Which is better: Melbourne or Sydney? East coast or west coast US? The Swiss or French Alps? These arguments have been raging for decades with no clear winner, for each destination has its diehard fans. Now, the same battlelines are being drawn in Vietnam. In one corner is the south with its buzzing metropolis Saigon, beach resorts, tropical islands and year-round hot weather.
It’s the clear winner in terms of visitor numbers. In 2023 Saigon welcomed 40 million tourists compared to 24 million in Hanoi, the capital in the north. But for some, the crowds in the south are reason enough to head north, where the pace is slower.
Here are five other reasons to visit northern Vietnam. In Hanoi, there are hundreds of restaurants selling pho, Vietnam’s famous rice noodles and beef soup. The most famous is Pho Thin on Lu Doc Street in Hanoi French’s Quarter which charges only $4 for a square meal.
It’s not the cleanest restaurant in the city, but their secret recipe can’t be beaten. La vong fish is another must-try dish in Hanoi. Made using a species of catfish from the Red River revered for its soft aromatic flesh, it’s sliced into thin fillets, marinated in turmeric and grilled on skewers.
The city’s most famous la vong restaurant, Cha Ca Thang La Vong , is on Cha Ca Street. They only serve one dish. Then there’s bun cha, a hearty lunch of grilled patties served over rice noodles and a sweet and sour broth.
Traditionally bun cha was a workers’ lunch — a quick meal .
