A recent article published on German travel website Travelbook.de highlighted the capital as one of the most popular travel destinations in Southeast Asia, with six attractions that tourists should explore whilst visiting the city.
German travel website Travelbook.de features One Pillar Pagoda in Hanoi.
Top of the list is a visit to Van Mieu, the Temple of Literature, which was an educational centre for gifted young people founded in 1076 and is considered to be the country’s first university.
The article said that for residents of Hanoi, the Temple of Literature not only has cultural importance, but is also one of the quietest and most peaceful places within the bustling metropolis. Indeed, many visitors from Europe describe the special harmony that can be felt in the almost thousand-year-old project as a "profound experience".
Elsewhere, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is an attractive destination that is worth visiting. Locating within Ba Dinh Square, the mausoleum is one of the most important sights in the country, with Vietnamese people going there to pay their respect to President Ho Chi Minh. Strict rules of conduct therefore apply in the building, such as a ban on talking, the need to don appropriate clothing, and a ban on photography.
According to the article, another spot that tourists shouldn’t miss in Hanoi is One Pillar Pagoda, one of the oldest pagodas in the capital, which is also considered to be a landmark of Hanoi. The wooden temple was first built on a log more than 1,000 years ago, although in the 1950s the original tree trunk was replaced with a concrete pillar. It is also worth taking some time walking around the pagoda because of the residential buildings around it are among the most beautiful and impressive throughout the city.
Furthermore, taking a cycle rickshaw through the 36 alleys of the old centre is a must-do activity in the capital, it said. The tour will offer a positive impression of the special attitude towards life in the city. In addition to numerous restaurants and shops, the old town is characterised above all by its handicraft businesses, some of which have existed for several generations.
A visit to a water puppet theatre, where there are up to one-metre high puppets, is also a must, with many plays relating to local legends being staged there.
Travelbook suggested that visitors sample pho (noodle soup) at least once in Hanoi in the even that they haven't tried it elsewhere in Vietnam. The aromatic soup is prepared with plenty of fresh herbs, rice noodles, and beef. Vegetarian options are also on offer in some places.
It recommends that guests seek out information on entry requirements and the current COVID-19 situation in Vietnam on the website of the Federal Foreign Office.
