Did you know that in a city of seven million people, Hanoi has an astonishing five million motorcycles running on its streets? 

If you are game enough to weave around Hanoi traffic like a local, consider booking an Uber Moto—an Uber bike ride considered to be one of the more adventurous things you can do in Hanoi. The usually friendly drivers will be equipped with an extra helmet and when the need arises—a rain jacket. This is also one of the cheapest ways to get around the city. 

For those who are more risk-averse , consider booking regular Uber rides, Grab rides or Hanoi’s regular taxis, which are easy to book or hail. 

Travel tip: If you are visiting for a few days, it is probably more productive to download a ride app like Uber or Grab than to hail a taxi. Some of the local addresses may be hard to pronounce. With the app, you can key in the exact address of the destination, preventing any miscommunication with your taxi driver.

Most places in Vietnam accept US dollars for payment. For the best rates, however, use the Vietnamese dong (VND). Note that smaller shops along the streets accept only cash, especially open-air food stalls at the night markets. 

In bigger establishments such as shopping malls, mid to upper scale restaurants, supermarkets, and day-tour agencies, credit card payments are accepted. 

Mobile payments are uncommon in Vietnam. Locals use a payment app called Momo, but foreigners are unlikely to use this as it is tied to a Vietnamese bank account. 

Travel tip: If you are uncomfortable carrying large amounts of cash, consider taking along a travel-friendly ATM card that allows you to withdraw money overseas. Examples of banks accepting such cards in Hanoi include Vietcombank and international banks such as Citibank, HSBC and ANZ. If you are unsure, ask your bank if your card will work in Vietnam before your trip. Most ATMs accept Plus (Visa debit and credit cards). This way, you can go up to a local ATM to withdraw cash whenever you want. The ATMs charge an administrative fee of between 30,000 to 50,000 VND (1.28USD to 2.13USD)  per withdrawal.

Eating out in Hanoi is all about the city’s acclaimed street food culture. Locals love tucking into these streetside or hole-in-the-wall eateries, which can be found across the city. 

Here are four must-try dishes in Hanoi that locals love and where you can go to eat them.

Pho (pronounced ‘fur’) is arguably the most iconic Vietnamese dish. You can find it in almost every street corner of the country. The dish is a soup made of clear chicken or beef broth with flat rice noodles, herbs, green onions, ginger and coriander. Thinly-sliced pieces of beef or chicken are then added in. Locals do not just eat pho for lunch and dinner—a hot bowl of pho is often eaten as a favourite breakfast food. 

Looking for the best pho stall in Hanoi? Try the one at Gia Truyen, an open-air restaurant that starts serving pho from as early as 6 am. The magic of their pho lies in the incredibly umami-rich broth, along with the use of lean and tender meat. The combination of both results in a richly savoury taste in your mouth. You can add-on more soup if you need more of that satisfying goodness. Do also try a side of Trung ga—a lightly fried banh mi-style bread you can dip into the soup to soak up its essence. 

Get directions to Pho Gia Truyen

Bun Cha—barbecued pork with rice vermicelli—is one of the most popular dishes with any Vietnamese, and a Hanoi food speciality. Consisting of grilled pork strips and pork balls served on a bed of rice vermicelli noodles, the dish is a local staple. Bun cha is usually dipped with the ubiquitous Vietnamese fish sauce (Nuoc Mam) combined with vinegar, sugar, garlic, lime and chilli. 

The best stall to try this dish is at Bun Cha Huong Lien, which famously served former US president, Barack Obama. What makes this shop stand out is the incredibly juicy and tasty pork balls used in its noodles.  

Get directions to Bún Chả Hương Liên

A unique speciality of the Hanoi people, Cha Ca is so popular with the locals that there is even a street named after it—Cha Ca Street. 

The special ingredient in the dish is grilled fish, which is usually snake-head fish or mudfish enjoyed hot-pot style. One of the best places to try this dish is Chả Cá Thảng Long Restaurant in the Old Quarter of Hanoi. 

The joy of eating this dish is to see it being prepared in front of you. A server will set up the hot pot at your table and bring all the fresh ingredients to cook the dish. They include vermicelli noodles (yes they do love this), fresh herbs, a bowl of roasted peanuts and the savoury dipping fish sauce with sliced chilli. The fish is then set to grill in the pot, seasoned with generous amounts of dill and turmeric. Balanced with the aromatic freshness of the herbs, the rich buttery taste and springy texture of the seasoned fish create a refreshing sensation of flavours—one that you definitely will not want to miss.

Vietnamese coffee has long been appreciated—in Hanoi, good coffee is combined with a chill-out atmosphere perfect for hanging out with locals. Here are three cafes where you are welcomed to sit down, have a cuppa (or two), and relax while you are in Hanoi.

Serving up Western and Vietnamese coffee, Tranquil Books and Coffee, like its name suggests, is an idyllic slice of paradise filled with books. Offering lovely views of its surroundings, the cafe is a great escape from the bustling city life of Hanoi. It also makes a great pit-stop, allowing travellers to recharge before heading out to explore the city. Locals and visitors alike love the alcohol-infused Irish Coffee. If you are not a fan of liquor, consider sipping its traditional Vietnamese Drip Coffee. 

Get directions to Tranquil Books and Coffee

Try the coconut coffee at Cong Ca Phe, a local coffee chain in Hanoi. Opened by Nguyen Ha Linh—a successful female entrepreneur in Vietnam—the cafe first gained 

prominence with its controversial Lenin-esque interiors. Cloaked in an army green shade, Vietnam war-era paraphernalia, and wartime photos, it first opened in 2007 to mixed reviews. 

The cafe has now become a popular hipsterish coffee chain, with branches all over the country. In Hanoi, the outlet is a popular spot for sizable gatherings of friends after work. Besides coconut coffee, do also try the cafe’s  Vietnamese slow drip coffee and baked goods.

You have probably heard of the Vietnamese slow-drip coffee, but have you encountered what is known as the Vietnamese egg coffee (ca phe trung)? Tucked away in Hanoi’s Old Quarter is the Giang Cafe—the originator of Vietnamese egg coffee which you can drink either hot or cold. The hot egg coffee is a thick cup of coffee that apart from egg, also contains butter and cheese. To keep it warm, the hearty beverage is served in a small dish of hot water. Some might find it hard to drink from the cup due to its thickness— use a small spoon to take small spoonfuls instead. The egg is light while the coffee is strong, especially at the bottom. 

The cold version of the drink is more like a dessert, comparable to coffee ice-cream. This unusual coffee-laced concoction was invented by the cafe owner’s father, who created it in 1946 while working as a bartender at a hotel. Milk was scarce in Vietnam then, so he improvised by whisking egg yolk as a replacement. Don’t rush to finish the drink which is best consumed when savoured in sips. 

Get directions to Giang Cafe

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