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A travel blogger's brief comparative of Vietnam's two main cities for first time visitors. But, if you had time to visit only one, which would it be ?

Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City – Which City You Should Visit First?
Vietnam has two major cities separated thousands of kilometer from north to south. Hanoi is the country’s capital and is located in the north and Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) in the south is the country’s economic powerhouse. If you can’t decide which city to visit on your first trip to Vietnam, this short guide can help you if it’s Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City that you want to visit first.
http://www.therusticnomad.com/hanoi-or- ... minh-city/

If I had time for just one of the cities, I would choose Hanoi, mainly for the culture and sightseeing as described in that post. Prefer northern food, too.

But for living, it's all about HCMC!

I much prefer living in Ha Noi, apart from the crap weather around Tet.

Ha Noi for me if you can only visit one.

Laid out in a grid system so easier so explore on foot, nightmarket is huge, lake front in packed in the evenings as are the numerous streets with plastic stools & beer as little as 35p a 568ml pint pro rata...just don't expect to wake up head ache free.

Hanoi all the way, I love that city. One of my favourite in the region

Hanoi.

Hoàn Kiếm

Hanoi for Bún chả. Beep Beep!

Street life in HCMC; night-walking in Bui Vien Street.
October 2017

love bui vien street, sitting outside with a drink looking at all the nuoc ngoai being ripped off by razor sharp claws of vietnamese women