Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam and the second most populous city. We always knew that we would visit Hanoi sooner or later. On own experience wanted to feel the difference between the north and south of Vietnam. Hanoi really is different. And, for the better. As different from other cities in Vietnam as Sapa.

Hanoi and one of its main attractions - Hoan Kiem Lake

Our observations about Hanoi and features of the north of Vietnam

During this short two-week trip through Northern Vietnam, Hanoi left behind the most memorable moments. Although, before the trip, we were sure that we would remember it as something unrealistically fabulous. You assume one thing, but everything turns out differently. So, how does Hanoi differ from other Vietnam and how it was able to surprise us.

Nice weather in Hanoi

Hanoi has excellent walking weather from October to March. It is not as windy here as in Dalat, and not as cold as in Sapa. We arrived at the end of October and the air temperature at this time of year is very comfortable. In October - November you can wear shorts and a T-shirt. There is no heat and no rain.

Green Hanoi

This is what we didn’t expect to see in Hanoi, such greenery and so many flowering trees. Green color occurs frequently. You walk, and around you there is noise, hum, crowds, bikes, and at the same time, wherever you look, you will definitely see a large tree. The old quarter of Hanoi, despite its cramped conditions, is overgrown with trees. Trees create shade and somehow feel more comfortable with them.



Lots of parks, which is not typical for Vietnam


You and I are not Vietnamese to sit like this near the road.


Drinking coffee and a bun in a nice place is not a problem, but to have a decent meal, you’ll have to look


Few people will dine on the roadway, eating not the most appetizing Vietnamese soups and noodles


It would seem like an embankment, romance, but these terribly uncomfortable low chairs


Light, clean, beautiful, inexpensive and tasty. This can also happen in Hanoi!

I repeat once again, you will be incredibly lucky if, upon leaving your hotel in Hanoi, you immediately find a good cafe where European dishes are beautifully and tasty prepared at affordable prices.

Less patriotism and communism than in Ho Chi Minh City

Northern Vietnam is believed to be a stronghold of communism. But in reality it turned out that this was not entirely true. Probably, when you come to Hanoi and have not been to Ho Chi Minh City, it will seem that patriotism is being promoted at every step in the country, and there is no escape from red posters with local slogans. But compared to Ho Chi Minh City, we can say that there are not so many red flags and slogans here. As for patriotism, we only noticed that the North Vietnamese often say “my country” rather than Vietnam.


During the first days, there was only one poster. And then with our Lenin

Public transport in Hanoi

There is an inexpensive one. There are city buses. What we like about Vietnam is its extensive public transport. For those planning to live in Hanoi, city buses will be an excellent alternative to taxis and renting your own bike. If you get confused, you can find out bus routes. The buses, by the way, are modern and air-conditioned, like in Nha Trang and Da Nang.

Dense buildings, thin houses

It is believed that land has always been expensive in Hanoi and therefore buildings and residential buildings have been and continue to be built in height. For this reason, in Hanoi almost every building is so “skinny”, narrow and elongated.

I doubt the statement about such expensive real estate. Otherwise, how else can we explain the fact that throughout Vietnam, mostly only such thin and small-sized buildings are built? Maybe it’s just more familiar and convenient for the Vietnamese to live this way. Either land is expensive throughout the country, and the Vietnamese themselves are very economical.

High-rise condominiums on the outskirts of Hanoi

If the central areas are crowded and have shabby shacks, then as soon as you drive away a little, new multi-storey condominiums can be seen in the distance. It would seem great to rent an apartment and live in good conditions. Surely renting an apartment will cost $500. But upon closer examination, all these condos are located in some kind of residential area. There is zero infrastructure near them. The highway, along the sides of the road you can see fruit sellers, construction sites and vacant lots on all sides. Without your own transport is definitely not an option.


New areas in Hanoi

Devastation outside downtown Hanoi

Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam, but the capital is modest, that's how we would describe it. The Old Quarter and the French Quarter - all the life of the city is concentrated here. And even further, without even leaving Hanoi, you find yourself in some slums, construction everywhere, dusty houses without windows, garbage dumps, dirty children playing with bricks. Not metropolitan landscapes at all.

There is nothing at all outside of Hanoi. For example, on the way to Ha Long there will be endless construction and road repairs outside the windows all the time. Between the dusty villages you can see fields with cows, and here and there there are lonely and, again, narrow houses. There is more than enough land, but residential buildings are built in their repertoire.

Please note that it is better to stay in Hanoi only in the old or French quarter. There is nothing further.

High ratings in Hanoi hotels

Hotels in Hanoi, like , try to please visitors in order to receive high ratings and positive reviews on booking sites. And it doesn’t matter whether it’s old or new, most hotels on Booking will have at least a rating of 8.3 - 8.5 with the marks very good, excellent and excellent. Probably, this is also due to the large number of European tourists, who are always happy about everything and write “highly recommended” on everything. We now trust reviews in Russian more than in English.

