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Halong Will Uncle Ho Last April, 2008 |
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Hanoi – ‘The City in a Bend of a River’ - has been an ancient center of commerce for 1000 years and is situated in an attractive natural setting, with many lakes and parks dotting the urban landscape. Hoan Kiem Lake lies at the heart of the capital, accented by the island temple of Ngoc Son, with narrow arterial streets radiating northward into the Old Quarter, allowing timeless glimpses into the past along with a sampling of the future. Opportunistic hawkers hug the curbs, selling everything from pineapples to cheap Teva knockoffs, as frenzied motorbikes swarm the knotted network of streets. Everywhere locals relax over a sip of coffee or a game of cards while tending to their neighborhood shops, as French-colonial structures stand in evidence to bygone days, and upscale restaurants herald the future. We passed the evenings down the street at a crossroad fronted by three local beer (‘Bia Hoi’) establishments, where both tourists and locals spill into the street in their Lilliputian plastic chairs, enjoying fifteen cent pints of local brew and watching the orderly chaos of motorbikes urgently dash through the intersection. The most popular attraction in
Hanoi is the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, where blocks of worshippers continue
to line up daily to pay their respects Also worth visiting is the intriguing and imaginative Ho Chi Minh Museum, located next to the mausoleum, where his life and struggle for Vietnam independence is chronologically portrayed through inventive displays, newspaper articles and photographic archives. Upon leaving the museum, you are left with an indelible and positive impression of the man, with his sincerity, genuine love and compassion for his country so eloquently presented. Walking through the Old Quarter on a showery afternoon, we ducked into the Vietnam History Museum, a unique building blending aspects of French and Chinese architecture, which showcases the colorful history of the republic along with many relics and artifacts from the past, including sandstone rock carvings and elaborate bronze drums. Other noteworthy attractions include the Vietnamese Museum of Ethnology, representing art and objects from everyday Vietnamese life, and various other temples and pagodas scattered throughout town, with the most intriguing being the Temple of Literature, located a short walk from Hoan Kiem Lake.
We chose a midrange 3 day trip with ODC Travel, with one night on a boat and two nights on Cat Ba island (the largest island in the bay), which included most of the meals, kayaking, snorkeling (we passed due to poor quality of the water), trekking to a local village for lunch, and a visit to the aptly named ‘Amazing Cave’. We highly recommend spending one night on the boat where you’ll get the opportunity to experience both sunset and sunrise, although if you’re short of time, at the very least wait for nice weather and take a rewarding day trip to Halong Bay from Hanoi. Ninh Binh, a non descript
modest town about two and a half hours south of Hanoi, is also
distinguished for its jagged verdant limestone karsts
Still another popular day trip, with tours again arranged everywhere in Hanoi, is to the Perfume Pagoda, a very interesting grouping of pagodas and Buddhist shrines built into the limestone cliffs of Huong Tich Mountain. Allow about two hours to get there by bus, with the optional climb to the top another couple of hours, or alternatively, hop on the cable car to the summit and walk down. The first three nights in
Hanoi, we stayed at the Sheraton Hanoi Hotel, located on the shores of
Ho Tay (West Lake), a newer, recently From walking the Old Quarter to sampling the local beer, from marveling at the startling karsts of Ninh Binh and Halong Bay to observing the hill tribes of Sapa, Hanoi presents unique and rewarding activities to satisfy everyone. In the Old Quarter, you are presented with a wide range of dining options, as well as many midrange choices in hotels and guesthouses. We visited the last two weeks of April, with the weather generally hot and humid along with an occasional shower. At the end of the day, as you circle the shore of Hoan Kiem Lake, remember to keep an eye trained for the mysterious and seldom seen Sword Lake tortoise, weighing up to 500 pounds, and allegedly still inhabiting the lake. Last seen in the year 2000, these rare sightings are reputed to bring luck and good fortune to anyone fortunate to catch a glimpse. Coincidently, upon our return to the train station, with a non tourist taxi meter, the cost dropped from 98,000 dong ($7) down to 23,000 ($1.50).
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Sitting
in the back seat of the taxi, the scheming driver’s intentions were
obvious, as he deviously glanced at the meter every half second while
licking his lips, driving as slowly as possible, always decelerating to
insure a red traffic light, never sounding his horn or cutting off
another motorbike, not once swerving recklessly around pedestrians, all
to maximize the meter charge on the relatively short drive from the bus
stop to the train station. Only later did we discover we had been
victimized by the special ‘tourist’ meter, which charges by the time
rather than the distance. 
to
Uncle Ho, the beloved former leader, whose embalmed body has been lying
in state since 1969. After an hour or so of patiently inching forward in
a somber line, we finally mounted the steps of the impressive tomb and
got our first peek at the revered leader, who, incidentally, goes on a
three month hiatus every year, when he’s sent off to Russia for a minor
‘tune-up’ (November-January). Nearby, on the same grounds, are other
interesting sites, including Ho Chi Minh’s stilt house, the One Pillar
Pagoda, and the Presidential Palace. 
The
surrounding area of Hanoi is rich in sightseeing opportunities with the
most renowned being the Unesco World Heritage Site of Halong Bay, a
remarkable body of water studded with 3000 limestone islands (karsts)
ranging in height up to 1000 feet, created thousands of years ago when
tectonic plates collided, forcefully thrusting rocky pinnacles upwards
from the sea, as if an angry army of dragons had failed to eat their way
out of the underworld. Seemingly everyone in Hanoi sells tours to Halong
Bay, with varying degrees of prices relative to your comfort level
(quality of boat and food, number of people), but do use a specialized
tour operator so you’ll know exactly what you’ll get (many hotels
consolidate several groups unto one boat, so you never know the group
size until you arrive at the dock). 
jutting abruptly from muddy rice paddies, and can be visited as a day
trip. Smaller in scale, yet just as dramatic as Halong Bay, these
velvety green rocky outcrops are framed with local farmers in their
conical hats tending their water buffaloes, a classic and highly
photogenic setting. During our two day stopover, we hired a motorbike
and driver for the day to visit the local attractions and tour through
the marvelous geography, including stops at Tam Coc (a two hour drift
down the Ngo Dong River through a series of four caves), Bich Dong
Pagoda (Jade Grotto - a historic holy site carved into the side of a
limestone outcrop) and Hoa Lu (an early capital of Vietnam).
Regrettably, to encourage tourism, they’re building a four lane road
with corresponding water canals that will wind among these brilliant
karsts, permitting sightseer buses and theme boats ‘better’ access.
Still, it remains a magical destination, as you meander down local roads
past luminous green paddies under brilliant humid blue skies, marveling
at the beauty so unique to this area of the world.
Set
high in the mountains, another popular excursion is to the hill town of
Sapa, with tour packages sold everywhere throughout Hanoi. This outing
requires an overnight train to both get there and return, so plan on
needing at least three days to fit into your schedule. Besides the
cooler climate and gorgeous scenery, you’ll have the opportunity to
mingle with the various indigenous hill tribes and optionally spend a
night or two in one of the villages. From Sapa, there are many treks you
can embark on, either on your own or as part of an organized tour group.
Like Halong Bay, good weather is crucial for your enjoyment, as it tends
to be cool and foggy for much of the year, so consider carefully before
heading out. 
developed
area, with a selection of upscale restaurants and boutiques close at
hand. Although further from the central sections of Hanoi, it was simple
to catch a local bus outside the hotel for the 10 minute ride downtown,
very cheap and highly entertaining. Nonetheless, we did move into
central Hanoi after our trip to Halong Bay, and although noisier, it was
closer to the vitality of the city. 
