| HANOI LOCAL HISTORY | | | | Le Cafe des Arts de Hanoi - Pop in to this bistro |
| Hanoi has an extremely bleak and bloody history, | | | | after a stroll around Lake Hoan Kiem for some |
| however, although it’s leadership | | | | excellent food. Try the toasted bread and cheese |
| remains in the hands of hard-line communists, | | | | sauteed in egg or their chicken and vegetables in |
| privatisation and capitalism are making sturdy | | | | mayonnaise sauce. The good house wine can be |
| inroads into the city. | | | | served by the glass and the set menus have |
| HANOI ATTRACTIONS | | | | something for everyone. |
| Fine Arts Museum - Vietnam’s | | | | HANOI BARS & CLUBS Apocalypse Now - Both |
| incredible artistic heritage can be found here. From | | | | tacky and tatty, Vietnamese and foreigners |
| 9th century stone sculpture to a number of | | | | dance and sweat until the early morning hours, |
| Buddhist statues, including one with 1000 eyes and | | | | after having been thrown out of the bars at |
| arms, nationalist propaganda and a fine collection | | | | closing time. |
| of ultramodern paintings and sculptures. | | | | Green Ho Guom - Overlooking Hoan Kiem Lake, |
| Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum - Surrounded | | | | the Vietnamese singers start at around 9pm to |
| by guards in snow white uniforms lies the | | | | entertain the mostly foreign crowd. |
| embalmed body of Ho Chi Minh. Visited by pilgrims | | | | Club Q - Extremely popular with the locals and |
| from South Vietnam to students from foreign | | | | foreigners, this small nightclub will keep you |
| countries, great respect and admiration is still | | | | entertained for hours, just watching the people on |
| shown for this leader who is seen as the liberator | | | | parade. |
| of the people from colonialism. | | | | HANOI PARKS & GARDENS Add your favourite |
| Van Mieu - Founded in 1070 by Emperor Ly | | | | park & garden Apocalypse Now - Both tacky and |
| Thanh Tong, Vietnam’s first university | | | | tatty, Vietnamese and foreigners dance and |
| is a quiet retreat from the hordes on the streets. | | | | sweat until the early morning hours, after having |
| The buildings are a rare example of traditional | | | | been thrown out of the bars at closing time. |
| Vietnamese architecture and here you will find an | | | | Green Ho Guom - Overlooking Hoan Kiem Lake, |
| interesting introduction to Confucianism. | | | | the Vietnamese singers start at around 9pm to |
| The Old Quarter - Bustling for more than 1000 | | | | entertain the mostly foreign crowd. |
| years, the 36 streets which make up this area | | | | Club Q - Extremely popular with the locals and |
| are some of the most lively and unusual places to | | | | foreigners, this small nightclub will keep you |
| visit. It is a shoppers paradise, with streets named | | | | entertained for hours, just watching the people on |
| for the products traditionally sold here. | | | | parade. |
| HANOI CUISINE | | | | HANOI SHOPPING Add your favourite attraction |
| The staple cuisine is plain white rice dressed with | | | | Khai Silk – 96 Hang Gai St. This shop, |
| vegetables, fish, meat, spices and sauces. Spring | | | | with branches in various hotel lobbies, is famous |
| rolls, noodles, steamed rice dumplings are popular | | | | for its silk clothing ranging from shirts to scarves, |
| snacks and soups include eel and shredded | | | | dresses and suits. |
| chicken. . | | | | Tan My – 109 Hang Gai St. Exquisite |
| Fruit is abundant and some of the more unusual | | | | embroidery work on children’s clothes |
| ones include green dragon fruit, pomelo, | | | | and bedding is what you will find at this amazing |
| three-seed cherry and water apple. Vietnamese | | | | shop. |
| coffee is said to be one of the best in the world. | | | | KAF Traditional Sculptures and Art Accessories |
| HANOI RESTAURANTS | | | | – 31 B Ba Trieu St. |
| Cha Ca La Vong - For a riotous night out on the | | | | Specializing in wood, stone and brass lacquer |
| town, this place is a definite must. The interior is a | | | | reproduction sculptures of religious icons is what |
| bit tacky and they only serve one dish, but | | | | this shop is famous for. Enjoy your browsing, |
| that’s all part of the fun. Cha Ca is | | | | before you buy. |
| monkfish fried at a high heat in peanut oil with dill, | | | | HANOI CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES Thang Long |
| turmeric, rice noodles and peanuts and its simply | | | | Water Puppet Theatre - For an enchanting night |
| delicious. You cook it yourself, with the help of the | | | | out, you and the children, will be transported into |
| staff, over a charcoal stove and it is then eaten | | | | a world of otherworldly characters, from daily life |
| with one of the hot (be careful) sauces, | | | | in the countryside to ancient tales of this amazing |
| accompanied by beer or cooldrink. | | | | country. |
| Seasons of Hanoi - For a wonderful candlelit dinner | | | | Ho Tay Lake Water Park - For a fun time with |
| with restored colonial native furniture this | | | | the kids, this water park is worth trying out. It |
| restaurant is the perfect place to dine. From | | | | has twelve large and small slides, including group |
| spring rolls and tempura soft shell crabs, to eel | | | | rides. Don’t be too concerned about |
| and lemongrass, fried chicken in panda leaves and | | | | the murky water. The staff assure customers |
| so much more, you won’t be | | | | that it is filtered and chlorinated often. |
| disappointed. | | | | |