Hanoi Travel Guide - Vietnam-Hotel-Reservations.com

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General Information

Hanoi, capital of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, has shaken of its unwelcoming attitude to travellers and is now one of the most beguiling cities in Asia. It is slow paced and pleasant and its lovely landscape of lakes, shaded boulevards and verdant public parks is home to beautiful and diverse architectural treasures, colonial French homes and astounding modern skyscrapers. Its bustling markets, thriving nightlife and excellent food are attracting visitors of every stripe to this ancient city. Birthplace to so much of Vietnam's traditional culture, Hanoi, more than any other city in Vietnam, is a unique fusion of old and new. It personifies the spirit of historic Vietnam in the temples, monuments and pockets of ancient culture found along the narrow streets of the Old Quarter, yet perfectly reflects the rapid changes sweeping the country as Hanoian yuppies sip cappucinos in roadside cafes and compare cell phones.

Attractions

Van Mieu (The Temple of Literature) Vietnam's first university, founded in 1070 by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong, is a pleasant retreat from the streets of Hanoi. It's a rare example of traditional Vietnamese architecture and is an interesting introduction to Confucianism. Five courtyards represent the essential elements of nature. A central path sybolizes the Confucian Middle Path, dividing the complex. Entry into each courtyard, according to the old signs, requires the completion of a task; you need only dismount your horse to enter the first courtyard, known as the Entrance to the Way, but to get to the second courtyard, the Great Middle Gate, you must accomplish virtue and attain talent. (Or pay a US$1 entrance fee.) After you've achieved excellence in literary expression, head to the Constellation of Literature Pavillion, an architectural marvel considered a symbol of the city. This is the entrance to the third courtyard, the Garden of the Stelae where the names of all graduates since the 1400s are inscribed on the backs of stone turtles. After synthesising the teachings of Confucious, head to the fourth Courtyard of the Sages, where you can make an offering to the great teacher. The fifth courtyard, the School for the Sons of the Nation, housed dormitories and classrooms for the university. It was all but destroyed by French shelling in 1947, and little remains of the original structure. Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum Within an enormous concrete cubicle, surrounded by guards in snowy, bleached-white uniforms, lies the embalmed body of Ho Chi Minh - despite his requested to be cremated after death. It's a free tour, and it's interesting to see how the visitors, from elderly VC comrades who have made the pilgrimage from South Vietnam, to student groups from foreign nations, react to the sight of old Uncle Ho. Though the Vietnamese as a whole are dissappointed with communism, most show deep respect and admiration for Ho himself. He is seen as the liberator of the Vietnamese people from colonialism; the country's subsequent economic mismanagement is often viewed as the misdoing of Ho's comerades and successors. Nearby, Ho Chi Minh's Stilt House is where the commander lived between 1958 and 1969. It's built in the style of Vietnam's ethnic minorities, and set in a well tended garden. Everything has been kept just as Ho left it, including a white chair that was a gift from Fidel Castro and the small room where Ho slept. A visit to the Ho Chi Minh Museum, also close to the Mausoleum, is the perfect way to round out your history lesson. Divided into two sections, 'past' and 'future,' the displays are rather difficult to understand without and English-speaking guide. The 1958 Edsel bursting through a wall (a US commercial failure to symbolise their military failure) is a knockout. The Old Quarter The 36 streets of Hanoi's Old Quarter, bustling for more than 1000 years, make up one of Vietnam's most lively and unusual places to visit. In the 13th century, Hanoi's artisan guilds established themselves here, each taking a different street. Today it's a shopping paradise, with specialized streets named for the products traditionally sold there. On Hang Ma (literally, 'Counterfeit St'), pick up some ghost money, traditionally burned at Buddhist ceremonies for good luck. Other areas have had modern businesses take over, however - Hang Hanh (Onion St) is now better known as Coffee St for the bars and cafes lining the road. You can pick up anything from silk sleeping bag liners to headstones to traditional medicines, but there are plenty of cultural sights that you won't need to spend a penny on. Bach Ma Temple (White Horse Temple), a lovely pagoda attended by white-bearded guards sipping tea, commemorates the appearance of a divine white horse that appeared to show Ly King where to build the city walls. You can still witness the emperor's success at the well-preserved 11th century Old East Gate. Fine Arts Museum From excellent examples of 9th century stone sculpture and contemporary paintings by celebrated artists Nguyen Tu Nghiem, Bui Xuan Phai and Nguyen Sang, this is the place to see Vietnam's incredible artistic heritage. Highlights include several large Buddhist statues, including an impressive Bodhisattva with 1000 eyes and arms; nationalist propaganda; and a worthy collection of ultramodern painting and sculpture. Museum of Ethnology This superb museum showcases the depth of Vietnamese cultural diversity with an astounding collection of 15,000 artifacts gathered from throughout Vietnam. Maps, displays and dioramas are labelled in Vietnamese, French and English. Displays portray a typical village market, the making of comical hats and a Tay shamanic ceremony; videos show the real thing. You can also check out a traditional Black Thai house reconstructed in the museum. There's also a center for research and conservation where scientists from all over the world study traditional Vietnamese cultures. Vietnamese Women's Museum A favorite of travelers since it opened on Women's Day, October 20, 1995, this is a surprisingly good look at women in Vietnam. There's the inevitable adoration of women soldiers fighting for the nation's liberation, and there are also excellent displays on social equality, development and peace. The collection is divided into four themes: Vietnam's mothers; female historical figures; women's unions; and the various ethnic groups in Vietnam. Well worth seeing are recreations of a typical rural kitchen, underground meeting rooms and the 54 different national costumes. A guided tour is included in the ticket price.

