10 Things Only Long-Time Hanoians Know (Part 5)

This is the final article in the series “10 Things Only Long-Time Hanoians Know.” Join us as we explore 10 truly ancient destinations in Hanoi – by author Hoang Thu. A moment of nostalgia, a touch of wistfulness, and a deeper appreciation for the cultural values ​​and spirit of Hanoians, past and present!

1. Lang Pagoda

This ancient pagoda seems to be among the oldest pagodas in Hanoi. Lang Pagoda (in old Hanoi) is situated in the middle of a field, with a dirt road running through it. From the main gate to the pagoda, you have to pass through three layers of gates and a very long road. This is where students from nearby schools study during exam season. Occasionally, you’ll also see some architecture students drawing the three-arched gate roofs. Behind the pagoda is a burial ground for monks from the past. My favorite moments are the evenings when the sun sets, the cool breeze is refreshing, and sometimes I even get to try my hand at farming by helping the farmers in the famous Hanoi herb village water their vegetables (Lang village is famous for its Lang mint).

2. Watching the sunset at West Lake (Tay Ho District)

I don’t know the exact location, but I remember there were a lot of bamboo trees there (I don’t know if they’re still there now). This is also a place I often use as an example of romance.

3. Cycling on a winter day with light drizzle

The rain isn’t enough to soak my clothes, just a gentle touch on my face, and the chill just sweetly permeates everything. No matter which street it is, that scene, those tiny raindrops, evokes memories of New Year’s Eve and the approaching spring.

4. Smoothie shop on Nguyen Trung Truc Street

In Hanoi fifteen years ago, smoothies were something completely new and different, something I learned about from my friends in Saigon. Only at that shop can you find durian smoothies, a little corner of Saigon in the heart of Hanoi. On weekends, the whole group would hop on their bikes and ride from Nguyen Chi Thanh Street towards the area near Hoan Kiem Lake, and the smoothie shop was always a must-visit. Sitting on the upper floor, looking out at the tiny streets of Hanoi, with Truc Bach Lake in the distance.

5. Cycling around Truc Bach Lake

Usually, a luxurious weekend outing would end with a few laps around Truc Bach Lake, the road lined with lush green weeping willows. Tired from cycling, we’d stop by the lake to chat about everything under the sun and watch the small fish leaping in the waves.

6. Quang Ba Flower Market

To go to the market, you have to wake up very early, around 3 or 4 in the morning. On winter days, you have to muster enough courage to refuse your warm blankets and comfortable beds, and in the early morning, you’d run along the road, which resembles a thin thread, with warm yellow streetlights, a biting cold, and misty morning fog on both sides. From afar, you’d see the dazzling lights and, oh my, the vast expanse of flowers. Back then, for just 10,000 or 20,000 dong, you could get 100 freshly cut roses from the garden, still oozing sap from the tips of the stems. The faces of the sellers and buyers lit up with the morning blossoms. Happily, we’d hug the flowers we’d bought at bargain prices and return to the city with the flower vendors’ carts.

7. Van Phuc Silk Village

Cycling 20 kilometers back then felt effortless. Now, if you asked me to ride a motorbike that far, I’d definitely frown and make excuses about being lazy. This is the place to take your friends from afar to buy souvenirs in Hanoi.

8. The bookstores on Dinh Le Street

Books spilled out from inside the shops onto the sidewalks. Sometimes they even squeezed into narrow alleys, with people climbing tiny stairs to find books. Books were discounted by 30-50%, so it was impossible to miss out. Now, every time I go to Hanoi, I make sure to stop by and buy some books as gifts.

9. Trang Tien Ice Cream

Relive the feeling of jostling to buy an ice cream cone, then laughing heartily like a farmer after a bountiful harvest. Only in Hanoi, and only at Trang Tien ice cream, can you truly experience the real thing. In winter, the feeling of a bone-chilling cold that penetrates from the inside out is only found there.

10. Eating Bun Dau Mam Tom (Rice Noodles with Tofu and Shrimp Paste) in Phat Loc Alley

I love this dish for many reasons; it’s impossible to find it in Saigon because of this. It’s been a long time since I last saw a basket of rice noodles – something incredibly hard to find in Saigon. That means when making the noodles, they use the same noodles, but they roll them into a round cake about the size of a hand. On a large basket lined with banana leaves, they place the noodle slices. Once a layer is full, they put another layer of banana leaves. The noodles are hot and fragrant; even just dipping a noodle in the fish sauce and biting into it is delicious.