| WHY GO |
| Vietnam's small elegant capital lies in the heart of the Red River Delta in the north of the country and has a population of nearly three million inhabitants. While it may lack the bustling river life and physical beauty of the Mekong Delta in the south, there is a wealth of historical and spiritual sights to explore and the city is often called 'the Paris of the Orient'. The city's broad tree-lined boulevards, lakes and parks, belle époque villas and beautiful temples reflect a blend of Indo-Chinese and French colonial influences. Given the political and historical importance of Hanoi and its burgeoning population, it's a surprisingly low-key but vibrant city, sharply in contrast to Ho Chi Minh City. Nowhere is its liveliness more evident than in the tangle of streets known as the Old Quarter, the city's commercial heart since the 15th-century. Hanoi is a good base for excursions to Ha Long Bay, and to Sa Pa and the northern mountains where you can sample life in rural Vietnam. There are some attractions closer by, like North Vietnam's most famous pilgrimage site, the beautiful Perfume Pagoda, said to be named after the spring blossoms that scent the air. |
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