From Venice to Vietnam: A Hanoi Adventure Full of Surprises!

Grand World

Grand World is something that was introduced very recently in Hanoi. It is a big entertainment and shopping area in Vietnam. It is still being built, but when finished, it will be a place full of fun things to do. It has already started attracting tourists from all over, even though many parts of it are still under construction. The ambitious scale of the project makes it clear that this place is going to be a major attraction in Vietnam in the future.

It was a long ride from the city center to this Grand World. We reached there after a 45-minute ride in the chilly morning, but I surprisingly enjoyed it. This was something I was most excited about. Like, when I looked at the pictures, watched the YouTube videos and stuff, I was like, this is a place I definitely want to see. I was really excited for this. But sadly, it was a disappointment. I mean, don't get me wrong, everything was pretty and looked just like the pictures. But I don't know, something felt off. Even I'm not sure what went wrong for me. Maybe it was because it wasn’t fully operational yet, or maybe it just lacked the charm I was expecting.

We entered the Grand World into the Venice Town, which is a beautiful replica of the Italian city. There is a narrow long canal with Gondola rides offered to the visitors. Everything was stunning to look at and these lakes are surrounded by walking paths, benches, and scenic spots where visitors can relax and enjoy the view. I could see how it would be a great place for couples to take romantic walks or families to spend some quiet time together.

I wish we could have visited in the evening because there was some pirate show happening on the lake there, which looked really amazing in the YouTube videos. But since it was so far from the city center, we tried to rework the itinerary to make it happen, but well. I don't regret visiting it because I know if I hadn't, I would have really regretted that and would've always wondered that I missed out. At least now, I know what it is actually like instead of just seeing it through social media.

It's a place I wouldn't visit again, except maybe in the evening to catch the show if possible. It's interesting how something you really look forward to in a trip can turn out to be disappointing, and the sights you were unsure about can take you by surprise and make you fall in love with them. Fortunately for me, apart from Grand World, every other place we visited in Vietnam was top tier amazing. Vietnam has so much history, charm, and warmth that even if one place doesn’t meet expectations, there’s always something else waiting to surprise you.

Water Puppet Theatre

The next place I was really looking forward to visiting was the Water Puppet Theatre. And this one did not disappoint at all. But before we get into that part, something really funny happened to me, which you guys need to hear.

So, we reached the theatre quite late. The show was at 4, and we reached by 3:50 p.m. Ramesh dropped me off at the theatre and told me, "You buy the tickets, and I will go and look for a parking spot." So, I was like, okay, fine, and he left. I bought the tickets and waited for him. And it felt like he was gone forever. My first fear was that we would miss the show—or at least the beginning of it, which I didn't want. I wanted to witness it from start to finish. So, that was my first worry, which is completely reasonable. But then, after waiting some more, my brain went to really dark places. I don’t even know why, but my imagination suddenly decided to go wild.

So, the thing is, throughout the entire trip, my passport, my phone, and the cash—basically everything important—were with Ramesh. Because he thinks I am a bit irresponsible. Or rather, he thinks he's the responsible one between us, but I have many instances that point to the contrary. Anyway, that is a story for another day.

So, everything was with him—the cash, the passport, the mobile phone, everything. And I was standing there, waiting at the theatre, wondering: What if he never comes back? What if someone abducted him? Or what if he left me alone in this foreign country with no way to go back home? I even started considering what I would do if I had to survive alone with no money or ID. I don't know where these absolutely illogical thoughts came from, but for five minutes, I was completely freaking out. But then he finally showed up, and the relief was palpable. The happy ending to this stupid horror story? We caught our show and didn't miss anything.

Visiting the Water Puppet Theatre in Hanoi was a memorable experience. The show was held in a traditional theater with a small pool of water as the stage. The setup was unique and unlike anything I had seen before. We had front row seats so I was quite immersed in everything that was happening. It's a small theatre with rows arranged one above the other, ensuring that everyone had a great view. The puppeteers stood behind a screen, skillfully controlling the puppets with long sticks hidden under the water. Their ability to move the puppets so fluidly was really impressive. It must take years of practice!

On either side of the water stage, musicians played a variety of traditional instruments, some of which I had never seen before. Their music added to the magic of the performance. The combination of music, storytelling, and puppetry made it feel like stepping into an old Vietnamese folktale.

The singers narrated stories through song, bringing Vietnamese legends, village life, and mythical dragons to life. One female artist, in particular, had such a powerful voice that it gave me goosebumps. Even though the entire show was in Vietnamese, the expressive movements of the puppets made it easy to follow the story. I found myself completely absorbed in the performance, even without understanding the language. The highlight for me was the dragons, gliding across the water and spitting streams of water in a mesmerizing display. The way they moved and interacted with each other was fascinating. It was an unforgettable experience!

Hanoi Bus Tour

The last stop for Day 2 was the City Bus Tour, which would take us around Hanoi. It was a good way to explore the city, though we were already doing that anyway because we had our scooter. So, the exploration was happening regardless, but still, this was going to be a fun experience.

We bought our tickets, and since we had some time to kill before the next ride was scheduled, we took a walk around. The bus tour started from Hoan Kiem Lake, and there were a few souvenir shops around. Ramesh bought a few really gorgeous ceramic tiles from one of the shops.

Then, we boarded the bus for our tour. I had always wanted to sit on one of those open tourist buses, so I finally got a chance to do that. They gave us audio guides that were supposed to provide information about the places we were cruising past. I was thrilled about this because I'm a history buff when it comes to new cities.

But sadly, the audio guides were not at all synced with the places we were actually visiting. For example, when the guy in the audio said, "Look to your left, you will see the cathedral," I looked to my left and saw nothing but trees—because we had already passed the cathedral five minutes ago. So that was a slight disappointment, but overall, it was a fun thing to do and and experience.

The tour took us through some of Hanoi’s most famous landmarks. We passed by the Hanoi Opera House, an elegant colonial-era building, and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, where Vietnam’s beloved leader rests. The Temple of Literature, a beautiful ancient university dedicated to Confucius, was another highlight. We also drove past the Vietnam Military History Museum, which had old fighter planes and tanks displayed outside, and the Tran Quoc Pagoda, Hanoi’s oldest Buddhist temple, sitting peacefully by the water.

We ended our second Day in Hanoi with dinner at Beer Street, which was just as much fun as the previous night.