Ha Noi

Area: 3,324.5 sq. km.
Population: 7,216.0 thousand habitants (2015).
Administrative divisions:
- Urban districts (12): Hoan Kiem, Ba Dinh, Dong Da, Hai Ba Trung, Tay Ho, Thanh Xuan, Cau Giay, Long Bien, Hoang Mai, Ha Dong, Nam Tu Liem, Bac Tu Liem.
- Town: Son Tay.
- Rural districts (17): Dong Anh, Soc Son, Thanh Tri, Gia Lam (Ha Noi); Ba Vi, Chuong My, Dan Phuong, Hoai Duc, My Duc, Phu Xuyen, Phuc Tho, Quoc Oai, Thach That, Thanh Oai, Thuong Tin, Ung Hoa (former Ha Tay Province) and Me Linh (a former district of Vinh Phuc Province).
Ethnic groups: Viet (Kinh), Hoa, Muong, Tay, Dao...


Ha Noi is the capital of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, the center of culture, politics, economy and trade of the whole country.

GEOGRAPHY

Ha Noi is located in the Red River Delta, in the center of North Viet Nam. It is encompassed by Thai Nguyen and Vinh Phuc provinces to the north, Ha Nam and Hoa Binh provinces to the south, Bac Giang, Bac Ninh and Hung Yen provinces to the east, Hoa Binh and Phu Tho provinces to the west.


Ha Noi means "the hinterland between the rivers" (Ha: river, Noi: interior). The portion of Red River running in Ha Noi is approximately 160km long. . There are some other rivers flowing through the capital, including Duong, Cau, Ca Lo, Day, Nhue, Tich, To Lich and Kim Nguu. Ha Noi also characteristically contains many beautiful lakes, which are the lungs of the city, with their surrounding gardens and trees providing a vital source of energy.


Climate: Ha Noi is situated in a tropical monsoon zone with four seasons a year including spring, summer, autumn, winter. During the dry season, which lasts from October to April, it is cold and there is very little rainfall, except from January to March, when the weather is still cold but there is some light rain. The wet season, from May to September, is hot with heavy rains and storms. The average annual temperature is 23.2°C (73.7°F) and the average annual rainfall is 1,800mm. The average temperature in winter is 17.2°C (62.9°F), but can rarely go down to 5°C (41°F). The average temperature in summer is 29.2°C (84.6°F), but can reach up to 39°C (102.2°F).

 

Hoan Kiem Lake

 

HISTORY

Since the founding of the country, Ha Noi has been a critical area. For more than a thousand years, Ha Noi was the centre of all resistance movements against northern aggressors to secure the independence of the Vietnamese nation.
 

Twenty-three centuries ago, Co Loa (now part of Dong Anh District) was the capital of Thuc An Duong Vuong's country of Au Lac. With a favourable topography and position at the centre of the Red River Delta, Ha Noi progressively developed into a major settlement. In the fall of 1010, King Ly Thai To (the founder of the Ly Dynasty) moved the capital from Hoa Lu to Dai La Citadel.
 

One day, King Ly Thai To saw a golden dragon emerging from the waters of Red River, near what is now Ha Noi. Interpreting this fact as a good omen, the king ordered that the name of Dai La be changed to Thang Long (ascending dragon). The year 1010 was a historic year for Ha Noi as well as for the whole country.
 

Throughout the Ly, Tran and Le dynasties, Thang Long developed into a strong capital with hundreds of palaces, royal residences, magnificent pagodas and temples. Buddhism and Confucianism developed strongly. Quoc Tu Giam, Viet Nam's first college was built in 1076 and thousands of talented scholars came here for training. Thang Long witnessed many glorious victories in the resistance against aggressors; the most symbolic of which were the three successive victories against the Yuan-Mongol army in 1258, 1285, and 1288.
 

Despite its changing names (Thang Long, Dong Do, Dong Kinh, and Ha Noi), the capital has been the heart of the country for a thousand years by 2010.

 

TOURISM
Throughout the thousand years of its eventful history, marked by destruction, wars and natural calamities, Ha Noi still preserves many ancient architectural works including the Old Quarter and over 600 pagodas and temples. Famous sites include the One Pillar Pagoda (built in 1049), the Temple of Literature (built in 1070), Ha Noi Citadel, Ha Noi Opera House, President Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum...

 

Ha Noi also characteristically contains 18 beautiful lakes such as Hoan Kiem Lake, West Lake, and Truc Bach Lake..., which are the lungs of the city, with their surrounding gardens and trees providing a vital source of energy.

Many traditional handicrafts are also practiced in Ha Noi including bronze molding, silver carving, lacquer, and embroidery. Ha Noi has many famous traditional professional handicraft villages such as Bat Trang pottery village, Ngu Xa bronze casting village, Yen Thai glossy silk...

 

TRANSPORTATION

Ha Noi is 91km from Ninh Binh Province, 102km from Hai Phong City, 153km from Thanh Hoa Province, 160km from Ha Long City, 154km from Lang Son Province, 340km from Sa Pa Town, 480km from Dien Bien Phu City, 654km from Hue City, 740km from Da Nang City, 1,690km from Ho Chi Minh City.


Air:

Noi Bai International Airport is about 30km from the centre of Ha Noi. From Ha Noi, there are regular flights to many cities around Viet Nam and in the world.
 

