It’s iconic, it’s in all the guidebooks and, thanks to the bia hoi, it was once the cheapest place to drink in the Old Quarter. Those days are gone, but the intersection of Ta Hien and Luong Ngoc Quyen still gets rammed with both locals and tourists.
Hanoi
Ho C
hi
Minh Cit
y
While the rest of the city is subject to the rhythms of working days and ladies’ nights, the plastic chairs on Bui Vien are never empty at this hour. Thirsty travellers and even thirstier Saigonese pack out the bia hois looking to forget the sun and drink away the night.
February 2014 Word | 69