Vietnam ended up being one of the most memorable parts of our Southeast Asia trip, especially Hanoi.
We based ourselves near Hoàn Kiếm Lake and quickly realized Hanoi is the kind of city that fully pulls you into its rhythm. Scooters flowing endlessly through intersections, tiny plastic stools spilling out onto sidewalks, coffee shops hidden inside alleyways, food stalls operating from what looked like someone's garage. Chaotic, but somehow that's exactly what makes the city so memorable.
A lot of our trip revolved around food, which honestly feels like the right way to experience Hanoi. One of our first meals was bún chả at the same casual local spot where Anthony Bourdain famously ate with Barack Obama. We hadn't really researched it beyond hearing they went there, so showing up as jet-lagged first-time visitors was a little funny. Tiny plastic stools, smoky grills, crowded tables, organized chaos everywhere — I remember looking at Jessica like, "Are we sure this is the place?" Then the food arrived. Grilled pork, noodles, herbs, dipping sauce. Completely unfussy and absolutely delicious. Honestly, that meal ended up setting the tone for the rest of the trip.
In fact, one of the best things we did was a food tour through the Old Quarter with a local guide. She walked us through side streets and family-run shops we never would have found ourselves, introducing us to phở, bánh cuốn, fresh spring rolls, egg coffee, and several dishes we'd never even heard of before arriving. Hanoi felt like one of those cities where incredible food was constantly hiding in plain sight.
Beyond the food, what stood out most was the atmosphere of the city itself. The Old Quarter feels dense, layered, and alive in every direction. We'd spend hours simply wandering — stopping for coffee, weaving through markets, exploring temples, or watching the constant motion of the streets around us.
We also did a walking tour focused on Hanoi's wartime history. It gave us a much deeper understanding of modern Vietnam beyond the version most tourists experience on the surface.
One of our favorite days of the entire trip was leaving Hanoi for Ninh Binh. The scenery there almost looked unreal — limestone karsts rising out of the landscape, rivers winding through caves, rice fields stretching between cliffs. We took a small rowboat through the caves at Tam Coc and climbed up to the viewpoint at Mua Cave, which ended up being one of the most beautiful views of the whole trip.
What I appreciated most about Vietnam overall was how alive everything felt. The streets, the food culture, the cafés, the constant movement, the mix of history and modern energy. Hanoi especially felt immersive in a way that some cities never quite achieve.
If I were recommending Vietnam to someone for the first time, I'd tell them to stay near Hoàn Kiếm Lake (we loved Capella Hanoi Hotel), do a food tour early in the trip, and absolutely make time for Ninh Binh. That's the part you'll still be thinking about after you get home.