Hanoi

The first leg of our journey began in Vietnam’s capital city, Hanoi. Right off the bat, it was clear to see that Hanoi is a bustling city filled with so much culture and history. The streets are filled with scooters, honking horns, and pho restaurants on every corner!

Where We Stayed: Sofitel Legend Metropole Hotel

Travel Agency: Sapphire Journeys

Tour Agency: Abercrombie and Kent

Upon arrival, we began a day of sightseeing in the city. However, prior to sight seeing, our Abercrombie & Kent guide, Hai, taught us how to cross the busy streets (sounds silly… but seriously we couldn’t have done it without him!) I truly was not expecting the massive amount of motor bikes that blast through the city with what seems as if has no traffic laws!

After getting the hang of crossing the street without being hit, our guide brought us to several iconic locations in Hanoi, ranging from Ho Chi Mihn’s mausoleum to the Hao Lo Museum. We took a lunch break at our first local Pho restaurant – and to say it was delicious is an understatement!

After lunch, we took a walk down the iconic Hanoi train tracks. Twice a day, the train speeds by, passing only inches away from the residential homes in this neighborhood. We sat by the tracks and enjoyed egg coffees while we waited for the train to pass!

Next, went to a local coffee shop to meet with a former US army soldier, Chuck Searcy. Chuck gave us insight into what his life was like during the Vietnam war and some of his unique experiences that occurred after the war. During the war, he fell in love with the country and ended up moving there years later. Chuck went on to cofound Project RENEW in an effort to clear out unexploded bombs from the war that still remain in the ground.   

We ended the day cruising around the Old Quarter via cyclo: which is essentially a three-wheel bicycle “taxi”. We had the best time weaving our way through the bustling city. Helpful tip: schedule your cyclo tour ahead of time and be clear of your expectations (time of ride, distance, etc.) to avoid potentially being scammed!

We ended our day in Hanoi with a trip to the train station onto the next leg of our journey – Sapa we’re coming for ya!