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The grand old dame of the Orient, Hanoi is the most graceful, atmospheric, and captivating capital city in the region. Here, exotic old Asia blends seamlessly with the dynamic face of the continent, an architectural museum piece evolving in harmony with its history, rather than bulldozing through it.
A mass of motorbikes swarms the tangled web of streets of the Old Quarter, a cauldron of commerce for almost 1000 years and still the best place to check the pulse of this resurgent city. Hanoi has it all: ancient history, a colonial legacy, and a modern outlook. There's no better place to untangle the paradox that is contemporary Vietnam.
Known by many names down the centuries, Thang Long (City of Soaring Dragon) is the most evocative, and let there be no doubt that this dragon is on the up.
To the west of the Old Quarter, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is an important place of pilgrimage for many Vietnamese.
In the tradition of Lenin, Stalin, and Mao, Uncle Ho's mausoleum Is a marble edifice. Contrary to his desire for a simple cremation, the structure was constructed from materials from all over Vietnam between 1973 and 1975. Set deep in the bowels of the building in a glass sarcophagus is the frail, pale body of Ho Chi Minh. The mausoleum is closed for about two months each year while his embalmed body goes to Russia for maintenance.
Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum, stilt house, the Presidential Palace, and Ho Chi Minh Museum are within the complex.
About 2 km west of Hoan Kiem Lake, the Temple of Literature is a rare example of well-preserved traditional Vietnamese architecture. This highly impressive temple was dedicated to Confucius in 1070 by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong and later established as a university for the education of mandarins. Its footed gateways, low-eaved buildings, and five courtyards are typical of 11th-century courtly architecture.
In 1484, Emperor Le Thanh Tong ordered the establishment of stelae honoring the men who had received doctorates in triennial examinations dating back to 1442. Each of the 82 stelae that stand here is set on a stone tortoise.
Occupying a modern structure, the terrific collection here features well-presented tribal art, artifacts, and everyday objects gathered from across the nation. Displays are well-labeled in Vietnamese, French, and English. For anyone with an interest in Vietnam's minorities, it's an essential visit. It's in the Cau Giay district, 7km from the city center.
This thought-provoking site is all that remains of the former Hoa Lo Prison, ironically nicknamed the "Hanoi Hilton" by US prisoners of war (POWs) during the American War. Most exhibits relate to the prison's use up to the mid-1950s, focusing on the Vietnamese struggle for independence from France. A gruesome relic is the monous French guillotine, used to behead Vietnamese revolutionaries. There are also displays focusing on the American pilots who were incarcerated at Hoa Lo during the American War.
These include Pete Peterson (the first US ambassador to a unified Vietnam in 1995) and Senator John McCain (the Republican nominee for the US presidency in 2008). McCain's flight suit is displayed, along with a photograph of Hanoi locals rescuing him from Truc Bach Lake after being shot down in 1967.
Legend claims in the mid-15th century Heaven sent Emperor Le Thai To (Le Loi) a magical sword, which he used to drive the Chinese from Vietnam. After the war, a giant golden turtle grabbed the sword and disappeared into the depths to restore the weapon to its divine owners, inspiring the name Ho Hoan Kiem (Lake of the Restored Sword). Every morning at around 6 AM, residents practice traditional Tai Chi on the shore.
Hanoi's most invited temple sits pretty on a delightful little island in the northern part of Hoan Kiem Lake. An elegant scarlet bridge, the Huc (Rising Sun) Bridge, was constructed in classical Vietnamese style and lined with flags, connects the island to the lake shore.
Inside you will find some fine ceramics, a gong or two. some ancient bells and a glass case containing a stuffed lake turtle, which is said to have weighed a hefty 250kg.
The nearby Martyrs' Monument was erected as a memorial to those who died fighting for Vietnam's independence.
This excellent museum showcases women's role in Vietnamese society and culture. Labeled in English and French, it's the memories of the wartime contribution by individual heroic women that are most poignant. There is a stunning collection of propaganda posters, as well as costumes, tribal basketware, and fabric motifs from Vietnam's ethnic minority groups.
Hanoi's oldest religious foundation occupies a tiny spur of land off Thanh Nien, which separates West Lake from Truc Bach Lake. The pagoda's exact origins are uncertain, but it's usually attributed to the Early Ly dynasty in the sixth century, during a brief interlude between ten centuries of Chinese domination. In the early seventeenth original location beside the Red River to its present, less vulnerable spot.
Entry is along a narrow, brick causeway lying just above the water, past a collection of imposing brick stupas, the latest of which - towering over its more modest neighbors - was erected in 2003 on the death of the then master of the pagoda. The sanctuary's restrained interior and general configuration are typical of northern Vietnamese pagodas, though there's nothing inside of particular importance.
Check accommodations in Hanoi: https://www.trip.com/t/0CU6fcMhTZ1
