Independent travel guide to Hanoi and Northern Vietnam. New guides, itineraries and field reports on the Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake, the Temple of Literature, Hanoi's street food scene, Ninh Binh (Trang An, Tam Coc, Mua Cave), Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay, Cat Ba Island, Sapa and Fansipan, the terraced rice fields of Mu Cang Chai, the Ha Giang loop and the Dong Van plateau, and the Ban Gioc waterfalls.https://www.hanoi-trip.com/en-ushttps://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/air-pollution-hanoi-winter/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/air-pollution-hanoi-winter/A first-hand look at Hanoi's winter haze, why it happens, and how it differs from the gentle mountain mist further north.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThanoiwinterair-qualitypractical-tips2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/best-time-to-visit-hanoi/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/best-time-to-visit-hanoi/Hanoi has four real seasons, not one perfect month. Here's the logic I use to pick dates, and where to read the details.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTSeasonsWeatherHanoiNorthern Vietnam2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/bia-hoi-hanoi-craft-beer/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/bia-hoi-hanoi-craft-beer/What bia hoi really is in Hanoi, why it's a social ritual rather than a tasting, and how it differs from the city's newer craft beer scene.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTBia HoiHanoiStreet FoodOld Quarter2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/crossing-the-street-in-hanoi/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/crossing-the-street-in-hanoi/My method for crossing Hanoi's traffic: walk slow and steady, never stop, never run, and let the motorbikes flow around you.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTHanoiOld QuarterGetting AroundTrafficPractical Tips2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/ethnic-minorities-northern-vietnam/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/ethnic-minorities-northern-vietnam/A personal, unromanticized look at the distinct ethnic communities of northern Vietnam's mountains, their languages, homes, and ties to tourism.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTCultureSapaHa GiangNorthern Vietnam2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/etiquette-and-customs-vietnam/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/etiquette-and-customs-vietnam/A first-person guide to everyday manners in Hanoi and the north: greetings, temple behaviour, table customs and why directness rarely works here.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTetiquetteculturevietnamhanoitemples2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/festivals-and-public-holidays-vietnam/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/festivals-and-public-holidays-vietnam/A personal guide to Vietnam's lunar festivals and national holidays outside Tet, and how they quietly reshape transport and crowds.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTfestivalspublic holidayslunar calendarVietnam travel planning2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/hanoi-in-april/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/hanoi-in-april/What April really feels like in Hanoi and the north: mild, humid spring air, occasional mountain haze, and the last calm before summer.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTHanoiAprilSpringNorthern Vietnam2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/hanoi-in-august/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/hanoi-in-august/My honest take on visiting Hanoi in August: hot, humid, wet, and why I'd skip long treks or motorbike loops this month.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThanoiaugustrainy seasontyphoon seasonbest time to visit2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/hanoi-in-december/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/hanoi-in-december/A first-person look at Hanoi in December: cool, mostly dry weather, colder nights in the highlands, and why the fog is still to come.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTHanoiDecemberWinterNorthern Vietnam2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/hanoi-in-february/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/hanoi-in-february/A first-person look at Hanoi in February: persistent grey skies in the city, real cold in the highlands, and a Tet that shifts date every year.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThanoifebruarywintertetsapa2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/hanoi-in-january/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/hanoi-in-january/A first-hand look at January in Hanoi and the north: grey skies, fine drizzle, cool air, and how the (variable) date of Tet can upend your plans.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTJanuaryHanoiWinter in VietnamWeatherTet2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/hanoi-in-july/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/hanoi-in-july/My honest take on visiting Hanoi in July: full monsoon, real typhoon risk, and why I'd rethink a mountain trek this month.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTHanoi in JulyRainy SeasonVietnam WeatherHa Long Bay2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/hanoi-in-june/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/hanoi-in-june/A first-person look at Hanoi and northern Vietnam in June: hot, humid, unpredictable, and a tough month for the Ha Giang loop.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTHanoiJuneRainy SeasonNorthern Vietnam2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/hanoi-in-march/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/hanoi-in-march/What March actually feels like in Hanoi: the shift from winter fog to spring drizzle, and what it means for your trip.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTHanoiMarchweatherspring2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/hanoi-in-may/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/hanoi-in-may/What May actually feels like in Hanoi and the north: the shift to heat, humidity and more frequent rain, and why it is not the season to plan around.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTMaySeasonsRainy SeasonHanoi2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/hanoi-in-november/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/hanoi-in-november/A first-person look at Hanoi and the north in November: clear autumn light, cooler mountain nights, and why I still check the seasons page first.