Hanoi - Hanoi

Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam. The city is a blend of East and West with Chinese and French influences dating back to the colonial period. Numerous buildings with a severe and bare façade, typical of the Communist era, but there is no lack of ultramodern buildings according to the prevailing fashion in the great Southeast Asia.

To know

When to go

Climate	gen	Feb	mar	apr	mag	down	Jul	needle	set	Oct	nov	dec
Maximum (° C)	19	20	23	27	31	33	33	32	31	29	25	22
Minimum (° C)	14	15	18	21	24	26	26	26	25	22	18	15
Precipitation (mm)	19	26	44	90	188	240	288	318	265	131	43	23
Climate a Hanoi - source [1](2019)

How to orient yourself

The city of Hanoi extends on the banks of the Red River and is divided into 14 districts, 9 of which are part of the urban area proper:

• Hoàn Kiếm - This district corresponds to the center of Hanoi and is arranged around the lake of the same name. To the north of the lake is the old quarter with its maze of alleys while the colonial city extends to the south.
• Ba Đình - The district west of the center, beyond the railway station where the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum is located.
• Đống Đa - A district south of the previous one with numerous superior category hotels. On the border with Ba Dinh is the famous Temple of Literature described below.
• You have Bà Trưng - The proletarian district of Hanoi, located in the south and without anything touristy.
• Tây Hồ (Western lake) - The affluent class suburb of Hanoi northwest of the center.

The names of the other districts that make up the urban area of ​​Hanoi are: Cầu Giấy, Hoàng Mai, Long Biên, Thanh Xuân.

The five outer districts are: Đông Anh, Gia Lâm, Từ Liêm, Thanh Trì and Sóc Sơn.

How to get

By plane

Noi Bai International Airport is the name of the international airport of Hanoi. It is located north of the center at a distance of approximately 35 km (45-60 minutes). The airlines present in Noi Bai are:

• Vietnam Airlines - 25 Tràng Thi (on the corner with Quang Trung) tel: 84-4 9349660 fax: 84-4 9349620 [2]. The Vietnamese flag carrier.
• Air Asia (tel: 603 8660 4343) [3]. a low-cost airline operating on the Hanoi routes - Bangkok and Hanoi - Kuala Lumpur.
• Cathay Pacific[4]. An exclusive company with flights to / from Hong Kong.
• Hong Kong Airlines[5]. A recently established company with daily flights to / from Hong Kong.
• Lao Airlines[6]. Small airline that operates four flights a week from Luang Prabang (Laos).
• Pacific Airlines (tel: 84 4 9550550) [7]. Brand new Vietnamese company that is part of the "low cost" chain.
• Tiger Airways (tel: 84 4 9454565) [8]. Another low cost airline with daily flights to / from Singapore.

From / to the airport

• Taxi - Note that the driver will try to convince you to go to a hotel of his choice because he is paid to do so but fortunately he does not insist very much if you decline the invitation. The cost of the ride has a fixed amount of 16 US $.
• Public buses - Buses to / from the center take about an hour and the ticket price is 5000 dong. Bus # 07 passes the Thang Long Bridge and terminates in front of the Daewoo Hotel in the western section of Hanoi. Bus # 17 also goes over the Chuong Duong Bridge but terminates near the Old Quarter.
• Shuttle services The shuttle bus terminal is in front of the Vietnam Airlines offices on "Quang Trung". The ticket costs 4 US $.

On the train

Most trains stop at Hanoi Main Station on Ga Hang Co Street, 120 Le Duan, (tel: 825 3949). Daily services to / from southern cities included Huế is Nha Trang. The train Reunification Express connects Hanoi with Ho Chi Minh City but it is very slow despite the name.

Other trains run to various locations in the Northwest including Lao Cai, from which it can be reached easily Sapa, border post with the China no longer in operation. These trains depart from the station Tran Quy Cap, just at the back of the main station building.

Tickets must be purchased well in advance, especially if you intend to travel in a couchette.

By bus

The locality with the most connections from Hanoi is that of Huế (12-14 hours, 8-9 US $). From there it is projected for Hoi An, Nha Trang, From Lat, Mui Ne, Ho Chi Minh City.

There is an international connection with Vientiane is Savannakhet (Laos) at a cost of 16-18 US $ but the road is not safe as it is infested with brigands who operate checkpoints with the intent to strip unwary travelers of all their possessions.