Good hotels in the center of Hanoi

  • Splendid Hotel & Spa
  • Maro Hotel
  • Hanoi Chic Hotel
  • Hanoi Buddy Inn & Travel
  • Hanoi La Storia Hotel

We chose a hotel for ourselves, where we lived for a total of about 10 days. We can recommend him. We paid 22 USD per night with breakfast. Centrally located, clean and the staff speaks English. Also at this hotel we bought excursions to Ha Long and Ninh Binh at a discount.

Hanoi on the map

The map shows the old quarter in the Hoan Kiem Lake area, where it is worth staying and looking for hotels.

Ho Chi Minh City is a real Vietnamese anthill. The city is proudly listed as the economic capital of Vietnam, so it is never quiet and serene here. And the question of what to see in Ho Chi Minh City is a little lower in the article.

Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon?


The main waterway of the city is the Saigon River

The city began its history as one of the largest ports in Cambodia, but the enterprising Vietnamese seized such promising territories for themselves. The new owners renamed the city from the Cambodian Prey Nokor to the Vietnamese Saigon, and the name was given by the river on which the city was located. In 1975, the city received its third name, this time in honor of the first president of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh (Vietnamese geographical names are written together). But the previous name of the city is firmly ingrained in the lives of ordinary Vietnamese, so the city will be unofficially called Saigon for a long time. The population of Ho Chi Minh City is about 8 million people, and add a couple of million tourists (precisely millions) and here it is a real Vietnamese anthill. Ho Chi Minh City can also boast of the title of capital: under the name Saigon, from 1887 to 1901 it was the main city of French Indochina, and from 1955 to 1975. - South Vietnam, and under its modern name it is the economic capital of Vietnam.

The main attractions of Ho Chi Minh City

In Ho Chi Minh City, basically all the sights are no older than the 19th century. Majority interesting places located close to each other, which allows for a pleasant walk. But it is better to visit attractions located outside the city as part of an excursion, as it is more convenient and economical. Read more about several attractions in Ho Chi Minh City:

  1. Notre-Dame Cathedral (Saigon Notre-Dame Cathedral). This is a Vietnamese copy of the famous Notre Dame De Paris. The Catholic Cathedral is located on Paris Square in Ho Chi Minh City and was built by the French during the French Indochina period. Construction lasted 6 years from 1877 to 1883, all Construction Materials were brought from France to ensure that the cathedral was a complete embodiment of French architecture. The entrance to the cathedral is open, but since the temple is active, you must follow the rules for visiting Catholic cathedrals (remove hats, for example). Address: B?n Ngh?, tp. H? Ch? Minh, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam.
    Notre Dame de Saigon is a real piece of France in Ho Chi Minh City
    Notre Dame de Saigon is located in the heart of the city surrounded by the modern financial skyscrapers of Ho Chi Minh City





  2. Bitexco Financial Tower. There is a page about this attraction, where you can read about what awaits you, how much it costs, and our advice for visiting (how to combine business with pleasure and save a little). Address: 2 H?i Tri?u, B?n Ngh?, Qu?n 1, H? Ch? Minh, Vietnam.
    Unfortunately, the view of the city is spoiled by not very clean windows both in the restaurant and on the observation deck


  3. City Post Office. The city landmark is an active facility, built in 1886-1891. The building is truly French in style, only the portrait of Ho Chi Minh City inside reminds us that we are in Vietnam. The architect of the main post office was none other than Gustav Eiffel himself. Inside, in addition to post office counters, there are many souvenir points. Many tourists buy some small souvenir here (a postcard, for example) and send it to their home. The envelope arrives, as expected, with all the stamps, and thus becomes a small reminder of the trip. Address: 2 C?ng x? Paris, B?n Ngh?, H? Ch? Minh, Vietnam.
    The main post office building in Ho Chi Minh City is one of the favorite places for wedding photo shoots of newlyweds. And we also witnessed one of such photo shoots

  4. War Remnants Museum (B?o t?ng ch?ng t?ch chi?n tranh). A very “morally difficult” attraction dedicated to the war with America. The courtyard of the museum is filled with exhibits of American military equipment, battle tanks, airplanes, and helicopters. Three floors of the museum building are dedicated to an exhibition of photographs showing the course of the war and its consequences. Address: 28 V? V?n T?n, 6, 3, H? Ch? Minh, Vietnam.
    At the entrance to the museum, you understand that there is a morally difficult exhibition ahead, but that you only become so aware with time.
    On the open area in front of the museum entrance, American military equipment: combat aircraft, helicopters and tanks






    The museum presents a lot of living chronicles of the war; it is simply impossible to look at the photographs indifferently, because they all depict the fear and horror of those events
    Black areas on the map indicate areas that were completely “burnt out” by the chemical sprayed by the Americans.
    These spiky cages were used by the Americans for prisoners.







