Hanoi - Flight from Singapore to Hanoi

18-Nov-2017 Sg to Hanoi

I have just returned from Ho Chin Min the night before at around 7pm, and was exhausted from work. But here I am again at around 6am in the morning, catching a flight back to Vietnam. Only this time I was headed to Hanoi. My first trip there even though I have planned it in early June 2017. Above is a scene from Changi Airport in the early morning sunrise with the iconic SIA flight. It was a photo of home I guess.

Don't be fooled by the first photo though. This was a private trip, so we fly budget airline! We fly Scoot! I think this was my first time, and it cost my husband just SGD160 for a return flight. I got a one way flight for around SGD80 since I was claiming a free flight back. And since no meal was provided, and it was a 2.5hour flight, I had a nice steamy bowl of Ippuddo Ramen at the airport for breakfast. I didn't remember much of the flight since I was so dead tired I slept most of the way there. 

I woke up about 30 minutes before we landed, and looked out of the window and saw these beautiful sights. Hanoi was all green and full of paddy fields, lake and mountain. It was so different from the concrete and brown looking Ho Chin Minh! I always thought Hanoi was a more backward place, so I wasn't expecting much after HCM. The greenery and the ulu-ness was going to be a welcome break for me.

As we flew nearer, we begin to see small clusters of towns and villages. They instantly reminded me of France, although I have never taken a flight to France or out of it. But they look like little French villages and a church at the centre of it. They looked so charming!

When we landed, there was a long queue at immigration. I ate my snack while waiting, two pineapple tarts from Taiwan given to me by my Taiwanese colleagues. Once we cleared custom, we head out to look for our ride. I have arranged for our hotel to pick us up since airport transfer is quite affordable in Vietnam. And as we drop from highway into Hanoi, I was amazed how different it looked from HCM. The above are some of the buildings we pass by on our way into Hanoi. They were so brightly coloured and well decorated. 

Everything about it was chic. Very French influence. Flowers were hanging our, French windows and balcony. I was excited for my trip to start!