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTHanoiNovembernorthern Vietnamautumntrekking2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/hanoi-in-october/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/hanoi-in-october/Why October is my favourite month for Hanoi and northern Vietnam, from dry, bright city days to the best window for the Ha Giang loop.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTHanoiOctoberbest time to visitnorthern VietnamHa Giang loop2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/hanoi-in-september/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/hanoi-in-september/My honest take on Hanoi in September: the summer monsoon fading, early-month typhoon risk, and why I still love this in-between month.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTHanoiSeptemberseasonstyphoon seasonHa Long Baynorthern Vietnam2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/mountain-climate-sapa-ha-giang/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/mountain-climate-sapa-ha-giang/Why the northern mountains around Sapa and Ha Giang run far colder than Hanoi, and how to pack for a climate the plains don't prepare you for.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTSapaHa GiangMountainsWinter2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/northern-vietnamese-food-vs-southern/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/northern-vietnamese-food-vs-southern/A personal look at how Hanoi's cooking differs from southern Vietnam: less sugar, calmer broths, and why pho itself isn't one dish.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTFoodHanoiVietnam2026PhoStreet Foodhttps://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/packing-list-by-season-vietnam/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/packing-list-by-season-vietnam/How I pack for Hanoi, the karst and the mountains depending on the season, with no fixed list that pretends one bag fits every trip.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTpackingseasonsnorthern vietnamsapahanoi2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/photography-northern-vietnam/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/photography-northern-vietnam/Practical, first-person notes on shooting northern Vietnam well: light, weather, and respectful photography around Hanoi, Sapa and Ha Giang.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTphotographynorthern vietnamsapaha giangtravel tips2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/rainy-season-in-northern-vietnam/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/rainy-season-in-northern-vietnam/What Hanoi's rainy season (May-September) really feels like, and how typhoons and mountain landslides can affect a northern Vietnam trip.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTRainy SeasonWeatherTyphoonNorthern VietnamTravel Planning2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/rice-terrace-seasons-northern-vietnam/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/rice-terrace-seasons-northern-vietnam/Northern Vietnam's rice terraces have two distinct seasons, not one — flooded planting fields and golden harvest slopes. Here's how I tell them apart.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTrice terracesSapaMu Cang ChaiHa Giangnorthern Vietnam2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/sim-card-and-internet-vietnam/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/sim-card-and-internet-vietnam/How I get connected on arrival in Hanoi, and why coverage in the mountains near Sapa and Ha Giang still catches people out.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTSIM cardinterneteSIMconnectivitypractical tips2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/solo-female-travel-hanoi/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/solo-female-travel-hanoi/A first-person guide to travelling solo as a woman in Hanoi and northern Vietnam: everyday awareness, night-time habits, and where to sleep.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTsolo travelwomen travellersHanoisafety2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/tipping-in-vietnam/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/tipping-in-vietnam/Is tipping expected in Vietnam? My honest take on tipping in Hanoi hotels, restaurants and with guides, and why more isn't always better.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTMoneyTippingEtiquetteHanoi2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/toilets-and-comfort-in-the-mountains/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/toilets-and-comfort-in-the-mountains/How bathroom comfort, hot water and electricity change as you leave Hanoi for Sapa, Ha Giang and other northern trekking areas.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThomestaystrekkingsapaha-giangpractical-tips2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/tourist-scams-and-prices-vietnam/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/tourist-scams-and-prices-vietnam/The overcharging and petty scams visitors actually report in Hanoi and the north, and the simple habits that keep them from happening to you.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTPracticalScamsMoneyHanoiNorthern Vietnam2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/vietnamese-coffee-culture/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/vietnamese-coffee-culture/A personal look at Vietnamese coffee culture in Hanoi: phin filters, egg and yogurt coffee, and why coffee here is a place to sit, not a cup to go.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTcoffeehanoifood-cultureold-quarter2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/vietnamese-language-basics/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/vietnamese-language-basics/Honest notes on Vietnamese tones, a few polite phrases and north-south differences, from someone who kept getting it wrong in Hanoi.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTVietnamese languageCultureHanoiEtiquette2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/water-and-health-vietnam/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/water-and-health-vietnam/What I actually do about tap water, ice and street food hygiene on trips to Hanoi and northern Vietnam, and what I leave to a doctor.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTwater safetyfood hygienehealth tipsstreet foodpractical2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/what-tet-means-for-a-trip-to-hanoi/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/blog/what-tet-means-for-a-trip-to-hanoi/Tet is Vietnam's lunar new year, on a different date each year. Here's what it actually does to a Hanoi trip, and how I plan around it.