Hanoi Travel Guide

The exotic, elegant lady of the Red River Delta, is a reluctant star in the cosmopolitan mix of ancient and modern. Steeped in history, and seemingly trapped in the past, the fresh face of Asia is evident everywhere, in an almost dream world where the past and the present walk everywhere hand in hand. The sheer number of people, the huge amounts of traffic and the intoxicating ambience, is all part of what makes the heart Vietnamese capital pump vibrantly. The bustle and chaos of the Old Quarter almost appears as if you are trapped in a magical, parallel universe, where rice paddy hats bob past you, while fruit and vegetables are being carried by vendors in swings over their arms, right past some of the most modern up market street side cafes, where foreigners are downloading photos on their iPads.