Hanoi, the lively capital of Vietnam, is well-known for its bustling streets, rich history, and many gastronomic pleasures. Among its various attractions, the street vendors are especially noteworthy as offering a unique insight into the daily life and culture of Hanoi people. The culinary pleasures, cultural relevance, history of street vending in Hanoi, together with the challenges these sellers face, are investigated in this study.
History of Street Vending in Hanoi
Street Vendor
Hanoi’s street vending has a lengthy and legendary past going back thousands of years. Selling items on the streets started as a way for rural farmers to augment their revenue by shipping their produce into the city. This developed over years into a necessary component of Hanoi’s metropolitan scene. Offering anything from fresh fruits and vegetables to handcrafted goods and houseware, street vendors grew to be a mainstay of the city. Street vending also changed during the French colonial era, bringing fresh products and cooking methods that have become mainstay of Hanoi’s street food scene.
Culinary Delights of Hanoi’s Street Vendors
Hard-working vendor
One of the most delightful aspects of exploring Hanoi’s streets is the incredible variety of food offered by street vendors. Here are some must-try dishes:
Banh Mi
Dan To Banh Mi
Unquestionably one of the best street dishes in Hanoi is the mouthwatering French-inspired sandwich, banh mi. Visit Banh Mi 25 in Hanoi Old Quarter for the greatest banh mi experience. This well-known restaurant presents freshly cooked banh mi with a range of flavorful contents including tofu, chicken, and pig, all packed together. Meaties should definitely enjoy Banh Mi Pho Co., which is close to Hoan Kiem Lake and serves banh mi with crispy pork’s belly.
Banh Mi 25: 25 Hang Ca, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
Banh Mi Pho Co: 38 Dinh Liet, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
Vermicelli with fried tofu and fermented shrimp paste (Bun dau mam tom)
Bun dau mam tom
Renowned Hanoi street cuisine Bun dau mam tom presents a delicious mix of rice vermicelli noodles, tofu and pork belly together with fermented prawn paste. Both residents and visitors have come to adore it for the unusual mix of tastes and textures. See these advised locations for a unique bun dau mam tom experience:
Bun Dau Hang Khay: 31 Hang Khay, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
Bun Dau Co Hang: 174 Xa Dan 2, Dong Da District, Hanoi
Bun Dau Ngo Gach: 4 Ngo Gach, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
Apart from bun dau mam tom, other noodle meals worth experimenting in Hanoi include bun oc (snail noodle soup), bun thang (chicken noodle soup), bun rieu (crabs noodle soup), and bun moc (meatball noodle soup).
Sticky Rice
Sticky rice
Another well-liked street snack providing a quick and filling lunch is sticky rice (Xoi). Vendors top sticky rice with shredded chicken, pork floss, mung beans, or fried shallots. Xoi is a main breakfast or snack choice since of its adaptability and strong tastes.
Xoi Yen: 35B Nguyen Huu Huan, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
Xoi Ga Hang Hom: 42 Hang Hom, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
Xoi Ba Son: 44 Cau Go, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
Vermicelli with grilled pork (Bun cha)
Bun Cha (Source: Bùi Thủy)
Popular among both residents and tourists, Bun cha is a classic Hanoi street snack presented with fresh herbs, vermicelli noodles, and dipping sauce. See Bun Cha Huong Lien, famously visited by Former US President Barack Obama on his tour to Hanoi, for an amazing bun cha experience. Bun Cha Ta in the Old Quarter is another fantastic choice that offers a reasonably priced and delicious variation of this traditional meal.
Bun Cha Huong Lien: 24 Le Van Huu, Hai Ba Trung District, Hanoi
Bun Cha Ta: 21 Nguyen Huu Huan, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
Ideal Hanoi street foods for a light meal
Sweet soup (Che)
Chè (Sweet Soup)
In Hanoi, che—sweet soup—is the ideal treat to cool the summer heat. Red beans and mung beans abound in the che in Hanoi; sticky rice balls abound; herbal jelly cubes abound; and a drizzle of syrup topped with coconut shreds covers everything. See these locations for a Che experience to remember:
Xoi Che Ba Thin: 1 Bat Dan, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
Che Go: 9 Tran Phu, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi
Che 4 Mua: 4 Hang Can, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
Vietnamese fried donut (Banh ran) – One of the best Hanoi street foods
Vietnamese fried donuts
On your Hanoi street food tour, Banh—a delicious Vietnamese fried donut—is absolutely must-try. Every market or street corner in the city has this delicious treat calling foodies with its golden crust, crunchy texture, and savoury contents. Banh run is ideal for a late afternoon snack since its mouthwatering taste satisfies your appetite.
