays stuffed with fishcakes of every shape and size. One of the oldest Vietnamese culinary creations, Cha Ca (Vietnamese fishcakes) can be made with many different types of fish, shellfish or snails. Duyen selected three different types for us to try and the little cakes were swiftly plunged back into the oil to crisp up. The market stall usually sells the fishcakes in bulk and “half-cooked” so that restaurants and street vendors can finish them off to order. As we had Duyen with us, we got to sample them fully cooked and fresh from the stall.
Each of the fishcakes were completely different to the other. The catfish cake was meaty and firm, with a slightly chewy batter. The squid cake was sweeter than the catfish, with chunks of meat contrasting deliciously with the more neutral casing. The snail fishcake was the most unique of the three with an earthy taste and bouncy bits of fresh snail studded throughout. All of the cakes were oily from the fryer yet somehow tasted clean and moreish. Normally these Cha Ca wouldn’t be served by themselves and you’d be eating these alongside a dip or noodle soup, but it was really interesting to eat them this way, fresh and in the market where they could be the star of their own show.
Vietnamese Herbs
Dodging vans and flung buckets of fish water we left the fish market behind and entered the green oasis of the herb section.
Vietnamese herbs are everywhere. So many dishes from Bun Cha to Pho, Banh Xeo to Bun Bo Hue will come served with a basket full of fresh herbs and greens. They are an essential part of balancing Vietnamese food. The market reflected this, with large verdant bouquets full of Vietnamese mint, perilla leaf, saw tooth-coriander and Thai basil. Duyen plucked leaves from these bouquets for us to try and explained what dishes they would go in as well as their traditional medicinal uses.
On a busy intersection between the herbs and fish, a lady wheeled up her portable food stand. It was time to try a Pennywort Vietnamese omelette. Cooking on the world's smallest wok and burner and dodging large lorries and the market traffic, our stall holder fried us up a fresh omelette studded with bitter herbs. Served alongside this, she made a dipping sauce of fresh kumquat juice, salt and chilli. The rich egg and bitter herb contrasted beautifully with the salty, sour and sweet sauce. The wok charred omelette giving a smokey undertone. It's obvious why she sells lots of these in the morning market; they make a great little breakfast.
We continued winding our way through the market as the sun started to rise. Heading under the iconic Long Vien bridge, we walked past bikes weighed down under the weight of flowers, mopeds strapped with towering crates of beer and market porters with their iconic bamboo poles and conical hats. As we left the fringes of the main market behind, we saw the bankers and weighmasters of the market, the electronic money counters whirring next to the bronze weighing scales ensuring accurate rates. As the darkness slowly receded and the spreading sun promised another scorching day, we couldn’t help but think that the market scenes were the perfect microcosm for Hanoi and Vietnam. The timelessness of the market with traditions unchanged for centuries, was studded through with modern innovation.
Vietnamese Sticky Rice - Xôi
On a side street at the edge of the market, Duyen darted off to a vendor sitting on the side of the street with a cooler box full of treats. She returned with a banana leaf plate piled with different types of Vietnamese Sticky Rice. Sticky rice can come in many forms, from the sweet, coconut milk drizzled Thai pudding, to the neutral sticky rice served with curries and salads all across Lao to the deeply savoury, fermented pork filled bundles found in Myanmar. Today’s offering from the streets of Vietnam, consisted of three types of sticky rice in colours ranging from bright orange to the more familiar white topped with crushed peanuts, purple beans, deep fried garlic, shallots and pork floss. Each one a perfect little savoury mouthful. The contrast of the glutinous rice, with the sweet deep fried shallots and crunchy nutty peanuts was delicious. It was hearty, filling and made for a great morning munch.
Even though we were now well outside Long Bien market, the side streets were still full to the brim with stalls and traders. Another unexpected sight on our walking street food tour was when we we rounded a corner and, less than a stone's throw from buckets of eels, bundles of herbs and pyramids of fruit, was a pristine white marquee. Banquet tables, with white clad chairs and beautiful flower arrangements, sat ready and waiting for guests. We had stumbled upon a market place wedding. Duyen told us that this is very common and as the market is such an important place for so many people, weddings were not an uncommon sight here.
Baguette and Sweet Bread - Banh
The sun was now fully risen as we continued down the side streets walking further and further away from the main market. We passed more stall holders, selling live ducks, chickens and geese as well as flower sellers dressed so colourfully they blended in with the flora of their stalls.
The next stop on the food tour was a bakery. The unmistakable smell filled the alleyway and clued us in before we got anywhere near the shop front. The smell of baking bread is always magical. Duyen handed us fresh baked banh mi and a loaf of sweet bread topped with honey and pork floss. Banh mi is well known as the “best sandwich in the world” but banh mi literally translates as bread. This bakery was churning out hundreds and hundreds of freshly baked rolls. Still hot from the oven, they were crispy from the outside whilst perfectly chewy and soft within.
