As a Sydney-sider it was difficult for me to get adjusted to the weather in Hanoi. Summer in Hanoi is particularly humid, producing a wet, damp feel, lots of unpleasant sweating and even mould on various items.
I had beautiful shoes and bags that got covered in mould and ruined. I also didn't enjoy breathing in mouldy air in buildings.
To be prepared make sure that you wear light clothing that still covers your skin from the sun. Also for the mould problem, you can buy moisture absorbing crystals in supermarkets in Hanoi.
However, if you are just visiting for a short time, you won't want to put time and effort into finding things around the disorganised supermarkets which often have very little customer service and staff that can't or won't speak English... so buy some in your home country and open them in your bag or wardrobe when you get to Hanoi.
The beauty of the Hanoi can be enjoyed, especially sipping tea ("trà"- pronounced "cha") by the lake and chewing on sunflower seeds as the sun is setting. Hanoi's reluctance to embrace Western culture and globalisation still means that there are places to explore that are relatively unspoilt.
However, it is changing and the downside to being in a city which not so long ago viewed the West as its enemy is that the majority of people won't know how to speak English well and may even be wary and suspicious of you.
Getting up close to another extremely different culture and experiencing its traditions was one of the most rewarding things about living in Vietnam. If you're vacationing in Hanoi in the summer I recommend that you go out before midday and after 3 pm.
Most Hanoians are sleeping between 11:30 and 2pm. If you do feel like a quiet stroll though and have nothing booked, then their sleeping time would be a great time to go out to avoid the crowds.
If you are booking tours yourself make sure to check the opening hours to avoid getting kicked out at 11am or midday. This happened to me at one on the museums when I'd first arrived and I was very confused.
Be careful of the summer monsoonal rain too! Pay a little bit extra to book your tours through reputable operators that have safer equipment... and also bring a poncho or umbrella. Don't forget mosquito spray- a must especially around watery areas. I still found even in the city of Hanoi that mosquitos were in abundance.
If you grow tired of Hanoi, why not organise a day trip to the Perfume Pagoda or Halong Bay. I personally, didn't really like Halong Bay so a day trip was enough for me. But some people love it there and organise one or two day Halong Bay boat cruises.
Ninh Binh and Tam Coc were beautiful places that aren't advertised to tourists as much as Halong Bay.
I strongly suggest that you go visit these before they are ruined by tourism. Ninh Binh and Tam Coc can be arranged as day trips by tour agencies or your hotel can book a car to take you. Maybe you'd like to stay overnight too if you want.
Word of warning- bicycle activities as part of various tours tend to be a little bit dodgy. Not only are the bikes dangerous, but the roads aren't so safe. Many people came back with aching muscles and reported that it wasn't so much fun.
Source:
- http://EzineArticles.com/8568983
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pH1ECCRriXM
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