Hanoi

Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam and was also the capital of most of the feudal dynasties in Vietnam before. Hanoi is situated in the heart of the Red River Delta, which has been a center of politics, economy, and culture since the early days of Vietnamese history. In 1010, the first King of the Ly dynasty – Ly Thai To, had chosen Ha Noi as the capital of the country under the name Thang Long – that means Rising Dragon. Through many feudal dynasties, Thang Long Citadel is the economic, cultural, and educational center of the country. By the time the Nguyen Dynasty took over, Hue became the capital and Thang Long has officially renamed Hanoi in 1931. Nowadays, Ha Noi is not only the biggest city of Viet Nam but also famous for tourists as the capital of thousands of years of civilization. In 1999, UNESCO was awarded Hanoi as “City for Peace”.

Being a capital of a nation, Ha Noi has a huge advantage of transportation. You can travel to Ha Noi from everywhere by the most convenient ways from road, train, airplane or ship. There are several international and domestic flights from Ha Noi to another big city in the world and around the country at a competitive price. The union train from the North to the South of Viet Nam is also a convenient and interesting way to visit Ha Noi. More popular is reaching to Ha Noi capital city by road from other provinces.

The old town cyclo is typical unique transportation of Hanoi city which is a special experience for travelers when visiting Ha Noi. If cyclo brings antiquity, the electric scooter is a means of modern and very new "green tourism" of Hanoi tourism that you should try.

Hoan Kiem Lake together with the turtle tower is the heart of Ha Noi City. On the bank of Hoan Kiem Lake, a complex of sites included Thap But (the Pen Tower), Dai Nghien (the Ink Pedestal), The Huc Bridge leading to Dac Nguyet floor or Tran Ba communal house on the entrance to Ngoc Son Temple is a precious heritage of the city.

The highlight of Hanoi tourism in Hanoi's 36 streets with the streets, houses, street corners bringing the French architectural style in the 19th century which still retains its original designs even many ups and downs of history and changes of time. Old Quarter is the soul, the highlight of Ha Noi city where you can wander all day long to discover the peaceful and simple places, to feel the beauty of Hanoi close and familiar people.

There are many hundreds of years old temples and pagodas around Ha Noi capital but the most fabulous is the One Pillar Pagoda with lotus-shaped architecture that has no second ones in Vietnam, also a must-visit destination that cannot be ignored when visiting Hanoi. There is also Tran Quoc Pagoda, an ancient temple built under King Ly Nam De Dynasty (6th century), located on a small peninsula on the east of West Lake. Tran Quoc is considered the oldest pagoda in Ha Noi which is  1,500 years old and it is also voted by Daily Mail in the UK as one of the 16 most beautiful temples in the world has recently entered the list of 16 most beautiful temples in the world. The pagoda is a place to keep religious and historical values that attracts many Buddhists and travelers.

Hanoi is a city with thousands of years of tradition, history, and culture where The old Quarter and the old citadel attract tourists with the typical job streets and prominent monuments such as The Temple of Literature. Meanwhile, newer projects such as the Sofitel Metropole Hotel, Grand Opera house boldly mark the French colonial period. Other must-see sites in Hanoi include Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Saint Joseph Cathedral – the distinctive products of East-West cultural exchange, State Bank of Vietnam, Presidential Palace, West Lake, Bat Trang ceramic village, Duong Lam ancient village, Huong Pagoda, and famous museums such as the Museum of Ethnology, National Museum of Vietnamese History, the Vietnam National Museum of Fine Arts…

Hanoi has four seasons, which always brings many unforgettable memories, each season is unique, a spring festival, fresh summer, charming autumn, and impressive winter. Delicious dishes include Pho Ha Noi, La Vong grilled chopped fish, and Ho Tay shrimp cake, Bun Cha, Banh Cuon…

If you have the plan to visit Viet Nam, let spend at least 2 -3 days exploring Ha Noi city, to understand more about the capital of Viet Nam and the Vietnamese people. From Ha Noi, you can easily make a trip to visit any other lands in Viet Nam and other cities such as Bangkok, Phnompenh, Siem Reap, Hong Kong, Singapore…

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