v Introduction
Ha Noi is the capital of
Vietnam and the country’s second largest city. It has a beautiful, convenient
location, and is the economical, political, cultural, educational centre and
important traffic hub of the country. Thus, it plays a big role in the
development of all countrys’ fields in general and of Northern in particular.
v Geography
Situated in the Northern
region of Viet Nam, belongs to Red River Delta, nearly 90 km away from the
coastal area. It is adjacent to Thai Nguyen and Vinh Phuc province in the
north, Ha Nam, Hoa Binh province in the south , Bac Giang, Bac Ninh and Hung
Yen to the east, in the west is Phu Tho and a part of Hoa Binh. In general, the
terrain is gradually lower from the north to the south and from the west to the
east, with the average height ranging from 5 to 20 meters above the sea level.
After merging Ha Tay province, Me Linh district of Vinh Phuc province and 4
communes of Luong Son District, Hoa Binh province into the metropolitan area of
Hanoi in 2008, Hanoi's total area now is 3.324.92 square kilometers.
v History
Thang Long – Ha Noi is
the oldest capital in the Vietnamese history. Thus it has many names throughout
historical period . In the Chinese domination of Vietnam period, it was known as
Tong Binh. Up to 866, it was turned into a citadel and named Dai La. When King
Ly Cong Uan moved the capital from Hoa Lu to Dai La in 1010, he saw a dragon
near the royal boat, so he renamed Dai
La into Thang Long. The deputy minister Ho Han Thuong called the colonial
government – Thang Long was Dong Do. According to the historical record, in
1408, after the Ming defeated Ho Quy Ly and his son, they stationed at Dong Do
and called it was Dong Quan. Under Le dynasty, because Thanh Hoa has Tay Do, so
Thang Long was known as Dong Kinh. From 1787 to 1808, the citadel was located
in Phu Xuan (Hue), thus Bac Thanh was name of Thang Long. In 1831, the King
Minh Mang merged some districts surrounded Thang Long old citadel to found Ha
Noi province.
v Population
Ha Noi is the most second
largest provinces in Vietnam on population. According the result of census in
2009, its population was estimated at 6,451,909 people with the average density
around 1,979 people per km2. Nowadays, after the migrations of many people from
lots of provinces around Ha Noi, the number of population in Ha Noi is
increasing rapidly. In terms of rural-urban divide, the rate of urban
population in Hanoi is roughly 41.1 %, equivalent to 2,632,087 people, while
the number of rural population is around 3,816,750 people which are equal to
58.1 % of the city population. Furthermore, according to the same census by
General Statistic Office in 2009, there are 257,027 people followed a religion.
Among these people, Catholics members have the highest number with around
155,768 people, followed by Buddhist (99,398), Protestants (1,269) and Cao Dai
(410). Besides, Hanois’ residents is mostly Kinh group (or Viet) occupy 98%, while other
ethnic groups are Tay, Muong, Thai and Nung making up only 2 % of Hanoi
population.
v Sightseeing
Water puppetry show – an unique art of Vietnam, was created in the
11 century in the Red River Delta. The puppets are made out of wood and then lacquered. The shows are always performed in a
waist-deep lake. The artistes are normally hidden behind a screen to control the puppets with the helpfulness
of the long rods. Thus the puppets
appear to be moving over the water.
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum – a large monument in Ha Noi. It is
located in the centre of Ba Dinh Square where Uncle Ho read the Declaration of Independence on 2nd
September 1945, establishing the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. This mausoleum is used to preserve Ho Chi Minh’s
body. It started to construct on 2nd
September 1973 and inaugurated on 29th August 1975. Indeed, the
structure consists of three layers 21.6 meters high and 41.2 meters wide. The
middle layer is the central structure including body room and corridor, up and
down stairs. The body of Ho Chi Minh is put into a glass. Specially, the
mausoleum is protected by a military honor guard. And around it, there are many
species of flowers and plants that are origin from most of region all over the
country.
One Pillar Pagoda is a historic Buddhist pagoda in Hanoi and is one of Vietnam's two most iconic pagodas. It is
located on Doi Can ward, Ba Dinh district, next to Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, right
in the center of Hanoi. According to the historical books record, the Emperor Ly Thai Tong was childless and dreamt
that he met the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara who handed him a baby son while seated
on a lotus flower. Ly Thai Tong then got married with a peasant
girl that he had met and she borne him a son. After that he required to
construct the temple in gratitude for this in 1049. The special feature of this
pagoda is built of wood on a single stone pillar that is 1.25 m in high, and it
is designed to resemble a lotus blossom, which is a Buddhist symbol of purity,
since a lotus blossoms in a muddy pond. With its architectural and historical
values, the One Pillar Pagoda was classified as a historical relic on April 28,
1962. On May 4, 2006, it was recorded in the Vietnamese Guinness Book as The
pagoda with the most unique architecture in Vietnam. It has become one of the
most delightful architectural complexes in Hanoi, attracting a large number of
domestic and foreign tourists.
