Joanna James
Vietnam's Hanoi is a place that simply brims with the exquisite culture of Vietnam and all things ancient tower magnificently side by side with everything modern. So, you'll never find yourself with zero-things to do in this city, and you'll find that your time is taken by one attraction or the other.
A fascinating relic of Vietnam's history, the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long stands for its unique cultural and historical importance as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located within a six-minute driving distance from Pan Pacific Hanoi, this place boasts of centuries-old artefacts and items that were excavated on the site during 2004. These include not only ponds and well, but also ancient palaces and old roads as well. Apart from these unique discoveries, archaeologists have also come across ancient ceramics, pottery, and bronze coins from many parts of Asia (especially China) which clearly shows the signs of what was a flourishing trading relationship between the two regions.
Hanoi, Vietnam's capital, can be found in the Northern portion of the country and is a thriving tourist hub offering magnificent colonial architecture reflecting their French influences, a rich food scene, and other aspects of its opulent heritage. The most popular and important of its districts are Ba Dinh District, which also goes by the name of French Quarter, and Hoan Kiem District, also known as Old Quarter. The latter is considered the business hub and the main attraction for tourists. You could easily find out a Hanoi Old Town hotel close to this place. Although this place is notorious for its traffic, the experience of exploring its historical elements is quite worth the hassle.
Now this attraction in Hanoi is a popular and most-visited attraction due to it being the final resting place of Ho Chi Minh, the city's namesake and well-respected leader of Vietnam. Here in Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, one can see his body preserved behind a protective glass case. A visit to this place will be an extraordinary experience since it transcends far beyond your average attraction as part of Vietnam's unique and fascinating history.
Also known as Chua Huong or Inner Temple, the Perfume Pagoda can be found in the midst of a highly-revered site that features a collection of Buddhist temples built into limestone cliffs. At this site, you will come across Huong Tich Cave, inside of which you'll find this amazing pagoda. The boat ride towards this site is pretty impressive with breathtaking vistas of lush green vegetation and limestone peaks. The entrance to the cave is adorned with an intriguing rock formation that would look like the eye of some kind of a beast the longer you stare at it. The inner chamber is filled with small shrines and altars that are decked with fragrant flowers placed there by worshippers.
The famous Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre offers you sights that are such a delight to look at. It reveals to you an art form that dates back to the eleventh century. When paddy fields get flooded, the villagers had stood waist-deep in the water to make these puppets perform.
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