Vietnam is one of the most visited destinations when travelers want great beaches, wonderful landscapes and great culture. The gateway to the country is usually the city of Hanoi, its capitalAlthough the beaches are the real destination, you have to spend a couple of days in the city because it has its own thing for the visitor.
Let's see then what can we see in Hanoi, the city that rests on the banks of the Red River and that used to be the capital of French Indochina in colonial times.
Thang Long Imperial Citadel
It is World Heritage since the city's 1000th birthday. It is near the Plaza in Ba Dinh and opposite the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. It was the political center of the region for thirteen uninterrupted centuries and the capital of Vietnam for eight centuries. Concentrates ancient buildings and archaeological sites with excavations that are quite new since they took place in the early years of the XNUMXst century.
Objects from the XNUMXth century to date have been found, foundations of old palaces, relics, layouts of old roads, bronze coins, ceramics from China, ponds and springs, stone fortresses and others. You will see the Hanoi Flag Tower, of little more than 33 meters high reaching 41 with the national flag (it was built in 1812), the North Gate and Tunnel and D67 House, the former headquarters of the Vietnamese People's Army between 1954 and 1975.
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
The Vietnamese also knew this political leader as the Uncle Ho. In the style of Lenin in Moscow, his body has been preserved and a mausoleum built for him. keep his glass coffin. It is in Ba Dinh Square and it is undoubtedly one of the attractions in Hanoi most visited by tourists.
Ho Chi Minh was the leader and head of the Vietnamese Communist party 1951 and until his death in 1969. His mausoleum was ready in 1975 and clearly It is inspired by Lenin's, with all its Soviet flair. It is a tall, square building with columns around it, which It is 21 meters high and about 41 meters wide. Around it there is a garden with 200 species of plants and flowers, from all over the country, and the square in front of it is in turn divided into 240 green squares with paths between them.
Ho Chi Ming was embalmed and today the coffin is guarded by a guard of honor. You can visit it between 8 and 11 am (closed on Mondays and Fridays), but as the hours are limited, it is advisable to arrive early because there are always people waiting. It is not allowed to enter with orthos or miniskirts, or eating, or chatting or anything like that.
The Perfume Pagoda
More than a single pagoda it is a complex that was built in the XNUMXth century although they rebuilt it a few more times since then. It is a Buddhist complex that it seems stuck in the mountain and is surrounded by greenery and streams. A lovely postcard.
It is not exactly in Hanoi but it is very close, that's why we include it. It is barely 60 kilometers away, in the Son Mountains, and it is worth going for the beauty of the destination but also for the beauty of the trip. It's two hours by car or bus and then a little boat trip at the foot of the mountains, allowing you to appreciate the art of its construction.
You can visit various pagodas, each with its sanctuary, and inside the caves there are stalactites and stalagmites of peculiar shapes. Some pagodas are Buddhist but a couple are animists.
Dong Xuan Market
Markets are a good place to experience local life, eat and shop. And take good photos, of course. East It is a huge market, the largest in Hanoi, and you will get things at a very good price.
It is a covered market built in 1889. It has four floors and a very Soviet style. You find it next to the old quarter of Hanoi and you can buy everything from electronic gadgets to sweatshirts, handicrafts and souvenirs. On the lower floors there are food stalls with very cheap prices. Be sure to try the duck soup, marinated pork with noodles, and Vietnamese coffee.
The market open every day from 6 am to 7 pm and is located in Hoan Kiem district.
Hoan Kiem Lake
Precisely in this district is the lake in question. It's about a popular destiny between the locals and the classic postcard has as its protagonist the island that is in the center of the lake that in turn contains the Ngoc Son Temple. You reach it by crossing a red painted wooden bridge and it's a great place to take photos.
The temple was built in the XNUMXth century to commemorate the XNUMXth century military victory over the Yuan Dynasty of China. It is a beautiful place, with trees, quiet, ideal for sitting down for a long time to chat or think. And who knows, hopefully you will spot some of the aquatic turtles that inhabit it in the waters of the lake. They say that seeing them brings good luck. Otherwise you can see the specimen that is preserved inside the pagoda, a gigantic tortoise that weighed 250 kilos in life.
How do you get to this corner of Hanoi? Well, you go to the old town, you go ahead and ask for the central post office that is right next to the lake. You must buy a ticket to cross the bridge and access the pagoda that open from 8 am to 5 pm every day.
Hanoi Old Quarter
Narrow streets, old buildings of different architectural styles motorcycles here and there, bicycles, street vendors and stalls everywhere. It is a very picturesque place truly. Sure, it has a lot of French flair too because the colonial offices were here.
The advice is to walk, walk and walk. You will see streets, temples, pagodas and many commercial stores specializing in the sale of jewelry, silk, cotton garments and herbs. You also have to look up to appreciate the old buildings above the shops and wander the narrow alleys to get good prices. In addition, there are internal courtyards with small shops.
Today too there are many cafes, restaurants, bakeries, bars and art galleries. In the Historical Center there are also emblematic places of Hanoi such as the Puppet Theater, the Dong Xuan Market, the Hanoi Opera House, the Hoan Kiem Lake or the National Museum of History, for example. And be careful, a lot of the city's nightlife also passes through here with discos, clubs, bars and live music.
So far the most important thing about Hanoi, a brief list to which you can include the places that I just named half in passing, such as the National Museum of Vietnam History or the Puppet Theater. Two days is enough and then yes, to the adventure of reaching its beautiful beaches, mountainous landscapes or plantations.