As a Westerner spending time in Asia, I am often drawn to the everyday sights around me. I don’t mean the temples and monuments or historical sites. I am drawn to the neighborhood streets and regular people who walk them.
VIETNAM – A DAY IN THE LIFE (A focus on Hanoi). Vietnam’s capital city of Hanoi has been in existence for more then 1000 years. It hasn’t always been the capital in this once-divided country, but it has always played an important role in the region. Modern Hanoi is a bustling cosmopolitan city with beautiful historic hotels, great French-inspired cuisine, and local designer shopping boutiques. Spending a day in Hanoi requires a curious mind, good walking shoes, a hearty appetite and plenty of space on your camera memory card. Walk with me, as we spend a day in Hanoi.
VIETNAM – HMONG HILL TRIBES By Ian Robert Knight Vietnam is one of the most diverse countries I’ve visited in SE Asia. It’s dramatically different from north to south, both topographically and culturally. You can’t really say you’ve seen Vietnam if you’ve only been in the south or the north, but not both. The…
THE LEGEND OF THE HOTEL METROPOLE (Our preferred hotel in Hanoi, Vietnam) By Michael Chinnici We often get asked about the wonderful hotel selections we make on our adventures, and the Hotel Metropole in Hanoi is a fine example of the types of properties we like to feature on our trips. An award-winning French colonial-style hotel, the Hotel…
Hoàn Kiêm Lake sits in the middle of Hanoi, both physically and metaphorically. It plays a vital part in the history of this ancient city. Locals and tourists alike are drawn to its shores for relaxation, exercise and people watching. Most places around the city identify themselves based on where they are in relation to the lake.