Some good places to get this snack are:
Banh ran Gia Trinh: 16A Ly Nam De, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
Banh ran Hang Chieu: 52 Hang Chieu, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
Banh ran Vong Thi: 242 Lac Long Quan, Tay Ho District, Hanoi
Rice paper salad & Vietnamese pizza (Banh trang tron & Banh trang nuong)
Banh Trang
Popular night-time treats in Hanoi, rice paper salad and Vietnamese pizza are easily found practically everywhere. Rice paper salad calls for quail eggs, shredded mango, fresh herbs and aromatic dried shredded beef on rice paper. Vietnamese pizza, meantime, calls for battered egg, dry shredded beef, minced pork, sausage and more on a crispy rice paper top.
To try these special dishes, visit:
Banh Trang Tron Chi Ba Beo: 24B Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
Banh Trang Tron Hang Trong: 86 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
Banh Trang Tron Nguyen Sieu: 3 Nguyen Sieu, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
Green papaya with beef jerky salad (Nom bo kho)
Nom bo kho
A must-try meal for guests, nom is a real tribute to the healthy and well-balanced cuisine of Vietnam. Together with savoury beef jerky, crunchy peanuts, aromatic herbs, and a harmonic combination of mixed fish sauce, this vivid salad calls for green papaya and carrots. When in Hanoi, savour the mouthwatering tastes of Nom at these well-known restaurants:
Nom Bo Kho Ong Gia: 1 Nguyen Trung Truc, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi
Nom Bo Kho Co Van: 16B Duong Thanh, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
Hot bagel twist (Quay)
Quay Hanoi
Tourists should not skip the must-try Hanoi street cuisine hot bagel twist (banh quay nong). Usually served as a side dish alongside the well-known pho and other noodle dishes, made from flour these crispy and hot bagel twists are often. The bagel twists taste gently sweet when dunked in the pho soup. Winter is especially when this hot and crunchy treat is most sought for.
Let’s visit some of the best hot bagel twist shops in Hanoi:
Quay Dui Ga: 164 Thai Thinh, Dong Da District, Hanoi
Quay Nong: 48 Hang Dieu, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
Quay Nguyen Luong Bang: 149 Nguyen Luong Bang, Dong Da District, Hanoi
Hot plain rice flan (Banh duc) – Among the best foods for your Hanoi street food tour in winter
Banh duc
Renowned its simplicity, banh duc is sometimes described as plain rice flan. In the Northern part of Vietnam, this is regarded as a basic cuisine. Made mostly from peanuts and non-glutinous rice flour or maize flour, banh duc has a mildly flavoured, jelly-like texture. Ground pork, coarsely chopped wood ears, fried onions, roasted sesame seeds, and aromatic herbs top a steaming bowl of plain rice flan.
Some of the best places to eat the delicious banh duc in Hanoi are:
Banh Duc Nong Co Noi: Alley 8, Le Ngoc Han Street, Hai Ba Trung District, Hanoi
Banh Duc Nong Trung Tu: C4, Trung Tu Ward, Dong Da District, Hanoi
Oanh Hoe Nhai: 14C Hang Than, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi
Cultural Significance
Hanoi
In Hanoi, street sellers are rather important for cultural reasons. They capture the resiliency and entrepreneurial energy of Hanoi people. Many times working long hours under difficult circumstances, these vendors support the local economy and provide reasonably priced food choices for both citizens and guests. Street selling also strengthens community since everyday encounters between vendors and consumers create a vivid social fabric.
Challenges Faced by Street Vendors
Hanoi street vendors
Street merchants in Hanoi suffer many difficulties even if they are quite important. The absence of official recognition and control is one of main problems since it causes legal uncertainty and possible confrontations with authorities. Street sellers also frequently live under unstable circumstances, are subjected to strong weather, pollution, and health hazards. The fast urbanisation and modernization of Hanoi also endanger their livelihoods since building projects encircle historic vending areas.
