Months after the 80th aniversary of the country’s national day, red and yellow colors of Vietnam and its comunist party flags are still seen strung out across Hanoi; from public buildings along tree-lined boulevards in the French Quarter to private homes tucked away in hidden alleys of the Old Quarter.

On our food walking tours in Hanoi, our guests often ask us about the betel nut chewing tradition in Vietnam. Many visitors confused the tradition with teeth blackening, so thought that the chewing betel nut is to dye a local’s teeth black. In this post, we would like to fill you in.

Though alcohol is an indispensable part of the Vietnamese culture – rice liquor has interwined into rituals and ceremonies in the country since the ancient time, Vietnam is not known for wine, let alone Hanoi. But that doesn’t stop Hanoians from enjoying some pretty imported foreign wine.

The capital city of Hanoi, our home city, is today mixed with centuries-old architectures and modern high-rise buildings. Top of many high-rise buildings are rooftop bars with fantastic city views, giving visitors stunning perspectives of the thriving Hanoi.

On our food tours in Hanoi, we often talk to our guests not only about the food they get to sample, but also the history of the people who are cooking the food. In this blog post, we would like to brief the history of the Vietnamese and the character of our food.

Hours before the sun shines over Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital, streets that were sleepy at night quickly come alive with sounds of honking motorbikes delivering fresh produces to markets, street sweepers tidying up, and vendors setting out to sell breakfast.