Hanoi coffee shop

Hanoi Train Street, famous for its makeshift coffee shops along the train track, runs for around two kilometers from Le Duan through Tran Phu, Cua Dong and Phung Hung Streets in the heart of Hanoi's Old Quarter. While one part of its was blocked off last September due to safety concerns, another part between Tran Phu and Dien Bien Phu streets is not and many foreign tourists can still be found there. "From a safety perspective, sitting to enjoy coffee along the train track could be worrying, but I haven't seen it anywhere else in the world, so it’s unique," Kathy, a female foreign tourist said. "This is the first time I’ve seen a train running so close to houses and the sight is really spectacular," said John, also a tourist. For John, sitting next to the track and watching the train run through rows of old houses was a "one-of-a-kind and unique experience." Tourists film a train with their phones as it runs through old houses and coffee shops on Hanoi Train … [Read more...] about Foreign tourists calling it a ‘waste’ not to leave Hanoi’s Train Street open

Hanoi Train Street, famous for its makeshift coffee shops along the train track, runs for around two kilometers from Le Duan through Tran Phu, Cua Dong and Phung Hung Streets in the heart of Hanoi's Old Quarter. While one part of its was blocked off last September due to safety concerns, another part between Tran Phu and Dien Bien Phu streets is not and many foreign tourists can still be found there. "From a safety perspective, sitting to enjoy coffee along the train track could be worrying, but I haven't seen it anywhere else in the world, so it’s unique," Kathy, a female foreign tourist said. "This is the first time I’ve seen a train running so close to houses and the sight is really spectacular," said John, also a tourist. For John, sitting next to the track and watching the train run through rows of old houses was a "one-of-a-kind and unique experience." Tourists film a train with their phones as it runs through old houses and coffee shops on Hanoi Train … [Read more...] about Foreign tourists call it a ‘waste’ not to leave Hanoi’s Train Street open

As a popular tourist attraction in Hanoi, West Lake used to be home to tour boats, floating restaurants, and other tourist boat services. In 2016, Hanoi People's Committee shut down the lake’s tourist dock and ordered a halt to boat services there due to declining environmental standards and fire hazards. But then, tour boats and floating houses left abandoned by the dock fell into a state of decay. Last year, Hanoi authorities dismantled the abandoned tour boats and floating restaurants along West Lake and restored the area to its original appearance. The lake is famous for the density of historical relics, pagodas and rows of restaurants and coffee shops along its shores. The area surrounding the lake is one of the city's most vibrant centers for international cuisine, and it is also home to a large expat community. City authorities also want to launch more tourism activities on the lake such as concerts, hot air balloon rides, paragliding, and a golf course. … [Read more...] about Hanoi to resume tour boat services on West Lake

The initiative came after Hanoi and HCMC, Vietnam's two biggest cities, were ranked near the bottom in a global ranking of public toilet density of 69 cities by QS Supplies, one of the largest bathroom wholesalers and retailers in the U.K. They have only 0.01 public toilets available per square kilometer, higher only than the Egyptian capital Cairo, which has 0.002. Paris topped the ranking, with the French capital having seven per square kilometer, followed by Sydney (3.64) in Australia and Zurich (2.9) in Switzerland. After the ranking made local headlines, the HCMC People's Committee ordered districts to build more public toilets, starting with District 1. Le Duc Thanh, the district chairman, said the coffee shops that have agreed to let people to use their toilets for free include Highlands, Trung Nguyen, King, Katinat, and Thuc, and the restaurants include Din Ky and Hozzizon. He said the district would call on more businesses to do the same. Vu Nguyen Quang Vinh, the … [Read more...] about 100 cafes, eateries in downtown HCMC to open their toilets to public