Hanoi, Vietnam

Due to Ha Giang's remote location, the only way to enter or exit the city is by sleeper bus. We had two options: a sleeper bus at 11:30 am or one at 7:00 pm. We chose the daytime sleeper bus since neither of us could sleep on the overnight one. We settled into our little cabins for the seven-hour journey, arriving in Hanoi around 6:00 pm.

We decided to spend a few days in the city before heading south, as visiting Vietnam wouldn't be complete without staying in the capital. Here are my top sights from five nights in Hanoi!

Hoa Lo Prison Relic

Jamie and I started our day with a well-deserved breakfast buffet at the Hilton, then walked to the Hoa Lo Prison Relic. After securing our tickets and audio guides, we toured the prison, originally built in the 1800s by the French. I hadn't realized it was used before the Vietnam War, mainly by the French to imprison Vietnamese revolutionaries. It was unsettling to see the models of prisoners in shackles and an actual guillotine used in the 19th century for executing prisoners on death row.

One of the most impactful rooms was nicknamed "hell on earth," which was solitary confinement. The room was constructed at an angle almost as if it was a ramp, ensuring the prisoner was always shackled with their feet elevated, causing blood to rush to their head, making sleep impossible and often leading to blindness.

It was fascinating to see areas where prison escapes occurred and the cots used by American prisoners of war who were either shot down or captured. The prison held both men and women, and it was heartbreaking to see the models of women with children who had no other family to turn to when their mothers were sentenced.

After a tough morning, I felt the need for a pick me up and ordered 'king roti' as suggested by our friends from the Ha Giang loop tour. Essentially a Vietnamese cream puff, these sweet treats helped to brighten the day as we wrapped up Hanoi Day 1 working on our laptops.

Train Street & Thang Long Water Puppet Show

On Day 2, we began the morning working on our laptops and then left around 2:30 pm for Train Street. Known as one of the most famous spots in Hanoi, this area is popular because visitors can get very close to the train tracks as high-speed trains zoom past. I read online that it can be somewhat difficult to access without a tour guide due to strict security, but we took a cab to a hotel near the street and found an entry point without much issue. There was a guard who stopped us, warning us that it was a dangerous area, but I mentioned we were going to the coffee shop and pointed to the business, so he allowed us to enter. We sat at Mincolin Coffee and had about 30 minutes to take photos on the tracks before the train was scheduled to arrive. This area made some great people watching as shop owners tried to draw tourists into their coffee shops and the guard tried to prevent people from entering.

Five minutes before the train's arrival, the shop owners ensured everyone was in a safe spot, advising them to stand back. Jamie placed some beer bottle caps on the track for the train to flatten as a free souvenir, and we waited eagerly for the train's whistle. Suddenly, the train zoomed by just inches away! Although I knew what to expect, it's difficult to describe the feeling of being so close to a fast-moving train. Ninety seconds later, the train was gone, and since it would be hours before the next one, we finished our drinks and went off in search of food.

Our friends also recommended a sandwich shop, so we walked around the corner to Banh Mi 25. They put a modern twist on the Vietnamese dish, and it lived up to the hype. By this point in our day, I thought the night market would be open, so we headed to its location in the Old Quarter, but it wasn't what I expected and the quarter was overwhelming with simulation overload between people, bikes, and lights. We were just about ready to call it at this point, but since we were out, Jamie suggested we check the Water Puppet Theatre for tickets for that night's performance. The counter had tickets available for the show in 45 minutes, so we got comfortable and waited to enter the theatre.

The water puppets ended up being one of our favorite experiences of the entire trip. The show felt very 'Asian' with a blend of storytelling and live music. We had audio guides that provided background on the folktales the puppets would depict, and then the puppets appeared in the water with live musicians playing music to accompany the scenes. When you think of puppets, strings usually come to mind, but these were controlled by sticks under the water. It was something we'd never seen before, and we watched 16 different stories unfold, each as magical as the last. A truly solid hour of entertainment.

Imperial Citadel of Thang Long

I discovered online that a group of university students offered free tours to practice their English skills and booked them for the Imperial Citadel. The two students who guided us were wonderful, sharing insights about the various dynasties that have ruled Vietnam throughout its history. We saw the area where the king would meet his soldiers and motivate them before battles, as well as some bunkers used by Vietnamese leaders during the Vietnam War. We explored two bunkers, one being 9 meters deep. The second bunker housed communication lines that citizens would use to report planes in the sky, which was quite eerie. We also got a glimpse at some of the ways the regular people would hide from the bombs and heard some sad stories about what happened to people both in and out of the shelters. The citadel also featured some US war propaganda posters, offering an interesting perspective on figures like Nixon from our history.

That's a Wrap on Northern Vietnam!

With our visit to Hanoi complete, we've officially concluded our journey through Northern Vietnam. Having explored Ha Long Bay, Ninh Binh, Hanoi, and Ha Giang, we can confidently say this region is now checked off our list.

We are ready to fly from Hanoi to Hue in Central Vietnam. It is expected to be rainy, so we'll see how it turns out. Hue is renowned for its imperial capital, which spans 520 hectares, larger than the one in Beijing. It's the historical site where Vietnam's last emperor abdicated, and I'm eager to see how the imperial city in the central region contrasts with the one in Vietnam.