  5. Cholon Chinatown. Ho Chi Minh City's Chinatown is centered around the Binh Tay market, which was once founded by immigrants and refugees from China. Gradually, houses and Buddhist temples were built around the market. There are many cafes here that will treat you to Chinese dishes, but the market itself is not interesting for tourists. The market specializes in wholesale trade. Nobody sold us anything, although we really asked (only in bulk!).

    Inside the market, located in Ho Chi Minh City's Chinatown, you can find this small courtyard, where the local altar is surrounded by sculptures of dragons

  6. Ben Thanh Market. The main city market, located in the very center of the city. Locals don't shop here - it's expensive. As a local resident told us, rent at the market is very high, it is designed exclusively for tourists who, although they will haggle, will still end up buying much more expensive than the true price of the goods. Address: L? L?i, B?n Th?nh, 1 H? Ch? Minh, Vietnam.

    Not far from the Ben Tan market there is also a Russian market, the prices there are a little more pleasant.

    An ideal name for a Russian store in Ho Chi Minh City

After the main attractions, we ended up at one of the main art workshops in Ho Chi Minh City. Here we admired the manual and painstaking work of local craftsmen; just imagine how much effort a painting requires, the design on which is made from crushed eggshells!


Handmade drawing, made from small fragments of eggshells. All the painstaking work is reflected in the price - such things are expensive


The work is very hard, long and requires great care, but the result is worth all the effort











There are two more popular and interesting attractions that are located outside the city. There are separate articles about them, read about (S?ng C?u Long) and about on our website.

Cheap iPhone and Samsung in Ho Chi Minh City

This story became our little adventure. No matter how many times they warn you, you won’t understand until you step on the rake yourself. In Vietnam there is a factory for assembling Samsung phones, and they also make new, but cheaper ones from used iPhones. We decided that perhaps this fact will have a positive effect on the price of the Samsung Galaxy S6. With free time and a bike, we went to local shops in search of a phone. We used Vova's phone as a navigator around Ho Chi Minh City.

Let’s be honest: everyone’s ears were already buzzing about theft in Vietnam during our three months of stay, but in Nha Trang we were never even indirectly confronted with it, which relaxed us a little. At one of the intersections, a Vietnamese man also on a bike overtook us and explained with gestures: “Hide your phone, you won’t travel with it like that for a long time!” The thing is that I was sitting in the back and sometimes extended my hand with the phone forward so that Vova could clearly see the navigator readings. Having said thank you, I began to hold the phone tightly, exactly behind my husband’s back, thereby covering him. But that didn't help. At one point, the phone was still snatched from my hands, I only remember the green T-shirt of the thief, who very quickly disappeared from sight on his bike. Apparently we were tracked down, and even the fact that the phone was between me and my husband’s back did not stop the clever thief from running his hand at speed and snatching it.

I don’t feel sorry for the phone, but the fact that it contained a flash drive with video from the second day was offensive. And there were so many beautiful things captured... We decided that the phone was a “coin”, and the Vietnamese thief was a “fountain”, which means we will come back. And when we return, we will shoot even better.

Ho Chi Minh City is huge and interesting. There are no beaches or sea, but it still attracts millions of tourists. But there are very few Russians here, the majority are Americans, French, Germans, and so on. For us, a huge disadvantage of the city was its stuffiness and gas pollution. Sometimes tears flowed like cutting an onion. This is how “pleasant” the air is here.

Vietnam has become a true discovery of Asia for us. Real Asia! Perhaps somewhere poor and dirty, but so beautiful! This amazing and so diverse nature! These people, so weak and fragile in appearance, are incredibly strong and resilient inside.

I love absolutely everything about Vietnam! This discreet cuisine, this glorious accent, which turns the English language into something completely unintelligible for me), this crazy traffic and noise on the roads, this endless chaos and a huge bazaar for the whole country! Vietnam is full of surprises and will be happy to hospitably show you all its flavor!

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We were in Vietnam for only 9 days. Yes, exactly everything! The country is quite large, stretched along the coast of the South China Sea, and this time is absolutely not enough to explore it all. Different regions of the country differ significantly from each other in their way of life and climate. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to see central Vietnam at all (now I would gladly exchange 2 Singapore days for a visit to Hue and Hoi An, but the trip to Vietnam due to unforeseen circumstances was already planned a week before departure, so in principle everything turned out great There will be a reason to come back here again :))

So, the route was like this: From Singapore we flew to Hanoi (1 night), in the morning we went to Cat Ba Island (2 nights), from there in the morning we went to Ning Binh (1 night and a full day), then in the late afternoon we returned to Hanoi, from where we slept - we drove by bass at night to Sapa (also 1 night and a full day), then again by sleeping bass at night we returned to Hanoi, from where we flew to Ho Chi Minh City (2 nights). Well, back to Singapore. In general, it turned out quite rich :)

I would like to talk separately about slipping basses. Well, a very convenient Asian invention! Buses with reclining seats to a normal reclining position. The chairs are arranged in 2 tiers, and in the last row there are 3 chairs combined at once, which is very convenient if you are used to sleeping next to each other. We immediately tried to occupy them. The buses are very comfortable, with good toilets and air conditioning, but they blow so hard that it is better to seal them with something)) A warm blanket is provided for each passenger.

