HANOI THE CAPITAL OF VIETNAM - GUIDE BOOK Hanoi (Vietnamese: Hà Nội), the capital of Vietnam, and also its second largest city, is a fascinating blend of East and West, combining traditional Sino-Vietnamese motifs with French flair. It is largely unscathed from the decades of war, and is now going through a building boom, making it a rapidly developing city in Southeast Asia. UNDERSTAND Invading forces from every direction agree: Hanoi makes a fine capital. It has held that title for more than a thousand years, through several invasions, occupations, restorations, and name changes. The Chinese conquered the imperial city of Thang- Long in 1408 and renamed it Tống Bình. Le Loi repelled the invaders in 1428 and ascended the throne, becoming known as Lê Thái Tổ (黎太祖); for his efforts, a slew of legends about his heroic exploits, many centred around the Hoan Kiem Lake in the Old Quarter. The Nguyen Dynasty gave the city its modern name of Ha Noi in 1831, but they had transferred power to Hue by then; it remained there until 1887, when the French made Saigon and then Hanoi the capital of all French Indochina. It changed hands again in 1954, when it was ceded to Ho Chi Minh and the Viet Minh after almost a decade of fighting, and it became the capital of North Vietnam; Saigon was the rival in South Vietnam. Upon reunification in 1976, it assumed that title for the entire country. The first institution of learning in Vietnam, Quoc Tu Giam, was founded here in the 11th century. Nine hundred years later, the first western-style universities in Vietnam were also founded in Hanoi. The city is one of the leading centres of scientific study and research in the country. Hanoi retains much of its older charm of bygone eras, despite the battles that have raged over it; conflict had the side effect of making it largely oblivious to modern architecture, and as a result, few buildings in the city centre area are higher than five stories. The Old Quarter is second only to Hoi An for uninterrupted stretches of colonial and pre-colonial architecture, well-preserved on dense warrens of narrow, wonderfully atmospheric streets. It trades the commercial boom and sprawl of Ho Chi Minh City in the South for a more understated charm, worth enjoying for an extra day or two, and with countless transport options and travel agents, it makes a perfect base for exploration of the North. As you walk along the street, you may find that people start talking to you. It is a cultural norm there to make conversation with strangers. They might ask you where you are from and other general questions. It takes a while to get used to that. However, there are times when you find this friendliness extremely helpful, such as when you are lost or need help. The Tourist Information Centre, ☎ +84 4 926 3366, Dinh Tien Hoang, just north of Hoan Kiem Lake, can provide a fairly useful map although bewilderingly, the blow-up of the Old Quarter is missing, making it useless in that part of town. The Centre also offers as well as limited free internet and English-language advice albeit, they arent without bias. There are self-help interactive screen information booths around the Old Quarter but their purpose is to superficially conjure an image of coming-of-age Vietnam has arrived impression to the unsuspecting passer-by. An example was an inquiry typing out the American Embassy as prompted by an empty field, then it flashed on to the next interactive page asking for which district (one may not be aware that the US embassy has branches in every district) - smart and amazing! Climate Climate Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Daily highs (°C) 19 20 23 27 32 33 33 32 31 29 25 22 Nightly lows (°C) 14 15 18 21 24 26 26 26 25 22 19 15 Precipitation (mm) 19 26 44 90 189 240 288 318 265 131 43 23 The climate is tropical, with wet and hot weather much of the year. But due to the citys latitude, temperatures drop drastically in the wintertime and the wind chill and dampness means winter weather can feel cold. If possible, avoid the summer months of mid May - mid Sep, as the city turns into a sweltering sauna with little to no wind. GET IN By plane Most people arrive at the Noi Bai International Airport (IATA: HAN), 35km (45-60min) north of the city. The airport might seem relatively small considering Hanois importance to the country, but this might benefit travellers by making the airport easy to navigate and no need to arrive hours in advance (the limited waiting space is one reason why non-travellers are discouraged from entering the airport) to make sure there is plenty of room for those actually using and working in the airport. The airport is being overloaded, and a new terminal is being built. Several airlines run flights from Noi Bai, including: • Aeroflot (Moscow-Sheremetyevo) • Asiana Airlines (Seoul-Incheon) • Cebu Pacific (Manila) • China Airlines (Taipei) • China Southern Airlines (Beijing, Guangzhou) • Dragon Air (Hong Kong) • EVA Air (Taipei) • Hong Kong Airlines (Hong Kong) • Indochina Airlines • Japan Airlines (Kansai, Tokyo-Narita) • Korean Air (Busan, Seoul-Incheon) • Lao Airlines - Small airline with 4 flights a week to/from Luang Prabang, Vientiane, and Phnom Penh. • Lot Polish Airlines (Warsaw) • Malaysia Airlines ☎ +60 3 7843 3000) - Daily flights from Kuala Lumpur. • PMTair (Phnom Penh, Siem Reap) • Qatar Airways (Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi, Doha) • Shanghai Airlines (Shanghai) • SilkAir - The regional full-service subsidiary of Singapore Airlines. Offers a combined twice daily frequency to/from Singapore on some days. • Singapore Airlines • Thai Airways International - Two flights daily to/from Bangkok. • Uni Air (Kaohsiung) • Vietnam Airlines . • Vladivostok Air (Vladivostok) There are plenty of discount airlines, from which you can find really good bargains include: • JetStar Pacific - Discount Vietnamese carrier (formerly Pacific Air) for domestic flights. • Vietjet Air - Another low-cost domestic carrier. Planes are new and clean, howerver, delays are quite frequent • AirAsia ☎ +60 3 2171-9222 with many good offers from Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur. • Tigerair (Singapore) ☎ - Low-cost carrier with 6 weekly flights to/from its hub in Singapore. If departing from Noi Bai airport via Vietnam Airlines with no checked luggage, walk to the last airline check-in counter and to the right of it, theres a sign showing check-in for passengers without checked luggage. Using this counter is a great time-saver if it applies to your journey. From the airport • Taxis to central Hanoi can be hired at Noi Bai. There are fixed price taxi stands right outside the exit, offering fares ranging from US$15-$25 into the city. These are provided by various taxi companies and are slightly more expensive than the tout taxis, but fixed price, so no hassles about the fare. Later into the night, there dont seem to be any physical taxi stands, however you can still negotiate directly with taxi drivers for fixed prices all the same. Some taxis will engage in negotiations while others will agree only to metered fares so shop around. Drivers in general may try to take you to a hotel of their choice or even a hotel pretending to be the one you named (your passenger door being opened by a person showing you your hotel name and correct