Ba Dinh Square is a big open space, west of Hoan Kiem Lake. It has been Vietnam’s political nucleus ever since the French occupation and was where Ho Chi Minh, widely regarded as the father of modern Vietnam, declared independence in 1945.

Ba Dinh Square is much appreciated by architectural enthusiasts as it presents several of the finest samples of French colonial architecture in Southeast Asia, include the Presidential Palace, a yellow three-storey building built in Renaissance and Beaux Art style.

There are many historic and important sights in and around the square, such as Ho Chi Minh’s Soviet-styled mausoleum and his stilt house, the One Pillar Pagoda and Hanoi Flag Tower – to name just a few.

Hoan Kiem District is the commercial centre of Hanoi with the Old Quarteras the main point of interest for travelers and Hoan Kiem Lakethe main attraction for locals. Despite the radical economic growth and modernisation of the city you’ll still see women in coolie hats, shops with altars inside and families of four or more on one motorcycle.

Hanoi’s city centre is not big and in theory the area can be explored on foot but it might be a challenge for non-locals as the footpaths are pretty jammed with street vendors and parked motorbikes. However, one can’t help but be impressed by the many bia hoi corners where Read More...

Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital lies in the North of the country and is one of the country’s top tourist hot spots. It offers French-colonial architecture, a rich food culture and a long history (the city celebrated its millennium in 2010.) The most well known and important districts in Hanoi are Ba Dinh District (aka the French Quarter) where the government offices are located and Hoan Kiem District (aka the Old Quarter) which is considered the city’s business hub and main tourist destination.

One of Hanoi’s most common sights is that of streets packed with scooters, bicycles and cars swarming around pedestrians like a school of fish. Then there are the many Read More...

Hanoi’s largest freshwater lake, West Lake has a circumference of 17km and houses many of the city’s historic places of interest around its perimeter – including Vietnam’s oldest pagoda and one of Vietnam’s four sacred temples.

The lake attracts many locals and tourists seeking respite from the busy city, providing a sanctuary of great natural beauty with plenty of quiet spots in the sizeable lush gardens surrounding the lake. Read More...

Located to the south and east of Hoan Kiem Lake, the French Quarter is where the government offices, embassies, desirable residences are located. It consists of shaded boulevards and elegantly restored homes and villas with French architectural influences.

Part of its main road – Trang Tien – is a busy shopping area, featuring up-market restaurants, bookshops, galleries, boutiques and the Trang Tien Plaza, a big, three-story complex retailing bling-bling merchandise. Notable attractions in the area include the infamous Hoa Lo Prison (aka Hanoi Hilton), Museum of Vietnamese Women and Cho 19–12 Market, a small, old-style covered market offering fresh fruit, vegetables and meat (sometimes dog).