I managed to obtain really good deals from Singapore Airlines about 6 months prior to the travel date. I paid about $900++ for 4 pax return trip to Hanoi and both my kids are above 2 years old. So it's quite a good deal!!! The service on Singapore Airlines was very good, the kids were given headsets and kids pack soon after they sat down and food was provided to them way before they started serving the rest.
The kids entertainment games, cartoons and movies were really great too, I have only praises for our Singapore airlines!! and I will definitely fly with them whenever I can get my hands on good tickets!
kids meal with raisins, chocolate, cheezels, ribena and spaghetti which both my boys loved.
Arrival at Hanoi, hubs bought a data sim card from the airport. Data coverage is so important nowadays during travel because you can use google map to navigate your way, check whether the cab is taking the straight and shortest way from airport to your hotel, read reviews way before you go to restaurants and eateries. Basically it's knowledge first hand at your finger tips!
For our first night, we stayed over at Essence Hanoi Hotel which was right smack in old quarter of Hanoi. Just outside the hotel, there's the beer street where everyone literally sits on really small and short stools, drinking beer and having finger food by the road curb. People watching.
After we settled down in our hotel rooms, freshened up, we made our way to the streets of Hanoi for some dinner!
Essence Hotel has quite a good map that tells you the recommended shopping street and famous food stalls and so we tried Pho Bo just around the corner of Essence Hotel. Each bowl cost $45k. Hubs and myself each had a bowl and we ordered just one bowl for the boys to share. The portions are quite huge and so we all had a very full tummy when we left the place.
Did I mention the shopping street is also beside the hotel? I only had 5mins to buy some rattan bags for myself before the boys and hub dragged me to a convenience store to buy snacks for the night.
tomorrow, we will be checking out of the hotel and making our way to Halong Bay!
xoxo
velle
