Silverbird Travel - The Far East travel Specialists

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Vietnam Hanoi

Although also fast developing, Hanoi, the capital in the cooler north, is peppered with lakes, parks and grand, old colonial villas built by the French standing next to colourful Chinese temples and houses.

It was the former capital of North Vietnam and the place from where the Viet Minh fought the South Vietnamese and American armies during the Vietnam War.

The most well-known "eating street" where you find a lot of people crouching on small stools at street food stalls is Tong Duy Tan where you can eat the classic dish "pho" (rice noodle soup with beef or chicken) and "mi xao" (crispy noodles sautéed with seafood, meat and vegetables). Over on Cha Ca Street is Cha Ca La Vuong serving the locally celebrated version of cha ca (fried fish and herb parcels served over rice noodles). For more upmarket dining there is
Emperor, where you can eat in the garden courtyard, inside the traditional wooden house or up on the balcony or Chim Sao, one of Hanoi's smartest places to eat.

And for drinking? Sip a long cool drink at the Bamboo Bar in the Metropole Hotel.

Altogether a quieter, more cerebral city given to contemplation or browsing art galleries, monuments, markets and cafes.


	Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi Rich history ...This French colonial style building has stood proudly in the heart of Hanoi since 1901.


	Halong Bay Ginger cruise A wooden junk … Discover the splendours of Halong Bay aboard the Halong Ginger, a wooden junk that combines classic beauty with modern comfort.