Hanoi currently boasts Vietnam’s most modern airport, Noi Bai, 35 km from the city and opened only a couple of years ago, although a new, and much larger, international airport for Ho Chi Minh City is at an advanced stage of planning. The city has six five-star hotels and a wide range of hotels at lower standards, restaurants and cafes. Hanoi and its surrounding area have plenty to interest visitors. Its tree-lined boulevards, colonial buildings and many lakes are pleasant places for a pedestrian tour. Its central area is compact – most of the main attractions are within walking distance.

Described by many as the emerald jewel of Hanoi, Hoan Kiem Lake (Lake of the Restored Sword) is a beautiful place steeped in legend, with a pagoda/temple set in parkland on an island at the north end.

Tran Quoc Pagoda is located on an islet of West Lake in Hanoi. It is one of the oldest pagodas in Vietnam and a cultural symbol of Vietnamese Buddhism. The pagoda was built under the reign of King Ly Nam De (544-548) under its original name of Khai Quoc.

Originally built in 1070 in the Ly dynasty, the temple is a shrine to Confucius and his disciples responsible for spreading his teachings. Six years later, Quoc Tu Giam or School for the sons of the Nation was established for the princes.

Water puppetry was developed in lake and pond-rich areas in the Red River Delta. The surface of water serves as the stage while spectators sit at the edge of water. The puppeteers both male and female stand waist-deep in the water to manipulate the puppets making them move about and even dance on the surface of the water.

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