World City Guide

Mini Guide of Hanoi

City Overview

Hanoi, the capital of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, is an elegant city located on the banks of the Red River with tranquil Hoan Kiem Lake at its heart. North of the lake are the bustling streets of the Old Quarter, each street named after the trade that used to take place there. Much of the city was transformed by the French when it became a French protectorate in the 1880s and there are wide boulevards and large colonial buildings which are now home to government departments and foreign embassies. Ho Chi Minh established the Viet Minh during the Second World War in order to gain independence from France. Fighting continued until 1954 when the French surrendered to the Viet Minh at Dien Bien Phu and Hanoi became capital of North Vietnam, but Ho Chi Minh was determined to reunite the whole country. The USA came to the support of South Vietnam and full-scale war broke out in 1965. The Americans withdrew in 1973 and fighting continued until 1975 when Saigon fell to North Vietnamese troops. Vietnam was reunited under Hanoi and communist rule the following year.

For many years Hanoi had a reputation as an austere city, unwelcoming to visitors. Life was hard for the residents as the city and country rebuilt itself. Hanoi had been continuously bombed by the Americans throughout the Vietnam War. Following years of rampant inflation, poverty and repression, the government introduced economic reform or doi moi in 1986, allowing people to own their own businesses. Now Hanoi has been totally transformed and visitors are entranced by the city and its residents.

Getting There By Air

Noi Bai Airport (HAN)
Tel: (04) 886 5053/5127.

The airport is around 35km (21 miles) north of the city. It is the second largest of three international airports in the country (Ho Chi Minh City being the largest) and it serves cities in Asia and Europe with regular flights to Bangkok, Hong Kong, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. The new terminal was opened around four years ago and is spacious and modern.

Airport facilities include bureau de change, duty-free shops and cafes. There are no car hire providers at the airport.

Vietnam Airlines minibuses operate a bus service into the city and their office on Quang Trung Street. Metered taxis are also available.

Getting There By Water

Getting There By Road

The road network throughout Vietnam is reasonable but the standard of the roads varies dramatically from good to appalling. Roads throughout Vietnam are designated by numbers and the main north to south route is Highway 1 connecting Hanoi with Ho Chi Minh City. In theory, traffic drives on the right but in practice drivers take the most direct path avoiding the many thousands of bicycles, motorbikes and animals wandering along the road. As self-driven car hire for visitors is non-existent, visitors to the country have to hire a car with a driver. Most will agree that this is the only way until the country introduces and enforces a system of road rules. There are basic rules, such as you must stop at a red light and headlights must be used at night, but that tends to be as far as it goes. Long-term foreign residents are allowed to drive a car but few are brave enough to do so, preferring to employ a Vietnamese driver. It is safe to assume that if a foreigner is driving a car involved in an accident, he or she will automatically be at fault.

Emergency Breakdown Service: None

There are several bus stations around the city, each serving different destinations. The buses throughout Vietnam range from fairly good to ramshackle. Some express services to Ho Chi Minh City are in relatively modern air-conditioned buses, but videos can play constantly throughout the journey. Services on short journeys depart when they are full and those travelling longer distances generally depart early in the morning.

It is not possible to book tickets over the telephone and visitors should go to the bus station the day before to check the schedule for the following day and purchase their ticket. In addition a very useful number is 1080 where English-speaking operators can give information on timetables.

Buses to Halong Bay and Haiphong depart from Gia Lam bus station on Nguyen Van Cu (tel: (04) 827 1529). Kim Ma bus station, Nguyen Thai Hoc (tel: (04) 845 2846) has buses to the north west of the country including Dien Bien Phu. Towns south of Hanoi, including Ho Chi Minh City, are served by buses from Giap Bat bus station on Giai Phong (tel: (04) 664 1971/4298).

Getting There By Rail

Duong Sat Vietnam trains leave from Ga Hang Co, 120 Le Duan (tel: (04) 942 3697; website: www.vr.com.vn) in the south west of the city, the starting point for trains north to Lao Cai, east to Haiphong and south to Ho Chi Minh City. The entrance for northern services is on Tran Quy Cap (tel: (04) 942 3433). There is only one major rail route in Vietnam from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, with minor routes to northern towns from Hanoi. Internationally, there is a regular train service to Beijing.

It is best to purchase tickets in person at the station and there is a special counter for foreigners. In addition, a very useful number is 1080 where English-speaking operators can give information on timetables. For long distances, it is best to book soft class sleepers (four people in each cabin) or soft seats for shorter distances. The alternative hard class sleepers (six people in each cabin) and hard class seats are uncomfortable and crowded. The train is a popular way to travel in Vietnam and trains are heavily booked around public holidays such as Tet.

Getting Around

Public Transport
The public bus system in Hanoi is confusing but very cheap although few short-term visitors to Hanoi will attempt it. There are around 50 bus routes operated by Hanoi Transerco (website: www.hanoitranserco.com.vn) with a flat rate fare, operating every 5-20 minutes (depending on the route) from 0500 to 2100 hours. Monthly passes are available. There is a hotline for bus information (tel: (04) 843 6393).

