Hanoi
Arriving in Hanoi
We organised a direct transport from our Tam Coc accommodation. It was by far the easiest option for us.
Hanoi hits you well before you arrive, you can see the pollution in the air a long way out. Then you get off the highway and the city slaps you in the face.
Noise, movement, people everywhere, scooters coming from every direction… it’s full on from the moment you arrive.
After Tam Coc, it felt like we’d been dropped straight back into the deep end.
No easing into it.
Just straight into the chaos. The stop start in the car made Maddie carsick again, which luckily we had plastic bags on hand for.
Staying Just Outside the Centre
We stayed outside the busy centre again. It’s not really our cup of tea, but also we were coming to the end of our time in Vietnam and getting ready to head to Austria, so we were looking for somewhere a bit bigger and more comfortable.
Somewhere we could spread out, repack, and reset before the next leg of the trip.
And that worked well.
We had more space, a bit of breathing room… which we needed.
Kia was still sick during this time, which slowed things down for us quite a bit.
So instead of trying to do everything, we picked our moments.
The City
Hanoi is busy. Properly busy.
Not just people and traffic, but everything happening at once.
Footpaths full, scooters weaving through anything that moves, shops spilling out onto the street, horns constantly going.
It’s intense and it’s not the easiest place to navigate, especially with kids.
We still made the effort to get into the centre and experience it.
One of the standout stops was Train Street.
Sitting at the cafes while the train comes through, watching how everything just clears out and then resets again… it’s one of those moments that feels a bit surreal.
We also headed into the chaos one night to give the kids a proper look at it all.
Busy streets, lights, noise, people everywhere.
It’s a lot to take in.
A Tough Place to Navigate
Hanoi isn’t the easiest place to move around.
It’s very sectional.
If you’re in a food area, there are options everywhere.
But if you’re not… you can walk a fair way without finding much.
It’s not as free-flowing as other places we visited.
Add kids into the mix, the crowds, and the constant movement, and it becomes a bit of a challenge.
You’ve got to stay switched on the whole time.
The Pollution
It’s next level.
You can see it hanging in the air.
And you can taste it.
It adds another layer to the experience, especially with kids, and makes you a bit more aware of how long you want to be out in it.
Life on the Streets
Like the rest of Vietnam, everything still happens on the street.
Food being cooked on the side of the road, people sitting on tiny stools, cafes packed into small spaces.
There’s no separation.
It’s all just happening, all at once.
Travelling as a Family
Hanoi with kids is a bit of a balancing act.
It’s exciting, but it’s also hard work.
Between the traffic, the crowds, and just the general intensity of the place, it’s not somewhere you can fully relax.
But at the same time, it’s an experience.
One that shows a completely different side of travel.
What Stood Out
The intensity.
Hanoi doesn’t slow down.
It doesn’t try to make things easy.
It just is what it is.
Looking Back
Hanoi wasn’t our easiest stop.
Kia being sick, the chaos of the city, the pollution… it all added up.
But it’s also one of those places that sticks with you.
Not because it was comfortable.
But because it was real.
Explore Our Time in Hanoi
👉 Follow our day-to-day experiences in our Hanoi daily journals
👉 View our Hanoi photo gallery