Thirsty Thursdays: Bia Hoi Corner Hanoi, Vietnam

Today’s Thirsty Thursday’s takes us to Vietnam and the Old Town of Hanoi, this country’s bustling, noisy, crazy capital city. While Hanoi moves at a hectic pace and there’s little time to breathe, I found myself able to relax any time I wanted to. It’s easy to relax in Hanoi – beers by the side of the street can cost as little as 25 US cents, as I found out!

The actual Bia Hoi corner itself is famous – all the backpackers head there and mix it up with the locals. While motorbikes and scooters fly by in a city drenched in culture, history and exhaust fumes, sit yourself down on a plastic seat and order an ice cold beer.

Hanoi does beer, and it does it well! Bia Hoi corner or Bia Hoi junction is easy to find – though where it starts and ends is not always clear as come 5pm this place is heaving with tourists and locals alike. It’s in the Old City’s narrow streets on the corner between P Ta Hien and P Luong Ngoc Quyen. BUT let me tell you a wee secret – you can find beer even cheaper in other similar Bia Hoi corners if you get off the beaten track, just a bit.

I had 3 nights in Hanoi and drank beers each night in different parts of the city (all within walking distance of the hostel I stayed in). The first night I was drinking with Daeuk from Korea and Hiro from Japan who I met in the Hanoi Backpackers hostel.

Daeuk and I worked out that at one point we got 5 beers for $1.70 US!! Now that is amazing and this was sitting out the front of a restaurant in the rain around midnight, on small stools watching Hanoi go by!

I hadn’t actually expected to like Vietnam for some reason,but I must admit I loved it!! And the price of beer added to it.Especially the amazing Bia Hoi’s and what I loved most was what I would call “world watching”.By that I mean just sitting there with a cold beer, with not a care in the world watching the world go by.

On my travels, Hanoi is one of the best places to sit and have a beer while watching the world go by. Totally recommended!

What information do you need? – Seriously you don’t need any information on this at all – just turn up in Hanoi and head out to find Bia Hoi corner – you’ll find it and try some of the other local bars a bit further out from the old town for a cheaper beer!

My Videos –

Night time having a beer in the rain in Hanoi:

Having a beer in a Bia Hoi in Hanoi:

Typical street life in Hanoi (on a quiet ish moment!):

Having a beer and chicken noodle soup near Hanoi Train Station:

Don’t Stop Living – is condemned to a lifestyle of travel. I am a travelling Northern Irishman and this Bia Hoi corner Hanoi post is part of Thirsty Thursday’s, one of my regular features on here! Don’t Stop Living!