Hanoi, the capital of the Socialist Republic of
Vietnam, is an
elegant city located on the banks of the
Red River with tranquil
Hoan Kiem Lake at its heart. North of the lake are the bustling streets of the
Old Quarter, each street named after the trade that used to take place there.
Much of the city was transformed by the
French when it became a French protectorate in the 1880s and there are
wide boulevards and large
colonial buildings which are now home to government departments and foreign embassies.
Ho Chi Minh established the
Viet Minh during the WWII in order to gain independence from
France. Fighting continued until
1954 when the French surrendered to the Viet Minh at
Dien Bien Phu and Hanoi became capital of North Vietnam, but Ho Chi Minh was determined to reunite the whole country.
The
USA came to the support of South Vietnam and
full-scale war broke out in
1965. The Americans withdrew in
1973 and fighting continued until 1975 when Saigon fell to North Vietnamese troops. Vietnam was
reunited under Hanoi and
communist rule the following year.
For many years Hanoi had a
reputation as an
austere city,
unwelcoming to visitors. Life was
hard for the residents as the city and country
rebuilt itself. Hanoi had been
continuously bombed by the Americans throughout the Vietnam War.
Following years of rampant inflation, poverty and repression, the government introduced
economic reform or
doi moi in 1986, allowing people to own their own businesses. Now Hanoi has been
totally transformed and visitors are entranced by the city and its residents. Recent years have seen an enormous increase in visitors and at peak times every hotel room in Hanoi is booked up, so prices have risen accordingly.
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Related Hanoi Content
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
Related Vietnam Content
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
|
|
Vietnam City Guides:
|
| Vietnam Attraction Guides: |
|
|
Available Tours to Vietnam:
|