address on a clipboard, insisting you should come in) as destination, to collect a commission, so be very specific about your destination ahead of time and on arrival if this happens, as they usually give in. To be sure, have the address ready and maybe print out a map beforehand: since every street in Hanoi has clearly visible street signs at both ends, you should be able to discern which street you are in. Non fixed-price taxi agents will quote prices ranging from around US$15-$30 as you leave the airport, so be sure you have a clear price agreement also with the driver before getting into the car, as the price quoted by the agent may not be what the driver is expecting. Be careful of agreeing to running the taxi meter: the meters may be tampered with, and can run upwards of US$40-$60 or more to get to central Hanoi, and the upper limit is entirely out of your control. If you have changed money into dong at the airport you can, of course, pay in local currency. The rate in May 2013 is 350,000 dong for a regular sized taxi, 380,000 for a seven seater. There are a few official looking tourist information booths inside the arrival hall that will offer rides into the city for significantly higher prices than the taxi stands outside -- US$25-35 per car and telling you not to take the cheaper taxis outside because of various scams. To sum things up, taking a fixed-price taxi from one of the companies outside of the arrival hall is the least costly way with the least risk of surprises to get to your destination. However if you do this, as mentioned above, make sure to be very clear on the agreed price with the taxi driver himself and confirm that the taxi driver agrees to take you to your hotels exact address. • If you already have a hotel booked, you might ask the hotel to dispatch a driver. The nicer hotels will do this and put the fare on your room bill. • Private car is often more expensive than Hanoi taxi but more comfortable. The car will be cleaner, safer and friendly drivers. • Public buses to the city centre from Noi Bai airport take about 1.5 hour. Bus #07 crosses the Thang Long bridge and goes to the Daewoo Hotel on the western part of Hanoi (almost an hour on foot to the historical centre of Hanoi). Bus #17 crosses the Chuong Duong bridge and goes close to the old quarter, to Long Bien (just a few blocks from Hoan Kiem Lake - the destination of most tourists). Prices are 6,000 dong and 7,000 dong, respectively. To catch buses 7 or 17, exit on the arrivals level and keep walking right past the taxis and minibuses, past the coaches and to the buses which are at the end of the car park. However, baggage is not permitted aboard the buses, so you may need to wait a few minutes to try your luck several times or give the conductor a small bribe, i.e. paying for the baggage as well. Dont listen to taxi drivers or shuttle bus operators that claim the stop for the public buses is a few kilometers away or that service has been terminated. Public buses operate 05:00-22:00. • Shuttle-buses from the airport to Hanoi stop at the Vietnam Airlines Office on 1 Quang Trung (a bit south of the old quarter but conveniently stocked with taxis and motorbike drivers, of course!). Tickets are sold in the building in front of which the minibuses park, or you can give the fare directly to the driver. The cost is US$2 or 40,000 dong for foreigners (insurance reason), and 35,000 dong for Vietnamese (which includes VN-Americans), which rate is indicated on the sticker fixed to the buss body. The driver will potentially give you trouble if you have additional bags, but if you push, you will get the same US$2 rate. They also try the typhoon in Ha Long Bay scam whereby they take you to a street where you cannot see the hotel name and tell you that the Ha Long Bay guests are still in the hotel and they will take you to their other hotel for the same price. This place is a complete dive facing the highway. You should also beware the drivers trying to offer you a ride to your hotel for US$5, claiming the Old Quarter is 5 km from the office - it is much cheaper to go to the Vietnam Airlines office and switch to a taxi (or walk, its not more than 2 km to anywhere in the Old Quarter). The taxi will not cost more than the US$3 price differential and if it does, you should refuse to pay as the driver has cheated you somehow. They say that the shuttle buses go to airport hourly, but they will only leave when the bus is full (took 2+ hours in one case) and will not tell you this. Meanwhile the taxi drivers, who are in on the scam, will constantly offer to take you to the airport. Despite the fact that the shuttle buses are supposedly run by Vietnam Airlines, the employees in the office across the street dont have any information on the buses, and tourists will get scammed (and waste time) trying to get to the airport. By train Trains to Nanning, China depart from Gia Lam Station (GPS 21.05213,105.87939), about 5km north-east of Hanoi Station. Tickets can be purchased from Hanoi Station, too. In Hanoi Station, international ticket booth clerk may go to work much later than other booths, like 9:30 in the morning. A ticket for a soft sleeper compartment (4-berth compartment) costs 760,000 dong per person. Be cautious buying these tickets from hotels or travel agents in the Old Quarter, as they may quote prices substantially higher. If you are taking the evening train out of Nanning, you will arrive at Gia Lam very early in the morning. Be sure to change some of your money at the border so you can get a cab to take you to the city when you arrive in Gia Lam. Exchange the rest of your money for a better rate in the city the next day. All other trains use the main Hanoi train station (Ga Hang Co, 120 Le Duan, ☎ +84 4 825 3949), for daily services from cities in the south including Hue and Nha Trang. The Reunification Express goes all the way to Ho Chi Minh City, although there is very little express about it. There are also train services to the north-west (including Lao Cai, from which you reach Sapa. To board trains bound for these destinations, you have to enter the railway station compound through the backdoor at Tran Quy Cap station. Just tell your driver which destination your train is heading to. Be mindful of any helpful stranger who offers to carry your luggage - he probably has a sum more than the cost of the ticket in mind for the help. Tickets for all destinations are sold in the main station, though there are two counter halls, north and south, serving the respective destinations. Technically, there is a queuing system in place to buy tickets at Hanoi Station which involves obtaining a numbered docket and waiting to be called up to one of the ticket counters. In practice, the process is chaotic and many locals disregard the system altogether, often pushing their way to the counters to be served (Update April 2013; nobody uses the cue anymore; instead go straight up to counters or you will be waiting around for hours). If travelling to Nanning, China, it is advisable to ask a staff member where to go, as not all counters can sell these tickets. Buy your tickets as early as possible, especially since sleeper-tickets can be sold out several days in advance. If you cant get a ticket any more, try a travel-agent who still might have stocks. You may also try your luck