Hanoi is a very LOUD and BUSY city. It is the capital of Vietnam. Once I reached Hanoi I was missing Sapa and all it’s quietness and stillness.
I don’t know if I mentioned this before, but I enjoy hotel hopping. I do love Airbnb’s as well, but I do enjoy hotel hopping. First hotel I stayed in Hanoi is Aira boutique hotel & spa. Hotel smelled lovely once you arrived. I received a complimentary room upgrade, this is always nice a nice gesture. One thing I loved about staying here is it’s two blocks away from Train Street, one of Hanoi’s main tourist attraction.
Train Street is a narrow bypass where a train passes by close with buildings on both sides. The train track was built by the French in 1902. The alley is so narrow that local residents must remove their personal belongings before the train passes by. Yes there are residents that live on this narrow alley. Back in the day train street was a home for squatters and drug addicts. There are many cafe shops on train street. Pick a cafe, have a drink, snack and enjoy the experience.The train passes by several times a day and the times vary day to day. For the most part 3 & 7pm are the most common times for a train to pass by. When I was there, a surprise train passed by 930pm. My suggestion is to ask the locals when the train will pass by. My opinion, this is a must do experience in Hanoi.
I also visited St Joseph Cathedral. Another tourist attraction.
The next two tourist attractions (incense village and perfume pagoda) I booked on viator. Here is the link: https://www.viator.com/tours/Hanoi/Quang-Phu-Cau-and-Perfume-Pagoda-full-day-private-tour/d351-428712P9
About an hour away from Hanoi you can visit Quanh Phu Cau incense village. It is one of the oldest incense village in Hanoi, dating back to over a 100 years. Entrance fee is about $5USD. The incense village is very busy once you walk in, but it is also very inviting. You may not want to leave due to the incense smell. The process of incense making is shown once you enter. You’ll see people splitting bamboo, bundling toothpicks, dyeing the incense and packing the incense. I was allowed to put some incense through a machine, for a little fee of course. I love incense, I burn them frequently so visiting the village made my day. One thing I did not know is that incense can come in other colors other than the ones I use which are jasmine and lavender. You’ll see red, green, yellow, pink, black, purple, and light brown. Please don’t forget your cameras. There are photo prop opportunities on site. The tour guide I was with took my photos. You can hire a photographer if you like as well. Also please show your support by purchasing some incense.
After visiting the incense village, I headed over to Huong Pagoda. This troop isn’t easy. The sun in Vietnam doesn’t play fair I must add. First you take a very peaceful boat ride down the Yen river/stream. The boat ride is about an hour each way. I forgot how much it cost, but I did pay an extra 300,000VND to get a private boat. If you don’t want to pay the extra fee, the boat is packed with 6-8 people. After the boat ride I had lunch at Mai Lam. The dishes are family style aka big portions. After lunch, there is a trek to the cable car. Next after the cable car is ANOTHER trek to the limestone in the Huong Tich cave. My honest opinion, both treks are the worst parts. The opening of the cave is said to resemble a dragon’s mouth when it’s opened. Please wear shoes that have proper grip. The steps are slippery and uneven on the way to the cave. The limestone is called Huong Pagoda, a natural limestone and a Buddhist temple. The limestone attracts tourist and pilgrims seeking good luck. Inside of the cave are numerous statues. The most common thing you’ll see is people praying and giving offerings to Buddha.
Last stop on this tour was visiting Perfume Pagoda. It is believed that this was the first temple built in the 15th century.
The second hotel I stayed at in Hanoi was Dolce Hanoi golden lake. This hotel is a beauty. EVERYTHING is majority in gold. Once you enter the hotel, you are emerged with GOLD. This hotel gives luxury vibes. I had the pleasure of ordering room service for dinner and breakfast.
Another tourist attraction is visiting the note coffee cafe. The highlight of this cafe is the post it with notes all over the cafe. Simple words or phrases are handwritten from people all over the world. Grab a coffee, a snack and write a note.
The LAST hotel I stayed at in Hanoi was L’Hotel du Lac. I stayed here for one night. I picked this hotel because the colors are very vibrant. The staff was very nice. They allowed me and my friends to hold our luggage after coming back from our 2 night cruise (after I had checked out). Such a great gesture and hospitality!
