Hanoi

Hanoi

By turns exotic, squalid, gauche and hip, the high-octane Vietnamese capital of Hanoi provides a full-scale assault on the senses. Its crumbly, lemon-hued colonial architecture is a feast for the eyes; swarms of buzzing motorbikes invade the ear, while the delicate scents and tastes of delicious street food can be found all across a city that – unlike so many of its regional contemporaries – is managing to modernize with a degree of grace.

Despite its political and historical importance, and the incessant noise drummed up by a population of over six million, Hanoi exudes a more intimate, urbane appeal than Ho Chi Minh City.

Hanoi city centre comprises a compact area known as Hoan Kiem District, which is neatly bordered by the Red River embankment in the east and by the rail line to the north and west, while its southern extent is marked by the roads Nguyen Du, Le Van Huu and Han Thuyen.

The district takes its name from its present-day hub and most obvious point of reference, Hoan Kiem Lake, which lies between the cramped and endlessly diverting Old Quarter in the north, and the tree-lined boulevards of the French Quarter, arranged in a rough grid system, to the south.

West of this central district, across the rail tracks, some of Hanoi’s most impressive monuments occupy the wide open spaces of the former Imperial City, grouped around Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum on Ba Dinh Square and extending south to the ancient walled gardens of the Temple of Literature.

A vast body of water confusingly called West Lake sits north of the city, harbouring a number of interesting temples and pagodas, but the attractive villages that once surrounded it have now largely given way to upmarket residential areas and a smattering of luxury hotels.

Things to do in Hanoi

■ Visit Imperial Citadel of Thang Long
■ Visit Water Puppet Theatre
■ Visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
■ Visit The Perfume Pagoda
■ Enjoy the night view of Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son
■ Shop Dong Xuan Market

Eat in Hanoi

■ Bánh bao (Chinese baozi)
■ False dog dish (bun gia cay)
■ Crab noodle soup (bun rieu)
■ Stir fried noodles (pho xao)
■ Vermicelli & tofu with shrimp paste (bun dau mam tom)
■ Spring rolls (bun nem)

Stay in Hanoi

■ Art Hotel Hanoi
■ Hanoi Charm Hotel
■ Hanoi La Siesta Hotel & Spa
■ Oriental Central Hotel
■ Calypso Grand Hotel
■ Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi