Some hotels in Hanoi

Unit	HOTEL	Unit	HOTEL
5 Star
1	Hanoi Daewoo Add: 360 Kim Mã Q. Ba Đình Tel: +84.43831 5000 Fax: +84.43831 5010	5	Hanoi Horison Add: 40 Cát Linh, Q. Đống Đa Tel: +84.43733 0808 Fax: +84.3733 0888
2	Hilton Hanoi Opera Add: 1 Lê Thánh Tông, Q. Hoàn Kiếm Tel: +84.43933 0500 Fax: +84.43933 0530	6	Meliá Hà Nội Add: 44B Lý Thường Kiệt, Q. Hoàn Kiếm Tel: +84.43934 3343 Fax: +84.43934 3344
3	Nikko Hanoi Add: 84 Trần Nhân Tông, Q. Hai Bà Trưng Tel: +84.4 3822 3535 Fax: +84.43822 3555	7	Sheraton Hanoi Add: K5 Nghi Tàm, 11 Xuân Diệu, Q. Tây Hồ Tel: +84.4 3719 9000 Fax: +84.43719 9001
4	Sofitel Metropole Hanoi Add: 15 Ngô Quyền, Q. Hoàn Kiếm Tel: +84.43826 6919 Fax: 3826 6920	8	Sofitel Plaza Hanoi Add: 1 Thanh Niên, Q. Ba Đình Tel: +84.43823 8888 Fax: +84.43829 3888

Hanoi's Hoan Kiem Lake

The Tortoise Pagoda in Hoan Kiem Lake.

At the heart of Hanoi, both literally and figuratively, is Hoan Kiem Lake. Although just one of many parks and lakes in Hanoi, Hoan Kiem is the most important. The lake lies just south of the old ancient part of town, and is the center of a sort of Arthurian legend. According to this legend, in the fifteenth century a fisherman found a magical sword in his nets one day, and he presented it to Emperor Ky Thai To (also known as Le Loi). The Emperor used the sword to defeat the invading Mongols. One day after the battle, the Emperor was enjoying an afternoon boat ride on Hoan Kiem Lake when a giant golden tortoise appeared, took the sword and disappeared into the depths of the lake. The restoration of the sword is the subject of one of the skits performed by the water puppets.

Ho Tay Lake

Ho Tay is the largest of all the lakes in Ha Noi. The lake is on the northwest part of the city. Long ago, the lake was a branch of the Red river but later, as the river changed course, the lake remained a body of water just west of the river. There are many legends associated with West Lake. The most popular is the legend of the golden buffalo.

Van Mieu - Temple of Literature

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. The school later admitted sons of mandarins and finally commoners were allowed to attend but, only after they passed a rigorous examination at the regional level. In 1484, Van Mieu became a place to memorialize the most brilliant scholars of the nation.

HaNoi Chua Mot Cot - One Pillar Pagoda

Chua Mot Cot or the One Pillar Pagoda has become the symbol of Vietnamese rich culture and history. The pagoda was built in the reign of king Ly Thai Tong (1028-1054). According to legend, in his dream, in 1049, the king saw a vision of Phat Ba Quan Am - Kwan Yin. She led him to a shrine in the middle of a lotus pond. When he woke up, he consulted with his court and decided to replicate the shrine in his dream to dedicate it to Kwan Yin. The One Pillar Pagoda resembles a giant lotus blossom.

Mua Roi Nuoc - Vietnamese Water Puppet

Mua Roi Nuoc - Vietnamese Water PuppetMua Roi Nuoc or Water Puppet is a unique art which has it origin in the delta of the Red river in the tenth century. The farmers in this region devised a form of entertainment using what natural medium they can find in their environment. In ancient times, the ponds and the rice paddies after harvest were the stage for these impromptu shows. This art form is unique to North Vietnam and only finds its way to the world stage in recent years as a result of the normalized relation with the West. Today the Thang Long puppet troupe is the most well known in Ha Noi.

Ha Noi in literature

Most Vietnamese and Westerners are familiar with the phrase Ha Noi ba muoi sau Pho Phuong or Ha Noi 36 districts. This phrase often causes much confusion for most people since, on the one hand Pho means a street or a place for merchants to gather to do business, on the other hand Phuong means a district or a guild of artisans specializing in a particular trade (phuong cheo, phuong tho, etc.). In any case, there is some truth to the use of both descriptions.