Hanoi Old Quarter — Attraction in Hà Nội

Arguably the most popular locality in Hanoi, the Old Quarter is a go-to place which literally has everything for everyone.

Hostels start at $5, there are plenty of mid-range options from $15, and even some plush options in the area. There are many popular attractions within the range of a mile or so. Buses are available to most of those attractions, and the frequency is good too, and prices are a flat VND 7,000 or 8,000 irrespective of the number of stops, although bus stops are at least a quarter mile away for most of the attractions, meaning that one will have to walk a bit. Busses usually run till 10.30pm. There is also a solitary metro which too runs till ~10.30pm. For late-night inter-city travel, there is no option of public transport.

There is street food available on many of the streets, there are hotels everywhere from decent ones to fine-dines to posh ones, from local Vietnamese ones to Japanese, and Mexican et al. Do try some of the flavoured breads in various bakeries, I found them really delicious. There will always be a hidden food shop/cafe or two, in the sense, which won't be very discoverable given its location, mostly if it's in a quiet environment or not on the main roads, or not very visible when passing by, and it could turn to be amongst the very best. It's an enjoyable experience to walk around and explore various roads, and shops. Majority of shops start closing down from 10pm, and a significant majority of restaurants/shop are closed by 11pm.

When it comes to connectivity to other regions too, this locality wins the race. Many buses to destinations like Ba Be, Mai Chau, and Cao Bang et al depart from places like Opera House, which again is within a mile's radius or so. So is Ga Hanoi, which serves as one of the links to popular tourist destinations like SaPa, HaiPhong, and Ninh Binh et al.

And for the safety part. Having walked for some time in the late midnight, and very early morning, the place felt lively mostly ( perhaps it could be because this locality is the city-centre ), and silent at the remaining ( which is obvious too ). It was surprising to see some street food stalls, and also cloth stalls open during such hours. I didn't see any panhandlers or any anti-social elements around. I didn't feel insecure at any point in time walking on these roads, although I will admit that I didn't try any non-main roads at the given point in time. There will be motorbike and car taxi drivers who will ask you where you wanna go, but no one pressed me for using these taxi services.

Depending on person to person, one could be approached ( in total I was approached by 4 people separately ) for services behind the curtains, needless to demystify the same, but again a direct 'no' ( twice if not once ) and/or 'not interested', and a continued walk means that such people go back, I didn't face any experience of anyone chasing me or persistently trying to sell whatever services they were offering. Basically, I didn't face any safety concerns, and it was in fact amazing to walk on the streets with cool wind blowing, trees around and watching the local sellers doing their business. Businesses, as I observed, start their schedules from quite early on.

There are many spas in the area, many money exchange places ( although most of them will only exc cash by cash, and not card to cash ) ATMs, and tourism agency offices. Most of the businesses accepting cards will charge 3% fees for a card txn.

The streets are clean and mostly wide enough but at quite some points, parked with bikes. Also, in several places, the streets are occupied by food hawkers and other small businesses, and this means one has to walk from roads for a stretch of a few meters. A significant majority of streets are well laid, and instances of cracked or uneven flooring are very less. On a number of counts I saw that even in the midnight and early morning with absolutely no traffic, all the cars and trucks respected the signals, which is really worth appreciating. In the peak hours, crossing on some roads can be a...

The Old Quarter (Vietnamese: Phố cổ Hà Nội) is the name commonly given to the historical civic urban core of Hanoi, Vietnam, located outside the Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long. This quarter used to be the residential, manufacturing and commercial center, where each street was specialized in one specific type of manufacturing or commerce. The residential and commercial area that is now the Old Quarter came to be during the Lý and Trần dynasties and was then located east of the Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long and along the Red River. During the Lê dynasty, scholar Nguyễn Trãi already mentioned some of the areas each specialized in one particular trade. It was then surrounded by a defensive wall with several gates. During the Lê dynasty, the area included several lakes and wetlands, the largest of which was Thái Cực lake. These lakes, as well as the Tô Lịch River were connected with Hoàn Kiếm lake and the Red River. Near the end of the 19th century these lakes and rivers became isolated from each other. During the Lý and Trần dynasties, many people from the surrounding plains migrated to the city and settled in what is now the Old Quarter, creating the densest urban area of the city. The Lê dynasty period saw an additional influx of Chinese immigrants who arrived to trade, creating several Chinese neighbourhoods.. When the French ruled over Vietnam, they partially rebuilt the area. This period saw many French and Indians settling there to conduct business. Two small markets were demolished to make place for Đồng Xuân Market. Furthermore, a tramway was constructed through the quarter. The area is still the commercial heart of Hanoi. Overall I like Hanoi a lot especially the architectural buildings and I don't bore walking around as so much to see here except those horns from the motorcycle,...

My exploration of Hanoi’s Old Quarter became even more enriching thanks to a trishaw ride. Yet, I couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like if the trishaw uncle could share a bit more about the history as we cycled along.

As the trishaw carried me through the labyrinthine streets, I couldn’t help but imagine how much more captivating the experience could be with some historical narration. A brief recording or live commentary from the trishaw uncle would have added an extra layer of depth to the journey. Learning about the significance of the narrow streets, the historical landmarks, and the tales hidden within these alleys could have made the ride truly exceptional.

Nonetheless, the ride itself was a delightful glimpse into the Old Quarter’s vibrancy. The sights, sounds, and smells of the streets provided an unforgettable sensory experience. I marveled at the French colonial-style buildings, and I couldn’t resist the temptation to stop and explore the markets and street food vendors.

The Old Quarter truly holds an abundance of history, culture, and stories within its bustling lanes. While my trishaw ride was enjoyable, I can’t help but imagine how much more immersive and educational it could be with a touch of history woven into the journey.

If you plan to visit the Old Quarter, consider reaching out to local tour providers who offer guided trishaw rides with informative commentary. It might just be the perfect blend of culture, history, and adventure for a deeper understanding of this remarkable...