Hanoi Travel Guide

Hanoi (Vietnamese: Hà Nội), the capital of Vietnam and its second-largest city, is a fascinating blend of East and West, with Chinese influence from centuries of dominance, and French je ne sais quoi from its colonial past. It was largely unspoiled by the modern architecture of the 1970s and 80s, and is now undergoing a rapid transformation that makes it a rising star in Southeast Asia.

There are direct international flights from all major South East Asian capitals, most major Chinese, Taiwanese, South Korean and Japanese cities, and also fromBali,Sydney,Melbourne,Delhi,Mumbai,Dubai,Abu Dhabi,Doha,Istanbul,Munich,Frankfurt,Milan,Paris, andLondon. No direct flights from North America for now –Ho Chi Minh City,Taipei,SeoulorTokyowill usually be the most convenient interchange. Domestic flights, byVietnam Airlines,Bamboo AirwaysandVietjet Air, serve Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Hue,

Getting around Hanoi can be a challenge: traffic slows to a crawl for most of the day, and the public transport system has not kept up with the city's explosive growth.

The simple act of walking can be intimidating, especially in the narrow streets around the Old Quarter. As is the case everywhere in Vietnam, traffic in Hanoi is dominated by an incredible number of motorbikes, all of which seem to be making a mad, desperate dash for something just out of reach, all of the time. There is no such thing as one-directional traffic in Vietnam.

Beware if arriving at your hotel on a weekend. Some streets in the Old Quarter and lake side can get closed to cars, so your taxi or minivan might have to drop you off early, leaving you to walk a bit with all your luggage.