My trip to Hanoi, Vietnam was undeniably one of the easiest international trips I’ve had in a long time. Despite having to depart from NAIA which I personally do not prefer, everything went smoothly and without a hitch. Even my immigration experience was easy breezy!
It was my first time to experience speaking with an immigration officer who was super chill and actually smiled and laughed. Usually, they have resting b*tch faces and seem intimidating. So what made the IO laugh?
IO: Ano pong gagawin sa Japan?
Me: *Confused because I was not heading to Japan.*
And then I realized that it was the IO from the other cubicle who’s talking, not the IO assigned to me. I was overhearing the other IO’s voice and thought that it was my IO talking to me. I didn’t realize my IO was not talking yet because he was wearing a face mask.
Me: Ay akala ko ikaw yung nagtatanong, sa kabila pala.
IO: Siya pala yun.
We both laughed. HAHAHA 😄
IO: Kelan po balik?
Me: November 8.
IO: Mag-isa lang?
Me: May kasama pero nauna na sya.
IO: *Stamped my passport*
And just like that, we’re done!!! Tbh, I didn’t expect it to be easy because we’re leaving from NAIA and a lot of IOs there are notorious for making things difficult for travelers. Of course, this is not a generalization, rather just based on other people’s experiences.
This trip was with my two high school besties. Our last international trip together was in 2017 in Kuala Lumpur where my other friend works and lives. I was really excited to spend some time with them again and to take a break from work. I haven’t really taken a proper holiday since the year started. Even during my solo travel in Hong Kong, I was still working like a madman.
There are still no direct flights from Cebu to Hanoi (or any point in Vietnam) so I had to fly to Manila where my friend and I met then we flew together to Hanoi. Our other friend was coming from Kuala Lumpur and we’re all meeting at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi at around 8 AM on November 4.
Here’s how we enjoyed our 4-day vacation which actually felt longer because we were able to pack a lot of fun things to do in such a short amount of time. We’re all busy working moms so we gotta do what we gotta do. 😉
The ones in bold are affiliate links from Klook. Prices are subject to change. When you book a tour through my links, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Day 1 – Nov. 4, Saturday
- Arrival in Vietnam (MNL – HAN FLIGHT: 5:05 AM – 7:40 AM)
- Stroll around Old Quarter – Free
- Hanoi Sky Lotte Observation Deck – PHP 486
- Thang Long Water Puppet Show Ticket – PHP 560 (VIP)
Day 1 was super fun the moment we stepped foot in Hanoi. After eating pho for breakfast, we walked around and found out that there was an event going on in the middle of Old Quarter. It was a bright sunny day but I guess since we were around Hoan Kiem Lake, the wind breeze blowing softly helped cool us a bit.
The lowdown? We unexpectedly found ourselves drinking Hanoi Premium Beer at noon time! I’ll let you in on this funny story, soon.
Day 2 – Nov. 5, Sunday
Ha Long Bay – [Route 2] Luxury Alova Cruise Tour on Halong Bay from Hanoi
Klook Price: PHP 3,043 (Limousine Bus)
We purposedly scheduled our Ha Long Bay Cruise on a Sunday to avoid having to deal with work back home (a.k.a. answering emails, Whatsapp messages, and other stuff that could wait till our vacation was over).
This was a memorable experience for us! Ha Long Bay is beautiful, peaceful, and calm. The activities are not for the faint of heart though. More stories soon on a separate blog post.
What to bring
- Change of clothes
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Caps or hats
- Swimwear
- Towel
- Water bottle
Day 3 – Nov. 6, Monday
Hanoi Day Tour – Hanoi City Tour with Vietnam Bat Trang Ceramics Village
Klook Price: PHP 1,422 (including lunch)
- Tran Quoc Pagoda
- Bach Ma Temple
- Ho Chi Minh Complex
- One Pillar Pagoda
- Temple of Literature
- Hoa Lo Prison Museum
- Vietnamese Women’s Museum
- Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
- Bat Trang Ceramic Village ❌
Dinner + Night Cap (DIY, not included in the tour) – Hanoi Train Street
Klook.comDay 3 was a full day shebang. From a very detailed city tour with an actual local tour guide down to our night cap at the famous Hanoi Train Street, there was a lot of walking, a bit of rain, but still a wonderful day for us. 😍 We were not able to go to the Bat Trang Ceramic Village but it’s no biggie. Lunch was sooo good, too!
Day 4, Nov. 7 – Tuesday
Free Day
- 10 AM – Tattoo Day
- Shopping around Old Quarter
- Food Trip / Cafe Hopping
Bar Hopping
- Sol Sky Bar
- Diamond Sky Bar
- Northern Soul
- Skyline Lounge
Day 4 was our last full day in Hanoi. This is another memorable day (insert cheesy song here) for us because we got our first friendship tattoo! I think the first of many more to come. Haha. A first for me!
In the afternoon, we spent some time shopping and eating local food, then at night, we went bar hopping to reminisce the good old days of our younger years. 😁
Day 5, Nov. 8 – Wednesday
- Flight back home (HAN – MNL FLIGHT: 8:25 AM – 1 PM)
We left Hanoi very early, around 5:30 AM, to avoid the morning traffic. Overall, this trip was one for the books! We plan to do an annual international trip together and we’re planning the next one now. 😊
Fun Fact: My first ever international trip years ago was to Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam with my previous workmates. We backpacked from Ho Chi Minh via bus to Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, Cambodia, then finally to Bangkok, Thailand.