in the station just before boarding time, agents still holding tickets will be eager to sell as the departure draws near. Nevertheless, travel agencies in Hanoi are known for their bad business practices. Some of them will try to overcharge you up to 300%, so it is better go to the train station by yourself and find out about the prices before you agree on any deal. If you have very rigid travel dates, are travelling on a public holiday, or cant be bothered to head down to the train station before your train you can book tickets online before you come to Vietnam. Tickets to LaoCai/Sapa can be booked at vietrailways. For all other tickets, included transfer to train station, you should come to: hanoifinneganshotel is a reliable agency. By bus Public buses serving southern destinations (e.g. Ninh Binh, 2h - VND 80,000) leave from Giap Bat bus station. To get from the Giap Bat bus station to the old quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake, leave aside all the hassle of taxi and motorbike drivers and simply take public bus number 8 towards Long Bien (VND 5,000, pay on the bus) - to find it head towards the main road inside Giap Bat station, you will see signs with numbers indicating the stops of different bus lines. Most of the open-tour bus itineraries either begin or end in Hanoi, with Hue the next (or previous) stop (12-14 hr, US$13 - 18), and from there to Hoi An, Nha Trang, Dalat, Mui Ne, Ho Chi Minh City, and other cities in Vietnam, depending on the bus company. Most seem to stop at their office which could be right next to the old district / most backpacker hotels. Check when booking ticket. Many of the same companies also sell tickets to Vientiane and Savannakhet in Laos (US$16-18). Do some research before you buy a ticket as rattle-trap scam buses abound on this route. See Ho Chi Minh City to Shanghai overland if youre interested in crossing over to China by bus or train. GET AROUND Taxis are the best way to travel long distances, but the cyclos, or pedicabs, are a cheap way to make shorter trips. Taxi fares are not always consistent, and the rates for each taxi company have not been standardized. For lone travellers, rides on the back ofmotorbikes (actually low-powered scooters) are popular too (known as xe om, literally meaning motorbike-hug). By taxi Some meter taxi owners in Hanoi will attempt to negotiate a flat fee in advance rather than use the meter. If you have a fair idea of how far youre going or how much youre willing to pay, this is probably a good idea. If the driver refuses, turning around and walking away will almost certainly change his mind. Dont sweat it, its all part of the expected negotiation protocol. It has also become common for the drivers of some of the less reputable taxi companies to fix their meters to run faster hence running up a high bill very fast! The recommendation is to only use the reputable and reliable taxi companies. These are Hanoi Group Taxi, ☎ +84 4 3856 5656), Mai Linh Taxi , ☎ +84 4 3861 6161). As a reference point, Hanoi Group Taxi charges an initial fee of 14,000 dong as a starting price that covers the first few kilometers, then 16,300 dong for every additional kilometer of travel, with 6,000 dong for every 5 minutes of travel. Given this, you should be able to get a general sense of what a reasonable price is in getting around town. Thanh Nga taxis (+84 4 4 3821 5215) are cheaper with smaller, hatchback cars, starting at 9,000 dong + 12,000 dong/km. Another common scam by taxis is that the driver takes you for a sightseeing - and extends the tour to make more money. This is very hard to discover unless you know the city well, but if you catch your driver doing this (e.g. going around Hoan Kiem Lake twice), demand that he stop the taxi and leave the taxi without paying. Be very careful with meter taxis in Hanoi. Meters have been known to operate normally initially, but after youve let your guard down, it jumps to astronomical amounts just before the destination. Some have central locking, and are known to lock passengers in, and demand large amounts of US dollars before letting them go. The driver may threaten to have you beaten up or arrested should you not give in to his demands, but if you kick up enough of a fuss, they will let you go. Most taxi drivers speak limited English, so its a good practice to get your hotel to write the name and address of you destination in Vietnamese to show the taxi driver, and get your hotels business card in case you get lost. Be vigilant when taking a taxi - driver jumps out at destination and dumps most of your bags out of the trunk. While youre busy putting rucksack on he has taken off with your other bags. Be vigilant also the meter which can run as far or even faster than a digital clock. A 10 min drive can rack up almost USD30 in downtown Hanoi alone! Do keep an eye on the meter during the journey. Fare flag drops starting at 15,000 dong. Bottom line: Stick to the reliable taxi companies listed above to avoid scams. You should take photo or remmember taxi number in case you are in bad situation, you can solve it. By motorbike driver Motorbike drivers (Xe Om in Vietnamese) can be found on virtually every corner, especially in the Old Quarter. Expect to be offered a ride every half-block (or more). You should absolutely negotiate a fare in advance. As a general rule, a reasonable fare should cost around 10,000 dong per kilometer of travel for a motorbike (possibly varying 10,000 dong in either direction), so know the distance you are travelling or understand that you have no real basis for negotiating a fair rate. Walk away towards the next street filled with motorbike drivers if you dont like their offer, as this is an incredibly reliable bargaining technique. There are far more drivers than tourists, and they know it - your fare could be the only one they get all day. You should also write down the negotiated fare (with all zeros) to avoid confusion. Even if you do speak Vietnamese, a driver might mis-hear (accidentally or intentionally) that you said 50,000 dong instead of 15,000, In case of argument over fares after the ride, keep calm and repeat the original agreement (remember, you have the leverage). Many drivers will accept US dollars as well. At the end of a ride, some will offer to hang around to drive you to your next destination - either be clear that you dont want a return ride (and dont go near him when you leave), or get a price in advance. Otherwise, you might be surprised when the driver tacks on several million dong for having waited. Keep your wallet out of arms reach of the drivers when you pay, less honest motorbike drivers are not adverse to helping themselves to the cash they think they are entitled to and promptly taking off without waiting for your consent. By cyclo Negotiate first or avoid using the cyclos services, they can demand 200,000 dong (US$10) for a short ride of less than 100 m (330 ft). At the end of the journey, a few men will come over to translate, and they will pretend to help and later insist that you pay the demanded amount. ( 100.000 vnd for 1 hour is good price, included tip - you have to tell this before) Be aware that it is common for cyclo drivers to agree to a price, then take you to a different place, pretend to be confused and hit you up for more money when you reach