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTtetlunar new yearhanoiplanning2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/guides/accessible-activities-northern-vietnam/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/guides/accessible-activities-northern-vietnam/Which northern Vietnam activities suit reduced mobility, and which don't — by activity type, not by hotel or accommodation listing.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTaccessibilitynorthern vietnamhanoihalong bayreduced mobility2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/guides/ao-dai-photoshoot-guide/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/guides/ao-dai-photoshoot-guide/How ao dai photoshoots work in Hanoi: renting the outfit, studio or street setting, hair and styling, and where the Old Quarter fits in.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTao daihanoiphotoshootold quarter2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/guides/arriving-hanoi-at-night/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/guides/arriving-hanoi-at-night/How to get from Noi Bai to central Hanoi after dark: reliable options, closed counters, and how to avoid touts at the terminal exit.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMThanoinoi-bai-airportairport-transfernight-arrival2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/guides/ba-dinh-district-guide/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/guides/ba-dinh-district-guide/A practical guide to Ba Dinh, Hanoi's administrative and ceremonial district, home to Vietnam's leading institutions and monuments.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTBa DinhHanoineighborhoodsHo Chi Minh MausoleumTemple of Literature2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/guides/bai-tu-long-bay-cruise-guide/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/guides/bai-tu-long-bay-cruise-guide/How Bai Tu Long Bay differs from Ha Long Bay, what a cruise there looks like, and how to plan one from Hanoi.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTBai Tu Long BaycruiseHa Long Baynorthern Vietnam2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/guides/bat-trang-ceramic-village-guide/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/guides/bat-trang-ceramic-village-guide/What to actually do in Bat Trang: the ceramic market, pottery workshops and the potter's wheel, on a short outing from Hanoi, not an overnight trip.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTBat Trangceramic villagepotterycraft villagesHanoi2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/guides/bat-trang-pottery-village-day-trip/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/guides/bat-trang-pottery-village-day-trip/What a Bat Trang ceramic village visit covers, and why it suits a half-day paired with another stop rather than a full day from Hanoi.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTBat Trangday tripHanoiceramicscraft village2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/guides/bia-hoi-street-beer-guide/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/guides/bia-hoi-street-beer-guide/What bia hoi actually is, how it's brewed and served, and the low-stool street ritual around it in Hanoi's Old Quarter.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTbia hoiHanoiOld Quarterstreet foodVietnamese beer2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/guides/booking-in-advance-or-on-arrival/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/guides/booking-in-advance-or-on-arrival/What to reserve before you fly to Hanoi, and what to arrange once you're there, with the seasonal reasons why it matters.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTplanningbookinghanoivietnam2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/guides/cao-bang-ban-gioc-loop/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/guides/cao-bang-ban-gioc-loop/A guide to the Cao Bang loop to Ban Gioc waterfall, a quieter northeast alternative to Ha Giang, with route shape, timing and prerequisites.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTcao bangban giocmotorbike loopnortheast vietnam2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/guides/cao-bang-ban-gioc-multi-day-tour/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/guides/cao-bang-ban-gioc-multi-day-tour/How multi-day tours to Cao Bang and Ban Gioc work, why the road there is longer than to Sapa or Ha Giang, and how Ban Gioc differs from other falls.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTCao BangBan Giocmulti-day tournorthern Vietnam2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/guides/cat-ba-national-park-trekking/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/guides/cat-ba-national-park-trekking/A practical guide to trekking in Cat Ba National Park, the forested karst interior of Cat Ba Island, away from the boats of Lan Ha Bay.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTCat Ba Islandtrekkingnational parkLan Ha Baynorthern Vietnam2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/guides/cat-ba-vs-halong-city-as-base/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/guides/cat-ba-vs-halong-city-as-base/Cat Ba Island and Ha Long City are the two gateways to Ha Long, Lan Ha and Bai Tu Long bays. Here is how the two bases actually differ.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTCat BaHalong BayLan Ha BayComparison2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/guides/craft-village-and-workshop-day-trip-guide/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/guides/craft-village-and-workshop-day-trip-guide/How craft village day trips from Hanoi work, and why a hands-on workshop is a different booking from a plain village visit.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTcraft villagesBat TrangDuong Lamday trips from Hanoiworkshops2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/guides/cruise-departure-hanoi-vs-cat-ba/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/guides/cruise-departure-hanoi-vs-cat-ba/Compare boarding a bay cruise from Hanoi with joining from Cat Ba or Hai Phong, and how each departure point steers you toward a different bay.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTHa Long BayLan Ha BayCat BaHai Phongcruise transfers2026https://www.hanoi-trip.com/guides/cruising-halong-lan-ha-or-bai-tu-long/https://www.hanoi-trip.com/guides/cruising-halong-lan-ha-or-bai-tu-long/Ha Long, Lan Ha and Bai Tu Long are three distinct bays in the same gulf. Here's how to choose between them for your cruise.Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTHa Long BayLan Ha BayBai Tu Long Baycruise planningnorthern Vietnam2026