Northern Service Flight Company (Gia Lam Airport, Gia Thuy Ward, Long Bien Dist.) operates chartered helicopters between Ha Noi and Ha Long Bay and some other destinations. You need to design your trip and contact Booking Office for reservation: Tel: (84-24) 3877 1410, ext 105; Fax: (84-24) 3827 2780.


Train:

Ha Noi Railway Station, located at 120 Le Duan St., has two gates: the main "Station A" is on Le Duan Street and "Station B" is on Tran Quy Cap Street. Domestically, trains from "Station A" depart for Southern provinces while trains from "Station B" depart for Northern provinces. In addition, there are international railways to some destinations of China.
 

For more information, please refer to website www.vr.com.vn

ALBUM
NEARBY DESTINATIONS
WHERE TO STAY
Bao Long Hotel

Add: 39 Hang Be St., Hoan Kiem Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3824 0434

Anh Trung Hotel

Add: 33 Hang Quat St., Hoan Kiem Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3826 9386

Phu Van Hotel

Add: 96-98 Bui Thi Xuan St., Hai Ba Trung Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3822 9797

Hoang Hai Hotel

Add: 79 Tho Nhuom St., Hoan Kiem Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3825 9485

Hung Vi Hotel

Add: 71 Trieu Viet Vuong St., Hai Ba Trung Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3822 7764

Thuy Loi Hotel

Add: 24 Hang Be St., Hoan Kiem Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3824 5359

Melody Hotel

Add: 17 Hang Duong St., Hoan Kiem Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 8267 820

Nhat Phuong Hotel

Add: 39 Le Duan St., Hoan Kiem Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3825 0376

Trung Hieu Hotel

Add: 86 To Hien Thanh St., Hai Ba Trung Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3822 7038

Huong Long Hotel

Add: 10B Ha Hoi St., Hoan Kiem Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3942 1188/ 3822 7005

Hoang Anh Hotel

Add: 34 Nam Ngu St., Hoan Kiem Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3824 5061

Nguyen Viet Hotel

Add: 22 Cua Dong St., Hoan Kiem Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3846 8525

Phuong Bac Hotel

Add: 5 Tam Thuong lane, Hoan Kiem Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3828 5030

Phuong Hong Hotel

Add: 43 Trieu Viet Vuong St., Hai Ba Trung Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3822 7332

Nhi Ho Hotel

Add: 52 Yen Bai St., Hai Ba Trung Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3821 2820

ESPECEN Hotel

Add: 28 Tho Xuong St., Hoan Kiem Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3825 8845

Thuy Nga Hotel

Add: 24 Ta Hien St., Hoan Kiem Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3826 6053

Hoang Ngoc Hotel

Add: 34 Hang Manh St., Hoan Kiem Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3828 5053

Hoang Yen Hotel

Add: 711 Giai Phong St., Hai Ba Trung Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3864 1859

Viet Thang Hotel

Add: 71 Hang Luoc St., Hoan Kiem Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3825 8044

WHERE TO EAT
Q&Q Restaurant

Add: 73 Nui Truc St., Ba Dinh Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 6273 2025

Van Tue Thai Thinh Restaurant

Add: 23 Thai Thinh St., Dong Da Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3564 0285

Cau Am Restaurant

Add: Chu Van An St., Ha Dong Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3382 4514

Nhat Thong Restaurant

Add: 14 Tong Dan St., Hoan Kiem Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3934 0706

Sen Tay Ho Restaurant

Add: 614 Lac Long Quan St., Tay Ho Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3719 9242/ 3719 9857

Studio Lounge Restaurant

Add: 32 Ma May St., Hoan Kiem Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3926 3882

Snowz Restaurant

Add: 31 Phan Chu Trinh St., Hoan Kiem Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3933 4055

Trong Dong Son Restaurant

Add: 1 Tran Dang Ninh St., Cau Giay Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3833 9999

Mandarin Restaurant

Add: 74 Xuan Dieu St., Tay Ho Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3719 1168

Highway 4 Restaurant

Add: 3 Hang Tre St., Hoan Kiem Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3926 0639

Mon an Viet Nam Restaurant

Add: 20 Hang Can St., Hoan Kiem Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3928 1378

Sawasdee Restaurant

Add: 52A Ly Thuong Kiet St., Hoan Kiem Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3934 5598

Thai Express Restaurant

Add: 7 Dinh Tien Hoang St., Hoan Kiem Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 6282 2822

Long Dinh Restaurant

Add: 64B Quan Su St., Hai Ba Trung Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3942 9168

Club de L'oriental Restaurant

Add: 22 Tong Dan St., Hoan Kiem Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3826 8801

Au Lac House Restaurant

Add: 13 Tran Hung Dao St., Hoan Kiem Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3933 3533

Trieu Nhat - Asahi sushi Restaurant

Add: 288 Ba Trieu St., Hai Ba Trung Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3974 5945

Akari Restaurant

Add: Floor 16, Ruby Plaza Building, 44 Le Ngoc Han St., Hai Ba Trung Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 2220 6626

Asayu Restaurant

Add: 51 Ly Thuong Kiet St., Hoan Kiem Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3941 2139

Den Long Do Restaurant

Add: 19 Nguyen Cong Hoan St., Ba Dinh Dist.

Tel: (84-24) 3771 1598