Tran Quoc Pagoda is the most ancient pagoda in the city, built in the 6th
century under the reign of Emperor Ly
Nam De, thus giving it an age of 1,400 years. It is situated on a small island
near the southeastern shore of West Lake. Like almost other pagoda in Vietnam,
it is designed under the strict rules of Buddhist architecture with many layers
of buildings and three main houses called ‘Tien Duong’, a house for burning
incense and Thuong Dien. These rooms are connected with each other to form a ‘Cong’
script. Inside the campus of this pagoda, there is a stupa which composed of 11 floors with a height of
15m, each floor has a vaulted window holding a statue of Amitabha made from
gemstone. Moreover, Tran Quoc pagoda has also many statues engraved and
polished meticulously by skillful craftsmen. With its harmonious architecture
taking advantage of the watery landscape, the pagoda is really a picturesque
attraction. Especially, the sunset views from the temple grounds are renowned.
Therefore, it is a place not only for Buddhist believers but also for all
tourists.
Museum of Ethnology is built on the land of 9,500 square meters on Nguyen Van
Huyen street, Cau Giay District, about 8 km from the city centre. Construction
lasted from 1987 to 1995, and it was opened to the public on November 12, 1997.
The mission of the Museum is to collect document,
scientific research, preserve and exhibit the cultural and historic patrimony
of the nation’s different ethnic group. Moreover, it also serves to guide
research, conservation, and technology that are specific to the work of an
ethnographic museum. To date, the Museum has collected 15,000 artifacts, 2,190
slides, 42,000 photographs, 237 audiotapes, 373 videotapes and 25 CD-ROMs, to
be displayed for all visitors. Coming here,
visitors may find out that the Museum has succeed in recreating the daily life
together with the religious rituals and the symbolic festivals of each ethnic
group in Vietnam. All displayed objects mingle and supplement one another to
create a colorful and diversified picture of Vietnamese culture. Thus, it is
widely considered to be the finest modern museum in Vietnam and the most attracting museum not only in Hanoi but also
in Vietnam.
Hoan Kiem lake, also known as Hồ
Gươm. It is a natural freshwater lake of Ha Noi that connect to many
ancient streets such as Hang Ngang, Hang Dao, Luong Van Can,…with foreigns’
streets like Nha Tho, Trang Thi, Hang Bai, Dinh Tien Hoang. Its area is about
12 hectares. The name Hoan Kiem appeared in the early 15th century
associated with the legend of King Le Thai To. According to the legend, the
emperor Le Loi was boating on the lake when a Golden Turtle God surfaced
and asked for his magic sword. This sword had been given to Le Loi some time
earlier, and helped him during his revolt against the Chinese Ming Dynasty. The lake is not only special
in its history but also for its water color which is not commonly found in
other lakes elsewhere in the country: greenish, with dark or light shade
depending on the reflection of the sky. Specially, if you are lucky, you can
have chance to see some turtles floating on the water.
Ngoc Son temple is located on the Jade Islet of Hoan Kiem lake to
dedicate Confucian and Taoist philosophers
and the national hero, Tran Hung Dao. It was
built in the 19th century. In Ngoc Son temple, we can find The Huc
bridge, Thap But, Dai Nghien, Dac Nguyet Lau, Tran Ba Dinh. From the
shore, The Huc bridge which leads to the
Jade Islet, covers with red color. When coming this temple, we will see a
mountain named Ngoc Boi. And on this mountain, there is a tower of stone whose top has
pencil-shaped so they called it Thap But. Next is a door naming Dai Nghien that
put a ink-scab, is carved from stone resembling a peach placed on the back of
the three frogs on top of the gate to the temple. Dac Nguyet Lau is the name of
the temple’s gate. It lies under many ancient trees so it looks like growing
from the water. In the south of Ngoc Son temple, it contains Tran Ba Dinh which
has square-shaped, 2 roofs with 8 columns. All of them have symbolic meaning.
Temple of
Literature - a temple
of Confucius in Hanoi and is the first
national university of Vietnam. It was built in 1070 at the time of King Ly Nhan Tong and it is one of several
temples in Vietnam which are dedicated to Confucius, sages and scholars.
The temple is located to the south of Thang Long Citadel. All 4 sides are
street: the main gate is Quoc Tu Giam street (the south), the north is Nguyen
Thai Hoc street, the west is Ton Duc Thang street and Van Mieu lies on the
east. It covers an area of 54331 square meters including Van Ho, Giam park and
the interior courtyards which are surrounded by a brick wall. At
first, this school only dedicated
to the prince, after is the outstanding students. Nowadays, it is not only a
place for visiting by foreign and domestic tourists but also a place for
praising excellent students. Besides, people organize the annual poetry on the
fifteenth day of January at this temple. In particular, this is also place
where the students pray "luck" before each exam.
