Ba Dinh Square and Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum. Ho Chi Minh made his Independence Declaration here in 1945. His people struggled for 30 more years to achieve it. Now he watches over from his mausoleum.
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Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum. Uncle Ho had expressed a wish to be cremated but his successors had other ideas. Drawing on Lenin's and Mao's entombment, they believed the cult of personality around him would be best served by a similar monument. Hundreds of locals and visitors gather to pay their respects each day.
Vietnam's wartime White House - Uncle Ho's simple house on stilts in Ba Dinh Square.
And the place Uncle Ho eschewed. He refused to live in the French Governor's mansion and built his house on stilts nearby. This building is now Vietnam's Presidential Palace.
- And the bizarre museum dedicated to Ho Chi Minh. It was Soviet Union's final gift to Vietnam before its collapse in 1989.
Ho Chi Minh Museum, Hanoi. The collection is modern and abstract in parts - quite unique in Vietnam.
- One Pillar Pagoda, Hanoi. This symbol of Hanoi that dates back to the city's founding 1000 years ago is also at the edge of Ba Dinh Square.
Ernest Hebrard was on of the most distinctive architects of French Indochina. His work can be seen in Hanoi as well as Cambodia and Laos. His buildings attempt to fuse French and Asiatic styles. This Hebrard creation now houses Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- The only statue of Lenin in South East Asia?
At one end of Ba Dinh Square is Hanoi Citadel. This 19th century tower looks over the city from what is now the Military History Museum. The Russian MIG jet has pride of place at the entrance.
The prize exhibits at the museum are US military pieces, with the wreckage of a US B52 bomber the centrepiece of this diplay.
The tank that crashed through the gates of Saigon's Presidential Palace on April 30 1975. We're assured the one at the palace in Saigon is a replica....
Hanoi Citadel is the city's newest World Heritage site and has only been open to the public for a few years. Despite the absence of meaningful information, it's definitely one of the city's most important historical sights.
Recent digs on the Citadel site have pulled up lots of pottery and other artefacts. Curiously, visitors are prevented from photographing the discoveries on display in a small museum.
Hanoi Citadel. The room in which North Vietnamese commanders planned their campaign against the US backed South from 1967 until 1975 - North Vietnam's Pentagon.
- General Giap's spot at the table.
- Time for lunch? Pop down to food street, - Tong Duy Tan St, Hanoi
- Or Hanoi's branch of Ngon Restaurant.
Back to the history lesson at Hoa Lo, aka. Hanoi Hilton Prison.
- It was here that John McCain and other US servicemen were incarcerated. Before their arrival, many of Vietnam's most celebrated communist leaders were held here by the French in barbaric conditions.
The recently revamped nearby Women's Museum is one of Vietnam's best. The collection is modest but it's nicely curated and captioned. Most of Vietnam's museums have the opposite problem.
Time to hit the Old Quarter streets. St Joseph's Church is a good place to ease your way into the mayhem of the old streets.
- This is where some of Hanoi's coolest boutiques are located as well.
- Nha Tho St - Church St - Hanoi
- Nearby St Joseph's Church, Hanoi.
- Old Quarter, Hanoi
- At street level, the Old Quarter doesn't look so old. You need to look up!
- Restored house, 87 Ma May St, Old Quarter, Hanoi. The NVA style pith helmet remains popular in the North.
- Restored house, Old Quarter, Hanoi. This man speaks passionately about the loss of Vietnam's native script - chu nom - derived of Chinese characters and disapproved of by the French. A handful of scholars are still competent with the script.
An Old Quarter shop holding the torch high while the Mercs and Beemers speed by outside.
- Flower ladies of the Old Quarter, Hanoi
- Fruit seller, Old Quarter, Hanoi
- Street food, Old Quarter, Hanoi
- Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi's spiritual heart.
Around Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi. Wonderful elderly characters come to the lake each day.
- Veterans of Vietnam's many wars. Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi
- Exercising at Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi
- Around Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi
- A beer looking over the Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake at the end of the day.
Hanoi's water puppetry is not to be missed. Both the live music and puppetry are a delight.
- Water puppets, Hanoi
- Ngoc Son Pagoda on Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi
- Day 2: Temple of Literature, Hanoi. Dates back to the founding of the city in the 11th century.
- Temple of Literature, Hanoi
- Cha Ca is a mandatory Hanoi culinary rite.
- The exquisite but pungent mam tom sauce. Don't let them serve your Cha Ca without it!
One of Hanoi's most spectacular buildings - National Museum of Vietnamese History. Also by Ernest Hebrard.
- Museum of Vietnamese History, Hanoi
Hanoi Opera House - the grandest of the buildings of the French Quarter.
The historic Metropole Hotel is special as well.
- Some of the best buildings of the French Quarter are these run down villas. A barber has set up out the front.
Be sure to grab a drink at the outdoor bar at 1911 restaurant - at Hanoi Opera House. Stay around for dinner too if you feel like splurging.
- Day 3 it's a walk to Hanoi's West Lake. This is Quan Thanh Pagoda.
- Quan Thanh Pagoda, Hanoi
- Small monument commemorates the capture of John McCain at Truc Bach Lake (Opposite West Lake) after his fighter plane was shot down in 1967.
- Tran Quoc Pagoda, looks over West Lake. Hanoi
- Allow time to chill out in some of Hanoi's cool cafes. This is Hanoi House.
- This cafe is Hanoi Social Club.
- And late in the afternoon, take a walk across Long BIen Bridge. Built at the turn of the 20th century it was one of the major engineering projects of French colonial times.
- During the war, it was repeatedly attacked by US bombers and still bears the scars.
Food will be a big part of your Hanoi stay. This is another local specialty - Bun Cha. And of course, you've already heard about Hanoi pho soup!
FOR OUR HANOI IN 72 HOURS ITINERARY IN PRINT, CHECK OUT HANOI - OUR IDEAS OR THE LINK BELOW.
