Shoping in Hanoi

A few friends and I are traveling to Hanoi next month for a short 5 days. Any good recomendations on shopping (or anything else) would be apprecited. Thanks!

Lisa

Dear Lisa,

Check out the Old Quarter and Hang Gai Street in Hanoi for colorful markets, traditional shops, and art galleries. Along with souvenirs, you’ll find specialties such as silk, jade carvings, and porcelain. If you’re in the market for handmade clothing, the tailors in the Old Quarter will stitch an outfit in three days, or trek to the craft villages at the outskirts of Hanoi for indigenous specialties. A few non profit stores sell handcrafts that benefit local minorities: Wander into Craft Link at 43 Van Mieu Street or Lan Vietnamese Handicrafts at 4b Yen The. Fakes and rip-offs abound in Hanoi, so don’t forget to bargain! For essential tips, see the bargaining chapter in my book, The Fearless Shopper.

Happy haggling.