Busy, bustling, chaotic, with a swarm of motorbikes at every turn that you’re convinced are out to get you – that’s Hanoi in a nutshell.

Like in any big city, those who live here complain about the traffic, the pollution etc. but everyone admits that Hanoi possesses a unique charm that draws people to visit, travel and in some cases even move here…

We met a girl from England who is now living in Hanoi teaching English. She told us that when she first came here she’d locked herself up in the hotel room and didn’t get out for a couple of days. Hanoi can do that to you. But it’s a city that grows on you. Scratch below the surface and you’ll soon discover the charm of the constantly crowded lanes of the old quarter, tiny local stores selling everything from silk clothing to copper vessels, fruit vendors at every corner and restaurants ranging from street food counters on the footpath to the really posh and often ridiculously priced ones.

This is our attempt at bringing to you some of the essence of Hanoi, captured during one of our many walks around the city.