your destination. If you chose to travel by Cyclo, be clear on your destination, negotiate your fee first (100,000 Dong is more than fair for a 30-34 minute ride in any direction), be willing to get out and walk away (if your driver tries any monkey business), also be willing to walk away at the end of the journey if the driver wont stand by your original agreed price. Motorbike rental Motorcycles can be rented for around US$5-6 a day, and can be arranged by most hotels. A typical bike will be given with 1 litre of fuel, so top up at the nearest petrol kiosk. Queue up with the other bikes, unscrew your fuel cap and hand over your money (1 USD per litre) to the attendant who will top up your bike for you. This is good for making lots of trips around the city for individuals or duos, but be careful: Hanoi is a great place to sharpen motorbike skills, provided you emerge alive. Park on the sidewalk with other bikes, and be sure to lock the front wheel. Locals will help arrange the bikes near their stores. Many shops that have bike attendants will give you a ticket in exchange for parking your bike. This may or may not come with a fee (typically ranging from 2,000-5,000 dong). However, parking at Hoan Kiem lake on a weekend can go up to 10,000 dong. The ticket will either have your license plate number written on it, or the ticket itself will be numbered, with that number subsequently chalked somewhere on your bike. In such cases (where youve been given a ticket), the attendants may ask that you NOT lock the steering column or front wheel of your bike so that they can rearrange the bikes as customers come and go. Riding outside the city is a refreshing change. Winding through the alleys and through the local markets inaccessible by cars allows you to see Hanoi from a different perspective. Google maps are rather useless once you leave the city due to the number of small lanes, forked roads and roundabouts that do not show up on the map. Stop and ask locals for directions, so be sure to brush up on the correct pronunciation of your destination! The Riverbank fields just past the flower market can be a great trip within the city stop at the KUB Cafe on route and the staff there will give you some suggested routes around the flower fields. Motorbike Sales Motorcycles can be purchased and sold by foreigners. Many travelers opt to buy their own bike and drive it throughout the country. A lot of drivers prefer to start in Hanoi and drive to Saigon as popularized by the British Top Gear series (though they did it the other way round and swapped to the train for the second half). Many people are unsure about the legality of purchasing bikes in Vietnam. Technically it is illegal for foreigners to own bikes in Vietnam without the proper documentation. However, this law is not enforced and thousands flock to Vietnam annually to buy bikes and ride them all over the country. It is possible to convert your driving license from your home country to a Vietnamese license, but few people go through this trouble. It is a well-known fact among riders that the police in Vietnam are highly unlikely to carry out routine traffic stops on foreigners. As long as the driver cares for his or her own safety and the safety of other motorist they can go the entire trip without hassles. Most vendors do not sell bikes they only rent them. There are some trusted companies selling bikes in Hanoi with good track records. The KUB cafe (Kustom Urban Bike) #12 ngõ 264 Âu Cơ, Tây Hồ, Hà Nội offers a great starting point for your journey by motorbike or a great place to end your trip in Vietnam, Its run by bikers for bikers of all sizes. By bus Scam free, cheap but a bit difficult to comprehend at first, the buses in Hanoi are relatively fast and surprisingly comfortable. Pick up a map with printed bus lines at the Trang Tien street (the book street by the Opera house) and spend a few minutes to identify the over 60 bus lines, find your bus stop, wait for the bus, get on and off you go. On the bus you pay the 7,000 Dong to the conductor who will come to you. If you are unfamiliar with the city, make sure to inform the mostly helpful conductor where you want to get off. Note that stations are not announced on the bus and do not have signs with their names on them. It is best to ask the driver or conductor when to get off. All Bus routes on Google Maps: 115.84.178.23:8099/ or just use the Google Maps public transport route function By car Hanois traffic is chaotic, with seemingly perpetual traffic jams, and a large number of almost suicidal motorcyclists and pedestrians. As such, driving yourself around is not recommended and because the International Drivers License is not allowed in Vietnam, and you should leave your transportation needs in the hands of professionals. By Metro A part overground, part underground Metro is under construction. The first line is due to become operational in 2016. Construction began in 2010. SEE Museums Note: Many museums are closed on Mondays and Fridays, please check before you go. • Vietnamese Womens Museum - Bảo Tàng Phụ nữ Việt Nam, 36 Ly Thuong Kiet Street, Hoan Kiem District (Located in central Hanoi, 1 km South of Hoan Kiem Lake), ☎ +84 04 38259938 (info@[email protected], fax: +84 04 38259129). Tu-Su 08.00-16:30. This often overlooked museum has recently benefited from an extensive renovation of its permanent exhibitions. The modernised interior is well laid out with information in Vietnamese, English and French, and contains a huge amount of information on the fearsome female heroines of Vietnamese history. There are also exhibitions on the rituals and traditions surrounding women in the family, as well as a beautifully presented collection of intricate hand-made ethnic costumes. A particular highlight are the regularly updated special exhibitions on a diverse range of subjects, from contemporary issues such as single mothers and street vendors to traditional medicine and Mother Goddess worship. English language tours are available on request. 30,000 dong. • Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. 08:00-11:00. Closed Mon & Fri. Last entrance 10:15. The city down south may have his name, but only Hanoi has the man himself, entombed in distinctly Lenin-esque fashion - against his wishes, but thats how it goes. No talking, revealing clothing (shorts should be knee length and no exposed shoulders), or other signs of disrespect allowed while viewing; photos are allowed only from outside, in the grand Ba Dinh Square. Purses are allowed into the tomb, but expect them to be searched by several bored soldiers along the way. Left luggage is handled in a complicated scheme: there is an office near the street for large bags, with separate windows for Vietnamese and foreigners, and a further office for cameras, which will be transported to a third office right outside the exit of the mausoleum. Items checked in at the first office, however, will stay there. Note that small digital cameras can be taken into the mausoleum despite their use not being permitted inside. Note also that the mausoleum is closed for a couple months around the end of the year, when the body is taken abroad for maintenance. Free. • Ho Chi Minh Museum, 19 Ngoc Ha St, Ba Dinh, ☎ +84 4 846-3572 ([email protected]).8AM-11:30AM, 2PM-4PM, closed M and F afternoons. This gleaming white museum and its gloriously ham-handed iconography are the perfect chaser to the solemnity of the mausoleum. The building, completed in 1990, is intended to evoke a white lotus. Some photos and old letters are on display on the second floor, but the main exhibition space is on the third floor. It includes cars crashing through walls to represent the chaos of post-war American capitalism, soldiers charging around with electric plugs, a cave hideout re-imagined as the inside of Ho Chi Minhs brain, and several other post-modern confections integrated with the main story of the mans life and his countrys struggle. One of the more informative museums in Vietnam, albeit with a high dose of personality cult and political propaganda. Guides are available in English, French, Chinese and Russian, but dont bother; the displays are labelled in English and French, and its hard to imagine the guides doing much other than belabouring the point. 