The Can’t Miss City of Hanoi
Week 2 of my 3 week Journey through Vietnam
Hanoi! The city that never sleeps (literally). The capital of Vietnam and an explosion of culture! We had lots of fun in this city. Night life here is so intense, you’ll blend in with the locals without even noticing :)
As you can imagine, Hanoi is an over populated city with an intense activity all day long. Many people say that if you survive driving in Hanoi, you’ll survive anywhere in the world.
Kaotic trafic in Hanoi
We decided to split our time in two different type of activities: cultural sites and fun.
One of the top sites you have to visit is the Imperial Citadell of Thang Long. The Imperial Citadel of Thang Long is an intriguing relic of Vietnam’s history and, signifying its historical and cultural importance, is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Stairway to the tower
Standing 40 metres high, the central flag tower is the most recognizable feature of the Imperial Citadel and is often used as a symbol of Hanoi.
Views from the Citadele
The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, as you’ve probably guessed, is a huge monument dedicated to the General that led the independence of Vietnam and the unification of the south and the north during the famous vietnam war. It’s worth seeing given the size of this place and the military avenues around it.
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
Tran Quoc Pagoda, one of its kind! It’s the oldest pagoda in Hanoi. Although it's now set on an islet within West Lake, the pagoda was originally located on banks of Red River before its relocated in 1615 due to the river’s encroachment.
Tran Quoc Pagoda
The Hanoi Opera House is amongst the best things things to see in Vietnam given its Parisian architecture and the ivory colored columns. A must visit in Hanoi for a quick snap shot!
These are some of the top places we visited in Hanoi and we loved it! After all this hustle, you might want to experience Hanoi’s night life.
The old quarter in Hanoi offers many possibilities for a great time. Big discos or small bars with very competitive prices, your choice.
We picked a place called 1900’s. The music was good, the ambient was incredible and the drinks weren’t too expensive.
I hope you liked my story!
See you around,
Ivan