Hanoi :Southeast Asia’s most beautiful city is ever linked with its 1000-year history: magic turtles, tin-maker lanes, B-52 ponds, a ‘Red Square’-style mausoleum & 10-cent beers
Worth It? Absolutely. Hanoi is one of Southeast Asia’s most attractive cities.
What to Do Walk around the crooked lanes of the Old Quarter, look for the ‘magic turtle’ at Hoan Kiem Lake, pay tribute to Ho himself and shop.
Best Time to Go October to December, March to April; it gets cold in January and February, and hot in May and June
How Long? Two to three days minimum
Gateway Hanoi is the main air/train/bus hub of northern Vietnam
Fact Hanoi was founded in 1010 – that’s right, math fans, it’s 1000th birthday is around the corner. Founded as Thang Long (Soaring Dragon), it only became Ha Noi (‘bend in the river’) in 1831 when the Nguyen Dynasty added insult to injury by moving the capital to Hue. Some historians don’t like the connection and are suggesting naming the city back to Thang Long – the name that refers to the city’s real ‘glorious past.’