Tourists impressed by Hanoi's community atmosphere at night

American, Russian, Indian tourists... think that Hanoi is characterized by community activities, creating conditions for tourists to integrate.

Yellow lights covering the roofs of the streets, red flags hanging along the roads, footsteps mixed with the sounds of the night… are the touches of Hanoi night for many tourists. For them, the night is not only a time to rest but also a moment to understand the city and begin to open their hearts.

Two American tourists, James and Stacey, consider Hanoi at night to be a time for community activities. Photo: Hai Long

Two friends James and Stacey (American) visited Hanoi for 3 days. They remembered the night pho and the bread in their hands while walking through the central streets. “I feel like I belong here when I go out at night, with the friendly Vietnamese people,” James said.

They compare Hanoi to London, where the nights are often filled with bars and parties and children are rarely seen on the streets. “Hanoi at night is a time for the community, for families, friends, and tourists like us to join in,” Stacey commented.

James and Stacey smiled while dancing with the crowd at Hoan Kiem Lake. Video : Hai Long

Sharing the same feeling of safety and a “livable” atmosphere, two German tourists, Thomas Hentsch, 63, and Sylvia, 61, went out on the first night even though they had just arrived in Hanoi at 5 p.m. on a 15-day journey to explore the North.

They call Hanoi’s atmosphere livable because it is crowded but not chaotic, and they feel safe walking slowly to choose a late-night restaurant. “We like the feeling of leisurely walking around the lake in the middle of a city that never sleeps,” Sylvia said. With a schedule going through Ha Giang, Ha Long, Ninh Binh and back to Hanoi, the couple chose to walk around the old quarter at night to feel the city: “If a place makes you want to slow down at the latest, then that place has ‘touched’ you.”

Kirill Razanov and Arina Airikh, both 22, from Russia, were also impressed by Hanoi's vibrant nightlife. Although they had lived in Nha Trang for four months, Razanov recalled that on their first night in Hanoi, they walked for more than three hours around Hoan Kiem Lake and stopped at an egg coffee shop.

“In Russia, midnight is when the streets are empty and the shops are closed. Here, the streets are still bright, crowded with people and many shops are open. Our eyes never leave the scenery,” Arina shared. The couple ranked Hanoi as their second favorite place in Vietnam (after Nha Trang), thanks to its nightlife and abundance of shops. “The city at midnight is like a symphony of lights with the aroma of coffee and lively sounds,” Razanov said.

Kirill Razanov and Arina Airikh show their affection for each other while walking together to see Hanoi at night. Photo: Hai Long

Not only the pace of life, the old town scenery also attracts tourists. Nikhil Govind (India), 22 years old, exclaimed: "Is this the scene at midnight?", he said with a surprised expression when seeing the streets lit up with yellow lights.

“Wherever you go, you see red flags with yellow stars hanging on both sides of the road, a visual color that is unforgettable,” Nikhil said. Choosing Hanoi instead of Bangkok for the 5-day trip, Nikhil shared that he wanted to discover new things to tell his friends. “My friends chose to go to Thailand, but I wanted to go to Vietnam. I like to learn about the culture, the people, and walk on every alley and street that is sparkling even at night,” he said.

Hanoi's community atmosphere at night is not only expressed through bustling commercial life and sparkling scenery, events connecting people to people have long been a characteristic of the city. On November 30, Hanoi will host the VnExpress Marathon Hanoi Midnight Power by Puma night run. Among the 10,000 participants, there will be international runners from many countries wishing to explore typical works such as Hoan Kiem Lake, the Old Quarter, the Opera House, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum... in the cold air. The race is currently selling tickets for the Late stage here.

Source: Vnexpress Newspaper

Source: http://sodulich.hanoi.gov.vn/du-khach-an-tuong-khong-khi-cong-dong-cua-ha-noi-ve-dem.html