I actually couldn’t get a train to Hanoi because they were all full so ended up in Hoi An. I am not sure if I will hunker down here or try and get out of town. Flights are still up and running so I might just do that.

I’m now thinking of maybe leaving the country and coming back to see northern Vietnam after it’s over. I’m feeling very indecisive at the moment and can’t decide if I should hit Hanoi at all. Is there enough food to keep me going?

The good news is that Hanoi is actually quite nice over Tet. I mean the weather is traditionally horrible (wet and cold – however maybe the current heat wave will hold – it’s been gorgeous but worryingly so because it should be cold) but once everyone heads to countryside homes or stays in doors you can stroll around the streets and enjoy them in relative peace or quiet.

It’s rather peaceful and people say it transforms the streets to how they were decades earlier.

Yes you should book a hotel in advance and book any transp0rt asap too.

However…eating street food might be tough. I just had a chat with my girlfriend (she runs a cafe http://www.thecartfood.com) and she’s a Hanoian and her take on it is that there won’t be much open. She’s closing from Feb 12th ot Feb 22nd and that will be standard.

You may find the occasional Pho place open but it’ll be much more expensive and it might not be the best place to eat at.

That said – there will undoubtedly be more tourist orientated places open so you won’t starve but, streetfoodwise it may be slim pickings.

By all accounts hotel rooms and transport are booking up fast. So if you do decide to get out of Hanoi then make your mind up quickly. If you were the average tourist I’d suggest Hoi An as a place that is more in tune with tourists at Tet.

But, as ever, that would just mean that more tourist places were open. Personally I’d stay here – enjoy the novelty of being here over Tet and go to the lake and enjoy the fireworks and and madness at midnight on the 13th/14th and have a blast.

You may have to hunt out some streetfood but the hunting might be fun.

One tourist place that I know, for sure, is opening is Le Pub. You’ll get a drink there and it faces onto the street so you can watch the world go by. Their food is decent but streetfood it ain’t.

By the way I came across your blog a few days back…excellent work.

We are bound and determined to spend at least one Tet-time in Viet Nam…Just once

Good luck the next 10 days and enjoy your escape! Sounds lovely.