The sweet pork loaf was addictive and nothing like we expected. Sweet from the honey, with a salty tang from the pork floss, it was soft, pillowy and the perfect balance of salt and sweet. If you see this for sale on the streets, definitely give it a go!
Grilled pork, rice noodles and herbs - Bun Cha
Leaving the colourful streets behind, we darted down a small alleyway following the distinctive smell of charcoal and barbecuing meat. It was time for bun cha!
Outside the small shopfront a lady was crouched down fanning the coals of a small pavement side barbecue. In a wire rack on top sat sizzling slices of pork. We headed in and sat at the low table and were quickly presented with bowls of fresh herbs and lettuce, a plate of bun noodles (white rice noodles) and a bowl of sliced papaya and carrots that were swimming in a sweet sauce / stock. Bobbing to the surface of this delicious soup were barbecued pork patties and thin slices of crispy pork belly. Popular all over Vietnam and especially famous in Hanoi and the north, bun cha is delicious. You take the bun noodles, dip them in the sweet sauce, add herbs and vegetables and eat with the meat. Each mouthful is a delicate balance of sweet, salty and sour, cut through with pepper and perfectly caramelised meat. It’s a proper Vietnamese treat.
Famously eaten by former President Barack Obama and Anthony Bourdain, bun cha has exploded in popularity, but still isn’t quite as internationally available as the iconic banh mi or pho but is 100% seeking out in Vietnam.
Speaking of pho …
Beef pho - Pho Bo
Leaving the charcoal barbecues behind us, we continued down the flag-strewn alleyway to our next stop, where we were welcomed by an extremely friendly and well fed corgi, who led us to our table. It was time to try a bowl of pho.
The cutest pho buddy you’ll ever see!
At the front of the shop, big vats of bubbling broth, full of lemongrass stalks, chunks of bone and herbs sat behind the counter. These vats contain the pho soup. It takes all night to prepare, and despite its clear, clean appearance it is deep and complex in flavour. Once you’ve had it, there’s no going back.
The owner ladled out this blissful liquid on top of bowls of white pho noodles before adding in cooked beef, slices of raw beef, spring onion, chilli, more herbs and some beef tendon. Duyen explained that this beef had been brought at the very market we had seen at the start of our tour, we had come full circle.
Alongside our bowls, a basket of Banh Quay (fried bread sticks) provided crunch and a way to soak up more of the delicious soup. The beef tendons had been stewed down so long that they melted away when you ate them, and the raw beef cooked instantly the moment it touched the piping hot soup. The pho itself was amazing with a rich complex and deep flavour. Studded with undertones of cinnamon and a background chorus of sweet onion. There really is nothing like a proper bowl of Vietnamese pho. There’s no shortcut to the flavour or cheat way to make it properly, you have to try the real thing.
Hanoi doughnuts - Banh Ran
It was at this point of the street food tour where a sweet treat was needed, and just like that Hanoi provided, okay Duyen had something to do with it as well as we found ourselves at another store selling Banh Ran (Vietnamese doughnuts). These doughnuts are small sweet spheres of deep fried dough covered in sugar. They are sweet, sticky and thoroughly addictive in the way that everything bad for you is!
Vietnamese egg coffee - Cà Phê Trứng
Fuelled by our sweet treats, we rejoined the main road along with the morning rush hour traffic and headed to get our morning coffee. It was time to try the iconic Cà Phê Trứng, Vietnamese egg coffee.
After taking our seats outside a busy coffee shop, out came our egg coffees. At first glance it looks like a normal cappuccino with a sprinkling of chocolate dust over a foamy top. However, one sip in and you’ll quickly realise this is far from a regular ‘cup of joe’. The foamy egg gives a sweet custard-like texture that compliments the dark bitter coffee. It is somewhere between a drink and a pudding, but very tasty and just what we needed after two bowls of noodles and a fried doughnut!
Vietnamese baguette - Banh Mi
Caffeinated and refuelled, it was time for our final stop on the food tour. A short way down the street from the coffee shop, Duyen ushered us on to some plastic stools at a street side banh mi stall. You can’t possibly visit Vietnam without trying a street side banh mi. They are literally everywhere. Luckily for us we were with Duyen and A Chef’s Tour and they had guided us to one of the best.
