Cafe Culture Vietnam as a country is unique in its cafe culture, from as far south as Phu Quoc Island to as far north as Hanoi. At the Old Quarter of Hanoi where shophouses are clustered according to trade, you would still see cafes sprinkled here-and-there. Of course, there is a bustling cafe cluster within the Old Quarter as well at the intersection of Hang Mam and and Nguyen Huu Huan streets. We're not just talking proper cafes ala Starbucks but a whole array of cafe offerings from pedestrian sidewalk types, traditional quan-type (ground space on a private house) to fine-dining type cafes. Old people, office workers and the hipster-ish crowd find their own hole catering to their demographics as they enjoy their caffeine fix on kindergarten chairs and tables (you'll know what I mean when you get there).
Egg Coffee Another original here in Hanoi is the egg coffee or caphe trung. Nearly every cafe in Hanoi now serves this largely to its tourism-lure. One cafe seems to have an undisputed claim to its origin - Cafe Giang. Despite a map and being in front of its entrance, I still missed it a few times given its non-lit sign and narrow entrance. Surprisingly, while other 'copycats' price their egg coffee at 35k VND, Cafe Giang tags a modest 25k VND for caphe trung - the cheapest I found in Hanoi. Egg white is whipped to a merangue-like consistency and topped-up on strong Vietnamese coffee. It's a novelty worth trying.
cafe rest-stop
Ending Thoughts The Old Quarter is a walking enclave. You can devote a full day just getting lost in its myriad of deep narrow alleys and bustling roads dodging motorcycles left and right. Fortunately, wherever you are on that walk you, you can always take pleasure on a cafe around the corner for a leisurely rest-stop and watch people pass by before moving on.
(Jan 6-24, 2019) Hanoi, unlike most of the places I'd been to in Vietnam, has its own uniqueness. Food is very good, street culture is intense and bustling (at least in Old Quarter) and vendors are edgy. They have that grit in them. I haven't met a local I'd been close to, but I could imagine that beneath that tough exterior is kindness and generosity.....more »»
(Jun 10, 2020) With the COVID-imposed lockdown easing up, cafes began opening up. Cafes are not a conspicuous feature of Nong Khai, but you find cafes with distinct personalities - charming, cute, artsy and expansive, and utilitarian.....more »»
Hanoi (city), Vietnam
IMPORTANT PLACES
Noi Bai International Airport
HOTEL
AZ Hanoi Hostel - Old Quarter location, backpacker-friendly, quiet, clean, affordable, breakfast included
27 Bat Dat Str, Hanoi, Vietnam
Noi Bai International Airport (HAN) to Old Quarter, Hanoi by Bus
The airport is about 30kms away from the Old Quarter so it could be pricey if you cab it. For budget travelers, there is the air-conditioned tourist bus #86 which starts from inside the airport when you walk out the door and takes you all the way to Old Quarter for only VND35k, 30 mins.
NOTE: if you use Google Maps, it will tell you that you have to walk 1km to catch the #86 bus along the main road - this is wrong!
FYI / Tips
Hanoi's Old Quarter is the backpacker area like Bangkok's Khaosan Road. The tourist establishments (hotels, restos, travel/tour agencies, cafes) are interspersed with local traditional businesses
Grab XeOm or moto taxis are abundant
street culture is alive and kicking at the Old Quarter. Family-owned and managed shophouses who have been doing their trade for generations are still around. Old Quarter hasn't been touched by shopping malls yet.
best place to exchange foreign currency is with the jewelry/gold shops (see list on map). Worst place are the tour shops/hotels.
BEWARE of resto tourist traps. Usually, they sell only one meal like Bun Cha. No menu, no prices. They are crafty in herding unsuspecting tourists (you will notice no local eats there) and serve them the Bun Cha without asking them (because it's the only thing they sell). You'll just be jolted when you receive the bill. I was had for VND 90k!
Things to do, Places to go in Hanoi
Old Quarter - this is old Hanoi where family-owned business flourished with its specialty trade. The streets are narrow and busy. Nowadays, it's the center for backpackers visiting Hanoi
lakes - Hanoi is littered with many big lakes, some of them have numerous pagodas along its bank. West Lake is the largest with an 18km circumference, ideal for joggers, hobby fishing and just finding quiet time
Tran Quoc Pagoda - the oldest Buddhist temple in Hanoi lying on its peninsula by West Lake
Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum - it's a massive marble structure housed inside an expansive park with manicured gardens
Vietnam establishments will not accept US dollars, unlike Cambodia. You have to use Vietnam Dong (US$1 = Vietnam Dong VND 23,255 = Php 53.20 as of Aug 1, 2016)
Vietnamese smokers will smoke in air-conditioned establishments, air-conditioned buses packed with people including women, children and babies. They also smoke inside hospitals with no smoking signs.
Vietnam ranks almost the same as Thailand and Cambodia for cheap price. Laos, Myanmar and Malaysia cost more
internet speed is generally fast and reliable but during important events like Tet holiday, election, etc., it slows down
Vietnamese generally do not speak or understand much English. It will be a challenge.
best to dress appropriately, not revealing too much skin (Saigon is an exception - the ladies there set the trend in very short shorts)
remove your shoes when entering a home or place of worship
ask first before taking someone's picture. If they say no, don't persist or offer money
best to carry your hotel's business card with you when going out. You can just show it to the cab driver or XeOm driver if they don't understand English
leave your valuables, passport, travel tickets, etc. with the hotel's safety deposit box
when lying down, don't point your feet or the soles of your shoes to anyone or to a family altar
carry only enough cash for your needs that day
don't lose your temper in public - Vietnamese people are warm, generous and polite. They look down on people who lose their composure
don't take pictures of military installations - you can go to jail
refrain from taking videos of minority people until permitted to do so
Ninh Binh - Trang An Grottoes, Tam Coc, Mua Caves, Bai Dinh Pagoda, Van Long Nature Reserve
General Travel Tips
arrive early - in case there is a snag (visa snag, documentation snag, transport ticket snag, etc.), you will have ample time to troubleshoot the problem if you arrive early (to the airport, to the bus terminal, etc.)
put detailed itinerary on the Calendar apps of your smart-phone according to timelines - this is where you do all your thinking and planning. Once written down, you don't have to think anymore while you are on the journey...you just follow the steps. This frees your mind for something else that might happen while you are already en route
avoiding scams - as a general rule, I ignore the touts or anyone I don't know who call out to me. The calling comes in many forms - "Hi! Where are you from?", "Excuse me! Excuse me!", "Where are you going?". I don't look them in the eye and I remain non-verbal with them. If you reply to them, you just gave them an 'in' to hound you. In order not to look rude, I smile and wave the 'not interested' hand to them, without looking at them.
power bank - hand-carry your power bank. Do not check it in. You can be called in when you are already inside the plane to go all the way to the loading dock so you can personally remove the power bank...and chances are, you'll have to surrender it to them. And you might delay the plane departure!