Hanoi Photo Diary

Hanoi, my first stop in Vietnam, a country I’ve been looking forward to visiting the last six months. I remember getting out of the Uber on my way from the airport and just smiling at how busy the city was: the scooters whizzing by, the people crowded around little plastic chairs and tables, drinking beer and eating skewers. There’s definitely a learning curve when it comes to crossing the scooter-packed streets but you learn quickly.

While I spent the majority of my time learning about Vietnamese culture and society via food, I did a few non-food things as well, my favorite of which was a visit to the Vietnamese Women’s Museum. Highly recommend going there if you’re in Hanoi (would suggest skipping the Ho Chi Minh Museum). If museums aren’t your thing, Hanoi is the perfect place to just walk around and people watch. You’ll find street vendors for everything from jackets to slabs of meat; it’s a unique experience that you’d be hard-pressed to find in the US. And, of course, there’s tons of great food.

During my visit, I stayed at Cocoon Inn, which I 100% recommend. The bunkbeds are the definition of luxurious, featuring built-in shelving, cabinets, outlets and USB plugs, and curtains. It has a very chill vibe but you can always head over to Downtown Backpackers Hostel (the infamous Hanoi party hostel) for a crazy night.

Here are a few moments from Hanoi: