Anyone been to Hanoi, Vietnam?

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MojaveDan

I just completed a lengthy trip to Vietnam and stayed in Hanoi for 2 months.

The best place for tourists to stay in Hanoi is in the Hoan Kiem District, which is an area of the city around and near Hoan Kiem Lake. This is the epicenter of Hanoi and most everything that a tourist would want to see is within walking distance or a short taxi ride.

The first thing you want to do is learn to cross the busy streets of Hanoi, which is a thrilling adventure in itself. It is actually very easy to do. Look for a native that is about to cross the same street, get on the downstream side of traffic from them and do exactly what they do to cross the street. Once you've mastered that, the rest of the city is yours.

If you are bringing your wife, then she will love the Hoan Kiem District because it is like a great big WalMart. Most all of the streets are dedicated to a single product or service (i.e. shoes are found on the shoe street, hats on the hat street). Instead of going from mall to mall, you can find every variety of a common item on a single street and haggle for the best prices. Also, don't forget to visit the night market on Friday and Saturday nights in the Old Quarter.

Hanoi is filled with lots of history being over 1,000 years old. There are dozens of pagodas, museums and other places of interest in Hoan Kiem District itself. If your kids get bored with history, you can take them to the amusement park at West Lake, which is a short taxi ride away.

Not really in Hanoi but still a must see is Ha Long Bay. Spend a day and take your family on a boat ride through one of the most beautiful places on Earth.

Have fun abd good luck!

dana

i was there 2 years back and dont remember the name of my hotel, but there is a tourist area in the city which you cant miss and there are sooooooo many nice and cheap places, surely no problem. go to halong bay. they offer plenty of tours and activities in every corner.

I agree mostly with the write up from Wijipedia:

"Places of interest

As the capital of Vietnam for almost a thousand years, Hanoi is considered to be the cultural center of Vietnam, where every dynasty has left behind their imprint. Even though some relics have not survived through wars and time, the city still has many interesting cultural and historic monuments for visitors and residents alike.

Some of the prominent places are: The Temple of Literature (VÄƒn Miáº¿u), site of the oldest university in Vietnam[dating back to the 11th century]; One Pillar Pagoda (ChÃ¹a Má»™t Cá»™t); Flag Tower of Hanoi (Cá»™t cá» HÃ Ná»™i) [in the Old Citadel]; The Old Quarter [see the original "36 streets" where each street specializes in a different craft] and HoÃ n Kiáº¿m [Lake. Historic site in the center of the city. The Ho Chi Minh Musoleum where the president's enbalmed body is in display. The presidential palace and the gardener's cottage on the ground where Ho Chi Minh actually lived and worked. He used the palace for official meetings and receptions only]

Hanoi is also home to a number of museums, including the Vietnamese National History Museum, the National Museum of Ethnology, the National Museum of Fine Arts and the Revolution Museum [worth seeing: The Army Museum: military history of Vietnam over the centuries] .

The Old Quarter, near the scenic Hoan Kiem lake, has the original street layout and architecture of the old Hanoi. At the beginning of 20th century, the city consisted of only about 36 streets, most of which are now part of the old quarter. Each street then comprised of merchant and household specialized in a particular trade, such as silk traders, jewellery, etc. The street names nowadays still reflect these specializations, although few of them remain exclusively in their original commerce. The area is in general famous for its small artisans and merchants, including many silk shops. Local cuisine specialties as well as several clubs and bars can be found here also. A night market in the heart of the district opens for business every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evening with a variety of clothing, souvenirs, and food.

West Lake (Há»“ TÃ¢y) is a popular place for people to hang out. It is the largest lake in Hanoi, and there are many temples to visit in the area. There are small boats for hire, and a floating restaurant which has been operating for a couple of decades."

Also: Book your trip to Halong Bay. A beautiful marine site recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Spend a couple of days in Sapa, a hill town a night train ride away: intersting local market with colorfully dressed minority tribespeople.

Carena T

whatever you do, just one advise. make sure you do not leave your kids alone. there are lots of motorbikes without traffic lights. can u inagine? anyway, if you leave in the old quarters, it will be the best location. u can ask the hotel staffs where to go to. cos' they have a street that sells clothes named "Hang Gai", etc. Ask them where to eat and shop. Also, if you intend to go to Halong Bay, it is beatiful with very nice scenary and it's vise to put up a night there. But again, due to the hills, when you and your kids walk around, just take extra care. Have a great time!

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