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We bought all the tickets for the sleeping buses, as well as the rest of the connection tickets between cities, at the hotels where we lived. You can take it directly from the carrier, but the difference is not very big, and you still need to spend time on it. Moreover, all our buses were packed, so it’s possible that if I hadn’t booked them, having contacted the hotel representative in advance, we might not have stayed. The cost of each ticket was $13.

In general, Vietnam is very conducive to tourism. The Vietnamese are very friendly, of course they often like to take advantage of you, but they will always help you. Each guide thanked us for choosing their country)

The bulk of tourists in Vietnam are Europeans, New Zealanders and, oddly enough, Americans, to whom the attitude is now completely normal. Well, speaking in general, there are still very few tourists for such a chic country, which is probably why it has not yet lost its authenticity. Ninh Binh was especially surprised in this regard - a real find for a traveler! Nevertheless, it seemed to me that we were the only Europeans in the whole city))

I will write separate posts about Ninh Binh, Cat Ba Island and Sapa, but here I would like to talk about Vietnam in general, and about its two capitals in particular.

Vietnam is a communist country. And here, of course, all the relevant attributes are present.

Lenin monument)

Propaganda posters


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Red flags with a star at every step

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And, of course, as in any self-respecting communist country - the leader’s mausoleum.


By the way, everything is very strict with the Ho Chi Minh City mausoleum. You can’t get close to it, you can’t walk on the grass in the square near the mausoleum either, only on the paths between the lawns - there is a guard standing there to ensure that no one goes beyond the invisible boundary line.

Two steps from the mausoleum stands the oldest Buddhist Pagoda on one pillar. The pagoda is very beautiful, although very tiny, and the atmosphere in it is very mysterious, but cozy.

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Religion in Vietnam has a strange story. Almost 80% of the population are atheists, but most of them go to Buddhist temples, but they do not worship Buddha at all, but the cult of ancestors.

In addition to Buddhist ones, Vietnam has many Confucian, Taoist and Catholic temples. One of the most famous Confucian temples is located in Hanoi. The Temple of Literature is almost 1000 years old. It was once the first university in Vietnam, but is now more used as a museum. Unfortunately, at the time of visiting the temple, our camera died, and there is not a single photograph of it.

But there is a photo of another ancient temple Quan Thanh:


As a legacy from the colonial French era, in addition to writing based on the Latin alphabet, the Vietnamese received many Catholic churches.

St. Joseph's Cathedral in Hanoi:

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And Notre Dame de Saigon in Ho Chi Minh City:

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The main means of transportation in Vietnam is a motorbike. And there are so many of them that there are moped traffic jams on the roads! Everyone drives as they want, no one follows the rules, you don’t need a license to rent a moped (we, for example, simply don’t have one, but no one has ever asked), when overtaking everyone considers it their duty to honk, which is why it’s just worth it on the street hum!)) But you get used to it quite quickly, and over time you even start to like it)))) Traffic lights here are present only at large intersections, so here, as in Istanbul, the main thing is to get the hang of crossing the road and then there will be no problems. The Vietnamese drive quite slowly, and the main rule is to cross the road slowly, without twitching, giving everyone the opportunity to go around you.

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Or just a husband and wife and everything they have in the house))

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But it’s time to talk about the cities themselves. The first thing we were happy about when we flew from Singapore to Hanoi was the climate. The air is fresh, not stuffy at all, but very warm.

Coming out of the airport, we spent about 40 minutes finding the right bus for 40 thousand dong, which I ordered. In the end, they never found it. So we came back and took a bus from Vietnamese Airlines for 100 thousand, it was just about to leave. The driver was very glad that we returned, and subsequently we were too. All the way he amused us with his bikes, from which, thanks to his truly Vietnamese pronunciation, I only understood that all the taxi drivers around were “tuppy”, and because of them all the traffic jams in the city))) they drove, and indeed for a long time, probably more hours. On the bus we met an American who was traveling around Asia, a funny guy, he also told a lot of funny things)

By the way, we went back to the airport on a regular city bus. It costs only 9 thousand and takes about an hour and a half. We had more than enough time, which is why we decided to try out local transport. Well, it’s much better than I expected)) not as comfortable, of course, as buses for tourists, but still with air conditioning)

We lived in a small family hotel in the very center of the city. It was here that we bought almost all the tickets for buses between cities. The staff is very attentive and always ready to help. Since this hotel had the best exchange rate in all of Vietnam, upon returning from Ninh Binh we planned to exchange more dollars for dongs here, which we had absolutely nothing left. The taxi driver who brought us to the hotel refused to accept payment in dollars, but the administrator, seeing and recognizing me (even though we left 4 days ago), paid for the taxi himself and then deducted this amount after the exchange. Overall, it was a very pleasant experience.

