American newspaper shows good places to eat and play in Hanoi in 36 hours

American journalist suggests tourists to Hanoi take a food tour on a vespa, explore the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, find ancient cafes, mysterious bars...

The New York Times recently published an article by travel writer Chris Humphrey introducing 36 hours of fun in Hanoi. Below is the schedule from Friday night to Sunday, according to Chris, who has lived in Hanoi for more than 10 years. Friday 7pm : Walking around Hoan Kiem Lake The weekend is also the time when the streets around Hoan Kiem Lake turn into a walking street, helping to dispel the feeling of suffocation from urban traffic and providing a rare space for entertainment. Take to the streets and join the crowd to enjoy the atmosphere like a miniature festival here. From listening to live music, watching dancers, playing Vietnamese folk games, drawing portraits by the lake...

Trang Tien Street, a bustling pedestrian street every weekend. Photo: Linh Pham/Nytimes

8:00 p.m.: Enjoy Northern cuisine Visit Tam Vi restaurant and order dishes with a strong Northern flavor, enjoy in a wooden house, using furniture and decorations that are all traditional handicrafts such as Dong Ho paintings, calligraphy... The menu here is diverse, presented simply, easy to eat and affordable such as tofu with tomato sauce, braised fish, grilled pork with lolot leaves... 10:00 p.m.: Sip in a Wong Kar Wai-style bar Wong Bar is a small bar with only enough space for a dozen guests. The bar is hidden at the end of a small alley and has only been open since 2022. The bar's decor makes you feel like you've just stepped into the setting of a Hong Kong movie by director Wong Kar Wai. Saturday 9:00 a.m.: Explore historical sites If you only visit the Temple of Literature to get a glimpse of 1,000 years of Hanoi. Coming to Thang Long Imperial Citadel, you will touch many more layers of the capital's past that most tourists often ignore. Although there are not many relics left, the ancient citadel still preserves some traces of the ancient citadel with the main gate built in the 11th century, opposite is the Hanoi flagpole. Below the Imperial Citadel is a bunker system that served as a shelter for the Vietnamese army during the war. 11am: Drink coffee in an ancient French villa On Chan Cam street in Hanoi's Old Quarter, Loading T is famous - a coffee shop located inside a charming ancient French villa. The shop's coffee costs from 40,000 - 90,000 VND/cup, including coffees combined with yogurt, eggs, salt, coconut, banana, lemon, cinnamon.

Balcony in French villa turned into coffee shop. Photo: Linh Pham/Nytimes

In the same villa, you can also discover a ceramic shop of Hanoi artisans, Hien Van Ceramics. If you want to change the space, just cross the street and you will enter Blackbird - a modern cafe with cappuccino, cold beer, machine-brewed coffee... 12:30: Exciting street food tour Prepare yourself for a Hanoi food hunting trip on a motorbike. Vespa Adventures' food tour takes you through the alleys of Hanoi on an old vespa, enjoying delicious dishes such as bun cha, banh mi, bo bia... The two-wheeled vehicle also takes you through famous places such as the Opera House, Uncle Ho's Mausoleum, and the train street - a place that attracts tourists to eat and watch the trains pass by. 18:00: Enjoy Hanoi specialties When mentioning delicious dishes with a strong Hanoi flavor, you cannot miss the Thang Long fish cake address on Duong Thanh street. A serving of fish cake costs 140,000 VND, served like a feast on the table, from vermicelli, vegetables, a pan of fish cake covered with turmeric and dill, fish sauce and roasted peanuts. 8pm: Find a place to listen to Jazz music Long Waits located right in Hoan Kiem district is a favorite place for many Jazz lovers. During the week, this place is a theater showing documentaries, music, and history about Jazz music, and on the weekend it is a space for Jazz music performed by Vietnamese and international artists. 11pm: Sip cocktails by candlelight To enjoy a very late night in Hanoi, don't miss Longer Than Summer located near the Cathedral. The bar is ideal for introverts. The address is discreet, the space is small, the candlelight is just bright enough, and the music is played softly. For those who like the hustle and bustle, go to Hanoi Rock City to watch a music performance, Ray Quan to enjoy wine by the train tracks, or stop by Savage to listen to techno music in the middle of the night. Sunday 9am: Climb up to the unique long house at the museum The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology is located in Cau Giay district, which is a place to store and display artifacts and detailed information about 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam. The museum grounds also have traditional houses of many ethnic groups, such as the Bana and Ede long houses, which are filled with carvings, pottery, textiles, and household utensils... 11am: Explore the renovated neighborhood. The Truc Bach Lake area and the streets by the lake were once the scene where Senator John McCain (USA) was captured after his plane was shot down. Today, walking around Truc Bach Lake, you can see many shops and cafes. Try stopping by Chinh Thang pho cuon to eat pho, stop by Fu Hoo to sip coffee and lemonade, or stop by Standing Bar to drink craft beer.

Hanoi vermicelli with grilled pork. Photo: Linh Pham/Nytimes

13:00: Shop for souvenirs For attractive souvenirs, skip the modern shopping malls and night markets and head to Zo Project to buy handicrafts made from traditional do paper. Wander the old town to find Tired City, a chain of stores selling T-shirts, bags, and paintings designed by young Vietnamese artists. Go to Maison Marou to discover Vietnamese chocolates. 15:00: Admire modern art Some of the modern art exhibition spaces in Hanoi that you should mention are Outpost, Manzi Art Space... Here, you can admire paintings from minimalist to cheerful surrealism, impressive lacquer paintings, or even abstract films.

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