These issues are being addressed by means of projects aiming at improved infrastructure, legal protection, and support for street vendors as well as other aspects. Maintaining this special feature of Hanoi’s character depends on appreciating their cultural and financial contributions.
Conclusion
The lifeblood of the busy streets of Hanoi is its street vendors, not only providers of food and commodities. Any walking trip in Hanoi should include them since of their cultural relevance, cuisine, and history. We should recognise and help the difficulties they encounter as we savour their mouthwatering cuisine and vivid presence so that the street vending legacy in Hanoi will flourish for next generations.
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We will explore the most amazing places in the north of Vietnam. First, North Vietnam Hanoi Tour will bring you to explore Hanoi charming city, with a half-day city tour, you will visit the most iconic attractions in Hanoi such as President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex, Temple of Literature, Hoan Kiem Lake and the old quarter of Hanoi. After Hanoi, we are going to Tam Coc, Ninh Binh where we visit the Hoa Lu Ancient Capital, enjoy the boat trip in Tam Coc and to discover the countryside. For ending two days of Inspirational Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Halong Tour, we will spend one night stay on a cruise to explore the seven natural wonder of the world. Let’s explore the Magnificent North of Vietnam with Impress Travel.
HANOI ARRIVAL – GREETING – HANOI CITY TOUR– Private Tour (L)
Good morning, pick you up at Noi Bai International
Airport and transfer to Hanoi Capital city.
Check-in the hotel then have lunch at the restaurant.
Afternoon sightseeing tour begins with a visit to President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum ( closed on Monday and Friday, every afternoon, and whole from 15 June – 15 August, view the outside the building). Inside the mausoleum, there are sightseeing of the Presidential Palace (view from outside), President’s Fishpond, House On Stilts, and One Pillar Pagoda.
Next, we will pay a visit to the Temple of Literature. It is where Confucius – The founder of Confucianism was worshiped. This place as known as the first National University of Vietnam. It is where kings, mandarins, talented people of Vietnam training to the functionary.
Our tour continues with an exciting visit. We will visit one of the most beautiful lakes in Hanoi is Hoan Kiem Lake. Then, we will go to the Ngoc Son Temple, which is in the middle of Hoan Kiem Lake.
Continue a short walking tour around the old quarter with a tour guide.
Day Inclusions: Private A/C transfer, English-speaking tour guide in Hanoi, lunch, entrance fee, hotel in Hanoi
Day 02
HANOI – NINH BINH (TAM COC, HOA LU) TOUR (B/L)
Good morning, have breakfast at the hotel.
7.30 – 8.00 AM: Pick you up at your hotel in the Old Quarter and transfer to Tam Coc.
8.00 – 10.00 AM: After two hours of transferring, our tour guide will introduce you to Vietnam as the history, culture, lifestyle of local people. On the conical hat, we will have a mini-game show to teach you how to say and write some Vietnamese simple words such as Xin Chào, Tạm Biệt, Tôi yêu Ninh Bình, etc. We will give you a little souvenir and you can wear it during the trip.
10 AM: We will prepare for a boat trip to visit the beautiful Tam Coc. It takes 1.30 hours rowing along the Ngo Dong river through the three mysterious caves. You can enjoy spectacular scenery surrounded by rice paddies and towering limestone mountain peaks.
11.30 AM: We will get on Thanh pier for a short walk to visit Thai Vi Temple, which is one of the well-known temples in Ninh Binh, Vietnam. We will continue 10 minutes walking along majestic valley with rice fields, rivers and lotus ponds for Tam Coc Nature Lodge where we will relaxing
Enjoy your lunch in here – Vietnamese food.
1.30 PM: you have a chance to be a fisherman and learn how to catch the fish in the pond or river.
2:00 – 3:00 PM: We ride a bike to Thung Nang, along the river among the rice field, lotus ponds, and limestone Mountains. We will continue to through a peaceful Dan Khe Trong village. This area is a real picture of the rural countryside in the north of Vietnam.
15: 00: Return the van, drive to visit Hoa Lu Ancient citadel which was built in the 10th century, and the temple dedicated to King Dinh and King Le
4:00 PM: Back to Hanoi Capital.
18:30: Arrive in Hanoi & we will drop you at your hotel in the Old Quarter.
Have dinner is available on your request.
Overnight at the Hanoi Hotel.
