This grand-old dame of Asia is ageing better than most of her contemporaries. Hanoi has shaken off its once hostile attitude to travellers to become one of the most beguiling cities in Southeast Asia. It's slow-paced yet quick to charm, with a lovely landscape of lakes, shaded boulevards, verdant public parks and French-colonial architecture.
Getting there and away
For a capital city there are surprisingly few flights into Hanoi, but that's slowly changing. You can get direct flights into Hanoi's Noi Bai airport from Europe (Paris, Vienna and Moscow), Australia (Sydney and Melbourne), and most major Asian cities (Bangkok, Hong Kong, Phnom Penh, Tokyo, Seoul, Vientiane, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Taiwan), including several Chinese destinations. There are no direct flights to Hanoi from the Americas.The bus system is inexpensive and easy to use with the aid of a bus map. There is cheap public transportation from Hanoi's several bus stations to all parts of Vietnam. Most travellers avoid the buses, prefering to use the transport provided by the government sanctioned travel and tour companies. The capital's main train station, Ga Hang Co, provides access to the 2600km (1612mi) Vietnamese railway system, which runs up and down the coast between Hanoi and Saigon with links all over Vietnam and twice-weekly service to Beijing. Though sometimes even slower than the buses, these dilapidated trains are more comfortable as well as safer, for cross-country travel.
There are plenty of taxis and minibuses plying their trade between the airport and city centre, and it's possible to hire either for a trip around town. However, watch out for airport sharks taking you to the wrong hotel for commission, as this is all too common. Renting a car or motorbike is a popular option, despite the presence of water buffalo, chickens, maniacal truck drivers, bicycles laden with struggling pigs, and packs of hormone-crazed teenage boys in vehicles of every shape, size and colour all sharing the narrow, pockmarked roads and obeying traffic laws that have no parallel in the known universe. Hanoi is so compact that you can get by (and get fit) by walking around town. Remember, walk don't run through the traffic: the drivers will go around you (just don't try this at home!).
Time zone: GMT +7
Area: 2146
Coordinates: 21.0300006866 latitude and 105.819999695 longitude
Population: 3500000
Area codes: 04
Winter (Nov-Feb) is generally cool and dry, with temperatures between 10-15° C (59-68° F). Spring (Feb-Apr) is warmer, but accompanied by constant drizzle which can start to wear a bit. Summer (May-Sep) is blatantly hot (30-36° C; 86-97° F) and sticky with the occasional devastating typhoon. Autumn (Sep-Nov) however, sees sunny, often perfect weather.
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