about this guide
Meet Arjun, he's probably the coolest guy I have ever met. He is universally loved by the women but is scared to talk to them because he's worried they will fall in love with him. That's why he escaped to Vietnam with his best cuffed friend (also a shitty wingman). Here are his must-dos and must-don'ts from Vietnam.
the recommendations
Ta Hien Beer Street
Obviously go to beer street and get local Vietnamese snacks and beer. There's one dollar beer. It's awesome. There are beers brewed in different cities like Bia Hanoi and Bia Saigon.
Tầm Vị
The cheapest Michelin star restaurant in the world is in Hanoi. We never went because it was too crowded. Anthony Bourdain has a video on it if you want to check it out.
Pizza 4P's Tràng Tiền
You want to go to Pizza 4P's. It's a famous Vietnamese pizza place. It's by the central lake in Hanoi. There's a bunch of stuff happening around that lake.
Super Banh Mi
Never go there. Biggest tourist trap in the world. Never go to one of those big banh mi places basically.
Beer Street / Pub Street Area
There's a whole area near beer street with a bunch of hostels. I would recommend staying near beer street — everything for young people is there. Pub street leads to all the nightclubs.
O2 Space Nightclub
It was very ratchet but if you're fucked up it's the best time of your life.
Dong Xuan Market
Go to Dong Xuan Market if you're looking for little goodies. It's like a classic Vietnamese market.
Sen Tay Ho
It's like a cultural area where you can see a bunch of koi fish and just chill around there. Cool to see during the day.
Bookworm Hanoi
Bookworm Hanoi has a cafe at the bottom and a very cool collection of books upstairs. Super vibey. I highly recommend it.
Stay near beer street — there are a bunch of hostels and everything is nearby.
Ninh Binh is a very popular day trip from Hanoi. Highly recommended.
You really have to go out of your way to find the cool spots.
People in Vietnam are super friendly and very open to tourists. Vietnam felt very safe.
Vietnam nightlife is fun if you're going out in a big group. You'll have a great time but it's cheap and grungy. Not fancy.
Buy a bunch of clothes from local shops.
All of Arjun's recommendations above are saved in this Google Maps list so you can use them while exploring Hanoi.