Vietnam for Homebodies: Why This Reluctant Traveler Fell in Love with Hanoi and Northern Vietnam
Vietnam wasn't my first choice for a destination. I may come across as a seasoned traveler since I've journeyed to the other side of the world, but that's not really who I am. I'm actually a homebody who loves spending time journaling and editing photos at home. My boyfriend organized the entire trip, and I'll admit I was skeptical at first. I'm not sure why—maybe because I didn't know what to expect, or perhaps I was a bit apprehensive about the reality of it all, especially when it came to encounters with animals.
Our journey didn't start smoothly with VietJet. Despite having our visas ready, the airline staff had concerns about the umlaut in my name (ö appears as 'oe' in computer systems). While this is common in this part of the world, it still took nearly an hour before they finally accepted our bags.
We stayed in Hanoi's Old Quarter, where our hotel was amazing. The shopping was fantastic, and our timing couldn't have been better—we arrived during the Lunar New Year (Chinese New Year). People were dressed beautifully, taking photos by the lake. I completely fell in love with the city. Food was so delicious, people were very friendly, and they loved it when my boyfriend said some things in Vietnamese. Granted, we only stayed in the Old Quarter, but it was amazing.
We also ventured north for a bike ride that was simply stunning. The nature was breathtaking, and our bike guides were incredibly kind and thoughtful toward us. The food was delicious, and they were especially helpful in accommodating our vegetarian preferences.
It was confronting to witness the reality of local food culture—seeing a pig being butchered on the street and chickens and roosters waiting in small cages at markets to be purchased. It made me reflect that these chickens would likely feed a family that night and had probably lived freely in someone's garden beforehand. In contrast, animals in the Western industrial farming system are far worse off. In the Netherlands alone, around 1.7 million chickens are slaughtered daily—a staggering number. This helped me put things in perspective. Yes, what I saw was visible and immediate—I even witnessed someone slitting a pig's throat—but compared to the Netherlands' slaughterhouses where animals are gassed or boiled alive, at least here we don't hide from the reality of it.
Back to the bike journey: it was stunning and exceptional. Thank you for the recommendation, Charlie and Jesse.
After this adventure, we returned to Hanoi for a few more days at the same hotel. While sipping cocktails at the rooftop bar, we found ourselves secretly daydreaming: "Can we extend our stay?"