The crunchy rolls we had seen baking earlier were cut open, slathered in homemade pate, covered with slices of sweet char siu pork, pickled vegetables all topped with coriander, carrot and Vietnamese herbs. Each bite was an explosion of flavour. Rich pate, sharp pickle, sweet char siu and hot chilli all encased in crispy, yet soft baguette. There’s a reason why banh mi are so famous the world over, they just might be the perfect sandwich!
Full to the brim of food and knowledge it was time to head home.
Final thoughts
We had an incredible time with A Chef’s Tour. It had been so worth the early morning get up call. The Long Bien market was a completely unique experience, if we had waited a few hours and got up with the rest of the tourists the market would have been completely changed. The fresh produce stores replaced with hat shops and clothing, the fishmongers closed and the busy fruit stalls gone.
It’s hard to imagine this market ever calming down!
Our guide Duyen was amazing, her years working in the market herself as well as her experience as a professional chef gave an expert eye on everything we had encountered. This tour had been a little different to the other A Chef’s Tours we had taken, it was not a 15 course tasting menu like we had in Bangkok’s Chinatown or Bangkok’s Old Siam, but instead it was focused on bringing to life the early morning market and its produce. We had visited markets with A Chef’s Tour in Delhi’s ancient Chandi Chowk and the northern Thai market of Chiang Mai, but during this tour, every course we ate was influenced by, sourced from, or traditional to Hanoi’s Long Bien market.
Check out some of our other photos from the tour below:
Booking A Chef’s Tour - Hanoi Dawns
How to book this tour?
You can book this tour right here!
Where is the meeting point?
Duyen will come and pick you up from any accommodation within the Old Quarter (or a reasonable distance around). The tour starts at 4am and you will be picked up by taxi. You will also get dropped off at your accommodation at the end of the tour.
Is this tour suitable for everyone?
If you’re into food then definitely yes! A Chef’s Tour specialises in taking you to places that are not sugar coated or watered down for tourists. The food is incredible, authentic and local but so are the sights, sounds and smells of the market.
If you’re especially squeamish, the first stop at the beef market and some of the live animals in Long Bien may be a little much, but remember this is a working market and literally where your food comes from.
Incidentally A Chef’s Tour does state that this tour is unable to accommodate vegans.
If you do have dietary issues make sure you check with them before booking.
What should you wear?
There is a lot of walking in this tour and you will be walking through an active fish market so maybe leave your flip flops and pristine white trainers at home. The tour runs whatever the weather so make sure you dress appropriately.
Other food tours in Hanoi
We loved our time with A Chef’s Tour but accept that 4am is not for everybody. Luckily there are many different food tours you can take in Hanoi. Check out Get Your Guide’s offerings below:
A street food tour that walks you through the culinary delights of Hanoi’s Old Quarter.
A food tour that also incorporates Hanoi’s famous train street.
A food tour that combines food tastings with a ride on one of Hanoi’s traditional cyclo’s.
Equally if you would like to book yourself onto a cooking class with Duyen click here.
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
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Frogs, Snails and a Mouse - Vietnamese Adventures in BBQ and Beer
Sometimes it best just to throw yourself into an experience. Ho Chi Minh city / Saigon is a world renowned culinary destination. From pho to banh mi, its foods are known the world over. But what if you escape the backpacker hub of District 1? Join us for one crazy night of unexpected dining delights in the big city. From barbecued mouse to a snake sausage... Read on to hear all about this culinary adventure!
For those that have been keeping up with our adventures you may have noticed a couple of things:
One - We like our food. We are willing to travel for a good meal and are up for trying pretty much anything.
Two - We enjoy a nice cold beer, wherever we are, we somehow manage to track down someone selling a refreshing brew.
Finally three - We tend to go with the flow in pretty much any situation, whether that is continuing on as planned amidst a political uprising or just seeing where the night takes us, we tend to let the situation decide our course of action.
A good example of all three of these traits is what happened one night in Ho Chi Minh City….
We love Ho Chi Minh. We love the whirlwind chaos of scooters, its sweaty climate, its colourful markets but most of all we love its food culture. Nowhere else on our travels has had the sheer volume of available food. Every street corner, alleyway and square spills over with restaurants and vendors plying their tasty wares.
On one night of our 14 day sojourn in Ho Chi Minh we planned to take advantage of this abundance of food and hop between a few places eating a bowl or plate at each. The night would start at a small restaurant in the district of Phu Nhuan, far north and away from the tourist hub of District 1.
Our first stop would, although we were as yet unaware, be our last food stop of the evening. Our one or two small plates would become a multi-course tasting menu and our cheeky beer would become a small aluminium mountain…. As we said before we tend to just go where the night takes us.