And during breakfast you can enjoy the panorama of the city.


Hanoi itself reflects Vietnam as a whole very well. All Old city- this is one continuous bazaar, where people trade on stalls, sit in small cafes or simply communicate with each other. It seems that complete devastation reigns here: everything is old, shabby, people sit right on the asphalt or dirty plastic chairs. But if you take a closer look at them, you realize that this is their way of life and way of thinking. Everything about them is somehow very simple and natural.

And despite all this chaos, there is absolutely no unpleasant smell in Hanoi, which is definitely encouraging!



The first saleswoman on the street quickly took me in, put the fruit in my hand, put on her hat and rocker and ordered Ilyukha to take a photo) You don’t even have time to get your bearings, and she’s already demanding money from you for the fruit that you’re already almost eating)) When we bought fruit in the future, we understood perfectly well how we were scammed on that first day, but I probably would have even been offended if no one had scammed me in Asia))




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You can easily gather with friends in a circle on chairs and pop seeds in the center, despite the fact that this is the center of the entire city)) Or you can eat something more interesting)


Regarding Vietnamese food. As in any other Asian cuisine, the main component of all dishes is rice. And it is served here with absolutely everything. There are also separate rice dishes, such as fried rice - fried rice with various additives, simple and very tasty, especially with shrimp. In general, Vietnamese cuisine is quite simple and not as spicy as everyone makes it out to be. On the coast and in Ho Chi Minh City they serve delicious seafood: oysters, mussels, shrimp, lobsters, lobsters, crabs and other delights. I just love seafood!

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By the way, these shells were one of the most delicious things we tried in Vietnam. They were sold at a tiny counter in Ho Chi Minh City in a backpacker area, where there were only 2 plastic tables, at one of which sat 2 girls of easy virtue) They were simply grilled with a bunch of spices. Well, sooo delicious!

Due to the abundance of tourists, Ho Chi Minh City has a much more varied selection of food. There are also exotic products here. I only tried frogs. The feeling, to be honest, is not a pleasant one. The meat, of course, is just like meat, but the look of these legs, these bones and, most importantly, the skin with its own peculiar smell... In general, Ilyukha, as usual, had to finish everything after me)


But in most non-tourist places, where the menu is served only in Vietnamese, there are only 4 usual dishes: pho soup, fried rice, spring rolls, and I didn’t understand what the fourth was)) We didn’t really like the soup and rolls, both fried and raw, but Fried Rice saved us in any unclear situation)

By the way, they say that the Vietnamese eat dogs. So, this is the pure truth! Moreover, this is not exotic, like snakes and frogs that are served to tourists, but ordinary food that is sold at the market. The sight of a dog's grinning head is simply creepy!

And the main surprise of Vietnam is coffee! Simply divine! I didn't even know that Vietnam is the second largest coffee exporter in the world. It is brewed using a special filter, through which a drop of coffee drips into a glass of condensed milk. The taste is very rich, but not bitter at all, but soft and strong. Moreover, coffee is equally good in expensive restaurants, in all our hotels and even in cheap eateries. I ordered the same filter for home in the hope that it would turn out something at least remotely similar, but without Vietnamese coffee everything is not the same (except that the memories amuse me.)

Another very popular entertainment among the Vietnamese is dancing. And not in clubs, but in city parks. We saw this quite often, and it was always very surprising how they all knew the movements so well, do they really get together like this every day?

Dancing in Hanoi

I was especially impressed by this man in the video. He so simply approached the dancing women, as if he was passing by, and so quickly integrated into the general rhythm))) I just adore these Vietnamese!

By the way, our Soviet stage is quite popular, especially a million scarlet roses))

During the day, Hanoi looks even more shabby, but trade is in full swing. By the way, houses here are mostly built not wide, but high, which is why they resemble some kind of containers.


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The first thing we bought in Vietnam were national hats. And they created a real sensation. I don’t know why, but during the entire trip, besides us, we saw only one tourist wearing this hat, which is completely incomprehensible to me! A hat for the Vietnamese climate is simply a lifesaver; it protects perfectly from both rain and sun! I almost didn’t take it off at all))

The Vietnamese themselves wear hats very willingly, but mostly residents of villages and small towns, so seeing them on European tourists, everyone was incredibly delighted and wanted to take a picture of us or at least show us to someone they knew) and be sure to tell us about what cool hats!)

