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Hanoi Travel Guide

Telephone Code: 04 (844)

Hanoi is Vietnam's capital and the country's second largest city. The city is a fascinating blend of east and west, with Chinese influence from centuries of dominance, and French design from its colonial past.

DID YOU KNOW?

Hanoi will celebrate its 1000th anniversary in 2010.
The city population: 3,145,300 (2005)
The Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem Lake literally meaning "Lake of the Returned Sword"
Hanoi has nine inner districts (Ba Dinh, Cau Giay, Dong Da, Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem, Hoang Mai, Long Bien, Tay Ho, Thanh Xuan)
The Hanoi Tourist Information Center located on Dinh Tien Hoang Street, - tel: (84-4) 926 3366
There were no five-star hotels in Hanoi in 1994.
There are 8 five star, 6 four star and 20 three star hotels in the city.
There are total 181 hotels with 8,562 rooms in Hanoi (first quarter of 2007)

When to go

Perfect weather in Hanoi is the autumn, less humid and cool. It is recommended that you make your trip to Hanoi between September and November. This time also offers you opportunity to join the joyful Mid Autumn festival. However, many tourists make their choice of coming in Spring (Feb-Apr) to enjoy a warmer weather despite drizzle may come in order to experience Tet, the traditional Vietnamese lunar new year. Summer time (May-Sep) is quite hot ( 30-36°C; 86-97°F ) and sticky, but great to travel to beaches around Hanoi including: Ha long bay, Cat Ba island, Do Son Beach (Hai Phong)., Tay Thien Mau, Khoang Xanh, etc…

Getting there

By flight: Most visitors will arrive at Noi bai international airport – one of the largest airports serving both international and internal flights. Airlines that operate flights from/to Noi bai includes Vietnam Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Tiger Airways, Thai Airways and many others.

From the airport, you could reach the downtown (around 25 miles) by Taxi ($10- 20 USD) ), and Vietnam Airlines also offers a cheap and convenient minibus to the center of town.

By train: The Thong Nhat Express runs from Hanoi south to central Vietnam (Hue and Danang) then Ho Chi Minh city (over 30 hours). Moreover, there are northwest and northeast trains to China including popular overnight route from Hanoi to Lao cai.

By bus: With many bus stations, Hanoi is the starting point for open tour buses running from north to south Vietnam.

Highlights

Hoan Kiem lake - The Lake of the Restored Sword
The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
Museum of Ethnology
The Temple of Literature
One Pillar Pagoda

Get out

Handicraft villages including: Bat Trang pottery village or the Van Phu silk village.
Destinations: Ha Long Bay and Sapa
Tips: Traffic in Hanoi is overcrowded, so be “slowly” and watch out when you cross the street.

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