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Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam and one of its largest cities. Located in the north of the country, on the banks of the Red River (Hongha). Total area 3 345 sq. km (ranks second in this indicator), the population is 6,500,000 people. It is the political, educational and cultural center of the country.
Hanoi is one of the main centers of excursion tourism in Vietnam. There is no sea here, but a large number of attractions, primarily man-made - pagodas, temples, museums. It also represents an excellent starting point for traveling along (declared by UNESCO a natural monument) and towards the mountain.
Outwardly, Hanoi does not much resemble the capital, for example, Ho Chi Minh City has many more high-rise buildings and large shopping centers. Moreover, they are concentrated there near the tourist area, while here the main shopping places and skyscrapers are located away from it. But in the capital there are more natural beauties, namely picturesque lakes. It's worth coming here just for them. Some of the most beautiful are West Lake and Truc Bach.
The city is very large, but for foreigners, only a small area around the Lake of the Returned Sword, as well as to the west and north of it, are of interest. It is here that the main attractions, museums, hotels, restaurants, bars and other infrastructure are compactly concentrated. This part of Hanoi has a very dense building, the houses are close to each other, the streets are narrow. It is not surprising for the capital, but there are much fewer people and transport here than in the same Ho Chi Minh City.
Story
Already 2000 years ago there were settlements here. In 866, the Daila fortress was built in these parts. In 1010, Emperor Li Thai To ordered the construction of a city next to the fortress and the transfer of the capital of the state of Daikovet from Hoaly. It is from this date that it is customary to consider the countdown of the history of Hanoi as a city. At first it was called "Thang Long" ("Flying Dragon"), then "Eastern Capital" - Dongdo, and only since 1831, by decree of Emperor Ming Mang, did it receive its modern name, which translates as "Located in the river valley." And this is a very accurate definition, since the Red River is located nearby.
The city was the capital of Vietnam until 1397 when it was moved to Thanh Hoa. In the 14th and 15th centuries there were continuous wars with China. In 1408 they captured him, but in 1428 he was released.
In 1873, the colonial period begins in history. Hanoi was the capital of French Indochina from 1902 to 1953. Since then, many buildings of that era and Christian churches have been preserved here.
In the 1920s the city was the center of the national liberation movement. During World War II, it was captured by the Japanese. In 1945, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam was proclaimed, and Hanoi became its capital. But the French did not want to part with their colony, so for the next 8 years there were clashes that finally ended only by 1954.
During the Vietnam War, it was subjected to frequent air attacks by the United States. In 1973, the Peace of Paris was signed. Restoration work has begun in the city. On July 2, 1976, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam was formed and Hanoi became its capital.
According to the popular Travel + Leisure magazine, in 2006 Hanoi was included in the list of the ten most attractive cities in Asia for sightseeing tourism.
October 1 - 10, 2010 celebrated the centenary of the capital of Vietnam.
Hanoi city on the map of Vietnam and the world
How to get there
Why go
Anyone who wants to get to know the history, culture and traditions of Vietnam is worth going to Hanoi. Nowhere else in the country you will find so many museums in one place, as well as the proximity of temples of various faiths.
The city is also suitable for shopping, only large shopping centers will have to be reached by transport from the tourist area.
Nightlife is also present, there are a sufficient number of bars, clubs, massage parlors and the so-called "Karaoke", where intimate services are offered under the guise of singing. But still, all these entertainments are much less than in the southern capital of Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh City, and for the sake of them you should not go here.
Hanoi offers many excursions around the area, primarily to the Fragrant Pagoda, () and. If you want to see all this, then it will be your starting point for a trip to the north of the country.
But beach lovers have nothing to do here, since the capital is located more than 100 km from the coast.
sights
Attractions - this is the main thing for which tourists go to Hanoi. Their total number is so large that it will not be possible to see everything in a short vacation time. Therefore, it is worth limiting yourself to a dozen or two located in the tourist area. Here they are located compactly, the distance between the most distant ones is 3-4 km, between neighboring ones - a hundred or two meters.
First of all, in Hanoi, you should see the Lake of the Returned Sword with the Ngoc Son temple in its northern part.
Next, you should go west of it, behind the railroad. There is the Mausoleum and Museum of Ho Chi Minh City, the One Pillar Pagoda, the Citadel, the Royal Palace, the Temple of Literature, the Army Museum, the Museum of Art and parks. To the north of them is the largest and most beautiful lake of the capital - Western, next to which there are two temples.
Other attractions in Hanoi are the Puppet Theatre, an opera, several Catholic churches and museums: the National Museum of History, the Vietnamese Revolution, the Women's Museum and others.
Climate
In Hanoi, the climate is officially called subequatorial monsoon. It is more similar to subtropical in terms of annual temperatures. The most comfortable time is from October to the beginning of April, when the thermometer shows +20…+25 during the day. At night from December to February it can be +10…+14. Therefore, you should take warm clothes. There is very little precipitation at this time.
The rest of the period is not very comfortable: from mid-April to mid-May there is a real heat at +34 ... +36, the sun shines, which heats the air even more. It is quite possible to get heat stroke if you walk for several hours in a row. At night +26…+28.
From the end of May to the beginning of October in Hanoi is the rainy season. It cools the air somewhat, and the clouds do not allow the surface to heat up much. Nevertheless, the street is not less than +30, plus high humidity and rain. All this complicates sightseeing holidays (however, if you wear a raincoat, then precipitation is not terrible).
* Data provided by the Yandex.Weather service.
Hotels
It is worth settling in Hanoi in the tourist area, as it is located close to the main attractions. It is here that almost all hotels, travel agencies, motorbike and bicycle rentals, restaurants, bars, ATMs, etc. are located. This area is located around the Lake of the Returned Sword. Infrastructure is most strongly developed to the north and west of it.
Housing here is for every taste, but it should be borne in mind that the houses are close to each other, so many windows overlook neighboring ones located a meter away. Many rooms do not have windows at all, or they face the corridor. It is almost impossible to find a detached building, next to which there are no other buildings. So get ready for the fact that the view from the window will be unimportant.
Prices for Hanoi hotels start from about $15-16. You can stay cheaper in guesthouses, for 12-15 (although there are those that cost 20-25). The most inexpensive option is hostels (hostels), where a bed will be $ 8-10. Finding something cheaper is unrealistic, there are no numbers for 5-7 bucks.
We would recommend settling to the west and northwest of the Lake of the Returned Sword, since from there it is only a 15-minute walk to the main attractions: the mausoleum and museum of Ho Chi Minh City, the Temple of Literature, the Citadel and 5 minutes to the lake. From the northern part to them to go two times longer, and from the southern and eastern - three times.
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