Where to stay in Hanoi

The 36 guild streets of medieval Hanoi: each street was historically dedicated to a single trade (Hang Bac - silver, Hang Gai - silk, Hang Ma - paper offerings) and the pattern partially survives. The streets are narrow, motor scooters share the pavement with pedestrians, and every facade is a shop front. Hoan Kiem Lake (the Sword Lake - the giant turtle of legend returned the sacred sword here, free) is the civic heart of the city: the red Huc Bridge and the Ngoc Son Temple (50,000 VND) are the iconic image of Hanoi. The Weekend Walking Street (Friday-Sunday evening, free) closes the lake area to traffic.

The northern edge of the Old Quarter: Dong Xuan Market (the largest covered market in Hanoi, free entry - clothing, electronics, food, and household goods at wholesale prices; negotiate everything). The streets around it have the cheapest food in central Hanoi - bun cha (Vietnamese grilled pork and noodles, 40,000-60,000 VND) and banh mi (Vietnamese baguette sandwich, 25,000-40,000 VND) from street stalls. The Long Bien Bridge (the 1902 French railway bridge, free to cross - motorbikes and pedestrians share it with freight trains; the view over the Red River from the bridge is the most authentic Hanoi experience).

The political district west of the Old Quarter: the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (free, Tue-Thu and Sat-Sun 8-11am - the preserved body of Ho Chi Minh in a granite structure; dress respectfully, no cameras inside, queue can be 90 minutes but moves fast). The Ho Chi Minh Museum (40,000 VND) and the One Pillar Pagoda (the 1000-year-old wooden pagoda built on a single stone pillar rising from a lotus pond, free). The Presidential Palace garden (the yellow colonial mansion where Ho Chi Minh refused to live, free grounds).

The French colonial city south of the lake: the Opera House (1911, modelled on the Paris Garnier, exterior free, interior tours available), the Sofitel Metropole (the colonial grande dame of Hanoi, worth a coffee in the courtyard at $4 USD, the finest hotel building in Vietnam), and the broad tree-lined boulevards of the French planning grid. The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology is in this direction (40,000 VND - the finest museum in Vietnam, covering the 54 ethnic minorities). The best restaurants and boutique hotels are concentrated here.

The neighborhood around the largest lake in Hanoi: Tay Ho is where Hanoi's expat community concentrates - international schools, international supermarkets, specialty coffee shops, and restaurants serving food from every country. The Tran Quoc Pagoda (free exterior - the oldest pagoda in Hanoi, built 544 AD, on a small island in West Lake connected by a causeway) and the Quan Thanh Temple (10,000 VND) are both here. The best cafe culture in Hanoi is around the West Lake shore.

The central district west of Hoan Kiem Lake: Hoa Lo Prison (50,000 VND - the "Hanoi Hilton" where American POWs were held during the Vietnam War, built by the French for Vietnamese political prisoners; the exhibits from both eras are sobering and fascinating). The Lotte Tower observation deck (100,000 VND - the 65-floor tower with the finest view over Hanoi's lakes and skyline).