Posts Tagged ‘Hanoi’
A Three Day Itinerary in Hanoi
Hanoi is a lovely city divided into two main areas. The Old Quarter which is based around Lake Hoan Kiem, and the French Quarter where government departments, embassies, and those that work in them tend to live. The lively, bustling tourist area in the Old Quarter has plenty of hotels at very reasonable prices, tucked in between shops, restaurants, markets and motorcycles, which tend to line the tree lined footpaths, making walking something of a mission. It is a good base for a stay in Hanoi, as much of the city will be within walking distance.
Three days in this vibrant city is not enough to see everything there is to do. You could easily fill a week. I have outlined an itinerary that gives you a good cross section of sights around Hanoi that you could achieve in three days. Take into consideration the heat, which will slow you down if you are not used to it. The best way to really absorb the vibes of this fascinating city is to walk.
Day 1 – The streets of the Old Quarter are truly a fascinating experience. You need to allow a day for wandering, map in hand. You will get a close up view of the life of working Vietnamese today. The streets all specialise in one type of commodity. So you have shoe street, towel street, tin-maker street, toy street, paper, rope – the list goes on………and on, it certainly makes for easy shopping! If you want to ensure you don’t miss some of the best streets, follow the map from a Lonely Planet, or the local tourist information maps from your hotel.
All Around Cat Ba Island in Vietnam
I’m going to break travel writer ranks and make a bold but honest statement: the main beaches at Cat Ba island just aren’t that marvelous. There. Said it. Shot me, slander me or write indignant letters to my editor, I don’t care.
Of course, they’re not terrible and I’m sure with a weighty thesaurus and some time (maybe years) spent buried neck deep in the bleak pebbles of England’s worst beaches they could be made to sound utterly lovely. But compared with the breathtaking postcards of Central Vietnam’s coast they pale noticeably. And the town in summer becomes as painfully crowded as the sand.
But there’s an unexplored side to this island that makes it worth the few-hours’ trip from Hanoi. Cat Ba National Park is a place so replete with flora that the honey produced with flora that the honey produced there is touted as some of the best in Vietnam. The bees have so much to feed upon (1561 species of flora belonging to 186 families).
The Culture and Beauty of Vietnam
Vietnam, viewed by many as a far-off land, has joined Thailand as an exotic destination in SouthEast Asia. Vietnam travel has caught the imagination of bargain seeking travelers from all over the world. Hanoi competes with its better known counterpart, Ho Chi Minh City (still referred to as Saigon by the locals), for the attention of travelers drawn by the blend of old and new.
More forward-looking than other Vietnamese cities, Saigon has also kept its French colonial charms. Its energy is kept alive by the local people who have adopted the recent government economic reforms (doi moi). Young and old have been swept up by the reborn free market after years of austerity. Saigon streets are packed with motor scooters, often carrying whole families. The open-air markets, such as the Binh Tay in the Cholon District, attract local shoppers; as well as curious, bargain seeking tourists.
Everywhere, the views are fantastic. Enjoy the floating markets of the Mekong Delta, where fresh picked fruit and vegetables are sold at the break of day. Luscious green rice paddies in the lowlands tended by farmers give a look at a centuries old way of life.
