Vietnam: Hanoi, Ha Long Bay & My First Taste of Southeast Asia

Vietnam was the first stop of my Vietnam & Thailand trip. I had heard so much about Hanoi food, Train Street and Ha Long Bay, and I wanted to experience it all before heading to Thailand. Three nights wasn't long, but it was enough to fall in love with the food and enough to know I want to go back.

Getting to Vietnam ✈️

I booked my international flight months in advance through Delta for an affordable price, but the flight ended up being operated and rebooked through Korean Air.

Checking my bag at the airport was honestly an annoying process. I first went to Korean Air, but they couldn't find my reservation. I then went over to Delta, but no one was working at the counter at the time. There was a Delta representative nearby, so I asked him for help. Unfortunately, he wasn't very helpful and told me I needed to go all the way to the opposite side of the airport to ask someone else.

I'm glad I didn't listen to him.

Instead, I pulled out my phone and contacted Delta through their website. They were actually able to help me. When I returned to the Korean Air counter, they were finally able to find my reservation and I checked my bag.

After that, I went through security with my carry-on and waited at my gate until boarding. I flew economy and was actually comfortable. I'm a sleeper on flights, so I slept through most of the trip. We had a layover in South Korea before continuing on to Hanoi.

Would I have preferred a nonstop flight? Of course. But I shop for the best flight prices, and I booked this trip months in advance at an affordable price. If I had found a reasonably priced nonstop option, I definitely would have taken it.

November 5, 2024 — Arrival in Hanoi 🇻🇳

My first impression after walking outside the Hanoi airport: crowded. There were a lot of Grab drivers approaching travelers, trying to get people to ride with them and offering discounts.

I had actually booked an airport transfer through Viator ahead of time, but when I arrived, I couldn't find my driver. I didn't want to risk getting scammed by accepting a ride from one of the drivers approaching me outside the airport, so I kept dismissing them. Instead, I took out my phone, opened the Grab app myself and ordered a ride directly to my hotel.

For money, I exchanged U.S. dollars for Thai baht (THB) through Bank of America before leaving the U.S. Bank of America wasn't able to provide Vietnamese dong (VND), so I waited until I arrived in Hanoi and exchanged about $180 USD for Vietnamese dong at the airport. The exchange wasn't bad, especially since I was only spending a few days in Vietnam. I ended up using cash for everything in Hanoi, including souvenirs.

My Stay: Hanoi Dalvostro Valentino Hotel & Spa 🏨

My arrival at Hanoi Dalvostro Valentino Hotel & Spa was probably one of my favorite hotel welcomes. I arrived at night, and the hotel had already been communicating with me through WhatsApp about my arrival. When I got there, they were waiting for me out front, helped me with my bags and walked me to my room.

Amazing arrival to Vietnam.

My room was clean and comfortable. I didn't have a view, but the location made up for it because it was great for walking around Hanoi. The service throughout my stay was very good. I also tried Bia Hà Nội (Hanoi Beer) in my room—my first local Vietnamese beer of the trip.

After my food tour and Train Street experience, I returned to the hotel. My stay included a complimentary drink, so I stopped at the hotel bar. The bartender was amazing and made me a unique martini that was really good. Between the staff, breakfast, location and little touches like the complimentary cocktail, I was really happy with my hotel choice.

November 6, 2024 — Hanoi Food Tour + Train Street 🍜🚂

I woke up early and went upstairs for breakfast at my hotel. There was a huge selection, and the food was really good. Then it was time for one of the things I was most excited about in Hanoi.

11:30 AM — Walking Street Food Tour in Hanoi + Train Street. The meeting point was about a 6-minute walk from my hotel.

One thing about me: I'm going to book a food tour. If I don't do a food tour… did I even go? 😂

Before traveling to Vietnam, I had already researched Train Street and knew I wanted to experience it. So when I booked my Hanoi food tour, I specifically chose one that included Train Street.

The tour included:

• Bánh cuốn — steamed rice rolls
• Chả Giò & Gỏi Cuốn — fried and fresh spring rolls
• Bánh mì
• Bún Thang
• Pho
• Vietnamese egg coffee

And yes, I finally got to try the famous Vietnamese egg coffee!

The food tour was great and gave me the opportunity to try several Vietnamese foods without having to figure everything out on my own.

Train Street 🚂

Train Street was crowded, but it was absolutely an experience. I sat at one of the cafés and ordered a mango smoothie while waiting. Then the train came through right in front of me. And when I say right in front of me — I mean RIGHT there. 😂

This was something I specifically wanted to experience before coming to Hanoi, so I'm glad it was included with my food tour.

