06/03/2014
Hanoi, Vietnam
Vietnam, a nation in South East Asia has always been a talked about country in the international political scenario. The country has been famous in the pages of history and is very well distinguishable for its unique geography. The map shows Vietnam to be an S shaped country lying in the tropical zone and widening both in the north and the south. The country is predominantly mountainous with dense vegetation and varied forms of flora and fauna.
Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam. Initially Hue served as the capital but later Hanoi was named the official capital of North Vietnam. The capital city is located on the right bank of the Red River. The extensions of Hanoi is 210 2' North and 1050 51' East. Hanoi lies to the north of Ho Chi Minh City.
Northern Vietnam enjoys four distinct seasons and has a monsoon climate coupled with a relatively high humidity. Hanoi being one of the cities in the northern region is a part of this climatic type. Hanoi enjoys four distinctive seasons- spring, summer, autumn and winter.
The spring season is from February to April and is characterized by light drizzles keeping the weather wet. The season also culminates with the Lunar New Year Holiday and local folk festivals.
The summer season is comparatively hot and humid and consists of the months of May to August. Temperatures can soar as high as 38- 40 degree Celsius. This season also registers the highest amount of annual rainfall which is around 1682 mm/ year.
September to November is the autumn months. The weather is dry but cool and is considered to be the best season in Hanoi, however the duration is short.
Winter lasts from December to January and are cold and dry with temperatures falling as low as 6-7 degree Celsius.
As it is the land of mighty rivers, flood is a prominent feature in Hanoi and so d***s are built along the river banks to fight the natural calamity. However lakes and mountains enhance the beauty of Hanoi and the nature of soil found along the river deltas consist of very fertile alluvium variety. The climatic seasons are however not too hostile and it will be a wonderful experience to explore the length and breadth of the country both in its physical and cultural aspects.
History
Hanoi is a sacred land of Vietnam. In the 3 rd century BC, Co Loa (actually belonging to D**g Anh District) was chosen as the capital of the Au Lac Nation of Thuc An Duong Vuong (the King Thuc). Hanoi later became the core of the resistance movements against the Northern invasions. Located in the middle of the Red River Delta, the town has gradually expanded to become a very populations and rich residential center. At different periods, Hanoi had been selected as the chief city of Vietnam under the Northern domination.In the autumn of Canh Tuat lunar years (1010), Ly Thai To, the founder of the Ly Dynasty, decided to transfer the capital from Hoa Lu to Dai La, and so he rebaptized it Thang Long (Soaring Dragon). The year 1010 then became an historical date for Hanoi and for the whole country in general. For about a thousand years, the capital was called Thang Long, then changing to D**g Do, D**g Kinh, and finally to Hanoi, in 1831. This sacred piece of land thereafter continued to be the theatre of many fateful events.
Tourism
Throughout the thousand years of its eventful history, marked by destruction, wars and natural calamities, Hanoi 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), Hanoi Citadel, Hanoi Opera House, President Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum...
Hanoi 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 Hanoi including bronze molding, silver carving, lacquer, and embroidery. Hanoi has many famous traditional professional handicraft villages such as Bat Trang pottery village, Ngu Xa bronze casting village, Yen Thai glossy silk....
Transportation
By road: Hanoi is 93km from Ninh Binh, 102km from Haiphong, 153km from Thanh Hoa, 151km from Halong, 474km from Dien Bien Phu, 658km from Hue, 763km from Danang, and 1,710km from Ho Chi Minh City.
By air:Noi Bai International Airport, over 35km from the city center, is one of the biggest airports of the country with various international and domestic routes. There are domestic flights from Hanoi to Danang, Dien Bien, Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, Nha Trang and international flights to many countries in over the world.
By train:Hanoi Railway Station is Vietnam's main railway station. It is the starting point of five railway lines leading to almost every province in Vietnam.
