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Hanoi Hanoi is Vietnam's graceful capital known affectionately to locals as the "City of Lakes".

Few cities stir the imagination of travellers in a way that Hanoi does. Stately and elegant with wide tree-lined boulevards, green city parks and tranquil lakes; Hanoi is Vietnam’s graceful capital known affectionately to locals as the "City of Lakes". A relaxed and ambient place to wander around, people watch and of course eat!

Hanoi’s most popular lake is Hoan Kiem Lake, featuring a tower in its centre. First thing in the morning you will find locals practicing Tai Chi on the banks of the lake, while later in the day you’ll seeing youth playing badminton and old men playing chess. Just north of the lake is Hanoi’s bustling Old Quarter; explore its labyrinth of streets, named after the trades and crafts of its former occupants, and the delightful narrow shopfronts – the result of an imposed tax that was calculated on the width of them. With a charming mixture of Chinese and classic French colonial architecture, this area has been the commercial heart of Hanoi since the 15th century.

Visit the museum at “Hanoi Hilton” or Hoa Lo Prison, a former political prison that held Vietnamese revolutionaries while under French rule and American prisoners of war during the Vietnam War. It now stands discreetly at the base of the imposing Hanoi Towers. Join the faithful at Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the final resting place for the revered leader and a pedestrianised area of botanical gardens, pagodas, monuments and memorials.

Attend an evening performance by the famous water puppets on the Hoan Kiem Lake and visit the 1,000 year old Temple of Literature or the nearby One Pillar Pagoda. Take a cyclo ride through the crazed traffic to get an up close and personal glimpse of the local people cooking, eating, trading and celebrating on the streets in front of you.

Nearby Hanoi, you can visit the Perfume Pagoda in the Huong Tich Cave; a sacred site that features a maze of Buddhist temples built into the limestone cliffs. The main Perfume Temple contains Chinese writing that dates back to 1770. The Ba Vi National Park nearly two hours out of Hanoi, is a peaceful place to spend some time and is a popular weekend escape for locals. Visit the orchid and bird gardens, hike the rainforest covered slopes or climb the limestone mountain where you’ll find a temple dedicated to Ho Chi Minh at the summit.