Traveling to Hanoi. If you want to understand Vietnam, you must first start from Hanoi, the capital of North Vietnam. Because, unlike Saigon, the capitalist capital of the South, Hanoi; It is literally a magical place with its hard-working, proud people, local motifs, legendary handicrafts and Ha Long Bay, one of the 7 wonders of the world. But what if you only have 72 hours in this delightful and always lively city?
I open my eyes with the announcement, “Our plane is landing towards Hanoi.” For the first time, I slept soundly on a trip, even though I was flying economy. “Now let jet lag scare me,” I think to myself. I’ll be in Vietnam soon. To go to Vietnam, where I made totems for years, looked at photographs, and memorized almost every region inch by inch from digital satellite maps.
There are two ways to get here. It is much easier to work with a tour company to obtain a visa. For this, you can act with an expert agency. If you are one of those who say “I will arrange my accommodation and my own schedule” instead of buying a tour package, you can benefit from Qatar Airways or Turkish Airlines flights to Hanoi and Saigon.
My first stop; Hanoi City, which still stands intact and maintains its socialist order against the whole world, but also makes me dizzy with its art, street food, timid people and colorful temples.
Entering Hanoi
Historically, Hanoi has been the political center of Vietnam for nearly a thousand years. Vietnam was the capital of the French Indochina colony (the geographical region comprising Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam) during the Nguyen dynasty. When Vietnam declared its independence in 1976, it was first divided into North and South Vietnam, and after a period of 150 years, it was united under the name Vietnam.
Hanoi is one of the most important cities of Vietnam, shaped by various historical influences. The coy capital of the North. Originally of Chinese-Vietnamese origin, this city was shaped by Soviet urban planners during French colonial rule.
Today, Hanoi is the vibrant capital of a developing country. Old villas and cathedrals from the colonial period lined up along the boulevards, neighborhoods from the colonial period; It has a very rich range, with bazaars where the understanding of tradesmen and craftsmanship prevails, and giant plazas where famous brands are located. Working in these luxurious plazas and witnessing the plaza employees in suits sitting on stools and coming to eat street food cooked on a picnic tube at the street food restaurant on the opposite sidewalk during their lunch break is a magnificent contrast that must be seen photographically.
Where Should We Stay?
As usual, I choose my hotel not near the modern city, but near the old bazaars, also known as the old town. My hotel, Sunway, is in the Hai Ba Trung district, which is clean, safe and within walking distance of many places I want to go. 1 night room price starts from 300 lira in spring months. (Room for 2 people + breakfast) Apart from the hotel, there is also the option of renting a room or apartment in the same district through house rental sites. All you have to do is research well.
The city that makes you either love or hate motorcycles
In both Hanoi and the capital of the South, Saigon (yes, like many Vietnamese, I prefer to call the capital of the South, Ho Chi Mihn City, by its old name “Saigon”), the number of motorcycles is exactly 5 times the number of cars. thick. In other words, if we accept that 1 million motor vehicles enter the traffic in the city every day, 5 million people with motorcycles hit the roads with their motorcycles from the early hours of the morning.
First day; Although it may cause you to take interesting photos (a man selling carpets or carrying melons on a motorbike, a banker girl wearing a two-piece suit and high heels going to work, etc.), it can create serious tension in the body in the following days with the stress of crossing the street.
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