25,000 dong. • Ho Chi Minhs Vestige In The Presidential Palace Area, No.1 Bach Thao, Ba Dinh, ☎ +84 4 0804 4529. Summer 7:30AM-11AM, 2PM-4PM. Winter 8AM-11AM, 1:30PM-4PM, closed M F afternoons. The exit from the mausoleum takes you right into the grounds of the, uh, vestige, where Ho Chi Minh lived and worked from 1954 until his death in 1969. The nicely landscaped complex includes two of Ho Chi Minhs houses, kept shiny and as he left them by the authorities, as well as a garage with two of Hos used cars and a carp-filled pond. The Presidential Palace is also nearby, but its not always open to visitors. Pamphlets are available in English, Chinese, French, and Korean. Guided tours are usually available if you wait. Paying is not enforced unless you are one of the unlucky few to be outed from the crowd. 25,000 dong. • One-Pillar Pagoda, (Tucked away between the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Museum). Travellers find the One-Pillar Pagoda either charming and lovely or utterly pointless, depending on how many tour groups are crammed into the small grounds at the time of their visit. Free. • Fine Arts Museum - Bảo Tàng Mỹ Thuật, 66 Nguyen Thai Hoc St. Tuesday to Sun from 9:15am to 5pm. Only party-approved Socialist art is shown here and most of the rooms have an small board explaining the history, aesthetics, and techniques of the paintings in that exhibit in Vietnamese, French, and English. It is an interesting museum at any rate, with pieces such as the wonderful pictures of soldiers on boats depicted on prehistoric bronze drums, Buddhist art, and revolutionary art of the 20th century wars. Also some interesting silk paintings. 20,000 dong. • Army Museum - Bảo Tàng Quân Đội, Dien Bien Phu St. 8AM-11:30AM, 1:00PM-4:30PM, closed on Monday and Friday. Vietnams military history extends back some two millennia, and this museum covers it on four buildings with interesting pieces. Item descriptions on museum exhibits are in Vietnamese, French and English. On display outside are the ubiquitous MiG-21 jet fighter, T-54 tank and many bombs and articles captured on Indochina and Vietnam wars. closed monday and friday. 30,000 dong, additional 20,000 dong to take pictures (rarely enforced). • Air Force Museum - Bảo Tàng Không Quân, Truong Chinh St (SW of the city centre). Theres a decent outdoor collection of a UH-1 helicopter, Soviet-built MiG fighters, a huge Mi-6 helicopter, and other aircraft; unfortunately theyve been exposed to the elements for some time and local kids climb over them. • National Museum of Vietnamese History -Bảo tàng Lịch sử Việt Nam, 1 Trang Tien St. 8AM-11:30AM, 1:30PM-4:30PM. This is a collection from Vietnamese history from about 1,000 years back until 1945. Many antiques along with replicas where the originals are in situ. 15,000 dong, students 8,000 dong and under 15, 2,000 dong. 15,000 dong for a camera/30,000 dong for a video. • Museum of the Vietnamese Revolution -Bảo tàng Cách mạng Việt Nam, 25 Tong Dan St (and 216 Tran Quang Khai St, [19]. Tu-Su 8AM-11:45AM, 1:30PM-4:15PM. This museum gives a very informed and detailed account of the Vietnamese struggle against first the French (starting in 1858 -- on the first floor), then against the Americans (on the ground floor - ending on 30 April 1975). It is housed in a colonial French building which was completed in 1932. The building, designed by the architect Ernest Hébrard is considered as a successful blend between the colonial French architecture and traditional Vietnamese architecture, called Indochina architecture. He created double-walls and balconies for a natural ventilation system and protection from sunshine. 10,000 dong. • Museum of Ethnology - Bao Tang Dan Toc Hoc Vietnam, Nguyen Van Huyen St, Cau Giay district (Bus 14 from Hoan Kiem Lake - ask the conductor when to stop, and take a 500 m walk towards the museum (backtrack a little from the bus stop, and when you see a large street perpendicular to the street that you dropped off, take that street and walk down the street until you see the Museum of Ethnology to your left). Bus 38 goes from right outside the Temple of Literature to the street the museum is on.). Tu-Su 8:30-17:30. covers mainly the culture and ritual practices of the various ethnic groups in the whole of Vietnam - one of the key attractions of the museum is the open-air exhibition, which has houses of some ethnic groups, which even comes with inhabitants in costumes. The museum features actual explanations of the exhibits in Vietnamese, French and English. The Museum of Ethnology houses the excellent chocolate and baguette cafe, which has excellent fare at a reasonable price - an excellent pit-stop after the museum visit. 40,000 dong for foreigners. • Hanoi Museum - Bảo tàng Hà Nội, Pham Hung St, Cau Giay district. • Temple of Literature - Văn Miếu, Quoc Tu Giam St (south of the Mausoleum). The Temple of Literature was founded in 1070 and established as the countrys first university six years later. The courtyard features numerous stone tablets, each mounted on the back of a tortoise, with the names of graduates over the centuries. 20,000 dong (Mar 2012). • Ngoc Son Temple. Extends out into the lake, with small but attractive grounds, displays on Vietnamese history and, more memorably, displays on the giant turtles, including a mummified specimen. The site is frequently very crowded with tourists. 20,000 dong. • Bach Ma Temple, 76 Hang Buom St, Hoan Kiem district. Time: the 12th to the 13th day of the second lunar month. Objects of worship: Bach Ma God (the symbol of God of sun), Long Do Spirit (the defender of the east), confer a title of “Thang Long Capital of Nation royal tutelary god. Xuan Nguu presenting rite. Negotiable. • Hani Temple, Hang Dong St, Hoan Kiem district, ☎ +84 1 658 665 854. 