The first rule to learn in Hanoi (after ignore the idiots who try to tell you your accommodation is "closed") is how to cross the street. You have to walk straight out into the traffic at a constant speed and let the bikes go round you. It does actually work and after a couple of days you can cross the street with your eyes closed!!!!!!!!!!
Hanoi backpackers turned out to be one of the top 5 places I had ever stayed in. It was in the middle of the old quarter where the streets are so narrow a car can hardly get down. It was a big party place with half price beer from 6pm - 7pm and rooftop BBQs which were great to meet other people.
For reasons stated elsewhere I choose to stay in Hanoi and do a couple of side trips to Sapa and Halong bay.
A few things in Vietnam I did not agree with!!!!!!!!!! There are some foods I would try but these were not one of them.
The hyper social atmosphere of the hostel kept us from seeing more of the city but a few of us did go exploring and also got lost several times in the process. Bia hoi was our favourite discovery as it cost about 1/12 of the cost of beer back home.
It was not all drinking and partying we also had a day at the museum of ethnology which was interesting. One of the problems with Hanoi was large numbers of pickpockets which scared a lot of people including myself into not going out and seeing as much as the city as they should. Also an Australian in my dorm room was mugged at the end of our street.
After my side trips to Sapa and Halong bay I crossed the border into China. The day I was due to leave the hostel I lost my bus ticket within 5 minutes of walking out the door....so I had to buy another one and leave the following day.
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