SHOPPING

The Old Quarter overflows with things for sale – bring an empty bag on the OLD QUARTER WALKING TOUR if you’re looking for religious or crafts items that double as cheap souvenirs.

The place for silk items, tailors and art galleries is HANG GAI ST (Silk Street), which extends west from near the northwest corner of Hoan Kiem Lake. Extending north from Hang Gai a few blocks down is HANG MANH ST, a good place to find traditional Vietnamese instruments. Just south is the CATHEDRAL DISTRICT, see below.

The classiest of a few art galleries is after Hang Gai turns into Hang Bong, APRICOT GALLERY (tel 04-828-8965; www.apricot-artvietnam.com; 40B Hang Bong St) with modern and landscape oils from modern Vietnamese painters – a notch above most around.

Over near the northeast edge of the lake, the SHOE STREET, of sorts, is centered around Hang Dau and Cau Go Streets.

Cathedral District

The streets on and off the St Joseph Cathedral has become something of a ‘Boutique District.’ Start your search on wee Nha Tho St, ever mindful of constantly opening new offers. Look for the free Shopping Street Guide, which covers this area – available at some restaurants and hotels.

NAGU
Cute home furnishings made in local workshops – popular for stylish purses, coin purses, belts and little plaid teddy bears in conical hats with ‘Hanoi’ footprints (US$16).
Tel 04-928-8020; www.zantoc.com 20 Nha Tho St; open 8am-9pm

MOSAÏQUE
A couple blocks north of St Joseph’s Cathedral, this gorgeous two-floor home décor shop – done up in M&M green and white – looks particularly juicy at night, when all the color silk and glass-bead lamps are light up. Good quality furnishings, like US$25-50 bracelets and necklaces, plus tableware and lamps. All made locally.
Tel 04-210-5387; www.mosaiquedecoration.com; 6 Ly Quoc Su St; open 9am-9pm

SONG
This corner spot – across from the cathedral – gets busy for its classier-than-usual, European-style clothing and home decor clothing and home decor, designed by a French expat in Vietnam.
Tel 04-928-8733; www.valeriegregorimckenzie.com; 27 Nha Tho St

MAY
Another Nha Tho spot, focusing on refreshingly understated bedding – embroidered duvet covers with pillowcases are US$45 – and a few blouses (from US$12).
Tel 04-828-9650; [email protected]; 7 Nha Tho St; open 9am-7pm

PROPAGANDA ART
For unique souvenirs, this colorful second-floor shop has a good collection of recent propaganda posters (five to ten years old; from US$55) and designs put on coffee mugs (US$4) and stylish t-shirts (US$16).
Tel 04-928-6588; [email protected]; 8 Nha Chung St; open 9am-7.30pm

Elsewhere

CRAFT LINK
This not-for-profit organization (across from Van Mieu, southwest of the center) runs twin shops here with knickknacks made by ethnic minorities – prices are good, mostly US$2-15 for purses, place mats and other accessories.
Tel 04-843-7710; 41-43 Van Mieu St

NGUYEN FRERES
If you’re wanting your keepsakes more traditionally Vietnamese – this two-floor store (a couple blocks south of Hoan Kiem Lake) has plenty of textile pieces, old antique furnishings and US$1 to $5 water puppets and the like.
Tel 04-933-1699; www.nguyenfreres.com; 5 Hai Ba Trung St; open 9am-8pm