09:00 until close.. A fairly recent temple founded only 23 years ago with the object of worship, Hani Goddess (the symbol of the Vietnamese Goddess of beauty and love). Displays of Vietnamese wonderment and beauty. Locals and tourists are just beginning to understand this magnificent specimen. Ticket price: Seasonal. See ticket seller for additional details. Parks • Hoan Kiem Lake. A pleasant park in the centre of town, within easy walking distance from anywhere in the Old Quarter. Its the locals favourite leisure spot, and a great place to watch people practising tai chi in the morning or to sit and read in the afternoon. Hoan Kiem means returned sword, and the name comes from a legend in which King Le Loi was given a magical sword by the gods, which he used to drive out the invading Chinese. Later, while boating on the lake, he encountered a giant turtle, which grabbed the sword and carried it down to its depths, returning it to the gods from whom it had come. (You can see a version of the legend at the Water Puppet Theater - see below.) Rumour has it the giant turtles still inhabit the lake. A mummified specimen is on display at the Ngoc Son Temple. • Ho Tay - West Lake, (northwest of the city). mostly a residential hub of the well-to-do. Hotel Intercontinental and Hanoi Sheraton are on this lake front. The shores are occupied by numerous fishermen. • Lenin Statue & Park, (Dien Bien Phu St, across from the Army Museum). One can always feel the diversity and liveliness of Hanoi there. In the morning, there are low-energy aerobics class for the elders and aerobic class for younger in the morning. During the day, one can enjoy the tranquility in the park since everybody is either at work or in school. In the afternoon, it becomes a playground for children and students as well as for soccer teams and badminton players. • Ly Thai To Statue & Park. The park faces Hoan Kiem lake with a beautiful view of the busy Hang Bai street and the serenity of the willows on the bank of the lake. Once known as Chi Linh Garden, then Indira Gandhi Park, many Hanoians view this mini-park as their favourite place because it is a symbol of the integration of modernity and tradition. One would surely encounter a group of youths who is practicing hip-hop and break dance while at the same time, meeting a three-generation family enjoying a walk in the park. Wartime sites • Hoa Lo Prison (The Hanoi Hilton), 1 Hoa Lo, Hoan Kiem. 8:30AM-11:30AM, 1:30PM-4:30PM. This prison was built by the French at the turn of the 20th century, in classical French prison design. This is where the French imprisoned and executed many of the Vietnamese revolutionaries. Now a museum (2/3 of the prison was torn down to make way for the Hanoi Towers), the museum exhibits the brutal French colonial regime and the struggle of the Vietnamese people against imperialism in chilling details. The prison was also known as the Hanoi Hilton during the Vietnam War as it held American POWs shot down. Little emphasis is given to this period however, and the exhibits shown can be frustratingly skewed in propaganda, choosing to show solely regime sanctioned photos of prisoners being treated well and playing basketball, playing chess, and other staged events. They also claim to have John McCains flight suit from when his plane was shot down. 20,000 dong. • B-52 Lake - Huu Tiep Lake, Ngoc Ha Precinct, Ba Dinh District. Until 19 December 1972, this was just a small brackish pond just off Hoang Hoa Tham Street, about 1 km west of the mausoleum. On that day, in a twisted retelling of the Hoan Kiem legend (see above), Vietnamese anti-aircraft guns took the eight-engined, 100-ton plane and sent it to the shallow bottom of the lake, where it remains today. There are more interesting things to see at your local junkyard. • Downed Aircraft Memorial. Along Thanh Nien Street on Truc Bach lake there is a stone plaque commemorating the shooting down of a U.S. Navy (not USAF as depicted) aircraft in 1967. Peruse the Vietnamese script and you can pick out the name of John McCain, one of the airmen. • Army Museum, (Dien Bien Phu street, across from the Lenin Statue mini-park and is in the area of embassies). Retells the stories of many battles throughout the country’s history. There are documents as well as models in the museum to make the retelling more interesting. They have the model of the B-52 plane, tanks and even canons. DO As in any capital city, you will be spoilt for choice, but some specifics: Theatre • Ca trù Hanoi Club (87 Ma May street, 5-minute walk from Hoan Kiem Lake). A visit to Ca trù Hanoi Club should be the first priority for ones who love Asian traditional arts and aristocratic court music. Ca trù is an unique and fascinating genre of chamber music in Vietnam which traces it roots back to the 10th century. It is performed by a female vocalist who sings a repertoire of poetic melodies using her vibrato and unique breathing techniques. Rhythm is kept using aphach, which the singer manipulates by striking three wooden sticks against a bamboo bar; an accompanying instrumentalist plays the three-stringed lute dan day; a drummer using a small drum completes the trio. The songs are all fascinatingly restrained and expressive, at times hauntingly beautiful. Today, ca trù is promoted by the government of Vietnam as the countrys national asset, and it was officially recognized by UNESCO as one of the Intangible Cultural Heritages of humankind in 2009. Attending a ca tru show in Ca tru Hanoi club is highly recommended for those who enjoy traditional performing arts. The atmospheric combination of sitting in a temple courtyard, imbued in soft lighting and sipping Vietnamese tea while ca tru is sung leaves a pleasant impression. The shows are performed at 20:00 every Tues, Thur, and Sat, translation is provided by volunteers. The price of a single ticket is 200,000 Vietnamese dong (c. USD10, but only Vietnamese dong are accepted). You can ask your hotel to book it for you at the same price • Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre (57 Dinh Tien Hoang St, across the street from the shores of the Hoan Kiem Lake, ☎ +84 4 824-9494, fax: +84 4 824-5117, A visit to the water puppet theatre is a real highlight of a trip to Hanoi. Live musicians accompany folk legends from Vietnamese history, told with wooden men, women and dragons, dancing and splashing on the face of the water. The narratives are sung in Vietnamese, but a list of titles is available in several languages. It is more of a visual-musical thing which is universal, just ignore the dialogues and narration but be on the look for special effects. Even in the 21st century, they still elicit an ahhh moment from the audience. Tickets are 60,000 and 100,000 dong. There are several performances throughout the day, and its even possible to buy tickets even if the showing is going on for 15 minutes. And if you missed the first 15 minutes, be the last to leave and mix in with the incoming audience for the next performance. Camera passes are an extra 15,000 dong, but whether you buy one or not is purely on the honour system. Dont worry about getting wet, but the seats are very small, and visitors with above-average height will have to squirm a bit. • Golden Bell Show is a collection of Vietnamese traditional art performances. (Golden Bell Theatre, No. 72 Hang Bac St, Hoan Kiem District. Hotline for booking tickets - ☎ +84 988 307 272, 130,000 dong ) Every Saturday 20:00-21:00. This is a colourful, fun, flashy Vietnamese variety show. It attempts to give the audience a little taste of different styles of dance and performance from all areas of Vietnam. The theatre is small, ensuring that every seat is a good one. The first four rows are dedicated to non-Vietnamese speakers because they are equipped with headphones that offer translation of anything spoken in Vietnamese. This show is extremely entertaining and a great way to spend a Saturday night. Cinema • CGV Cinemas (formerly Megastar)— is on the 6th floor of the Vincom City Towers, 191 Ba Trieu and 5th floor of MIPEC Tower, 229 Tay Son. Movies are really updated, and facilities are OK, even though not really new. • Platinum Cineplex A chain of four cinemas located withing shopping centers in Hanoi. Most facilities are new and movies are also updated. Ticket varies from 45 000VND to 160 000VND, depending on seat, movie and location. • National Cinema Theater A state-run cinema, however, movies are quite good, and ticket price is extremely reasonable • August Movie Theater (Rap Thang 8) on Hang Bai street, 5 min away from Trang Tien Plaza and the commercial area, such as Pho Hue, Hai Ba Trung and Trang Tien streets. 