How to get around

By taxi

Taxis are the best way to get from one end of Hanoi to the other but i can also be considered cyclos pedal operated for shorter journeys. Fares are somewhat random and vary from one company to another but the cost of a ride is generally low. Solo travelers can get into the back seat of a motorcycle known as x and om. The latter are widespread especially in the center and it will be the drivers themselves who propose to get on but negotiate the price in advance and, if you think it is too high, forget about it as soon as another scooter will approach you and make the same proposal. To avoid misunderstandings, always have the agreed price written on a piece of paper and keep it carefully until ready to pay. These drivers always try even with those who speak their mother tongue. Note that a 10 minute ride typically costs 15,000-20,000 dong.

By bike

Motorcycles can also be rented for US $ 5-6 per day. Almost all hotels in Hanoi have this service but you have to pay attention to the way the locals drive which is really dangerous for newbies. Thieves are always on the prowl and when you park, you need to secure the front wheel with a chain. This precaution is not enough and usually you leave your scooter in front of a shop asking the manager to take a look at it.

What see

• Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Free admission. Open from 8:00 to 11:00. Closed on Mondays and Thursdays. The embalmed body of Ho Chi Minh rests there, similar to what happens in Moscow with the body of Lenin. Cameras are not allowed inside and not even simple bags. The mausoleum remains closed for two months of the year when Ho Chi Min's mummy is brought to Moscow for routine checks and maintenance. 
• Hoan Kiem Lake. A park with a pond in the very center of Hanoi. The locals flock there in the early morning to perform "tai chi" exercises. Hoan Kiem means "sword taken back" and is based on a legend that the gods gave King Le Loi a magical sword to repel the Chinese invaders. After the defeat of the latter while the king was walking on the shores of the lake with the magic sword at his side, a giant tortoise stole it from the sovereign to return it to the gods. 
• Temple of Ngoc Son. Admission 2,000 dong. It is located on the lake and is dedicated to the giant tortoise who returned the magic sword to the gods. 
• Temple of Literature (Van Mieu). Located in the "Dong Da" district, 2 km from the center, the Temple of Literature was the seat of the oldest University in Vietnam (Quoc Tu Giam). There were taught teachings inspired by the doctrine of Confucianism. According to tradition, the temple was erected in 1070 by King Ly Thanh Tong and there were educated royal princes and children of the Mandarins but also common students who had distinguished themselves for their talent. Inside the temple there are 82 stems with the inscriptions of the names of the best students, their date and place of birth, as well as the vote reported in the final ballots. The stems date back to a period between 1484 and 1780 and are supported by sculptures depicting turtles. 

Events and parties

What to do

Shopping

• Đông Xuân. One of the largest markets in Hanoi. It is inside the old quarter. Prices for foreigners are much higher than those reserved for locals so you have to be skilled in negotiating. A section is dedicated to fruit and vegetables with many qualities of tea and spices in plain sight. 

How to have fun

Where to eat

Where stay

Moderate prices

The old quarter of Hanoi is literally flooded with pensions and pensions for the use of those who do not want to spend a lot.

• Camellia 5, at Thuoc Bac n ° 81 (d just 10 minutes (on foot) from the Hoan Kiem pond), ☎ 84 4 828 2376, 84 4 828 3128, @[email protected]. starting from 12 USD with breakfast included. Small but clean rooms with air conditioning, satellite TV and free internet access 
• Hanoi Youth Hotel, Luong Van Can nº 33, tel: 84 4 8285822 [email protected][9]^{[link not working]}. Located in the center of Hanoi, near the Hoan Kiem pond, this small hotel has 17 rooms with prices ranging from 12 to 30 $. The air conditioning works at a minimum and the showers have barely a trickle of water.
• Lucky Eden Hotel, Quan Thanh nº 35, tel: 84 4 7341 249 [email protected]. Located next to the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum. It has standard and luxury rooms.
• Real Darling Café Guesthouse, Hang Quat nº 33, Old Quarter (North of the Hoan Kiem pond) tel: 84 4 826 9386 fax: 84 4 824 3468 [email protected]. Its rooms are spartan but at cheaper prices (6 US $ 3 US $) for the extra bed. However, air conditioning is optional, as is hot water. The stairs leading to the floors are narrow and steep. Bicycles and mopeds can be rented.
• Thang Long Opera Hotels (formerly Thuy Tien Hotel) - Close to the Hanoi concert hall.

Safety

How to keep in touch

Around

• 

  The Chua Mot Cot Pagoda (Pagoda on a single pillar)

• 

  Chua Tran Quoc Pagoda

• 

  Doan Mon Pagoda

• 

  National Historical Museum

• 

  Water puppet theater

• 

  Ho Chi Minh Museum

Other projects

• Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Hanoi
• Commons contains images or other files on Hanoi

Draft : the article respects the standard template contains useful information for a tourist and gives brief information on the tourist destination. Header and footer are correctly filled out.