HANOIHANOI TRAVELTRAVEL GUIDES GUIDES HANOIHANOI TRAVELTRAVEL GUIDES GUIDES HANOI HANOIPEOPLE’S PEOPLE’S COMMITEE COMMITEE CONTENTS Forehead ...........................................................9 Experience tourism ............................................140 Historic path ................................................... 12 Memories on bridges ......................................... 145 Cultural path ................................................... 27 Sole things in Ha Noi .......................................... 151 Spiritual path .................................................. 32 Useful information ............................................. 154 Experiment path .............................................44 Traffic ................................................................ 154 Information on flights ........................................ 160 Love paths ......................................................45 Airlines .............................................................. 164 Culinary paths ................................................46 Vehicles ............................................................. 166 Path of associated tour ...................................48 Specialities .........................................................176 Spring ............................................................. 52 Hotels, restaurants .............................................178 Summer .......................................................... 71 Embassy of countries .........................................184 Autumn ........................................................... 81 Banks ................................................................. 188 Winter ........................................................... 101 Hospitals ............................................................ 190 Traditional shopping ..................................... 116 Shopping recognized as the standard Complex shopping ........................................120 to serve tourists ................................................ 190 Center of trademarks .................................... 124 Cinemas, theaters .............................................. 191 Supporting offices ............................................. 192 Resort tourism .............................................. 126 Emergency phones ............................................ 193 Cultural tourism ............................................ 132 4 Hanoi travel guides Hanoi travel guides 5 ADMINISTRATIVE GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION DIVISIONS OF HANOI Located in the heart of the Red River Delta, the north Central business districts of Hanoi include Hoan of Hanoi shares boundaries with Thai Nguyen and Vinh Kiem, Ba Dinh, Dong Da, Hai Ba Trung, Tay Ho, Phuc provinces; The south borders Ha Nam and Hoa Thanh Xuan, Cau Giay, Long Bien, Hoang Mai, Ha Binh provinces; The e ast shares borders with Bac Giang, Dong, Bac Liem and Nam Tu Liem. The rural districts Bac Ninh and Hung Yen provinces; And the west has consist of Son Tay, Gia Lam, Dong Anh, Thanh Tri, land borders with Hoa Binh and Phu Tho provinces. Soc Son, Ba Vi, Chuong My, Dan Phuong, Hoai Duc, My Duc, Phu Xuyen, Phu Tho, Quoc Oai, Thach That, Thanh Oai, Thuong Tin, Ung Hoa and Me Linh. AREA POPULATION 3,249 square kilometres. 7.588 million people (as of 2015). CLIMATE SYSTEM OF MAJOR RIVERS AND LAKES As Hanoi is located in a tropical monsoon region, the weather of the city is characterised by four distinct sea- Da and Red are the two largest rivers flowing past the sons: Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. The average territory of Hanoi. The course of the Red River pass- winter temperature is 15.2oC while the average annual ing through Hanoi is 163 kilometres long, accounting temperature hovers at 23.6oC. Average annual rainfall is for one third lengths of the rivers flowing in Vietnam. 1,800mm. The temperature can be up to 45 °C. There are also other rivers flowing through Hanoi such as Duong, Cau, Ca Lo, Day, Nhue, Kim Nguu, and To Lich. Hanoi is famous for a host of lakes such as Hoan Kiem Lake (Sword Lake), West Lake, Thu Le Lake, Truc Bach Lake, Thien Quang Lake, Bay Mau Lake, Giang Vo Lake, Suoi Hai Lake (Ba Vi), Dong Mo Lake, Xuan Khanh Lake (Son Tay), Dong Suong Lake, Van Son Lake (Chuong My), Quan Son Lake, Tuy Lai Lake (My Duc). 