35,000-60,000 dong. Quite old and not recommended Gym If you want to do some mild weight training on a budget, head to 88 Hang Buom St, a short walk from Hoan Kiem Lake. The cost is 20,000 dong per session as of February 2014. Locals apparently pay 130,000 dong/month. Be aware, however, that the gym is in very poor condition. Equipment is archaic and crowded together; some is home-made. The floor is hazardous and no one will spot you whilst benching so ensure you are able to place the bar back on the stand with your last repetition or go with a friend. The front of the gym is full of scooters and the rear wall has pictures of Uncle Ho exercising back in the day! Drinks are 10,000 dong. Rock climbing VietClimb,So 40 Ngo 76 An Duong, ☎ +84 914 548 903. A climbing gym that opened in 2011. Tu-Su 14:00-20:00. 200 m² climbing surface, a 50 m² café and terrace to chill out, and a climbing pro-shop. Also a great place for finding out where to climb immediately outside of Hanoi. The gym is not in the greatest condition and is rather small, so dont go with high expectations. EAT Since the mid 90s, Vietnamese cuisine has grown in quality and variation, and is now very diverse and most delicious. Most famous remains Pho Ga (chicken noodle soup) or Pho Bo(Beef noodle soup). There are various dishes including chicken, beef, fish and seafood, and there are hundreds, if not thousands, of restaurants nowadays in Hanoi catering to everyones taste. Hanoi street food become a cuisine culture of Hanoi. In Hanoi, there are hundreds of street stalls in small kiosks on the sidewalk, with plastic tables and chairs on the pavement. Grabbing a bite at these eateries is a great way to experience the local food and culture. It is worth mentioning that food quality, freshness, and hygiene can vary greatly. A bowl of noodle soup goes for as little as 30,000 dong. Market food stalls also offer an assortment of other snacks: fruit portions, sausages, donuts, and other eats for 10,000 to 20,000 dong (Jan 2011, 0.5-1 USD). Be sure to get your change as a few vendors seem to forget to return it to you, and learn a little Vietnamese because vendors often will not speak any or much English. Want to experience Hanoi street food, so the tours The rule of thumb is if the price is expensive, hygiene quality may or may not be OK, but if the price is cheap, definitely hygiene quality is compromised. There seemed to be no regular food Health Department inspector working regularly in the city. Another rule of thumb is that Vietnamese have no qualms charging double or more for tourists, as prices are seldom listed on stalls or within shops. Either learn to speak Vietnamese or prepare to pay up to 50,000 dong for that bowl of pho which locals next to you are paying 25,000 dong (as of Dec 2012). For groceries, there is a large supermarket east of Hoan Kiem Lake (Finimart, 27A Ly Thai To, at Tran Nguyen Han). ….. DRINK Bia Hơi is abundant in the streets of the Old Quarter. At the crossing of Ta Hien and Luong Ngoc Quyen five separate venues fill up with travellers in the evenings, but you can get more local atmosphere on some of the side streets. Hanoi is a lively city on the weekends, but the Old Quarter closes relatively early (at midnight) on weekdays, so you might want to start your night early. Other places outside the Old Quarter stay open later and vary in closing times. Local young people gather around the cathedral located in Ly Quoc Su to have lemon ice tea (Tra Chanh) and sunflower seeds in street bars. After dark it gets quite crowded. Tra Chanh: 8,000 to 10,000 dong. Sit on a plastic chair in front of one of the Bia Hoi (fresh beer) establishments which are invariably situated on the corners of many of Hanois Old Quarter streets. This preservative-free light beer is the perfect drink to sip as you watch the citys frenetic life bustle by. The beer costs typically 5,000 dong and gives you an excuse to relax and take photos of the passing local characters. Should not be missed. Moreover, once you reach the Old Quarter, you will find that almost every corner is filled with stalls selling Pho (Vietnamese noodle) and cafe (the name is not limited only to coffee, but also tea, sweets and grocery items, and yes, even to Pho!). On Tô Tich, a small street connecting Hang Quat and Hang Gai, you can help yourself to a refreshing fruit milkshake (sinh tố) at one of the stalls (~20.000 dong). ….. STAY SAFE Compared to other cities in the developing world, Hanoi is reasonably safe, especially for tourists and expats. The most important danger to watch out for is avoiding traffic while crossing the street as car and motorbike traffic saturate most tourist areas of Hanoi. … COPE ATM Limits Please note before you arrive in Hanoi (or Vietnam in general) that ATMs are notorious for having low limits. Most ATM withdrawal amounts max out at 2,000,000-5,000,000 dong per withdrawal, which may be a concern if your bank charges an international withdrawal fee. While this is not necessarily a concern except for those travelers who are on a budget, please consider this and plan accordingly before arriving in Hanoi. Some strategies include bringing cash (like Thai Baht or USD) to use at money exchangers thus avoiding ATM fees, or to open an account with a bank that either has with no international transaction fees or has a branch in Hanoi (such as HSBC or ANZ). Visa Extensions Extending your stay in Vietnam can be done with relative ease in Hanoi. The cost will vary depending on your country of origin as well as your visa type (1 month single entry vs multiple entry vs 3 month entry etc). The most common way to extend your visa is to have an intermediary broker the transaction rather than going directly to the Immigration office to do the paperwork yourself. Every hostel, hotel, and trip agency is able to do this for you, at widely varying prices, so you should definitely ask for the cost at two or three different places to ensure youre not getting ripped off (getting a quote takes about a minute, as asking for visa extensions is a rather common request at most places). As a point of reference, a one month single-entry visa for a US citizen was quoted in June 2014 at prices ranging from $32 to $50 for an additional month extension (you can extend up to 3 months at a time, but the cost for it in the said situation ranged from $140 to $150 so it may be best to request extensions month by month), with a 4 day processing time (excluding weekends). You relinquish your passport to the broker. Please remember to get a receipt. The extension adds 30 days on top of the expiration of your original visa. For what it is worth, Hanoi City Hostel on 95 Hang Ga street did the job flawlessly for US passports for $32 (July 2014). Embassies • Argentina, 4F, Sentinel Pl, 41A Ly Thai To St, ☎ +84 4 3831-5262. • Australia, 8 Dao Tan St, ☎ +84 4 3774-0100. • Canada, 31 Hung Vuong, ☎ +84 (4) 3734 5000. Monday to Thursday: 08:00 – 12:00 and 13:00 – 17:00; Friday: 08:00 – 13:30. or in case of problems with the preceding number +84 (4) 8323 5500 Fax: +84 (4) 3734 5049 • China, 46 Hoang Dieu Rd, ☎ +84 4 38453736. • Czech Republic, 13 Chu Van An St, ☎ +84 4 3845-4131(-2). • Denmark, 19 Dien Bien Phu St, ☎ +84 4 3823-1888. • Egypt, ☎ +84 4 38294999 (egyembhanoi@yahoo, fax: +844 38294997). 