Seated at our table we perused the menu, this was done with a great deal of effort and with the aid of Google Translate. Despite Duolingo’s best efforts, our Vietnamese was not up to scratch. As we were only going to have a little here and move on (we thought) we opted for snails and clams with a couple of cans of Tiger beer. The lovely lady who owned the place and waited the tables, flew around shouting orders into the kitchen before digging out the two beer cans from a pile of ice inside a large cool box . She cracked them open for us and poured them into ice filled glasses.
A side note here: many people seem to look on with horror at the Vietnamese practice of having beer with ice and we genuinely can’t see why. It’s 30+ degrees at night and near 100% humidity - give us all the ice you can!
Our clams and snails swiftly arrived along with two more cans of Tiger as our glasses “looked gone” to her. We didn’t object. The clams were delicious, served in a light as air ginger broth. The snails were similarly yummy although a good deal harder to get out. We were given special snail corkscrews that were meant to make the job easier but all we can say is that we are not skilled snail extractors.
During our snail based struggles two more tables arrived and had taken an interest in our strife. A lovely older gentleman came up and, after another round of Tiger beers had materialised (we didn't even see the woman this time), orchestrated a round of traditional toasts though the restaurant.
Mot
Hai
Bat
Yo!
And now there was another can of Tiger at our elbows. We sensibly decided that we should get some more food. As the restaurant had a picture of a rabbit on its sign and a barbecue smouldering away next to us, we decided on some barbecued rabbit and a plate of barbecued pork ribs.
The rabbit was fantastic, not dry at all (rabbit is very lean, so hard to BBQ without drying it out) and covered in a sweet glaze that gave the skin a satisfying snap. The pork ribs however, were next level. Sweet and tender, glazed in soy fish sauce and honey, they were delicious. It was around this time the table next to us took out a mysterious Tupperware box.
A man from the neighbouring table came over and introduced himself in perfect English. “I am very sorry” he said, “my friends would like to give you some of their food”. Normally people don’t apologise for offering free food, not in our experience at least. We reassured him that we would love to try whatever they would give us. Our response was relayed to the table and was enthusiastically received, prompting another round of toasts. The beer ninja had replaced our cans whilst we were distracted.
Some restaurants are bring your own bottle, some allow you to cook fish that you caught yourself, ours apparently had an open barbecue policy. On this night the open barbecue was to be taken full advantage of. The mysterious Tupperware box was brought to the embers and its contents revealed. Our new friends obviously thought the menu to be too constrictive, too vanilla and wanted something more avant garde. They had come to the restaurant with a box full of marinated mouse.
After a short spell over the flames the tiny spatchcocked bodies arrived on our plates. They were unmistakably rodent shaped. Unexpectedly, however, they were delicious! We will, as has been previously mentioned, try anything once and this has led to some disasters in the past (Cambodian dried snake was a particularly horrible mouthful of bones), but tonight our culinary bravery was paying off. The mouse was tiny with very little meat but the little drumsticks of its legs were yummy in a sweet spicy glaze. It was like a very scrawny chicken but much tastier.
Emboldened by our acceptance of their rodent rations, more food began to appear. The beer fairy also visited and two more cans of Tiger teleported into existence at our elbows. Dried squid in a sweet and sour sauce was our next course. Very chewy and very fishy were our immediate thoughts but before we could vocalise our displeasure we both realised we had taken another chopstick full. It was a strange food, we didn’t exactly love it but it was addictive. We were unsurprised to learn that this is a drinking food.
Next came the frog. Now that is a fun sentence to write! We had seen these hapless amphibians in a tank off to the side of the room, lolloping unhappily in their prisons. Now they appeared in front of us, deep fried and crispy. Deep fried frog skin is possibly the best crunch in the whole business of crispy toppings. The snap of really well fried fish skin but with the texture and flavour of the very best chicken skin. KFC eat your heart out, give us some KFF any day. The frog meat was likewise delicious, with the texture of chicken but the taste of meaty monk fish with a sweet, spicy sauce coating every bite.
More beer flowed. Sometimes handed to us by the lovely owner, sometimes magically appearing out of thin air. We were stuffed and increasingly tipsy, so we had to call uncle on the food. It was either stop eating or burst! Our new friends were sad at this news as they had another special course about to go on the barbecue. Maybe we could be tempted? Maybe our stomach had just enough room for some more? As the enormous stuffed snake sausage hit the barbecue we were quite sure we could consume no more.
We had come in for a couple of small plates and a round of beers, it was now four hours in, seven plates and countless cans of Tiger later. We had had an amazing night eating dishes we would never have tried if not for our local pals. The food had been delicious and even if it was mildly shocking at first, it had opened our eyes. That man at the table next to us had not marinaded his mice in the hopes of shocking two random British people, he had marinated them because they taste so good!
The next night we came back and ordered the frog.