Day Inclusions: Car/Mini-Van, Outstanding English speaking guide, Lunch – Vietnamese Cuisine at Tam Coc Nature Eco Lodge, All sightseeing tickets, Good bike with gears, 02 bottles of Mineral water, Services charges and government tax, Rowing boat to visit Tam Coc, One conical hat as souvenir, Demonstration of teaching to learn how to write, speak Vietnamese, and catch fish
Day 03
HANOI – HALONG CRUISE (B/L/D)
Good morning! Enjoy your with have breakfast at your hotel, then check-out the hotel.
07:30 am – 08:00: Pick up from your hotel to travel to Halong Bay (notice: pickup time can be a bit flexible depending on each different Cruise, distance Hanoi – Halong bay is 160km, a stop for break time on halfway for a refreshment).
You enjoy the drive and sightseeing the peaceful countryside scenery during the bus trip (4 hours), we arrive at the Ha Long bay seaport at around noontime.
12h 30: You will aboard the cruise, check-in & enjoy a welcome drink while your cabin will be assigned.
Check-in your cabin and put your luggage in, relax and may do a short inspection tour by moving around the cruise to discover about the cruise’s architecture & design
Enjoy the sumptuous lunch with fresh seafood meal while cruise slowly gliding out into the Halong bay.
15h00 – 16h00: Explore the amazing Sung Sot Cave – the most beautiful cave in Halong Bay.
16h00 – 17h00: Cruising to Titop Island. Go swimming and relaxing at the beach of Titop or climb up to the top of the island for a view panorama of Halong Bay.
17h00 – 17h30: Return to the boat, enjoying beautiful seascape on the way.
17h30 – 19h00: Enjoy Sunset Party on the sundeck and admire the best moments of the day when the sun starts to set.
Day Inclusions: Hotel breakfast, shuttle bus A/C transfer, English speaking tour guide on CRUISE only, entrance fee, full board, joint Cruise in Halong bay with private cabin (2 persons share 1 cabin)
Day 04
HALONG BAY – HANOI (B/L)
Start your day with Tai Chi exercises or a photo hunt.
07h00 – 07h30 Have breakfast on board and enjoy the peaceful morning of Halong Bay.
08h30 – 09h30 Kayak among the hidden areas of the bay, around the Drum Cave.
09h45 Return to the boat. Freshen up and check out of your cabin.
10h00 – 10h30 Continue your cruise exploring the Bay, passing Ba Hang fishing village, Dog Islet, and more.
10h30 – 11h30 while heading back to the harbor, watch the fruit carving demonstration and participate in the Cooking Class before enjoying a traditional Vietnamese lunch.
11h45 – 12h00 Disembark V’Spirit Classic.
12h15 – 12h30 Transfer back to Hanoi.
About 16:00 – Arrival back to Hanoi central city, recheck in the hotel
Dinner is available on your request.
Free time & Overnight in Hanoi city
Day 05
HANOI CITY CENTER TO NOI BAI AIRPORT – DEPARTURE (B)
Good morning, enjoy breakfast at the hotel. Then, you have some free time to explore Hanoi city before going to Noi Bai airport for your scheduled flight.
The end of the tour, thank you and see you again!
What’s included in this trip :
A/C accommodation with DOUBLE or TWIN ROOM (2 persons share 1 room; single room can be available on request) with daily breakfast
A/C transfer from Airports to the hotel and other tourist destinations according to the itinerary
Bus round trip to Hanoi – Ha Long Bay; (private land transfer available on request)
2 days 1 night on Joint Cruise trip in Ha Long Bay, with DOUBLE or TWIN (2 persons share 1 cabin; single cabin can be available on request), full meals on board
Kayaking in Ha Long Bay
Meals as indicated in the itinerary. (Breakfast = 04; Lunch = 04; Dinner = 01)
English- speaking guides as specified (Chinese/ Malaysian speaking guide can be available on request)
Entrance fees
Mineral water (2 bottles/ per day with sightseeing tour)
What’s excluded in this trip:
All international and domestic flights
Specified as Chinese/ Malaysian/ Indonesian/Thai speaking guide can be available on request to pay for extra-fee.
Travel Insurance
Airport taxes
All meals not mentioned
Tips for tour guides, drivers, crew members in Ha Long Bay, other attendants if may have (3 USD/pax/day)
Other personal expenses not mentioned.
