Hanoi, being the most influential city in Vietnam for the past thousand years, is in fact Vietnam's cultural centre, as every Dynasty has left its Mark there. Further, with a host of interesting monuments and cultural sites, i.e. including over 600 temples and pagodas, and with French colonial style of architecture to be seen everywhere, I am sure is a must places to visit, places to see in every travelers’ mind.
Do you know that Hanoi is also labeled by some as 'Hanoi Hilton'? This as I know was because American prisoners were kept in those notorious old French prisons during the Vietnam War. Unfortunately these tourist attractions are now largely demolished but with part remaining as a museum.
One-Pillar Pagoda
You may want to know that Vietnam was invaded by the Chinese in the 15th century and the French in the 19th, and Americans were ejected from South Vietnam in the 1970s following violent insurgencies, and all of them have left their mark, especially the French. That I think is the reason why in particularly the French has influenced the character of modern Hanoi, with their colonial style of architecture to be seen everywhere, in particular the grand colonnaded opera house, St Joseph's Cathedral, the Hanoi University, Vietnam State Bank building, the Presidential Palace, the Hotel Sofitel Metropole and elegant boulevards like Phan Dinh Phung Street.
What are the not to be missed places of interest or tourist attractions? Besides those interesting museums like the National History Museum, National Museum of Fine Arts and the Revolution Museum, you may want to consider:
- Hoan Kiem Lake - Hanoi’ landmark, is close by and there are regular day and night markets;
- Flag Tower - Hanoi's famous, think was built in 1812 (if I am right). The Flag Tower was used as a French military post then, but now proudly flies the Vietnamese flag;
- The wonderful Hanoi Citadel - dating from the time of the Ly Dynasty (1009-1225);
- The large West Lake - a popular area for people to relax away from the Hanoi’s hustle and bustle. I suggest you to hire a rowing boat to really enjoy yourself there;
- Temple of Literature - this historic was founded in 1070 as a Confucian temple and is the site of one of the world's earliest universities; and
- One-Pillar Pagoda - one of the finest wooden pagodas in Hanoi and is on stilts over a lake.
However, beware of the traffic as crossing the street in Vietnam is always dangerous because traffic lights including red lights are often ignored and one-way streets are trickled with traffic flowing the wrong direction. I think the concept of traffic and lanes still raw in Vietnamese although traffic lights are all over Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