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
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Food of Ho Chi Minh City - A Guide for Experts and First-Timers!
Ho Chi Minh is a food lovers wonderland. An endless menu of street food, famous plates and incredible flavours awaits those willing to get off the beaten path. Check out our blog for some of the cities most delicious food beyond the well trodden lanes of District One.
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. We will earn a small commission from any purchases made through these links.
Ho Chi Minh city, is usually the first or last place you'll visit when coming to Vietnam. The city’s chaotic streets are a food lovers paradise, with seemingly every centimetre of the city offering a different delicious plate. The streets are lined with restaurants, street food stalls, push carts and vendors, when you can get anything and everything often for very little money.
Many travellers will stick to the well worn streets of District One, with Vietnam's Khao San equivalent of Bui Vien and the handy English translations on the street side menus. But for those willing to venture further, and leave the comfort blanket of easy translation behind, this city is an absolute treasure chest of delicious delights!
Read on for some of the must try dishes and our top recommendations for dining beyond district one - okay there is a couple of recommendations from District One but as you'll see these are special cases! Make sure you read onto the end for our recommendations if you’re nervous about new foods or going off piste and exploring the big city.
From our two week stay in Ho Chi Minh city, these are our top food choices:
Cơm Tấm - Broken Rice
Cơm Tấm, literally broken rice, is a ubiquitous dish throughout Ho Chi Minh. Originally a peasant farmers dish made from the rice that was unable to be sold, this dish is now rightly an urban favourite.
There are infinite varieties of Cơm Tấm, however our favourite and most commonly found, is broken rice topped with sweet marinated barbequed pork, spring onion oil (scallion oil for our American friends), topped with fried egg and served with pickled vegetables and fresh tomato and cucumber. This is a hearty breakfast which will keep you full all through the morning and ready for a late lunch.
The unique texture of the broken rice grains is amazing with the sweet pork. Soft but with body and cut through by the spring onion oil and pickles, Cơm Tấm, like so much Vietnamese food, is a perfect blend of sweet, sour and salty. This is especially true when paired, and this is essential, with fish sauce and freshly minced chilli.
We are from England and have the mighty Full English Breakfast as our traditional start to the day, but Cơm Tấm is right up there with it. We can also report that it may even be better at curing hangovers!
Cơm Tấm is available literally everywhere. We ate repeatedly at the excellent store (no google presence) near our Airbnb. One plate of Cơm Tấm cost 50,000 VND (£1.65 or $2.05).
In the morning time just look out for the sweet smoke of street side barbecuing pork and you'll be in for a treat.
Pho - Noodle Soup
It should come as no surprise that we indulged ourselves with several bowls of Pho during our time in Ho Chi Minh. In case you’ve been living under a rock, Pho is possibly Vietnam’s most famous dish.
A bowl of rice noodles is served in a delicate yet rich and fragrant broth which is then topped with beef or chicken in various forms.
With Pho, the broth is the star of the show. Made of bones, fire roasted shallots and other aromats, the broth is boiled and intensified over a lengthy cooking (usually overnight) process. Beef Pho (Phở Bò) and Chicken Pho (Phở Gà) broths are cooked separately, with their stocks being made from the bones from the respective animals. Either way, the result is a clear, light broth with an unbelievably complex, intense and harmonious flavour. This wonderous broth is then poured over flat rice noodles. The broth's flavour will be different at every stall or restaurant, with every chef, grandma and street hawker having their own secret recipes.
After the broth comes the meat. If you’ve gone traditional and are dining at a beef joint (Phở Bò) the toppings start with sliced boiled beef. Depending how much you’ve paid and where you’ve ordered from, thinly sliced raw beef can be added to the bowl and cooked with the heat of the broth, braised beef, tendons and fatty cuts may also be added. The contrast in textures between the different cuts of meat and the richness of beef fat melting into the snap of the tendons, make for a unique and delicious mouthful.
For those who’ve gone for chicken (Phở Gà) it's a similar, but more poultry story. Strips of white and dark meat from poached chicken are added to the bowl, making for an even lighter taste than the beef, but with no less impact.
Whether you went for beef or chicken, your bowl will be topped with spring onions and a few herbs and served alongside a basket of greenery. This bouquet of leaves is one of our favourite things about Vietnamese cuisine. Many of the items in this article come with a tray full of herbs, green leaves, lettuce and beansprouts, all allowing you to tweak and customise your bowl according to your own tastes. Our favourite leaves were sawtooth coriander, Vietnamese basil and mint but honestly half the fun is trying out different combinations of mysterious green leaves.
Watch out though, in every bundle there is fish mint - Fish mint is delicious but not for everybody. Also there is another herb, we never did found out the name, which fills your mouth with a bitter chalky taste.
