The Streets of Hanoi

This past April my friend Elizabeth and I set out on a girls trip to Vietnam. We decided to use Buffalo Tours to make things easier for us, plus we heard the company was amazing. Buffalo Tours definitely exceeded our expectations and I hope to be able to use them again one day for a future trip.

Our adventure started in Hanoi where we met our private guide, TinTin, by far the best tour guide I have ever had in all my years of traveling. I’m sure Elizabeth would agree with me on this one. He is such a positive person full of energy and knowledge of the country and we had such an amazing time with him. He, along with our private driver, picked us up from the airport and took us to our hotel La Siesta Trendy to get settled in.The hotel is just as its name implies, trendy and in a great location to walk to the markets and main nightlife areas.

We had a bit of time to get situated in our room before TinTin and the driver picked us up for a food tour of Hanoi in the Old Quarter. On the tour, we were able to taste a variety of yummy foods, our first being Vietnamese Spring Rolls. YUMMY! We then stopped off at a bar to try a local brew that turned into 3 beers. Feeling even more giddy, we continued on to a few more food stops enjoying everything we tried.

We arrived on a Saturday so the streets were packed with people and motorbikes. TinTin taught us how to cross the street which at first looks like it would be almost impossible. To make it across you have to walk slowly and shake your hand at hip level; don’t run or stop in the street. The traffic will go around you if you keep walking, almost as if you have a bubble protecting you. It was terrifying but we eventually got the hang of it, still letting out a few screams here and there.

We enjoyed our first evening in Hanoi getting to know TinTin and trying the local food. Our first day in Hanoi was a blast and we were excited for more adventures the second day. To read more on our day two adventures, click here!

Elaine