A Love Letter to Vietnam’s Vibrancy
I often get asked the nearly impossible to answer question, “Where’s your favorite place you’ve traveled to?”
There are infinite reasons why I’ve loved the many cities I’ve visited, but there’s something so palpably magical about Vietnam. To provide some borders, Vietnam is my favorite ASEAN country (of the 9 Southeast Asian countries I’ve been to: Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Cambodia, and Myanmar. Full disclosure: I’ve never been to Brunei, but on principle I try not to go to places that entertain the idea of stoning gay people to death.)
Every city I’ve visited in Vietnam offers different vibes, but all vibrant. I’ll start this post with my favorite city: Hanoi, the capital.
Hanoi embodies harmonious chaos. I could marvel for hours in the Old Quarter at the people commuting in a sea of scooters with such deftness (Bonus points if you actually get on a scooter and attempt to navigate along with the crowds.) Hanoi’s inhabitants combine a perfect blend of kindness plus DGAF attitude. Everyone is minding their own business, hustling on their scooters, just trying to get where they need to go. But the moment you have a question or interaction with anyone (even in English!), their entire demeanor changes. Broad smiles unfurl and they almost leap to engage with you. Their hospitality isn’t contrived, it’s inquisitive with a shy eagerness to help.
The city still has fragments of France (Note to self: Vietnam was a French colony, duh.) And while the Vietnamese culture is distinctly its own, the hints of the French are everywhere, from the incredible pastries, pastel colonial architecture, and opulence (but done sparingly and classily) in its restaurants and bars.
Hanoi’s food flavors flood your tastebuds. The freshness of the herbs in every dish (try it: you can likely count up to 10 herbs in the banh xeo, pho, bun, or whatever dish you’re eating) and the delicate, lightly fried dishes consistently create well-rounded meals that generate excited anticipation for the next time to eat.
My Best Of list (please share your recs as well!)
“Breakfast”: Start your day with an egg coffee. No, not scrambled eggs + coffee. It’s the ideal caffeine pick-me-up, rich with a custard-like foam. These are available at any cafe.
Lunch: Nha Hang Luk Lak has such a comprehensive menu that you’ll find yourself ordering 7 dishes for 2 people. No worries– you’ll still be able to devour everything because it’s so darn delicious. Your eyes will be opened to all these Vietnamese dishes you’ve never heard of (I promise Vietnamese food isn’t just pho and banh mi.)
Dinner: T.U.N.G., which stands for Twisted, Unique, Natural, Gastronomique, was named one of Asia’s 100 Best Restaurants 2021. Make sure to go on an empty stomach because it’s a 20-course meal that will only set you back $70 USD a head. Yes, it’s one of those indulgent foodie experiences where the servers wait on your every need, and you come away filled to the brim with exquisite food and conversation. Make sure to get the cocktail pairing as well.
Late night supper: Get your old Asian man squat ready along Beer Street, because the only seating available are tiny plastic red chairs crammed around compact tables. I dare you to try to rack up a bill more than $20 a person with the $3 Bia Hanoi bottles and mix of grilled veggies and meat grilled on a sketchy pan with aluminum foil.
Sofitel Legend Metropole Hotel: absolutely stay at the № 8 hotel in Asia (according to Travel + Leisure). Splurge 1 night and maximize the heck out of the 20 hours that you stay here.
In life, there are good breakfast buffets, and then there’s the Metropole breakfast buffet. Enjoy the unbelievable spread, and order 5 entrees served piping hot to your table. Then in a few hours, enjoy the afternoon tea, nap, then head to Happy Hour. In the evening, cash in on your welcome drink at the beautiful Angelina bar with shelves of spirits that require the bartenders to slide on a ladder a la Belle in Beauty & the Beast (just replace books with bourbon.)
The hotel room itself is awash with luxury but without the French stuffiness. The bathroom is larger than most studios in New York, and I could have slept in the bathtub for the entire trip. Each stay even comes with a dedicated “butler” who waits on you hand and foot, gently reminding you when breakfast ends, when afternoon tea is, when Happy Hour commences, etc., as if going 2 hours without food is a pointless existence.
A bit of history (if you’re feeling like your brain needs a workout instead of just your jaw): The Metropole Hotel was also the bomb shelter that protected famous Americans like Joan Baez and Jane Fonda during the Vietnam War (or, The War of American Aggression ;( depends who you ask.) It’s a fascinating tour where you explore the tiny crevices where people sheltered in fear, and serves as a sobering reminder of the cost of this war, which was repudiated by all sides.
Best activity: Get clothes tailor-made! As a fairly small human, clothes never fit me and finding a good seamstress is a drag. Enter: Vietnam. Approximately ⅓ of my wardrobe is clothes I’ve gotten made throughout a half dozen trips to Vietnam now.
Club: Party at the Savage Nightclub where they bring in some pretty amazing DJs. Roza Terenzi rocked the turntables amidst strobe lights and ripe red glows. A red haze hung over everything and everyone, but the spacious rooftop allowed us to pause the ringing in our ears for a slight reprieve. Bonus observation: The naïve me was wondering why everyone was getting balloons blown up (but with no strings). Ahh, I was suddenly transported back to college days when half the kids in the club were doing whippets (eeks!) for an extra head high.
Rooftop bar: If you’re looking for a natural high, head to the Terraco Skybar for stunning views of the city. You can see every skyscraper, the lake, the Old Quarter, and the sparkle amongst the blackness of the sky. The drinks are reasonably priced, but you’ll be so satiated by the views alone.
Hanoi, thank you for the consistent hospitality and magic every single time. Can’t wait to see you again soon!