3 STAR HOTELS & CRUISES IN VIETNAM SELECTED
Destination
Room Type
HOTEL NAME, ROOM TYPE & WEBSITE
Hanoi 3-star Hotels
Adamas Deluxe City
ADAMAS HANOI HOTEL Refer: http://swancruiseshalong.com/
3-star Halong Bay Cruises
Swan Cruise Deluxe
SWAN CRUISE HALONG BAY
Refer: http://swancruiseshalong.com/
4 STAR HOTELS & CRUISE IN VIETNAM SELECTED
Destination
Room Type
HOTEL NAME, ROOM TYPE & WEBSITE
Hanoi 4-star Hotels
The light deluxe with window
THE LIGHT HOTEL HANOI
Refer: thelighthotelhanoi.com/en/
4-star Halong Bay Cruises
Sealife Suite Canbin
HUONG HAI SEALIFE CRUISE HALONG BAY
Refer: www.sealifegroup.com
5 STAR HOTELS & CRUISE IN VIETNAM SELECTED
Destination
Hotel Category
HOTEL NAME, ROOM TYPE & WEBSITE
Hanoi 5-star hotels
Deluxe Sketch Apricot Hotel
APRICOT HOTEL HANOI
Refer: apricothotels.com/room/sketch
5-star Halong bay Cruises
Deluxe Room with Ocean View Margaret
MARGARET CRUISE HALONG BAY
Refer: https://margaretcruises.com
The hotels and cruise are subject to change to similar category in case of fully booked
Ranana
You feel like organized tour, but you are in a privet tour. Impress Travel make the different.
We went on a private trip to Vietnam and Cambodia, the whole trip plan was organized for us by the Impress Travel Company from Vietnam, the company did an amazing job, the whole trip was organized in a wonderful way with an amazing match between the various parties, their choices were correct and the quality of the hotels chosen were very high quality and it is important to note that the price was low in comparison To other agencies, thanks to Impress Travel and especially to Daniel who was tolerant and open to changes and organized the route for us.
Ebrahim
Tour of Vietnam
Impress travel were amazing. Did my bookings with Daniel for our tour of Vietnam and I must say Daniel was very professional and prompt with his services. All the arrangement, plans, pick-up & drop-off services, hotels, vehicles, sightseeing tours and guides were spot on and excellent. Did 4 nights Hanoi, 1 night Hà Long Bay cruise, 3 nights Hoian, 4 nights Saigon and 1 night in Can Tho. It was totally awesome. Every part of the journey was superbly arranged and planned. I will highly recommend Impress Travel for anyone interested in visiting Vietnam. Very organized and reliable!
Solly Pochee
The tour was fantastic
I booked with Impress Travel in July. My contact person was Tommy Thang. He is an amazing person. He was very helpful. He changed my program twice for me. Very accommodating! We started our holiday in the north (Sapa)of Vietnam and travelled down to HCMC. The tour was fantastic, Tommy's arrangements were to the"T". I will always use them if I have to visit the area again and recommend them to one and all. Thank you once again Mr.Tommy and the Impress Team. Sulaiman Pochee
Bernard Lim
Great value for money with 4 stars hotel
Great value for money with 4 stars hotel accommodation for 4 couples. The tour guide has been very helpful and brought us to amazing places in Sapa. We want to thanks Thuy the tour guide and especially Mark from Impress Travel for his great service and assurance throughout our trip. We’ll definitely use his service for other tour packages in other parts of Vietnam.
Derek.Schooling
We enjoyed our holiday with Impress travel
This is the second time we travel to Vietnam with IMPRESS Travel. First time, we booked our holiday to Hanoi, Halong Bay & Sapa during Dec 2018 with Impress. Second time, we travel to Hoi An, Hue & Danang (Central Vietnam) during Jan 2019.
My friends & I are very glad & happy with all the hotels stay in Central Vietnam, the meals provided are delicious. We are greatly appreciated with all the tour arrangement by Tommy & his team (tour guide). Especially, Mr. NHAT C.V. He is helpful, cheerful, knowledgeable and very professional. He always volunteer to take a nice pictures for six of us (group) .
We enjoyed our holiday with Impress travel. We will definitely come back to Vietnam again with Impress
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