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| Hanoi is arguably Asia's most charming capital city. Hanoi, meaning ‘where the river bends’ is a city of broad. Elegant French villas and colonial-era buildings It is also one of Asia’s greenest cities with an abundance of parks and lakes as well as a host of cafes and art galleries and an Old Quarter steeped in history. Hanoi sits alongside the Red River. Beneath modern-day Hanoi lie artifacts and relics of the early Bronze and Iron ages, dating back to 2,000 B.C. The city was officially founded in 1010 by Emperor Ly Thai To, who named the area Thang Long or Soaring Dragon. Soon after some of the city’s oldest structures were built including the Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s oldest university. In the 17th and 18th centuries the city experienced rapid growth due to the expansion of foreign trade. In 1786, the Tay Son Army from the centre captured northern Vietnam and united the country. During the Tay Son reign the capital was moved to Hue, where it remained throughout the Nguyen Dynasty. |
| Ba Be National Park - Ha Noi |
 Set in the middle of a national park, is the scenic Ba Be Lake, which has dark green glassy waters, surrounded by mountains with primary forest. The national park offers several interesting trekking possibilities, to explore the flora and fauna of the park and visit some minority villages (mainly Tay).
Note from IS: This is not as spectacular to foreign eyes as other landscapes in North Vietnam and it’s quite a pain to reach, so we do not recommend it for our clients, unless they specifically request it and are very interested in forest trekking. Suitable for repeat visitors, for a first time visitor, other destinations are more worthwhile. |
| Hoan Kiem Lake - Ha Noi |
 The legend goes like this, in the 15th century Emperor Le Thai To vanquished the Chinese invading with the help of a magical sword |
| Hoa Lo Prison - Ha Noi |
 Better known as ‘The Hanoi Hilton’ it became famous during the American War as many US POWs were incarcerated here |
| Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum - Ha Noi |
 Visiting Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum is an unforgettable experience. Inside an imposing building lies the embalmed body of the founder of modern Vietnam |
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