If the green bouquet wasn’t enough customisation for you, the table will almost certainly be laden with yet more options. Fresh chillies, lime wedges and fish sauce are staples, but you’ll also see bottles and jars of sweet soy sauce, chilli oils, garlic vinegar and the ubiquitous nuclear orange sweet chilli sauce. Again: experiment, customise and enjoy!
Ho Chi Minh’s Pho scene is fantastic and differs from northern Vietnam. Southern Pho broths tend to be more in ‘your face’ with more intense flavours and sometimes a little more sweetness than their calmer, cleaner northern brethren. We’re not going to open the can of worms and try and tell you which is better, just know they are different and therefore you have an excuse to try multiple bowls up and down the country.
There is no shortage of Pho restaurants, mobile street stalls and market place hawkers selling both beef and chicken Pho, we even saw some vegetarian Pho on sale just look for Pho Chay on the signs.
We thoroughly enjoyed our bowls at Phở 76 with its classic flavours as well as a delicious bowl full of beef tendon and offcuts from Phở Lề Đường. Our final recommendation is for Phở Hiền which sold beef Pho with an amazing variety of cuts for toppings. We went for the braised beef and were not disappointed.
A bowl of Pho can range in price but it’ll typically set you back around 50,000 VND (£1.65 or $2.05) or a little more with more toppings.
Banh Mi - Vietnamese Sandwich
Again, you don't need us to tell you this is good. Often voted the “best sandwich in the world”, an accolade we can certainly get behind (although being British, the humble bacon sarnie puts up a good fight), Banh Mi is nearly as famous as Pho.
There are endless varieties of Banh Mi but the basics are universal. Stage one is the bread. One of the few nice things the French left behind in Vietnam was the baguette. This crispy, crunchy white bread roll is split in half and becomes the perfect vessel for yummy fillings.
Smothered in pate and mayonnaise the baguette is then filled with pretty much anything you can think of. The traditional filling is various cuts of pork, Vietnamese sausage along with chilli, chilli sauce and pickled vegetables. The mix of meaty pork, pepper laden sausage, hot chilli, sharp pickles and rich pate is divine. A true symphony of sweet, salt and savoury goodness.
You can find endless varieties of Banh Mi on pretty much any street. Bakeries are an especially good place to grab a Banh Mi, as are butchers for obvious reasons. Banh Mi also makes a great pre-drink stomach liner as well as a lovely brunch!
A Banh Mi is very inexpensive and should cost you around 20,000 VND (£0.66 or $0.82).
For those feeling lazy there are many excellent choices of Banh Mi available for Grab / GoJek delivery. We recommend ordering a couple alongside a Vietnamese milk coffee, speaking of which…
Cà Phê Sữa - Vietnamese Iced Milk Coffee
For those who haven’t tried Vietnamese Iced Milk Coffee or Cà Phê Sữa you’re in for an absolute treat. This rocket fuel disguised as coffee is sweet, rich and delicious and makes for a fantastic caffeine pick me up whatever time of day!
The beans used are a medium to dark roast giving off a luxurious buttery, almost dark chocolate taste with unmistakable underlying bitter coffee notes. Cà Phê Sữa is served either hot or cold (but we prefer the iced version in hot and humid Ho Chi Minh city), with a generous dollop of thick sweet condensed milk sitting at the bottom of the cup. Mix away and recharge with this sweet, caffeinated thunderbolt of a coffee.
Cà Phê Sữa is available literally everywhere from morning to night and we never had a bad one. Our favourite is a hard choice but if we had to pick we would have to say Hoas The Coffee (great name we know) takes 1st place. It is a lovely courtyard coffee shop hidden away from the main street and made delicious Cà Phê Sữa and iced teas.
Just a note: in a lot of the cafes coffee is often served along with a small glass of unsweetened iced tea. This serves as a welcome relief from the sweet coffee and is part of the package and does not cost extra.
One iced Cà Phê Sữa should set you back around 25,000 VND (£0.83 or $1.03) for a posh one in a seated cafe. For a cheap takeaway market stall you are looking at around 15,000 VND (£0.50 or $0.62).
Bò Lá Lốt - Grilled Beef and Betel Leaves
Bò Lá Lốt translates to beef and betel leaves, it doesn't sound like much, but trust us it is fantastic! Throughout the city you can see small charcoal grills lined with little green tubes. This is Bò Lá Lốt. Juicy beef is wrapped in the irony betel leaf and expertly grilled before being sprinkled in roasted peanuts and brought to the table. The beef arrives at your table accompanied by a dizzying array of condiments, accompaniments and wrappers. Colourful pickles, chillies, rice paper, rice noodles and a tray of fresh green leafs, vegetables and herbs crowd the table. Lastly small bowls full of potent fish sauce, chilli and garlic are laid down.
