Vietnam has long been on my wish list, and it certainly did not disappoint. Our adventure began in the heart of Hanoi, staying at the Tirant Hotel in the atmospheric Old Quarter: a perfect base for diving straight into the city’s energy, flavours and stories.

From lakeside calm to Train Street drama
After checking in, we headed straight out to explore. The Old Quarter is a maze of narrow streets, buzzing scooters and tiny shopfronts, but just a short stroll away is the peaceful lake, where locals gather to walk, people-watch and escape the afternoon heat.

That evening, we made our way to the famous Train Street: a tight alleyway where life carries on just inches from the railway tracks. Cafés line the tracks, and as the train approaches, tables and chairs are whisked away, everyone tucks in tight, and then the locomotive thunders past. It is one of those surreal, heart-in-mouth travel moments that you know you will talk about for years.

To balance the adrenaline, I indulged in an excellent massage for around £11. In a city this lively, taking an hour out for a proper massage feels wonderfully restorative and is incredibly good value.

Coffee, smoothies & meeting local partners
One of the highlights of my time in Hanoi was meeting our local partners, Wide Eyed Tours, for a coffee. I always love putting faces to names and hearing first-hand about the experiences they create for our travellers.

Together we sampled some of Hanoi’s more unusual drinks:

• A salt coffee: rich Vietnamese coffee topped with a salty, creamy foam that somehow works beautifully.
• An avocado smoothie: thick, silky and surprisingly refreshing in the heat.

These little local touches are exactly what make Vietnam so special: familiar ingredients presented in a completely different way.

Cyclo tour & street food favourites
To get under the skin of the city, we took a Cyclo tour: a traditional bicycle rickshaw where you sit up front while your driver pedals you through the chaos. It is a fantastic way to experience Hanoi’s pace without having to dodge the scooters yourself.

En route, we paused to try some street food classics:

• Banh Mi: the perfect French–Vietnamese fusion, a crisp baguette filled with pâté, herbs, pickles and chilli.
• Egg coffee: born out of wartime shortages, this is strong coffee topped with a sweet, meringue-like egg cream. It sounds unusual but tastes like liquid tiramisu.

Food is such a central part of Vietnamese culture, and Hanoi is a dream for anyone who loves to eat like a local.

Cooking with the locals at Rose Kitchen
One of my favourite evenings was spent at the Rose Kitchen cookery school. Rather than simply ordering another bowl of Pho, we learned how to make it from scratch, alongside delicate spring rolls.

Chopping fresh herbs, rolling rice paper and simmering fragrant broth with guidance from local chefs was the perfect way to understand the care that goes into every dish. The atmosphere was fun and relaxed, with plenty of laughter and a real sense of shared discovery among the group. We left with full stomachs, new recipes and a deeper appreciation for Vietnamese home cooking.

Vespas, female drivers & a different side to Hanoi
Another standout experience was a Vespa tour of the city. Perched on the back of vintage-style scooters driven by confident female drivers, we buzzed through tiny side streets, over bridges and into neighbourhoods we would never have found alone.

It felt incredibly safe and well organised, and offered a completely different perspective to the city: seeing local markets, family-run cafés and hidden corners where daily life unfolds away from the main tourist routes. For travellers who like to get beneath the surface, this kind of guided local experience is invaluable.

History & reflection: from colonial prison to war memories
Hanoi is not only about food and fun; it is also a city layered with complex history. We visited the Hoa Lo Prison, originally used by the French colonial authorities to hold Vietnamese political prisoners, and later by the North Vietnamese to detain captured US servicemen during the Vietnam War.

Walking through the preserved cells and exhibits is a sobering experience. It is a powerful reminder of the resilience of the Vietnamese people and the country’s turbulent path to independence.

We also spent time at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex, where visitors pay their respects to the nation’s revolutionary leader, and visited the Chua Tran Quoc pagoda, one of the oldest pagodas in Hanoi, set serenely by the water. These visits brought a sense of balance to the trip, adding context and meaning to everything else we were seeing and tasting.

A vibrant introduction to Vietnam
Our stay in Hanoi offered the perfect introduction to Vietnam:

• Atmospheric accommodation in the Old Quarter
• Unforgettable local experiences, from Train Street to Vespa rides
• Hands-on cooking at Rose Kitchen and incredible street food
• Thought-provoking visits to Hoa Lo Prison, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Chua Tran Quoc pagoda

If you are dreaming of Vietnam, Hanoi is a wonderful place to start: lively, soulful and endlessly tasty. With the right local partners on the ground and a carefully crafted itinerary, it is easy to blend the must-see sights with authentic, behind-the-scenes experiences that will stay with you long after you return home.