HANOI
The city of Hanoi is located in the centre of North Vietnam, in the Red River Delta. It dates back to 1010 when it was founded by Ly Cong Uan, who moved the capital from Hoa Lu and called his new citadel Thang Long. The city then flourished as the arts, education and trade brought about the enlargement of the city.
In the late 13th century the city was ransacked by the Mongols and was under their control for over a 100 years. In 1428 the Vietnamese regained the city and it was renamed Dong Kinh.
The 16th century saw a decline in the status of the city and the imperial court moved to Hue. In 1831 the city was renamed Hanoi, meaning "City on the River Bend" by Emperor Tu Duc.
In 1902 the French made Hanoi the capital of their Indochinese union, until their colonial rule came to its end in 1954.  


Places of Attractions

Hoan Kiem Lake
Hoan Kiem Lake is situated right in the centre of Hanoi. On the island in the middle of the lake is Ngoc Son Temple. The encircling park around the lake is a popular place for locals, who converge here every morning to do Tai Chi exercises, cycle and play sports.

Ngoc Son Temple
This temple was built on an island, in the middle of Hoan Kiem Lake, in the early 19th century. The temple honours several esteemed Vietnamese, amongst which is Van Suong, who was admired in the literary and intellectual groups. The national hero, Tran Hung Dao, who led the Vietnamese to victory against their Yuan enemies in the 13th century is also worshipped here.
On the walls toward the temple are "cau doi", or parallel sentences. These are word puzzles played by the educated people.

Van Mieu (Temple of Literature)
The temple of literature was built in the 11th century and dedicated to the worship of Confucianism. The National College was later added to bring intelligent students from all over the country. Surrounded by brick walls the complex contains steles, with the names of those who gained their Ph.D's engraved in them.

Hanoi Cathedral
The cathedral of St. Joseph was opened on Christmas Day, 1886. It was built over the former Bao Thien tower, which was standing during the Ly dynasty of the 11th and 12th centuries when the area was the ancient capital of Thang Long. A ritual ceremony is held here every year, on the 19th March.

Dien Huu Pagoda (One Pillar Pagoda)
This pagoda, shaped like a lotus blooming, was first built in 1049. It is located in what was once the western part of the ancient capital of Thang Long. The building was constructed after Ly Thai Tong had a dream, in which the goddess of Mercy, Bodhisattva Avalokitasvara, led him to a lotus flower.

Hanoi Flag Tower
Also known locally as Cot Co, this tower was built in 1812 and comprises three platforms and a tower. When the French took over administrative control in the late 19th century it was used as a look-out tower and communications station.

Tran Quoc Pagoda
This is the oldest pagoda in Hanoi, built in the 6th century during the reign of Ly Nam De. It was formerly known as Khai Quoc, which translates to "founding the country". Most of the existing architecture dates back to 1815 when repair work was completed.

Tay Ho Palace
The palace is located in Tay Ho village, the peninsular that stretches into the West Lake, from its eastern bank. There is a temple that is dedicated to Madam Lieu Hanh, who lived during the 17th century.

Quan Thanh Temple
This temple is located in Ba Dinh district. It was constructed during the reign of Ly Thai (1010-1028). It was dedicated to Huyen Thien Tran Vo, the God who protected the northern lands of Vietnam. The site is situated on West Lake, near to the northern gate of the old Thong Long capital. Most of the existing architecture belongs to the 19th century, when it was renovated.

Co Loa Historical Site
These remains of an ancient urban settlement are located in Co Loa village, Dong Anh district. The site was twice the capital: during the era of An Duong Vuong, from the late 3rd to early 2nd centuries BC and during the reign of Ngo Vuong Quyen in the middle of the 10th century.
At the site, the three remains of ramparts date back to the bronze and iron ages. The complex contains various religious and mystical remains from ancient times.

Residence of President Ho Chi Minh
The residence of Ho Chi Minh is located in a large garden behind the Presidential Palace. It was used as his residence and office, from May 1954 up until his death. The basement of the building was used for meetings of the Politburo. Located upstairs are a study and a bedroom, with some of Ho's personal items on display. Behind the house is a garden full of fruit trees, many of which were presents from various parts of the country.

Ho Chi Minh Museum
The museum is located at No.3 Ngoc Ha St, near to the Mausoleum. It was built in 1990 and opened on 19th May, to coincide with Ho Chi Minh's birthday.
The building is shaped like a lotus flower and stands four-storey high, with floor space of 10,000 sq metres.
Among the main exhibits are: press articles, documents and pictures relating to the times of Ho Chi Minh, as well as memorabilia of world events since the 19th century. There is also a library on the premises, as well as reading and meeting rooms.

President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
Building of the Mausoleum begun in late 1973 and was completed on August 29th, 1975. It was built upon the foundations of the old rostrum, in Ba Dinh Square, where the President chaired the national meetings.
The body of Ho Chi Minh is dressed in his old, faded khaki clothes and is contained in a glass coffin.

Vietnam History Museum
The museum is situated in the centre of town, at 1, Trang Sien St. The museum exhibits a large collection of artefacts from various periods of the history of Vietnam. The museum has two floors and has exhibits ranging from prehistoric relics to pieces relating to the victory in the '45 Revolution.

Vietnam Army Museum
The museum is situated on Dien Bien Phu St. Previously it was the barracks of French forces. It was opened in 1959 and contains many exhibits concerning the armed forces of Vietnam. Amongst the displays are objects relative to the Dien Bien Phu campaign i.e. maps and weapons.

HALONG BAY
Halong Bay is located about 165 km east of Hanoi, in Quang Ninh Province. The bay covers an area of over 1500 sq km and consists of thousands of limestone karsts and islands with fine beaches. The largest of the islands is Cat Ba, which at 356 sq km encompasses freshwater swamps, clean beaches and caves. The northeast part of the island has been designated a national park, which also includes a marine reserve.

NINH BINH
Ninh Binh is situated in the south of the northern delta, between the Red and Ma Rivers, about 95 km south of Hanoi. 
Surrounding the city are many historical and scenic sites.
The Tam Coc caves, about 5km to the southwest, are set in karsts that sit among rice fields.