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By the way, in Vietnam I was definitely a success, thanks to my small build))) One man even mistook me for a local from behind, moving me to the side so as not to block his souvenir shop, and then apologized for a long time, having nevertheless seen that I was not Vietnamese))))

But there is a place in Hanoi that is significantly different from the rest of the city. This is the main Lake of the Returned Sword. Everything here is somehow neat, clean, and beautiful. There is a sense of antiquity and grandeur. There are expensive restaurants around the lake; it’s very nice to sit here in the evening with a glass of Dalat wine))

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And in the morning the lake turns into one huge stadium, where elderly Vietnamese do exercises. After an overnight drive from Sapa, we arrived in Hanoi at 4am. We expected that the time would be a little different (the Vietnamese are not very obliging in this regard, there is no clear schedule) and did not book a hotel for that night. Before the flight to Ho Chi Minh City, we decided to take a walk around the city, but at such an early time there was only one desire - to sit on a bench and fall asleep) Of course, we didn’t fall asleep, but we occupied the bench. And then it began! At exactly 4:30, the entire lake was occupied by pensioners (and not so many), who every now and then crouched down to a bench or tree and did exercises. And just the two of us, like 2 beaten dogs, sat lazily on our bench and waited for the nearest cafe to open, where we could wash up and have breakfast))) Well, the Vietnamese, of course, are great. No wonder they are so healthy and strong even in old age.

And before moving on to the story about Ho Chi Minh City, I would also like to show a couple of photos of Haiphong (also a fairly large city in the north), against which Hanoi looks simply gorgeous)

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The old name of Ho Chi Minh City is Saigon. This is the largest city in the country, which was the capital of French Indochina and then South Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh City is significantly different from Hanoi. There is a stronger French and American influence here. The city is younger and even somehow European) There are more modern and colonial buildings, many cafes and restaurants of the European type, and the measured street life of Hanoi is almost completely absent here. Even Ho Chi Minh City people are dressed somehow more fashionably)

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So you won’t even immediately understand that this is Vietnam) I would even say that this is not at all the Vietnam that I love.

Knowledge in English here it is much higher (if in Hanoi many sellers and waiters of cafes that are not aimed at tourists, apart from the price, could not say even two words in English, and some could not even do that and pointed with their fingers, here any teenager on the bus will calmly and confidently tell , where to go and where to get off). And the pronunciation is much clearer. Perhaps this is due to the long-term American presence, perhaps due to the fact that Ho Chi Minh City positions itself as cultural and modern city, but most likely precisely because there are many times more tourists in Ho Chi Minh City than in the north of Vietnam. It is from Ho Chi Minh City that all tourists go to the coast - to Mui Ne and Nha Trang.

Compared to Hanoi, they sell a huge variety of souvenirs here, offer many excursions, and the restaurants are completely tailored for the European tourist - everything is much more refined, cleaner, I would even say tastier, than in Hanoi. Here there is exactly the exoticism that a tourist is looking for: snakes, frogs, lobsters, massage (and not only!) parlors and much more. But there is no life here, that real, Vietnamese one.

The only place in Ho Chi Minh City that I really liked was Ben Thanh Market. We lived right next to it, in a backpacker's quarter, where there are a lot of hotels, bars and souvenir shops and most Europeans stop. There are so many of them here that you involuntarily forget that you are in Asia))

Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City? This question has bothered numerous visitors to Vietnam, many of whom have tried to find answers on the Internet. Hanoi is the capital and Ho Chi Minh City is attractive huge city in the south of Vietnam. Therefore, you want to go to both cities, but often you need to make a difficult choice.
So which is better: Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City? We will not delay answering the question and will immediately say what we think. Ho Chi Minh City is more deserving of your time and money to travel here. Now we will explain why Ho Chi Minh City is better. than Hanoi.

1. Favorable weather

Situated next to the Mekong Delta in southern Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City has much better weather compared to Hanoi. Unlike Hanoi, which has four seasons (spring, summer, autumn and winter), Ho Chi Minh City has only 2 seasons: the dry season and the rainy season. The dry season begins in December and lasts until April, while the rainy season in Ho Chi Minh City lasts from May to November. Average temperature in Ho Chi Minh City all year round is 29 degrees Celsius, which is significantly higher than in Hanoi.

2. Convenient transportation

Ho Chi Minh City has the best transport system, which includes new roads and many railway tracks. Traffic jams are not uncommon in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. However, since the capital of South Vietnam has much wider roads, traffic jams are less severe than in Hanoi. On public transport you can get to almost anywhere in South Vietnam. It’s hard to believe, but for just 50 cents you can travel more than 70 km from the center to some interesting village.

3. Different kinds entertainment

Influenced by French culture during the French occupation and American culture in the 1960s and 1970s, Ho Chi Minh City has gained a lot of experience in terms of entertainment. All entertainment venues in the city are modern and well-equipped, which is undoubtedly a plus for tourists.

4. Restaurants

Nowhere in Vietnam can you find such a diverse range of dishes from around the world as in Ho Chi Minh City. Italian, German, English, Hungarian, Indian, Chinese restaurants are simply ubiquitous here. Additionally, the restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City are cozier and better decorated than many restaurants in Hanoi.

5. Active lifestyle

One of the youngest cities (Ho Chi Minh City is just over 300 years old) “suffered” from the foreign culture of the French and American troops. Now this city has a more modern and active lifestyle than any other place in Vietnam, including Hanoi. The people here are friendly and always ready to help you. They are sociable, frank and direct. This way, you can easily make friends and become close friends with them.
It is also worth noting that the Americans brought many of their characteristic entertainments to Ho Chi Minh City. So young people in Ho Chi Minh City are doing things that young people in Hanoi don't even think about. Surfing, for example, has become a last years one of the most popular pastimes.