Taxis & Cyclos
Taxi and cyclo are the best way to travel around Hanoi. There are several taxi companies operating within the city and they are all metered. Restaurants, bars and hotels are quite happy to summon a taxi, otherwise vehicles can be hailed on the street. Visitors are advised to check that the meter is turned on. Reliable taxi companies are Airport Taxis (tel: (04) 873 3333), Hanoi Taxi (tel: (04) 853 5353) and Mai Linh Taxi (tel: (04) 822 2666). Cyclos often wait outside hotels and restaurants and a fare should be negotiated to your destination before setting off. Motorbike taxis can be found on street corners and these are a fast way of getting round the city.

Car Hire
It is not possible to rent a car to drive yourself but you can rent a car and driver for the day or longer duration from tour operator such as Exotissimo Travel , 26 Tran Nhat Duat (tel: (04) 828 2150; website: www.exotissimo.com); Vidotour, 308 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung District (tel: (04) 821 5682; website: www.vidotourtravel.com); and Buffalo Tours, 9-13 Hang Muoi (tel: (04) 828 0702; website: www.buffalotours.com).

Bicycle Hire
In a city that is home to thousands of bicycles, it is possible to rent a bicycle for a day or longer period from a number of outlets on Hang Bac Street in the Old Quarter.

If you are confident on a motorbike it is possible to rent them from shops, also on Hang Bac Street. You will need an international driving permit and a helmet is recommended, even though not compulsory in the city, only on the highways.

Business

Sightseeing

Sightseeing Overview
Many interesting sights are within walking distance of Hoan Kiem Lake, the tranquil heart of Hanoi. The lake is a magnet for locals and this is the place to join in a session of Tai Chi in the early morning. A lovely temple, Ngoc Son on the lake is reached by a small red lacquered bridge. The Old Quarter with its 36 fascinating streets bustling with activity is to the north of the lake. A small section of the ‘Hanoi Hilton’ or Hoa Lo Prison remains on Hoa Lo Street, although most of it was destroyed to make way for an office block. Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum is popular with tourists and there are a number of visitor attractions close by, including Ho Chi Minh’s House and Museum and the tiny One Pillar Pagoda, a lotus-shaped pagoda resting on a single stone pillar rising out of a lotus pool. Note that all museums throughout Hanoi and Vietnam are closed on Mondays and some also on Fridays.

Tourist Information
No such organisation exists in Vietnam yet. However, private tour companies do have some tourist information, although most literature relates to the tours they run. Reputable companies include Exotissimo Travel , 26 Tran Nhat Duat (tel: (04) 828 2150; website: www.exotissimo.com); Vidotour, 308 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung District (tel: (04) 821 5682; website: www.vidotourtravel.com); and Buffalo Tours, 9-13 Hang Muoi (tel: (04) 828 0702; website: www.buffalotours.com).

Passes
There are no tourist passes in Hanoi.

Key Attractions

The Old Quarter
A maze of 36 narrow streets named after the products that were traditionally sold here and home to the amazing tunnel houses which have a very narrow frontage hiding very long rooms.

North of Hoan Kiem Lake

Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum
Former President Ho Chi Minh lies in state here and people come from all over Vietnam and the world to pay their respects.

Ba Dinh Square
Tel: (04) 843 5064.

The Temple of Literature
A beautifully preserved temple dating from 1070 which became the first university in Vietnam where the sons of mandarins were educated.

Quoc Tu Giam Street
Tel: (04) 843 3615.

Fine Arts Museum
Museum housed in a fine building with exhibits of artworks from prehistory to the present day.

66 Nguyen Thai Hoc
Tel: (04) 846 5801.

Ho Chi Minh’s House
The simple stilt house where Ho Chi Minh occasionally lived when he was president, still containing many of his personal effects.

1 Bach Thao, Ba Dinh
Tel: (04) 823 4760.

Further Distractions

Tran Quoc Pagoda
A well used pagoda on an islet on the West Lake which has a tranquil garden and spectacular centrepiece.

Thanh Nien
Tel: (04) 829 3869.

Ho Chi Minh Museum
Dedicated to the life of the former President, Ho Chi Minh, with many of his personal items.

Off Ba Dinh Square
Tel: (04) 846 3752.

Tours of the City

A bus tour is the best way to explore Hanoi as many areas of interest are rather spread out. A typical tour takes in Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, One Pillar Pagoda, Temple of Literature and Tran Quoc Pagoda. The 36 streets of the Old Quarter should be explored on a cyclo tour cruising at a leisurely pace through the throng of vehicles along the most interesting streets. Tours can be booked through Exotissimo Travel , 26 Tran Nhat Duat (tel: (04) 828 2150; website: www.exotissimo.com); Vidotour, 308 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung District (tel: (04) 821 5682; website: www.vidotourtravel.com); and Buffalo Tours, 9-13 Hang Muoi (tel: (04) 828 0702; website: www.buffalotours.com).

