Hanoi

Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam.

It's all on Wikivoyage. Some popular names: Public buildings and places Hoan Kiem Lake • Turtle Tower • Temple of Literature • Co Loa Citadel • Thang Long Imperial City • Presidential Palace and Presidential Palace Historical Site • Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum • Flag Tower • Opera House • Hoa Lo Prison

Religious and worship sites Perfume Temple • One-Pillar Pagoda • Tran Quoc Temple • Quan Su Temple

Parks and green areas Ba Vi National Park • West Lake • Truc Bach Lake • Red River

The 3 following museums are amongst the best in the country Museum of Fine Arts • Museum of Ethnology • Women museum

Occupationnal villages Bat Trang Ceramic Village • Le Mat snake village

Other constructions Noi Bai International Airport • Hanoi Railway Station • Long Bien Bridge • My Dinh National Stadium • National Convention Centre • Sofitel Metropole • Hanoi Hilton Hotel • Ba Dinh Square

City tour consider this option (if your host has no time to show you around): The excellent Hanoi kids tour where enthusiastic students will take you on a tour for free (their aim is to practice their english with you) is highly recommended!

 25 THINGS TO DO IN HANOI
1. Ice cream shops for the heat (Trang Tien, Thuy Ta, Ho tay..)

2. Riding a swam pedal boat or sit on a scooter with your date by a lake

3. Listening to live music in one of those places

4. Have a coffee on the sidewalk (outside the Old Quarter, of course).

5. Discover some little temples hidden in the Old Quarter, feel free to enter and have a look when you find one.

6. Visit the Citadel of Hanoi.

7. Get your custom-made wooden seal from Phuc Loi shop at No. 6, Hang Quat Street: http://www.phucloi.net/index.php

8. Driving around the city in the early morning or at night and sense the fragrance of flowers dangling on the air (especially "hoa sua" available in autumm late Sep to early Dec).

9. Sitting in a small stair inside Ngoc Son Temple area, with a panorama view to the Hoan Kiem lake and feel the amazing quietness in the CENTRE OF CENTRE of Hanoi city.

10. Driving and parking your scooter in the middle of Long Bien bridge at night (have some kind of pavement that you can stop and park scooter there, just follow the local ;)), view the river, spy the teenage couples flirting, feel the breeze, enjoy some snack that you can bring with you. (since not many bikes are used now so hopefully can drive scooter to Long Bien bridge as it is only for bike before)

11. Chilling out at the beer corner (Bia Hoi), that sell very cheap beer (and food in some places)

12. Cycling around the West Lake (Tay Ho).

13.

14. Having coffee with the lake view (11 Hang Gai, Thien quang Lake, Ngoc Khanh lake,...)

15. Watching the kids playing with kites on the evening near My Dinh Stadium

16. Visit Hoa Lo prison

17. Visit one of the many museum (they have AC!)

18.

19. Walk or drive with your eyes closed. I just count to 5, you decide your number.

20. Sit on a balcony where you can get a good view down the streets and giggle to yourself

21.

22. Watch water puppet show

23. Enjoy a glass of Wine at Sunset Bar in Intercontinental hotel.. You may feel like floating on a lake~ wonderful place to go at least once

24. Visit Longbien wholesale market after 1am

25.

GOING OUT
Calendar of cultural events

Meetings
From April-2012: We gather in Lan Chin Restaurant 7 Hang Thung street (in the 6th floor) each week at 8 pm every Wednesday, mainly in Old Quarter to discover Hanoi better and more convenient for everyone, specially for travellers. Please check the update information about the weekly meetings on the CS group.

...Thank Mona for starting it, ...Thank Mr Lai, Thang, Guillaume, Alex and Hieu for keeping it continue, ...And Many Thanks to all HN CSers for being a part of it !

Nice & Cheap Places to Eat
http://newhanoian.xemzi.com/vi/venue/show/2126/Nha-Hang-Lan-Chin-Trang-Tien http://newhanoian.xemzi.com/vi/venue/show/1156/Bia-Hoi-Lan-Chin http://newhanoian.xemzi.com/vi/venue/show/90/Chien-Beo http://newhanoian.xemzi.com/vi/venue/show/2714/Bia-Hoi-Hieu-Beo http://newhanoian.xemzi.com/vi/venue/show/2867/19C-Ngoc-Ha http://newhanoian.xemzi.com/vi/venue/show/3171/Cafe-Nola

Ice cream store: Fanny, Le thai tô street has an "eat all you can" menu for 150000 dongs from 6.30 to 11.00pm first friday of the month.