As you can see, in many ways Ho Chi Minh City is superior to Hanoi. We have not yet noted the proximity to Ho Chi Minh City of the main resorts of Vietnam (Nha Trang, Phan Thiet), but still we compared the cities themselves in terms of how attractive they are for recreation if a tourist decides to spend his entire vacation in one of them.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Vietnam- most Big City in Vietnam, with a population of about 7.5 million people, which is located in the south of the country in the Megong River Delta. City Ho Chi Minh City today is a major center of correction and industry Vietnam. There are about 300 thousand enterprises for 7.5 million inhabitants.

South Vietnam is one hell of a frying pan when it comes to climate. Or a trip to my pioneer childhood, if you remember the number of red flags, plaster pioneers and pioneer women in the parks and some subtle, but clearly traceable spirit of the Soviet Union. And also a web of wires woven by a giant macrame lover, smoking incense in ancient temples, a cacaphony of horns and screams, pedicabs, bikes scurrying around without any rules, bikes, pedestrians crossing the streets along the most incredible trajectories, bright and lush greenery, huge fragrant flowers and the reigning above all this chaos, the merciless sun in the white-burnt sky... Forty in the shade and without the slightest wind, a wet camera strap on a tired and hot neck, hot sidewalks, the scorching breath of passing cars... And green tea with the aroma of lotus, quickly brought back to life and sent to search for new experiences. This is my Saigon, now on maps like Ho Chi Minh City...

Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam, former capital South Vietnam, is located in the south of Vietnam, about 1,750 km south of Hanoi, the current capital. The city center is located on the banks of the Saigon River.
In Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam we will see wide avenues, rare buildings of French architecture, and street cafes. This is a small trend of French culture. But it's enough to give Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam something quite different from any other Asian city. Ho Chi Minh City is still the economic center of Vietnam. The city streets are full of people, not to mention the endless stream of motorcycles. The atmosphere of Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam is created by sellers, markets, shops, cafes, crowds of busy streets and sidewalks.

Unlike Nha Trang, Ho Chi Minh City is large and spacious. You can walk on the sidewalks and they are not cluttered with bikes. The movement of bikes is more orderly and predictable. The central square looks very nice. There is a lot of old architecture in the center. In general, it is clear that the French were already planning the development of the city, and what remained of them were wide avenues and green areas. True, rats run around the streets, just like in Nha Trang, but there is much less garbage on the streets.

Here you can visit an old colonial church, a Buddhist temple and many other interesting things. You can read more in article 22 attractions of Ho Chi Minh City.

There is an opinion that tourists Vietnam can be divided into Ho Chi Minh City lovers and amateurs Hanoi. Of course, you can decide for yourself which city is closer to your liking only by visiting them both.

Weather in Ho Chi Minh City Now

Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon?

Second title cities Ho Chi Minh City - Saigon which is readily used local residents, even despite the respect and love for the legendary figure Ho Chi Minh.

Since 1976 the city has been called Ho Chi Minh City, and the locals still call it the old fashioned way. The name itself Ho Chi Minh City mainly used only in signage and official documents.

Vietnamese culture

Vietnam: People and Culture

In Vietnam, the people are a mixture of cultures, languages, and historical backgrounds. The common denominator between them is that, like most Southeast Asian countries, they love to smile and are interested in foreign visitors.

Vietnamese people

The origin of the Vietnamese people is a combination of the Mongolian race of North and East Asia, as well as Chinese and Indian. Population of Vietnam second only to Indonesia, and is one of the most densely populated country of Southeast Asia. However, a feature of the Vietnamese region is ethnic homogeneity country in which Vietnamese make up about 90% of the population. 85% of the Vietnamese ethnic minority population belongs to indigenous groups, the largest of which are Thai and Hmong, peoples who have settled in the mountainous regions of the country for many centuries. About 3% of the population is ethnic Chinese living in the urban centers of the South.

Vietnamese language

The Vietnamese language reflects a unique mixture of racial and cultural backgrounds, with its monotony, tone and grammar. Having been a Chinese province for over a millennium (111 BC-939 AD), most government, literary and technical vocabulary comes from the Chinese language.

Although the script is called Chunom, it uses partially modified Chinese characters that were developed as early as the 8th century. In the mid-17th century, a French missionary developed a spelling system using the Latin alphabet, which emphasized additional features and several accents to indicate tones. Using this script spread, and was recognized as the official script by the French in 1910.

