If you only have one day in Hanoi,
this is what you should do.
So good!
If you want to explore the real Hanoi,
you should start your day early in the morning.
During this time,
you can see the most unique activities in the capital city
such as women dancing in their pijama,
men gathering to play chess,
and people smoking tobacco in a pipe
called "thuốc lào".
Hanoians are early bird
and they like to take time to enjoy their day.
Vietnamese have a lot of options for breakfast
such as xôi - sticky rice,
bánh cuốn - steamed rice roll,
bún thang - chicken noodles,
but the most iconic dish - Phở.
I know you can have Pho anywhere in Vietnam.
But trust me, Pho in Hanoi is different.
The broth is clear enough
so that you can create your own pho version with many condiments
such as garlic vinegar, fish sauce, chili and lime.
I recommend Pho 10 Ly Quoc Su.
Since the owner are from Nam Dinh
where is believed pho is originated.
The beef slides are tender,
the herbs mix well with flavorful broth
making the soup so delightful.
It's a perfect dish to start your day!
If you only have one day in Hanoi,
I suggest you stick around the Hoan Kiem district
which is considered Hanoi downtown.
From the pho place,
you can turn left to see St. Joseph's Cathedral
one of the oldest churches in Hanoi.
Looks like it's under construction right now.
Hopefully, by the time you visit Hanoi
you can see its new look.
If you're a coffee lover,
you're at the right place.
Because Vietnam is the second largest coffee producer in the world.
And when you visit Hanoi,
you should definitely try egg coffee - cà phê trứng.
I'm gonna show you a unique coffee shop
called old town café
which is hidden behind a clothing shop.
You wouldn't believe how spacious and beautiful this house is
even it's in a long narrow alley.
The layout of the house looks like sky well
that represent harmony between man and earth
according to Confucian belief
is deemed to store supreme power and wealth from heaven.
On the top floor, you can see the whole view of Hoan Kiem Lake
and the breeze in the morning is very soothing.
Did you know egg coffee was invented due to the shortage of milk during the war?
Vietnamese people substituted milk with condensed milk so it lasted longer.
The egg foam tastes like caramel with strong robusta coffee
makes cafe trứng so unique.
Sipping a cup of egg coffee,
you not only enjoy the sweetness of present moments
but also appreciate the bitterness of history.
So good!
Hanoi is known for 1000 years of history,
and if you want to check out the first university in Vietnam,
it's here.
The Temple of Literature was built in 1070
during the Trần dynasty
to educate Vietnam's bureaucrats,
nobles, royalty and other members of the elite.
The Temple is featured on the back of the 100,000 VND banknote.
and it was recognized by the UNESCO in 2010.
Students usually come here to pray for good luck,
and good grades for their exams.
I remember whenever I had to take important exams,
my mom usually took me here to pray
so that I can be smarter, I can pass the exam and I can get all A.
For lunch, I suggest you try Bún chả at Bún chả Hàng Mành.
Bún chả consists of grilled meat, sweet and sour fish source,
vermicelli noodles with tons of veggies.
It's voted the most favorite dish for foreigners when they come to Vietnam.
According to What The Pho survey,
the most visitors said that bún chả is their favorite food in Hanoi.
So if you come to Hanoi and if you try bún chả,
let me know in the comment down below if it's your favorite too.
What I love the most about bún chả
is that you can either eat it hot or cold, it doesn't matter.
It tastes good either way.
Like I said "Let me show you a bún chả good food besides phở".
In the afternoon, it might be hot in Hanoi if you travel in the summer.
I suggest you visit Hỏa Lò prison,
which is an indoor destination.
Hỏa Lò was built in 1896.
And it was used by the French colonists for political prisoners
an later by North Vietnam for US prisoners during the American War.
I already did a very detail video about it
so you can check it out before you go.
If it's still hot, you definitely should try Hanoi most famous ice cream
Kem Tràng Tiền
It's located in 35 Tràng Tiền street
and was founded since 1958.
Even though they have many flavors of ice cream,
I suggest you try the signature vanilla ice cream cone
or young rice popsicles.
Trust me, it tastes very different from any ice cream that you have tried before.
One ice cream is 12,000 VND.
And I normally can it five of them.
This is so perfect for a hot day like today.
Highly recommend!
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If you only have one day
and you want to see everything in Hanoi.
The fastest and the most efficient way
is to go on a bus tour.
The price is 150,000 VND (actually it's 100,000 VND)
which includes a pair of headphones, a conical hat,
and a bottle of water.
Hanoi looks so beautiful and romantic from above.
But... watch out for those tree branches!
On the bus, you can see and learn more about Hanoi iconic attraction
such as St. Joseph's Cathedral, Opera House,
Hồ Chí Minh Mausoleum, Temples and museums.
Lastly, if you just want to relax and chill after a long day,
you can sit at Cộng cafe
which to me is the unique coffee shop.
Cộng in Vietnamese is short of Việt Cộng
which implies a gorilla member of the Vietnamese communist movement.
People don't talk politics in Vietnam,
they only make coffee shop about it.
From here, you can see the transition from a day to night in Hanoi.
Just like how people are ready to move on to the better future.
Hanoi is know for its wide variety of cuisine.
and one of the must tried dishes
is Vietnamese fried fish cakes - chả cá.
From Cộng cafe,
you can come to the nearest chả cá restaurant
which is on the fourth floor of the Shark Jaw building.
You might have to reserve the table first because it's always booked.
Especially on the weekend.
To eat chả cá,
you put a small amount of vermicelli in your bowl,
fish cake with tons of veggies,
then pour some shrimp paste on top.
Mix it well
Voile! It's so delicious!
If you can't eat shrimp paste,
just ask for fish sauce or soy sauce instead.
If you visit Hanoi in the weekend,
you definitely should come down to the Walking street near the Hoàn Kiếm Lake
and see how local people participate in many activities at night.
The life here is lively,
and the people are super friendly and enthusiastic.
Just make sure in the crowded place like this
keep an eye on your belongings.
To end your night with all excitement,
I suggest you go to Sala bar Club.
Because it's where Hanoi nightlife begins.
A peaceful lake view is a perfect way to end your night in Hanoi.
Good night everyone
and see you in Saigon!!!