9:00 AM - 16:00 PM. • France, 57 Tran Hung Dao St, ☎ +84 4 3944-5700. • Germany. • Greece, 28 Thanh Nien Rd, Tay Ho District, ☎ +84 4 3715 2254, +84 4 3715 2263. • India, 58-60, Tran Hung Dao, ☎ +84 4 253409 (+84 4 252310). • Indonesia, 50 Ngo Quyen St, ☎ +84 4 825 3353 (+84 4 8257969). • Italy, 9 Le Phung Hieu, ☎ +84 4 3825-6256. • Japan, 27 Lieu Giai, Ba Dinh District, ☎ +84 4 3846 3000. • Malaysia, 43-45 Dien Bien Phu, ☎ +84 4 3734 3849. • Netherlands, 6F, Daeha Office Tower, 360 Kim Ma St, ☎ +84 4 3831-5650. • Norway, 8th Floor, Hanoi Tower, 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi, ☎ +84 4 3974-8900. • Pakistan, Villa 44/2, Van Bao Street, Van Phuc Diplomatic Compound, ☎ 04-37562251 ([email protected], fax: 04-37562253). M-F 0900-1700. • Poland. • Russia, 191 La Thanh St, ☎ +84 4 833 6991/2 (Consular Department +84 4 833-6575). • Singapore, 41-43 Tran Phu St, ☎ +84 4 3848-9168. • Sweden. • Switzerland, 15F Hanoi Central Office Bldg, 44B Ly Thuong Kiet St, ☎ +84 4 3934-6589. • Taiwan. • Thailand, 63-65 Hoang Dieu Street, ☎ +84-4-382-35092 ([email protected], fax: +84-4-382-35088). • Ukraine, 6 Le Hong Phong St., Ba Dinh Dist., ☎ +84 4 3734 4484 ([email protected], fax: +84 4 3734 4497). • United Kingdom, Central Bldg, 31 Hai Ba Trung, ☎ +84 4 936 0550. • United States, 7 Lang Ha Street, Dong Da, ☎ +84-4-3850-5000. Monday – Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm. Immigration office • Immigration department, 40A Hang Bai, Hanoi, ☎ 8266200. for visa extensions and others GET OUT If you are the adventurous type or simply bored temporarily of the city atmosphere, then consider a cruise in the northern countryside. A round trip will bring you to a lot of charming villages and through hills and valleys with stunning nature. Main roads are generally in good condition and you can easily do a couple of hundred kilometers a day. The villages and provinces are generally safe at night, and you get to see a lot of Vietnamese culture such as various tribe folks. While bus services are in fact available (albeit not always reliable), a recommended alternative is to rent a bike or car and make the trip on your own. Motorbikes in decent quality can be rented for as little as US$5 a day, and many places have suggestions for routes. • Ha Long Bays spectacular ocean karst topography is the most popular side-trip from Hanoi. 2 day 1 night Ha Long Bay cruise could be bargained at 45 USD at travel agencies. If contacting directly to the guide (on the pier in Halong city or when the bus comes to pick up tourists) price could be 40 usd or less. This price includes transportation, accommodation, all tickets and entrance fees, kayaking and food. Ask all the options to be written on your receipt and take foto of your receipt, since guide will collect it. Guide will try to scam you - ask to buy admission ticket, pay for kayaking, etc... Food is very limited on the boat, so it might be good idea to book tour without food (10 USD less) and bring your own. Drinks (even water) are not included and are quite expensive on the boat. Boats and cabins are ok (it is well-controlled industry). There are hundreds of cruise boats leaving everyday, most are quite similar. People who pay more, for deluxe cruise often are being send on the same tour with who pays minimum price. All cabins on the same boat are nearly same, just specify in advance whether you need twin or double. Be carefull in kayaking, they might give you half-broken paddles, but if it finally breaks completely, they will charge you. • The Sapa mountain region, home to ethnic minorities, gorgeous mountain scenery, and trekking paths connecting many tiny mountain villages is the second most popular trip. It is accessible by bus or train to Lao Cai, then onward by minibus or hired motorbike. • Perfume Pagoda, (Not reasonably reachable by public transport. Tours are available anywhere in Hanoi.). An ancient Buddhist pilgrimage site about 60 km southwest of Hanoi. A full-day excursion that involves a boat trip to the main site, where you will hike (30-45 min) or take a cable car up a mountain. Near the top is a large limestone cave containing Buddhist shrines and statues. There are various other temples and grottoes along the way. Tour from US$15 including transport, lunch, and admission. • Bat Trang, a village world-famous for its pottery, 9 km southeast of Hanoi. It is accessible by taking Bus 47, which originates at Long Bien. Just hop on (the bus will be clearly labelled with the number 47 and the text Long Bien - Bat Trang; bus fare is 5,000 dong one-way as of December 2013) and take it to the last stop, which is directly opposite the pottery market (haggle for lower prices, and insist on paying in Dong). Head back up the street to the factories to see artists at work. • Cao Bang, featuring the beautiful Ban Gioc waterfall, is five hours away by bus, near the Chinese border. • The Cuc Phuong National Park, the largest national park in Vietnam, and an easy day-trip from Hanoi. • Co Loa is the oldest ancient capital in the region; a little visited site slightly northeast of Hanoi. • Tam Coc/Hoa Lu: Located in Ninh Binh province, this day trip is a combines heritage tourism and natural landscape tourism. Hoa Lu is the site of the first capital of Vietnam in the 10th century, and was home to two kings-- Dinh Bo Linh (Dinh Tien Hoang) and Le Hoan-- there are now two shrines dedicated to these two kings. About 30 min away from Hoa Lu is Tam Coc [three grottoes]-- also known as Halong Bay on land. It features karst landforms surrounded by paddy fields, and is accessed by little wooden boats. Boats, with a boatman, are for hire at US$3.50/trip, 2 passengers to a boat, which takes about one hour. Obviously, the front seat is the better seat. This is an excellent alternative to Halong Bay for those who have short attention spans, as the boat trip takes a mere hour versus Halong Bay tourist boats which take 5 hours. One minor annoyance involves pedlars on boats hawking their wares, and your boat rower trying to sell you embroidery. This is especially trying at the halfway point when the boats are about to turn around for the return trip. A large number of hawkers on boats will be waiting at that point and will attempt to pressure the passengers to buy souvenirs or snacks, while your boatman makes no attempt to move away. Either buy a small item/snack/drink, or politely but firmly turn them down. Theyll generally give up after a few uncomfortable minutes. Trip can be booked in Hanoi for about US$20.
Posted on: Fri, 26 Sep 2014 06:42:14 +0000
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