Religion of Vietnam

Ten million live in Vietnam followers and also located 20,000 Buddhist pagodas. Buddhism is by far the largest religion, but Vietnam has a rich and wide variety of religions based on foreign beliefs and beliefs, with several indigenous groups population, including animism, theism and ancestor worship. Catholicism, introduced by European missionaries, is the second largest religion, with approximately six million followers, and more than 6,000 churches. Vietnamese indigenous religions, including the Cao Dai and Hoa Hao sects, have their holy lands in the city of Thai Ninh and the provinces of Chau Doc and An Giang in the Mekong Delta. They coexist peacefully with each other and contribute to the fight against foreign aggression.

Visitors entering Buddhist pagodas remove their shoes and it is considered impolite to step on images of people or Buddha. Donations for the maintenance of churches are not required, but are accepted with gratitude. Before photograph people in places worship should ask permission.

General rules of social communication in Vietnam

The most appropriate way of greeting is a handshake and a smile.

It's best to deal with misunderstandings with patience and good humor. Local people who offer help appreciate small gifts such as lighters, pens, foreign cigarettes, alcohol, perfume and even shampoo.

How to get to Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam

Tourists arriving in Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam find themselves in international Airport Tan Son Nhut is the largest airport in Vietnam. The airport serves a large number of flights, including flights to Hanoi, and there are many airlines serving cities in Vietnam and other countries. Major destinations include Moscow, Paris, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Taipei, Beijing, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Tokyo, Singapore, Shanghai, Frankfurt, Melbourne, Siem Reap, Manila, Jakarta and Sydney. Taxi from airport to central District costs about 150,000-200,000 dong.

Ho Chi Minh City Saigon for tourists

For tourists, mainly the city of Saigon Vietnam is just a transfer point; few people stay in the city, which may seem quite boring and... clear Many tourists come to Ho Chi Minh City-Saigon only to travel further to Phan Thiet and Mui Ne. Of course, there are tourists who come to Ho Chi Minh City-Saigon precisely to immerse themselves in its atmosphere, walk around the shops, parks and squares, visit the Ben Tan market, bargain and experience the life of the average Vietnamese. If you are also planning to travel further from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, I advise you to read the article How to get from Ho Chi Minh City to Phan Thiet, Mui Ne, Nha Trang, etc.

I'll say right away Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) I didn't like it Big city, in which it is unsafe for tourists to be, there is a lot of poverty, drug addicts, thefts are common among tourists.

Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam attitude towards tourists

If you haven't been deceived in Vietnam- it means you just didn’t notice. Tourists here are not treated as they should be. For the sake of short-term gain, the country scares away wealthy tourists. During the 15 days spent in southern Vietnam, they managed to rob us, we were deceived at every step. Upon arrival at the airport at the currency exchange office they tried to deceive us by exchanging a smaller amount of money, then taxi drivers who extort the cost (from 230 to 450 thousand dong, the real cost from the airport to the city center is 90-100 thousand dong), and we We encountered fraud when exchanging money at the hotel; when buying souvenirs, we were given the wrong change. In the supermarket Co.op Mart they punched the products twice, after contacting the quality control service of the supermarket, where, by the way, there was a rather large queue of the same deceived customers, they tried to return a smaller amount. After that in the same Co.op Mart We put our things in a storage room, and then they tried to return us one less package.

Regarding theft on the streets Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) You can talk for a very long time, the bags are torn off insolently and torn out of your hands with force. Movement in Ho Chi Minh City chaotic and does not comply with any rules, the Vietnamese travel in half-face masks, so you will never find your thief, and the local police also protect local thieves. But this is a separate topic - we were robbed in Vietnam. What to do without a passport and money in Vietnam.

I apologize, but personal attitudes and a spoiled impression of the country introduce their own nuances when talking about our journey. Vietnam is the only country that I would not recommend for travel. But first things first.

Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam my route

Our route started at Ho Chi Minh City, here we stayed at the Hon En Hotel 2*, then we took a bus to Phan Thiet, where we stayed at a hotel on the coast 5 km from Phan Thiet Sandhills Beach Resort& Spa 4*, then spent one night in Phan Thiet itself, at the Saigon PT Hotel 2*. From there we went by bus to Vung Tau, Romeliess Hotel 3*. From Vung Tau by boat we again went to Ho Chi Minh City, and from there we flew back to Moscow.

CO.OP MART THẮNG LỢI store address in Ho Chi Minh City is 2 Trường Chinh, D. Tân Phú. (co op)

Districts of Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam

The main area that tourists visit in Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam is the old city, which was built by the French. Most of the attractions and old buildings are located in this area of ​​Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam. The main streets where everything happens in the city are Pham Ngu Lao and Bui Vien Street, which is parallel to it.

Attractions Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam and entertainment

Perhaps in this city they will find something unusual and interesting tourists who do not like to spend their entire vacation on the beach.

Here you can find excursions to nearby areas and attractions, as well as visits to neighboring Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.

Main attractions of Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam:

  • Palace of Independence
  • Binh Thai Market
  • Thien Hau Temple
  • Ho Chi Minh Museum
  • Saigon Notre Dame Cathedral

If you are interested in this topic, I advise you to read the article Ho Chi Minh City: 22 attractions in Saigon, which describes in detail the attractions of Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam.

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