Hanoi City Tour

Do It Yourself Hanoi City Tour

Mini Non-La (Traditional Hat)

Day O: Travel Tips | Arrival in Hanoi

Day I: Do-it-Yourself Hanoi City Tour

Day II and III: Halong Bay Tour

Objective: Breakfast, Look for a Travel Agency (Halong Bay Tour),a Cheaper Lodge(Transfer), and DIY City Tour

Woke Up. Shower.Fixing and Preparing our Stuffs for checked out by 11AM

-Breakfast  (LadyBird Restaurant- Hang Buom St)

Nice Ambiance along Hang Buom St

 

What's the common denominator of their Food? "Veggies"

-Price ranges 50-55kVND, Beverages 20-25kVND.Fully Loaded meal

-Looking for Travel Agencies for our Halong Bay Tour

 (Along Hang Buom and Ma May St)

    We’re interested for the Overnight Halong Bay Tour, Original price is $80 per pax for all the travel agencies, But for us  we only got it for $58 per pax (a good deal, that’s the power of haggling).Booked our Halong Bay Tour (Pick Up Time=8:30AM Following Morning)through Green Street Hotel (location Ma May Street,2 Lodge away from Hanoi Backpackers Hostel, besides Shop and Go Convenience Store)

Our Green Street Room

-Lodge ( looking for cheaper ones)

     Booked and Transferred at GreenStreet Hotel also, $24 for 1 Room good for 4pax, AC Rooms,With WC,Ref,TV,WIFI

(location :Ma May Street,2 Lodge away from Hanoi Backpackers Hostel, besides Shop and Go Convenience Store)

Breakfast Time along Hanoi Streets

-Start of our DIY City Tour (Prepare your Feet for long walks)

    

     Other Travel Agencies offer City Tour starting time is by 8am,we only got their Brochures and follow their Itineraries.We decided just to visit the Important ones. Thanks for the Map (Hanoi Backpackers Hostel).

They can tour you within the tourist spots. If the price is right!

 

1^st Stop: Hoam Kiem Lake (like Burnham Park in Baguio, Philippines)

     It was Sunday then, there were a  lot of peeps,lovers,friends and tourists within the area. A lot of Soon to be Brides and Grooms with their Photographers shooting for their prenup pictures.

  

  

PreNuptial Pictorial (Nakialam!)

    We’re looking for this Fanny Ice Cream Diner (recommended by a blogger within the area but we didn’t find it).So Our next stop will be the Cathedral of Hanoi but we were lost maybe our brains weren’t functioning well during that time because we’re hungry and it’s already past 1pm

     We saw these stalls and excited to try their food. But…  ( Mind the Language Barrier, You already knew what happened. We just left and Laughing). After a few walk, we dine at Café Max for our Late Lunch. I ordered (Steamed Pork with Cabbage-55k VND) and Mango Shake-40k VND ( tastes with Gata, Weird!)

Instant Vegetarian Here in Hanoi (Meee)

2^nd Stop: Cathedral of Hanoi

-paid courtesy

Area of Hanoi Cathedral

3^rd Stop: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Presidential Palace, One Pillar Pagoda, HCM Museum (All in One Area)

How to get there from our last Stop (Ride a Cab= cost us 30KVND)

          3a.HCM Mausoleum

See the Yellow Line (Restricted Area)

                

        3b.Presidential Palace Area (Entrance- 25kVND)

Visitors Receiving Area of Ho Chi MInh

Ho Chi Minh's Office (1960s)

          3c.One Pillar Pagoda

          3d. Ho Chi Minh Museum 

 

4^th Stop: Dong Xuan Market 

How to get there from our last stop?: Ride a Cab (Fare 60kVND)

      -It was almost 5pm and some of the stores were about to close and others were preparing for their Night  Market along the streets of Dong Xuan Area.

      - We bought our Class A TNF Bags (Nice Colors and Designs)

                -from 400kVND down to 250kVND

Busy Streets at Dong Xuan

Dong Xuan Market

 

      -Still walking along the streets of Dong Xuan Area, every street has its own section- Kids and Toys Section,Jewelry,Apparel, DVDS , Souvenirs and etc…(like Divisoria,Philippines).Very Busy,A lot of people and motorcycles. Be careful of your belongings and crossing every street. You’ll be tempted to buy everything because it is cheap. Just Don’t ever forget to Haggle (Lowballer Mode Activated) 

One of the Busiest Streets in Hanoi (Magbanggaan Kayo! Wa ako Pakels!)

>Back to our Lodge, fixing our stuffs, freshen up, checking the budget and of course preparing for our Nightlife (We never forget this in every trip we have. It ‘s part of our Itinerary).

Nightlife ( I Love Hanoi! That’s All Period! One of the best ever! Ooops! SPG.. Hehehe..Striktong Patnubay at Gabay)

>Back to  Ma May Street and ate our Very Late Dinner (12MN), After the Dinner,Back to Lodge,Preparing and excited for our  Journey to our Cruising Halong Bay Experience later. Sleep (No Data Available-Snoring Perhaps)

Tips and Information for this Day

-Metered Taxi (Initial Flag Down Rate -9.5kVND). There are trusted Taxis (I saw Mai Linh).Just be observant and friendly as well. You can see Chevrolet,Toyota,Getz and Elantra Taxis around the metro. (Wow!)

-Less Motorcycles in Hanoi, compared to Ho Chi Minh (Saigon). A lot of Taxis, private vehicles and luxury cars around.

-Midnight at  Ma May Street,Many tourists and locals still awake,sitting along the streets,drinking,chit-chatting but not as very lively in Beau Vien Street in Ho Chi Minh(Saigon)

-Market Experience

- Haggling is the Best Policy. Be a Lowballer . Haggle down to Half of the Original Price and if they will not give in. Leave!. Some of them will call you and show their calculator and  let you enter your desired price.

                -Before you leave make sure to count your change (twice or thrice).I‘ve experienced given a wrong change( My Change is 250000VND,instead, she gave me 70000 VND,She tried to confuse me between 10000VND and 100000VND, I demanded that it was not an exact amount! Pinoy pa! Maiisahan!).Especially between their 10000VND and 100000VND. You’ll be confused, Almost the same color…Make sure that you count the “Zeros” of it. 

-Language

                -Those who are at the Travel Agencies, Hotel Receptionists ,Convenience stores  and those located near the Tourists Area District speaks and understand English, But when you go to other districts, others totally can’t understand and they’ll just laugh, others will leave, others will not  talk to you.

                -Prepare your Barok English and Sign Language Talent here!

Next....Day II and III :Our Halong Bay Cruise Experience