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Hanoi, Vietnam

November 2024
It wasn’t until last year that I had the chance to visit Vietnam for the first time, despite it being a neighboring country to Thailand. That first visit truly blew me away. Hanoi was the first city I explored, so it will always hold a special place in my heart as the place where I first experienced the country. I remember calling Hanoi a very photogenic city on that first trip, though I didn’t have a proper camera with me (and the one I brought was missing the charger…), so I could only capture the scenes with my eyes. This time, I returned with a camera and was finally able to bring those photos home with me.

Hanoi excels in public spaces. Despite being one of the most polluted cities in the world, this hazy town is somehow always filled with people enjoying the outdoors. There’s a unique blend of roughness and gentleness in the city. It feels like, despite the chaotic motorbike traffic on the roads, there are always quiet, small alleys filled with coffee shops (their coffee culture is amazing). Aside from the beautiful architecture, a big part of what made me enjoy exploring the city was the people. Hanoians can sometimes feel intimidating, but they’re actually very friendly. Taking photos on the streets of Hanoi definitely helped me overcome my shyness when approaching people to capture a shot, because at the end of the day, everyone’s just trying to do their job.



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