Hanoi – Capital City of Vietnam

credit:experience-vietnam

Hanoicity is the capital of Vietnam which is situated in northern Vietnam towards the western bank of the Red River and is about 85 miles inland from the South China Sea.

Besides being the national capital, Hanoi is also a province level municipality which is administered by the central government. It is also the country’s second largest city with a population in 2009 estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts and 6.5 million for metropolitan jurisdiction and has an awesome blend of East and West with a combination of traditional Sino Vietnamese motif with French flair.

 It was the most important political centre of Vietnam from 1010 till 1802 and was eclipsed by Hue as the imperial capital of Vietnam during the Nguven Dynasty – 1802 to 1945, though Hanoi served from 1902 to 1954 as the capital of French Indochina.

It was the capital of North Vietnam from 1954 to 1976 and became the capital of a reunified Vietnam after the North’s victory in the Vietnam War in 1976.

Hanoi – Political Centre for Chinese Conquerors

The region surrounding the present Hanoi was settled in prehistoric time and this location was often a preferred option as a political centre by Chinese conquerors. The first ruler of the Ly dynasty of Vietnam chose the site of Hanoi in 1010 which was then called Thang Long or the Rising Dragon, for his capital and it remained the main capital of Vietnam till 1802 when the last Vietnamese dynasty – the Nguyen transferred the capital to Hue in the south.

This city was renamed occasionally and one of these names – Dong Kinh was given when the later Le dynasty was destroyed by Europeans to Tonquin. The name Tonkin was considered while referring to the entire region during the French colonial period and in 1831, the city was renamed Ha Noi by the Nguyen dynasty.

An Enchanting Destination with Architectural Souvenirs 

Hanoi is an enchanting destination andnestled amidst wooded boulevards among the city’s two dozen lakes one will find architectural souvenirs left by those who conquered this place right from the Chinese who came in first in the last millennium, to the French.

From Noi Bai Airport to the city it takes around an hour offering great glimpses of the modern Vietnamese life, the farmers attending to their field, modern highways which abruptly becomes bumpy road, rivers etc.

The most amazing and breath taking scene is at dusk when the roads are filled with bicycles and the view of the setting sun dipping into the cornfields on the horizon enhancing the appearance of this awesome city.

Hanoi is quite compact and the interesting sites of the city are all close to each other and easy to explore, making it easy to enjoy the interesting places of the city on foot or by cyclo.

The Mausoleum – An Amazing Place of Interest

A visit to Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum which is the city most revered place should be explored while on a visit to this destination where the cyclo ride from HoanKiemLake takes only five minutes. The Mausoleum is open for visitors from 7.30 to 10.30 only in the mornings in summer and in winter from 8.00 to 11.00. Meter taxis as well as hired cars are easily available in Hanoi and if considering a long visit, one could opt in renting a bicycle or a motorbike for to and fro access in the city.