For the full Bò Lá Lốt experience: dampen a circle of rice paper and layer it up with lettuce, your choice of herbs, pickles, as much chilli as your bravery/sanity permits and a clump of rice noodles. On top of this place you cigar of freshly grillet beef and betel. Now the more difficult part. Unless you had a misspent youth you will now have the difficult task of attempting to roll all of the above into a tube. Honestly it doesn't really matter how clumsy the attempted roll is as long as you get some kind of portable parcel.
Fish sauce is a Vietnamese staple, although It is hard to describe without being off putting. It is deeply savoury and brings a sledgehammer of umami to anything it is used in. In Bò Lá Lốt you take your wrapped roll (or bodged mess in our cases) and dip it in a fish sauce / sugar / chilli dip. The contrasting iron leaf, juicy beef and salty, spicy sweet dip is incredible. The bite with all its vegetables, pickles and wrapping layers is an explosion of texture and taste. Bò Lá Lốt is an essential Vietnamese dish, like nothing we had tried in South East Asia or anywhere else before.
As with every food on this list, Bò Lá Lốt is available throughout the city, just look for the smoking grills. We can highly recommend Bò Lá Lốt 18 Lam Sơn , not just as it was near our AirBnB but because the lovely lady running it was hilarious and helpful to two clueless Brits and grilled us up some delicious beef. We came here three times in two weeks, in a city with so many amazing eating opportunities this is high praise!
We paid 67,000 VND per portion plus a can of beer (£2.21 or $2.75).
Bún Riêu - Crab and Tomato Noodle Soup
Although not as famous or well known outside of Vietnam, Bún Riêu was one of our favourite noodle dishes we ate in the city.
The Bún of Bún Riêu refers to bun noodles. Small, spaghetti like rice noodles, with a satisfying chew and snap. Bun is found in many noodle soup and Vietnamese dishes, it feels almost more of a staple than the flat pho noodles of the country's most famous culinary export.
The bun noodles of Bún Riêu are served in a steaming broth of decadent crab and umami rich tomato. Like so much of Vietnamese food, the broth of Bún Riêu manages to pack a serious flavour punch, whilst somehow remaining light and delicate on the tongue. On top of the noodles and soup, all manner of delicious things are added.
In the incredible bowls we ate at Bún Riêu Tôm Lan the toppings included giant prawns, minced pork and crab cakes, Vietnamese pork sausage, blood cake and chewy, snappy swirls of pig skin. Chewy pig skin might not sound that appetising, but trust us they were delicious, the restaurant even has won awards for them.
The sweet yet acidic tomato and crab broth of Bún Riêu is a perfect partner to the sweet prawns and rich blood cake toppings. There’s so much going on in a bowl of Bún Riêu, every bite is a different adventure of textures and flavour.
At Bún Riêu Tôm Lan, make sure you order the special Bún Riêu (Bún Riêu Dac Biet) which comes with all the toppings listed above, as well as limes, chilli, bitter green leaves and crunchy banana blossom to add to the top. For those with an adventurous palette, Bún Riêu Tôm Lan has jars of the infamous Mam Tom.
Mam Tom is a fermented shrimp paste and smells exactly as that sounds. If you can get past the smell, it has a unique flavour that excels in drawing out the tastes of other ingredients. For Bún Riêu (we’re not sure if this is how you’re meant to do it), we mixed Mam Tom, lime juice and chilli together in a dipping bowl until it started to foam and dipped various of the bowls toppings into this pungent condiment. It’s not for everyone, but once you learn to like it, there’s no going back!
A bowl of Bún Riêu and iced tea will set you back 47,000 VND (£1.55 or $1.93).
Bún Nước Tôm Bò Trứng
Bún Nước Tôm Bò Trứng is a hearty noodle soup full of beef, noodles, sliced spring onions and topped with a still runny poached egg. In fact it’s name literally translates to all its ingredients, with Bún meaning noodle, Nước meaning soup, Tôm meaning shrimp, Bò meaning beef and Trứng meaning egg.
The broth is completely different to the more delicate pho broths with a massive punch of pepper and a sweetness from the prawn ball. As soon as the bowl hits your little table, make sure to break the egg and mix the runny yolk in with the broth to make a creamy, peppery, rich soup.
We stumbled upon these two bowls, down a small alleyway off a busy thoroughfare in the heart of Ho Chi Minh. Busy with locals, school children and university students, this was a cheap (45,000k a bowl) delicious and filling start to the day. If you’re the adventurous sort we’d recommend tracking down a bowl from Bún Nước Cô Dung. The bowls are so good we’ve been back multiple times!