6 Hanoi travel guides Hanoi travel guides 7 INTRODUCTION The more you know about Hanoi – the Capital of Vietnam, the more you will fall in love with it! Hanoi has always been a sacred land with a long history of development spanning thousands years. The city is home to many famous cultural relics and natural tourist attractions such as Hoang Thanh Thang Long (The Imperial Citadel of Thang Long), Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam (The Temple of Literature), the Old Quarter; along with traditional handicraft villages and exceptionally beautiful landscapes like Hoan Kiem Lake, West Lake, the Hanoi Opera House; as well as some large national museums and folk-art venues, for example traditional musical theatres and water puppet shows, which are really attractive to domestic and international tourists. Hanoi is the capital of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, also the political, cultural and scientific-technological centre of the country. Therefore, Hanoi is always the first choice of foreign tourists as one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Vietnam. With this guidebook “Hanoi Travel Guide”, we hope to help you fully discover and experience this amazing city, while enjoying your journey in the most fun and meaningful manner. 8 Hanoi travel guides Hanoi travel guides 9 ore than a millennium ago, the King Ly Thai To found one sacred natural site and decided to turn it into the capital Mof the country. It is said that the site included an area of broad, flat land with high terrain, bright sunshine and rich, fertile soils which meant the population would not suffer from floods and darkness. Then, the ancient land of Thang Long became an intersecting point of four directions of the country. A thousand years later, Thang Long - Hanoi is still Vietnam’s heart, the city of thousands of years of civilisation with its sacred and authentic beauty. Hanoi is a serene and antique city with ancient walls and old streets. Hanoi also has the beauty of a modern and youthful city which is set to rise strongly. Hanoi is a colourful land - a melting pot of cultural and spiritual values with sophisticated cuisine; a city which evokes different emotions just by strolling along the streets lined by decade-old iconic trees, seeing the flower vendors on cycles; or humming an old song to the people who have been living here for many years. Hanoi - where we come to return… 10 Hanoi travel guides Hanoi travel guides 11 THE PATH OF HISTORY HISTORY MILESTONES 208 BC: An Duong Vuong chose Co Loa as the capital of the country. 454 - 456: Establishmen of Tong Binh district (including Hanoi). 544: Ly Nam De setup the capital in Long Bien, built citadel on To Lich river. 866: Cao Bien built Dai La. 1010: King Ly Thai To moved capital to Dai La, named Thang Long. The are surrounding the royal citadel is called the capital, called Phu Ung Thien consisting of 61 wards. 1397: King Ho Quy Ly renamed the Capital as Dong Do. 1428: King Le Loi renamed the Capital as Dong Kinh. 1831: King Minh Mang set up Hanoi Province. 1888: French President set up Hanoi City. 06/01/1946: the first general election to elect the National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam was held and approved Hanoi as the Capital of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. 02/7/1976: the 6th meeting of the National Assembly approved that Hanoi is the Capital of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. 1st day: 13h30-14h30 pm: Moving Thang Long – Hanoi with The meeting on 31/05/2008, during the 3rd session of the 7th National Assembly approve its 1,000 years of history, 9h00-12h00 am: Visiting to Vietnam Military Histo- Ho Chi Minh relics, includ- ry Museum to visit Ha Noi to merge Ha Tay province, Me Linh district of Vinh Phuc province and four communes however, had not been dis- of Luong Son district of Hoa Binh province into Hanoi from August 1, 2008. covered during previous ing Ho Chi Minh Mausole- flagpole. periods. This made Thang um, Uncle Ho’s stilt house, 15.00-16.30 pm: Discover Long become an attractive Ho Chi Minh Museum. Thang Long Imperial Cita- destination for tourism with 12h00 am: Rest and Lunch del (visiting Doan Mon, Hau famous cultural and histor- 13h00-15h00 pm: Visiting Lau, Dien Kinh Thien, Bac ic sites such as Thang Long Temple of Literaturethe first Mon, House D67, Display Imperial Citadel, Temple University of Viet Nam. House) – relics linked to the of Literature, Turtle Tower, 15h30-16h30 pm: Visiting history of Thang Long 17.00 Ngoc Son Temple, One Pil- Vietnam Museum Of Eth- pm Ending day tour. nology, Hoa Lo Prison – a lar Pagoda, Thang Long Tu rd monument and a witness of 3 day: Tran, Co Loa Citadel, and 9h00-10h00 am: Discover Da Chong Monuments. the resilience and courage of the people of Vietnam during O Quan Chuong, one of the the war against colonialism. 21 remaining gate of Thang 17h00 pm: Ending the tour Long, built in the 10th year of the North. of Canh Hung Dynasty (1749). 2nd day: 12h00-13h00 pm: Rest, lunch. 9h00-12h00 am: Visiting 13h00-16h30 pm: Move Sword Lake monument (Tur- to visit the Co Loa Citadel tle Tower, The Huc Bridge, in Communes of Co Loa, Ngoc Son Temple, Nghien Duc Tu and Viet Hung of Tower, But Tower,...); Shop- Dong Anh district (Ha Noi) ping