As the capital city of Vietnam, Hanoi offers visitors a different pulse and feel than its more frenetic sister city to the south, Ho Chi Minh. Tree-lined boulevards, peaceful lakes and French colonial architecture lure you into a romantic mood, while the narrow streets of the Old Quarter bustle with a mix of traditional medicine shops, trendy restaurants, French-style cafés and pavement pho stalls.
Pass through the gates of Van Mieu, the Temple of Literature, to be transported back a thousand years and then hop on a cyclo to Hoan Kiem Lake to enjoy a leisurely lunch with a view to the Turtle Pagoda. Make time to visit Hoa Lo Prison, known as the Hanoi Hilton, or the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum for a look into more recent Vietnamese history. Book your hotel now to discover a city where the past feels as near as the present and the future looks very bright indeed.