36
corporations and stop at ancient house at 28 Hang Buom – Quan De temple and 76 Hang Buom - White Horse Temple where traces the citadel under King Ly Thai To.
Hoa Lo Prison Museum in
order to understand more about Vietnam’s history. In 1896,the French colonial government constructed it to detain
political prisoners. Many leaders of revolutionaries were imprisoned here
during the French colonial period, including Phan Boi Chau, Nguyen Luong Bang…
and five future General Secretaries of the Communist Party - Nguyen Van Cu, Le
Duan, Truong Chinh, Nguyen Van Linh and Do Muoi…
v Gastronomy
As a cultural centre of
the southern throughout many centuries. In Ha Noi, you can find and enjoy the
cuisine of lots of regions but Ha Noi one has its own unique character. It is
famous for rich culinary traditions with variety of delicious dishes. Formerly,
each street or village in Hanoi was well known for a dish such as ‘ cha ca La
Vong, banh cuon Thanh Tri, com Vong…’. Hanoi’s dishes are delicate and refined.
A dish does not require too many ingredients, but each has its own spices and
garnishes. But perhaps most widely
known is Phở, a simple rice noodle
soup often eaten as breakfast at home or street-side cafes, but also served in restaurants
as a meal. Its broth is made by simmering bones till it becomes tasty and
should be pure, not fatty. The rice noodle in pho should be soft and not
crumpled. The dish should be served with fresh chilies, pepper and aromatic
herbs, and chiefly onions. A lack of these spices and herbs will not make ‘pho’.
Additional, Ha Noi has series of other foods that making people who ate once,
never forget.
v Climate
Like other regions in Northern
Vietnam, Ha Noi has tropical monsoon climate with humid hot summer, high
rainfall and dry cold winter. Although the weather is divided into 2 main
seasons: rainy season (from January to September) and dry season (from October
to April), thank to 2 transitional periods (in April and October), the city has
4 seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter.
Spring lasts from February to April: humid
wet climate with drizzle. The average temperature normally ranges from 15 to 20ºC.
This season has a good-tempered that is suitable for plants and flowers.
Besides, it is the best time for tourists to traveling. Spring is also the time for Tet holiday- the
most essential and longest Vietnamese festival of the year.
Summer in Ha Noi is very hot with the average
temperature of 32ºC, lasting from May to August (July is the hottest month). Heavy
rain is featured in Hanoi’s summer, the annual rainfall is 1,680 millimeters so
dragging the high humidity.
Autumn is considered the most beautiful and
romantic time for travelers to visit Hanoi. This season is quite short,
typically from middle of September to the end of November. With the average
temperature is 25ºC. Hanoi’s autumn is
charming with warm sunlight, cool breeze and dry atmosphere.
Winter starts in December and finishes in
February with the average temperature of 17ºC even drops down to 10ºC. The
winter time is usually cloudy and foggy and certainlythe weather is bitter
cold.
v Get it
Ha Noi is the centre of
our country so the transportation is very convenient when you are from any
region.
By air
Ha Noi has Noi Bai
international airport so it is simply to transfer from Ho Chi Minh city, Da
Nang, Hue, Dien Bien Phu…This is the most convenient and most quick to reach to
Ha Noi. Although Hanoi has fewer direct international flights than HCMC, with a
change of aircraft in Hong Kong or Bangkok you can get to almost anywhere.
Besides, there are many agencies such as JetStar Pacific, Vietjet Air, Vietnam
Airlines that are always ready to serve you.
By train
The main Hanoi train
station (Hang Co railway stiation) is at the western, end of Tran Hung Dao
street. Trains from here go to lots of destinations like the south (Hue, Nha
Trang…), the north-west (including Lao Cai, from which you reach Sa Pa). In
addition, there are also train services to travelling to Nanning, China. Other
train station is Gia Lam, Long Bien which are also convenient.
By bus
Hanoi is a massive
transportation hub, special is public transportation. Thus, traveling bus bus
is favorable. Most of Ha Noi streets have bus passing, and a bus ticket is very
cheap (about 7 thousand Vietnam dong). Thus you can go to anywhere and are not
afraid of being costly. Even having bus to some surrounded provinces such as
Hung Yen, Bac Giang, Phu Ly (Ha Nam)…
By coach
Every day, there are many
coaches coming from plenty of regions to Ha Noi. This is also a type of favorable
transport. Taking few hours to reach to Ha Noi if you are in Ha Nam, Nam Dinh,
Bac Ninh, Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc…using coach, you can have a chance to enjoy
landscape in two side road. And of course, the price is affordable, ranging
from 50 -100 thousand dong.
By motorbike
If you are an adventurous person and confident of your motorbike skills, you can have one and
ride to Hanoi. The road condition is generally acceptable, but the traffic is
unpredictable. When using motorbike, you will be active because you may stop at
anywhere you like.
By taxi
Ha Noi is also the heaven of taxi with many different agencies. However, you
need to have a decent amount of money because of high fee taxi.