Places for movies
Espace Francais (french films with VN subs)

Cinematheque (indy movies)

Megastar (blockbusters)

Places for concerts/gigs
Hanoi Rock City

Polygon Cafe T3: Punk & alternative. T4: Classic rock. T6: Heavy metal. T7: Love songs ( no smoking )

Heresy Rock Club

Cama ATK

Holly land

Places for salsa dancing
Tuesday: Salsa party in ODC club - 1 Giang Văn Minh street, Ba Đình, Hà Nội (20h - 22h)

Wesnesday: Salsa party in Fusion Bar, 25 Trúc Bạch street, Hà Nội (20h30 - 24h00)

Thursday: Salsa party in HYEC club, 1 Tăng Bạt Hổ street, Hà Nội (20h30 - 22h)

Friday: Salsa party in Số 5 Ngõ Gạch street, Hà Nội (20h30 - 22h)

Saturday: Salsa party in La Verenda Bar, số 12A Chu Van An street (20h30 - late)

sunday: Salsa party ( Not usual ) in Cafe Kim Mã, 71 Kim Mã street, Ba Đình, Hà Nội Call: DJ Thanh:097.777.4726)

Places for Karaoke
Hoang Anh Karaoke

Xmen Karaoke

TIPS
A lot of info on Hanoi expat community

Free Wifi/Internet Access
Everywhere in any Hotel, Hostel, Bar, coffee and fast food shop.

FINDING A PLACE TO STAY
For short stay:

Green hanoi backpackers hostel

Great dorm:

Hanoi Youth Hostel

Housing for expats:

http://newhanoian.xemzi.com/en/propertylisting/home http://craigslist.vn. Most of the postings under "apts/housing" are by realtors.Listings under "rooms/shares" are more likely to be people renting out a room in their house or compound - http://vietnam.craigslist.org/roo/

Vietnamese language sites: http://www.muaban.net NB: Can Ho = Apartment Chung Cu = Aprt complex use Google Translate if you can't read Vietnamese. A lot of ads here too : http://www.rongbay.com Another good way to find a place is to select an area, go there with a Vietnamese speaker and ask the neighborhood, they will know all the place for rent.. Think about your special foreigner needs when negotiating a room: police registration, curfew, hosting people..

FINDING A JOB
http://newhanoian.xemzi.com/job/list

TRANSPORTATIONS</FONT>
All the very good info about transportation is on Wikivoyage.

From the airport to the hotel</FONT>
All the options on Wikivoyage.

Walking</FONT>
The old center is easily walkable. For your safety look up to the locals' pace, especially when it comes to crossing the street.

Motobikes</FONT>
What kind of motobike to get? With a lot of congestions and stunts on the street, I don't think you would use a motorbike with clutch like the mighty Win/Minsk. A semi-automatic like Wave (S, RS), Jupiter, Dream, 50cc cub is the most popular. Gas-guzzling scooters (Lead, Nouvo, SCR, Air Blade, Click, etc) could be helpful getting you out of jams, but if you're about 1.80m or above, you'll have a bad time. Stay away from those high maintenance Piaggio/Vespa. They cost and they suck, mostly at the same time. Prices range from 150 - 1000 USD. Rentals could be offered from some motorbike shops. Don't forget to throw in a helmet and lock(s). Before buying it's wise to take the bike for an independant mecanic check first.

Mototaxi and taxis</FONT>
Safety: Don't take cyclos at night. If drunk only take taxi. If you're looking for troubles, ask a mototaxi about where to find drugs or hookers..

Buses</FONT>
This website shows buslines and helps you calculate your itinerary. Rides between 3000 and 5000VND. In Hanoi you don't 'get out' of a bus you 'jump out'..

Map of Hanoi with bus to the airport:

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Us

hitch:Hanoi