espresso mixed with egg whites,
and “ca phe sua da” which is coffee
and condensed milk. Fresh milk isn’t
something you can get easily in Vietnam
unless it is imported so the main type of
milk on offer is condensed milk.
OLD QUARTER:
The Old Quarter is probably the
most vibrant and bustling part of
Hanoi. It is known as the tourist
hotspot, this is where you will find the
backpacker hostels and hotels, as
well as restaurants and bars. Although
it is slightly more Western-friendly
compared to other parts of Hanoi, it
isn’t completely westernised and has
managed to so far retain its Vietnamese
heritage and little delights such as street
food and bia hoi corners. Bia Hoi is a
type of Vietnamese fresh draft beer (4%
alcohol) and is a big part of Vietnam’s
drinking culture. It is not uncommon to
be huddled on a street corner on plastic
stools with a group of friends drinking
tall glasses of beer for about 5000 VND
which is roughly equivalent to 50p!
Bia Hoi corners in the Old Quarter are
particularly great as you get to mix with
a number of tourists as well as locals
and everyone gets involved. Bia Hoi
Junction is a top tourist spot where
there is a Bia Hoi on each corner of the
street and there are stools and tables
spilling out onto the road. A phrase you
will hear being shouted out frequently
at a Bia Hoi is “Mot, Hai, Ba, Yo” which
literally translates as “1, 2, 3, yo”
meaning as soon as someone taps your
glass with theirs and shouts this phrase,
you have to down your drink in one go!
There is a curfew in Hanoi of midnight
and everything shuts down at 12 on
the dot, as the police will start to patrol
the streets and make sure everywhere
is closed and people are on their way
home, this is one to remember if you
travel to the Old Quarter!
HALONG BAY:
Halong Bay is a world heritage site and
it is not difficult to see why. Clusters
of islands covered in rainforest and
greenery surrounded by crystal clear
ocean. The sheer natural beauty of the
bay is breath-taking. This is a hugely
popular tourist destination with plenty
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