Is the Old Quarter that all Hanoi has?

After immersing in the authentic Asian atmosphere of Hanoi Old Quarter, it worth to spend at least one day exploring the urban areas of this capital city and its surroundings, especially Halong Bay and Tam Coc, two natural wonders of Vietnam.

Hoan Kiem Lake

Located at the edge of the Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake plays a role as a divider between the old and modern Hanoi. The shores of the lake, embellished with gardens, are a pleasant place to wander while observing the daily life of the inhabitants. If you come early in the morning, it can be easy to see some elderly people engaged in the daily session of Tai Chi. In fact, the whole area around the lake serves as an urban space dedicated to cultural activities, parties, shows or simply sports and walking.The pot-bellied red bridge that stands out in the middle of the lake allows access to a small temple named Ngoc Son.The spotlight of the lake, however, is the tower-shaped pagoda that dominates solitary on a small island in the middle; it is this tower that has earned the lake the nickname of “Lake of the returned sword”. According to the legend, King Ly Thai To in the 1400s often went to the lake to admire the scenery. One day a huge turtle emerged from the water asking the king to return the sword that the king borrowed to defeat the invaders from the north. The king gave the turtle the sword and it sank again.

Admiring the city with a coffee

Vietnamese coffee is one of the best drinks to taste in Hanoi. The capital city offers numerous local café shops, many of which are located in an ideal panoramic position around the lake. Sit at the table, perhaps on a lakefront terrace and enjoy traditional Vietnamese coffee, served with a filter placed on the cup from which the liquid with an intensely sweet taste slowly falls.

Perfume Pagoda

Hanoi is a great base for discovering the wonders of North Vietnam. The city is approximate 3 hours drive from the spectacular Halong Bay and Tam Coc, not to mention the rice fields that stretch as far as the eye can see around the outskirts and give a real taste of rural Vietnam. Another very nice attraction for a day trip to Hanoi is the Perfume Pagoda.

The pagoda is about 60 kilometers to the southwest of Hanoi center. To visit the pagoda, you must take a bus to My Duc, crossing the city outskirts and the countryside, and then get on a small rowing boat, which almost always driven by women in an hour to reach to the foot of the mountain on which the pagoda stands. From there, an uphill path of about two hours of walking leads to the entrance of the pagoda. For those who do not want to climb on foot (in summer the heat and sunshine make the walking very exhausted) you can opt for the cable car for more convenience. In addition to a spiritual place, the pagoda also offers unique natural spectacles, thanks to the boat route that crosses green valleys and rice fields with karst formations similar to Tam Coc along with the vegetation and forest surround the temples. The Pagoda is located in a cave on top of the Perfume Mountain and it is precisely this location in a natural place that makes it particularly admirable.

The most practical way to visit the Perfume Pagoda is by taking a day trip from Hanoi. Almost all travel agency in Vietnam offer daily excursions departing in the morning and return in the early afternoon.