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 This grand-old dame of Asia is ageing better than most of her contemporaries.

Hanoi has shaken off its once hostile attitude to travelers to become one of the most beguiling cities in Southeast Asia. It's slow-paced yet quick to charm, with a lovely landscape of lakes, shaded boulevards, verdant public parks and French-colonial architecture.

Hanoi personifies the spirit of historic Vietnam in the temples, monuments and pockets of ancient culture along the narrow streets of the Old Quarter, yet perfectly reflects the rapid changes sweeping the country as Hanoian yuppies sip cappuccinos in roadside cafés and compare cell phones.

See Hanoi map here & Sights in Hanoi

Fast Facts

Population
3,500,000

Currency
Name: Vietnamese dong
Code: VND

Time Zones
GMT/UTC +7

Languages Spoken
Official: Vietnamese
 

When to go

There is really no bad season to visit Hanoi. The city offers countless attractions that can be seen year-round, and the climate is generally agreeable.

Tourist season runs from late June through August and October through Tet, the New Year's celebration that takes place in late January or early February. Though accommodations and transportation are bound to be booked around Tet, it's worth making the effort to see Hanoi dressed up for the festivities.

Vietnamese tend to travel in the summer and around Tet, making public transportation that much more difficult to book.

Weather
Winter (Nov-Feb) is generally cool and dry, with temperatures between 10-15°C (59-68°F). Spring (Feb-Apr) is warmer, but accompanied by constant drizzle which can start to wear a bit. Summer (May-Sep) is blatantly hot (30-36°C; 86-97°F) and sticky with the occasional devastating typhoon. Autumn (Sep-Nov) however, sees sunny, often perfect weather.
 

Tour in one day

There's something about Hanoi that encourages early rising. It might be that most Vietnamese seem pathologically incapable of sleeping beyond about 05:00 , no matter how much bia hoi (fresh beer) and rice wine they put away the night before. And so I try (OK, yes, only a couple of times a week) to prise myself out of bed, shoulder my camera and wander down to Hoan Kiem Lake as early as possible. The benefits are soon apparent; traffic in the Old Quarter is quiet, a ghostly blue-grey mist hovers above the lake and elderly Hanoians practice their distinctive floppy t'ai chi in slow rotation around its perimeter. As the sun rises I'll wander through the Old Quarter, watching the city wake up along streets lined with trees and crumbling buildings of yellow stucco, eventually stopping for breakfast of pho and a fresh, fluffy baguette. Suitably fortified, I'll engage a xe om (motorbike taxi) and head out to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum before the crowds arrive. I've seen Bac Ho before, but with rumours he might be about to get his wish and be buried, I figure it's time for one last peek. I love the romance and history of Hanoi and few places encompass it quite like the Temple of Literature, an easy walk away. Sitting here with a book is the perfect respite from the buzz of the city, and eating lunch at nearby KOTO satisfies both my hunger and my desire to aid the less fortunate of the city. In the afternoon I might check out another museum or just wander down to Pho Nha Tho for some shopping, and a drink while watching the shadows of St Joseph's Cathedral grow longer, before heading back into the Old Quarter for bia hoi with friends. Dinner at the Culi Cafe (40 Luong Ngoc Quyen) makes a tasty change from Vietnamese food, and a stroll down to Highway 4 for rice wine on the roof (get there before about 23:00 and hustle upstairs) will ensure I won't be up early tomorrow.

Author: Andrew Burke

See more: Hanoi Restaurants | Travel Guide Hanoi | Hanoi Shoppings | Hanoi Sights | Hotels in Hanoi | Hanoi Entertainment

Some budget hotels in Hanoi you are maybe interested in:

Hanoi Backpacker

Address: 48 Ngo Huyen St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi
Web: http://www.hanoibackpackershostel.com

Sports Hotel Hanoi
Address: 137 Hang Bac Street, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi
email: huetours@gmail.com

Nam Hai 2 Hotel
Address: 40 Ma May Street, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi
Web: http://www.namhai2hotel.com

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