Postcard from Hanoi - Vietnam is open - Rusty Compass travel blog

Postcard from Hanoi - Vietnam is open

| 01 Jun 2022
, 0 Comment
01 Jun 2022

Finally I was walking the streets of Hanoi again. There were times during the two years of border closures when I wondered whether I'd ever see this city again. That was because of my own medical emergency in 2020 and nothing to do with the pandemic. So being back in Vietnam was pretty special on a lot of levels.

I arrived in Hanoi just one week after the border opening in mid-March. At that point, most hotels, restaurants, and tourist shops that had previously catered to international travellers were closed. But when I returned even weeks later, things were opening up and the first international tourist arrivals could be seen on the streets.


In this Hanoi postcard, I share some of my first experiences returning to Hanoi - checking out the city, visiting friends and revisiting some favourite old places.

I was wondering about the impact of COVID on the travel industry. It's been severe of course - but the recovery was also evident. Hanoians know a lot about resilience.

Hanoi's streets are alive again
Photo: Mark Bowyer Hanoi's streets are alive again
 
Hanoi's streetfood scene seems to have escaped the pandemic unscathed
Photo: Mark Bowyer Hanoi's streetfood scene seems to have escaped the pandemic unscathed
 
Coffee with Nguyen Qui Duc in Hanoi
Photo: Mark Bowyer Coffee with Nguyen Qui Duc in Hanoi
 
The new KOTO - near the old KOTO, at Van Mieu in Hanoi
Photo: Mark Bowyer The new KOTO - near the old KOTO, at Van Mieu in Hanoi
 
KOTO founder Jimmy Pham shares a laugh with a KOTO student
Photo: Mark Bowyer KOTO founder Jimmy Pham shares a laugh with a KOTO student
 
The cars that powered an historic victory - a Soviet Volga at Hanoi Citadel
Photo: Mark Bowyer The cars that powered an historic victory - a Soviet Volga at Hanoi Citadel
 

I met with Jimmy Pham from KOTO. The pandemic was especially tough for social enterprises. But Jimmy managed to open a new place in Hanoi's Tay Ho expat area.

If you're interested in knowing more about the work of KOTO or making a donation, head over to their website - https://www.koto.com.au/

I also met with friends Duc, and Nga and Liem to check in on how their tourism-exposed businesses were holding up.

I also visited a handful of old Hanoi favourites, the Temple of Literature and Hanoi Citadel.

Check out the full video.

The places featured in the video

KOTO Hanoi - Central Hanoi Van Mieu Hanoi / KOTO Villa - Tay Ho Hanoi
Temple of Literature Hanoi (Van Mieu) - historical site
Hanoi Citadel - historical site
Tadioto Hanoi - bar and eatery
Collective Memory Hanoi - gift shop

Mark Bowyer
Mark Bowyer is the founder and publisher of Rusty Compass.
Support Rusty Compass
Rusty Compass is an independent travel guide. We’re focused on providing you with quality, unbiased, travel information. That means we don't receive payments in exchange for listings and mostly pay our own way. We’d like tourism to be a positive economic, environmental and cultural force and we believe travellers deserve disclosure from publishers. Spread the word about Rusty Compass, and if you're in Saigon, pop in to The Old Compass Cafe and say hi. It’s our home right downtown on Pasteur St. You can also check out our unique tours of Ho Chi Minh City and Sydney at www.oldcompasstravel.com Make a financial contribution using the link below. Even small amounts make a difference. Thanks and travel well!

  • Previous
  • Next

There are no comments yet.