Excursions

The best-known excursion from Hanoi is to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Halong Bay around four hours away. The bay has thousands of limestone islets rising up from the sea, many of them containing spectacular caves, a few of which can be visited. The journey to Halong Bay and a boat trip can be done in a long day but the best way to experience the bay and to see floating villages is to spend a night on a boat.

Closer to Hanoi, around 65km (40 miles) south east of the city, is the Perfume Pagoda, a delightful series of pagodas and Buddhist shrines in a natural setting of forest streams, lakes and grottoes. The Perfume Pagoda itself is reached by boat and a steep path.

Sport

Shopping

Hanoi is a shopper’s paradise highlighting the style the Vietnamese possess. The Old Quarter has numerous streets crammed with shops but those of particular interest are on Hang Gai and Hang Bong where there are a number of tailors and silk shops. The area close to Hoan Kiem Lake has some excellent shops including Hai Ba Trung Street. Dong Xuan Market on Dong Xuan Street is Hanoi’s largest wholesale and retail centre and anything and everything can be found there. Off-the-peg clothing is always a good buy, but even better is to have clothes made up by one of the many tailors. There is always a good range of coloured silk to choose from. Hand-embroidered tablecloths and napkins are very popular. Items such as boxes and vases made from lacquerware are extremely good value. The hill tribes of the Central Highlands and the north of the country now sell colourful woven bags and clothing in the city. Good souvenirs are marble figurines and vases, ceramics from Bat Trang village, silk paintings and hand-painted greetings cards. Shops are generally open seven days a week from early morning until late evening.

Culture

Cultural entertainment is rather thin on the ground throughout the city but there are a few outlets. Information on performances can be found in the daily English-language newspaper the Vietnam News and the monthly The Guide, published by the Vietnam Economic Times. An alternative source of information is Time Out, a free supplement in the weekly Vietnam Investment Review. Tickets should be purchased in person at the venue.

Traditional entertainment is found at the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre, 57b Dinh Tien Hoang (tel: (04) 824 9494; website: www.thanglongwaterpuppet.org). Hanoi’s Opera House, 1 Trang Tien, tel: (04) 933 0131/13 is a beautiful building showing orchestral, choral, ballet and theatrical works. Films are shown at the Goethe Institute, 56-58 Nguyen Thai Hoc (tel: (04) 734 2251) and at L’Espace, 24 Trang Tien (tel: (04) 936 2164). Don’t expect to see recent blockbusters.

Nightlife

Hanoi isn’t well known for its nightlife, as the city streets can appear pretty deserted soon after 2200. However, the situation is improving and there are a number of great places in which to pass an evening, although clubs and live music venues are still in short supply. Government restrictions mean that venues are unable to stay open very late and there are occasional police raids should a club flout the unspecified regulations. Much of the nightlife takes place around the Old Quarter and around Hoan Kiem Lake.

Most nightlife venues in Hanoi are on the small side, but the ambience is great and the crowds friendly.

The Spotted Cow, 23c Hai Ba Trung; Finnegan’s Irish Pub, 16a Duong Thanh; Hoavien Brauhaus (a microbrewery pub), 008 doc Ngoc Ha, Ba Dinh District; Polite Pub, 5 Bao Khanh Street and Funky Monkey, 15b Hang Hanh, are all good places for a drink or two. Apocalypse Now, 2 Dong Tac, or New Century, 10 Trang Thi Street, are two of the best clubs in town if you fancy a bit of dancefloor action. Check out the Jazz Club, 31 Luong Van Can; Indochine Jazz Club, 62 Nguyen Truong To; and Seventeen Saloon, 98b Tran Hung Dao, for live music acts.

City Statistics

Location: On the Red River, northern Vietnam.
Country dialling code: 84.
Time zone: GMT + 7 (GMT + 6 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz; round two-pin plugs are standard.
Average January temp: 15ºC (59ºF).
Average July temp: 30ºC (86ºF).
Annual rainfall: 1,600mm (63 inches).

Special Events

Tet, the Vietnamese New Year, Jan or Feb according to the lunar calendar, with celebrations across the city
Liberation Day, 30 Apr, parades to celebrate the liberation of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) in 1975
International Labour Day, 1 May, makes a two-day holiday after Liberation Day
Ho Chi Minh’s Birthday, national holiday to celebrate the birthday of the former president, 19 May, with street parades
National Day, celebrating the Declaration of Independence in 1945 of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (also anniversary of the death of Ho Chi Minh), 2 Sep, with street parades
Mid-Autumn Festival, (celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month), Oct, a celebration for children with parades and dragon dances
Christmas, 25 Dec, celebrated by the small Christian community but increasingly seen as a party period by others

Cost of Living

1,000 Vietnamese Dong (VND1,000) = £0.04; US$0.06; C$0.07; A$0.08; ¬0.05
Currency conversion rates as of October 2005