This was just a week's trip to the North of Vietnam. We spent several days in Hanoi and then booked a tour to gorgeous Halong Bay. Hanoi can get on your nerves pretty quickly with all the noisy and stinking traffic. The streets are usually packed with motorbikes of all kinds. Sometimes carrying entire families of four on their backs.
But then you can still find a little oasis within a nice French style cafe and indulge in the best croissants I ever tasted outside of France. There is a nice one just next to the Hoan Kiem lake in the old quarter. And there is another good cafe called Moka Café (in Nha Tho Street close to the cathedral). We spent a lot of our time just hanging around and sipping coffee. There are also a number of good restaurants in Hanoi e.g. the Green Tangerine which offers good french food and also a couple of bars. Especially in the old quarter there are a lot of choices to have a relaxed beer.
And if you are into handicrafts you will love the shops in the old quarter. Remember to bargain! The laquer ware is of good quality and comes at very reasonable prices. And you can also find a few good galleries in case you like to buy some oil paintings. Silk ware is also a nice souvenir to bring back home. Go for one of the numerous souvenir shops in the old quarter.We booked a tour to Halong Bay with an agency located in the old quarter (30 US). We started the trip in the morning and after a four hours ride in a mini van we arrived at the harbour of Halong City. There were so many tour 
boats that you barely could see the water. But once you set off for the limestone islands the other boats get out of sight. Our trip included a visit of a floating village and a short kayaking tour into the caves. This was great fun and I would recommend everyone to do that. We spent the night on the boat and on the next morning we visited a small island from where you had a gorgeous view over Halong Bay. Afterwards we had a look into one of the caves on the bigger islands. At lunch time we were back in the harbour and then going back to Hanoi. The best thing about the trip is the time spent on the boat watching the limestone rocks pass by.
boats that you barely could see the water. But once you set off for the limestone islands the other boats get out of sight. Our trip included a visit of a floating village and a short kayaking tour into the caves. This was great fun and I would recommend everyone to do that. We spent the night on the boat and on the next morning we visited a small island from where you had a gorgeous view over Halong Bay. Afterwards we had a look into one of the caves on the bigger islands. At lunch time we were back in the harbour and then going back to Hanoi. The best thing about the trip is the time spent on the boat watching the limestone rocks pass by.