Getting Around

Getting There & Away For a capital city there are surprisingly few flights into Hanoi, but that's changing. You can get direct flights into Hanoi's Noi Bai airport from Europe (Paris, Vienna and Moscow), Australia (Sydney and Melbourne), and most major Asian cities (Bangkok, Hong Kong, Phnom Penh, Tokyo, Seoul, Vientiane, Kuala Lumpur, Singpore and Taiwan), including several Chinese destinations. There are no direct flights to Hanoi from the Americas. The bus system is confusing but inexpensive, and there is cheap public transportation from Hanoi's several bus stations to all parts of Vietnam. Most travelers avoid the buses as unsafe, and it's prudent to stay alert while using them. Public minibuses can be booked through most hotels and provide slow, uncomfortable transportation to destinations in and around Hanoi. The capital's main train station, Ga Hang Co, provides access to the 2600km (1612mi) Vietnamese railway system, which runs up and down the coast between Hanoi and Saigon with links all over Vietnam and twice-weekly service to Beijing. Though sometimes even slower than the buses, these dilapidated trains are more relaxing and roomy, as well as safer, for cross-country travel. Getting Around There are plenty of taxis and minibuses plying their trade between the airport and city center, and it's possible to hire either for a trip around town. Buses are cheaper, but with 13 different lines and numerous schedules that are difficult to find, it's certainly a challenge. The price can't be beat, however. The cyclo (xich lo), or pedicab, is a sort of rickshaw with a view. Negotiate a fare beforehand, then sit back and relax as you witness the chaotic streets of Hanoi from your own mobile throne. Bicycles are another good way to navigate Vietnam's capital. You can rent anything from leaden Chinese road warriors to high-tech Japanese mountainbikes, perfect for navigating those potholes and farm animals. Hanoi is strictly BYOH: Bring Your Own Helmet. Renting a car or motorbike is a popular option, despite the presence of waterbuffalo, chickens, maniacal truck drivers, bicycles laden with three or four struggling pigs, packs of hormone-crazed teenage boys in vehicles of every shape, size and color, all sharing the narrow, pockmarked roads and obeying traffic laws that have no parallel in the known universe. Consider riding with a local guide for a day or two before going it on your own. All car rentals come with a guide, which is not a bad, or even particularly expensive, thing. Uncomfortable but rugged Russian 4WDs are the least expensive, while Japanese luxury cars are available, if a bit pricey. Motorbikes can be rented with or without a driver and are great fun in a suicidal sort of way.

Activities in Hanoi

Hanoi is a city that loves its out-of-doors, and there are plenty of ways to burn off that com tay cam. Several tennis courts, including those in the Van Phuc Diplomatic Quarter, are ready for your love. Hanoi also boasts a few public pools for swimming, and larger hotels will often let you take a dip for a fee. Though Ho Chi Minh's advisers declared golf a 'bourgeois practice' back in 1975, turning courses into farming cooperatives, times are changing. Since 1992, even Communist Party members have been spoiling their walks at private greens, some of which are open to visitors. The city also boasts a chapter of the Hash House Harriers, a loosely organized international club that was founded in Malasia during the 1930s. Activities can include a morning jog or and evening beer bash. Look for announcements in The Guide, Time Out or in expat bars. If you'd rather get your exercise indoors, there are fitness centers throughout Hanoi where you can work out for a fee. Venues offering table tennis, billiards and martial arts are also well represented.

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