Vietnamese Summer Rolls
You can find these everywhere in Ho Chi Minh city, from the most high class restaurants to the aunty pushing her humble street cart. These rice paper wrapped goodies are perfect, cheap street snacks.
Like Banh Mi, summer rolls can be stuffed with a wide variety of fillings but the most common is fresh vegetables and herbs, slices of pork and prawn which are then rolled in a tight wrapper of gummy rice paper. The summer rolls are then dipped in a spicy, peanut sauce and devoured.
If you see them, just buy them! They cost practically nothing and are delicious.
We brought four summer rolls from a street seller for 10,000 VND (£0.33 or $0.41).
Bún Chả - Grilled Pork and Noodles
Bún Chả holds a special place in our hearts. Seven and a bit years ago (as of writing), we visited Vietnam for the very first time. We hadn’t spent much time in South East Asia and Vietnam was blowing our minds. During a torrential downpour that flooded Bui Vien Walking Street (Bui Vien Wading Street? I’m so sorry) with ankle deep water, we waded into Bún Chả 145 . There are seminal moments when travelling and eating, and seven years ago this was one of our big ones. We come from London and have eaten many dishes from many cuisines from all over the world, but we had never tasted the sweet, savoury soup, cold noodle, grilled pork and crunchy herb combination that was Bún Chả. The second we had our first mouthful we knew we were somewhere completely different, with a culinary tradition unlike anything we had eaten before.
Okay, at this point we should back up and actually tell you what Bún Chả is.
Bún Chả is traditionally a north Vietnamese dish, but can be found throughout Ho Chi Minh city. The table starts with a familiar array of herbs and white rice noodles. This is shortly joined by small pucks of sweet grilled pork patties, diced garlic and chillies and a bowl of dipping sauce. Mixing in the diced garlic and chilli to your tastes, you then take your chopsticks and dip in the grilled pork, noodles or any of the green accompaniments and munch away.
This dipping sauce is where the magic happens. Sweet, yet garlicky, salty and spicy, this is a completely unique flavour. The sauce clings to whatever you dip in it and makes it ten times more delicious. We’re pretty sure you could dip cardboard into this sauce and it would still be yummy, so just imagine how good perfectly grilled pork patties are when dipped in this delightful sauce.
For the true expert level of enjoyment, we recommend ordering a set of fried Vietnamese Spring Rolls. These bring an extra crunch and also pair wonderfully with the dipping sauce. We thought it might be nostalgia, so on this trip we went back to Bún Chả 145 and can happily report that the restaurant is still there and still excellent. As it is located on Bui Vien Walking Street in District 1, it is more expensive than other Bún Chả outlets, but it is still well worth the money.
One plate of Bun Cha, a portion of Spring Rolls and a Beer Saigon Special set us back 128,000 VND (£4.22 or $5.25).
Ben Nghe Street Food Market - A Beginner Friendly Exploration of Vietnamese Food
Ho Chi Minh is a chaotic city and can be intimidating for a newcomer, especially if it is the first Vietnamese city you fly into. If you are not quite ready to order blindly in unnamed back alleys or just wander off into far flung districts, we do actually recommend the tourist street food market in District One. We do not normally love these tourist specific food things, but the Ben Nghe Street Food Market really is good fun. It is a great way to sample foods from across Vietnam without being overwhelmed by scooters, crowds and menus in Vietnamese. It is also, coincidentally to our enjoyment, one of the cheaper places to buy beer in the city (one bottle of Saigon Green costs 20000VND or £0.66 / $0.82)!
We are not gatekeepers for food and although we would definitely recommend moving outside of the tourist areas of District One, Ben Nghe Street Food Market allows the wary to dip their toes before taking the dive! That all being said, we have found Ho Chi Minh/Saigon to be incredibly friendly, safe and fun to explore.
Vietnamese food is famous for a reason. Cheap, delicious and with endless variety, Ho Chi Minh provides an amazing grazing playground for the culinary explorer! We ate so much more than this list can contain. From pork noodles with a poached egg floating in the broth, to steaming bowls of beef and carrot stew sat on the street as well as a very memorable night of eating frog, mouse and rabbits with the locals at a barbeque drinking restaurant. Open your mind and mouth and Ho Chi Minh city will provide!
For those short on time or those who just want to cram as much food as possible into one evening, we'd recommend taking a street food tour in the city.
Check out some of the options below:
We had an amazing time a few years ago zipping around the city on the back of a scooter enjoying some lesser known treats of Ho Chi Minh.
Thanks for reading,
John & Ellie x
#adventuresofjellie
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