Another reason I love booking food tours is that you get access to someone who actually knows the local food scene. I had researched restaurants before my trip and asked my guide about places tourists frequently recommended online, including Bun Cha Dac Kim and Bún chả Hương Liên, which became famous after Barack Obama and Anthony Bourdain ate there.

My guide basically told me I could skip them. 😂

But he had great things to say about Pho 10. So I made sure I didn't leave Hanoi without trying it.

Book the Hanoi Street Food & Train Street Tour

November 7, 2024 — Ha Long Bay

7:00 AM — Breakfast

8:00 AM — Ha Long Bay Cruise

The drive from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay was around two hours, with a stop along the way where I grabbed a smoothie and looked for souvenirs.

The tour guide was very entertaining, and one thing I really appreciated was how organized everything was.

He assigned seats on the bus and purposely seated some of the solo travelers together. I ended up sitting next to a nice girl from France.

I loved that.

The Cruise 🚢

The boat itself was beautifully set up, and we once again had assigned seating.

The food was high-tier, and throughout the cruise I went up to the top deck several times just to enjoy the sun and those Ha Long Bay views.

I did the different stops and activities during the tour, including Sung Sot Cave and Titop Island.

One of my favorite experiences, though, was the smaller boat ride.

There was an option to kayak or take a small boat rowed by an employee. I was wearing a dress that day, so kayaking wasn't happening. 😂

And I'm actually glad I chose the boat.

I got to sit back, relax, enjoy the scenery and take pictures and videos while someone else did the rowing.

Meanwhile, some of the people kayaking clearly weren't professionals. They were crashing into the other boats, and watching them was hilarious. 😂

During our food/rest stop on the way back to Hanoi, I ordered a bánh mì sandwich because I was hungry.

Then I got back on the bus and fell asleep.

Once I finally made it back to my hotel, I took a shower and went straight to bed.

Book the Ha Long Bay Tour

November 8, 2024 — Pho 10, Shopping & Goodbye Hanoi ✈️

I couldn't leave Hanoi without trying the restaurant my food tour guide recommended. I ordered the beef pho at Pho 10, and he was right. It was really good. The broth, beef, noodles, seasoning — everything.

The restaurant was crowded, but there wasn't a long wait. Since I was dining solo, they seated me at a table with another person who was also there by themselves. I would absolutely recommend Pho 10.

Earlier in my trip, while walking to the meeting point for my food tour, I had passed a shop selling the cutest Vietnamese robes. I knew I had to go back before leaving. I ended up buying two robes — one for myself and one for my mom. I also picked up keychains, a pocket mirror and beer openers. I collect a keychain from every country I visit, so of course Vietnam had to be added to the collection.

November 8, 2024 — Next Stop: Chiang Mai 🇹🇭

After one last bowl of beef pho at Pho 10 and some final shopping in Hanoi, I returned to the hotel to grab my things. The hotel staff once again helped me with my bags and brought them outside, where I called a Grab to take me to the airport.

My time in Vietnam was short, but I packed a lot into those few days. The food was amazing, the people I interacted with were kind and helpful, and there was still so much more I could have experienced. I would definitely return.

Then it was time for the next part of my Southeast Asia trip: Chiang Mai, Thailand. 🇹🇭

I flew AirAsia nonstop from Hanoi (HAN) to Chiang Mai (CNX). My flight departed at 3:20 PM and arrived at 5:00 PM, with a flight time of about 1 hour and 40 minutes.

Solo in Hanoi 👩🏽‍✈️

I felt comfortable exploring Hanoi by myself. I did notice a lot of staring, but no one actually bothered me. Whenever I had a question or needed help, people were willing to help me. They weren't rude. I also felt safe using Grab by myself.

The tours were another big plus as a solo traveler because they made it easy to interact with other travelers without having to force it. On my Ha Long Bay tour, for example, the guide intentionally seated solo travelers near each other. That's how I ended up sitting with another solo traveler from France.

Would I Return to Hanoi?

Yes. The people were nice, the food was amazing, and I felt comfortable exploring on my own. I was only there for a few days, so there were still plenty of places I didn't get a chance to visit.

My biggest advice? Always book a food tour. 🍜 Not only did I get to taste foods I probably wouldn't have ordered on my own, but my guide helped me figure out which popular restaurants were actually worth my time. And in Hanoi, that advice led me straight to one of my favorite meals: beef pho at Pho 10.

Solo With Jenn takeaway

Vietnam was my first stop in Southeast Asia, and it set the tone for the rest of the trip. I learned that a little patience at the airport goes a long way, that a good hotel welcome can completely change your first impression of a city, and that food tours are worth every penny when you want to experience a place without overthinking every meal.

I also learned that three nights is not enough. I left Hanoi wanting more — more food, more neighborhoods, more day trips. That's not a bad problem to have.