Photos from Hanoi, Vietnam

A lot of people don’t think much of Hanoi. Vietnam’s bustling capital tends to get overshadowed by the liveliness and ever pulsing metropolis of Saigon, the historic sites of Hoi An and Hue, and the unbelievable natural beauty of places like Halong Bay and Sapa. For some reason, many people use Hanoi simply as a transport hub, and I hear mixed emotions from people who linger longer. For me, Hanoi seems to have a special place in my heart. Not only was it the first place that I visited in Vietnam, but it was also the first place that my wife and I visited on our recent six month journey through Southeast Asia.

Now, all of those months later, I look back at that time when we first arrived in Hanoi and remember that amazing feeling of freedom and excitement for what was ahead of us. Hanoi turned out to be a great start to our trip. It was a true bustling Asian city experience. Traffic filled streets, food stalls and little hole in the wall restaurants, old crumbling buildings, markets and a complete assault on the senses, the Old Quarter of the city especially had a positive impact on me. It kind of only feels like yesterday that we were there.

In today’s post, I’d like to share some of my favourite photos from this interesting and chaotic city. I hope you enjoy this photo essay of Hanoi.

View of Dinh Liet Street in the Old Quarter

A man selling fruit on the street

Hoan Kiem Lake from Ngoc Son Temple

Delicious fresh vegetable spring rolls

The roundabout at the top end of Hoan Kiem Lake in the Old Quarter

Dong Xuan Night Market

People on motorbikes navigate the busy streets

A person struggling with a heavy load

Yummy Pho Bo – rice noodle soup with beef

Ladies selling balloons on the street

Crazy traffic in Hanoi

A lady masks her face from the exhaust fumes while on her motorbike

Hoan Kiem Lake

Lady selling grilled meat skewers and baguettes at the night market

A man selling vegetables from his bicycle on the streets of Hanoi