Hanoi tourist information

Through history, Hanoi was known by many names. During Chinese domination of Vietnam, it was known as T?ng Bình and later Long Ð?. In 866, it was turned into a citadel and was named Ð?i La.

In 1010, Lý Thái T?, the first ruler of the Lý Dynasty, moved the capital of Ð?i Vi?t (the Great Viet, then the name of Vietnam) to the site of the Ð?i La Citadel. Claiming to have seen a dragon ascending the Red River, he renamed it Thang Long (Ascending dragon) - a name still used poetically to this day. It remained the capital of Vietnam until 1397, when the capital was moved to Thanh Hóa, also known as Tây Ðô (Western Capital). Thang Long then became Ðông Ðô (Eastern Capital).

In 1408, Vietnam was invaded by Chinese troops from the Ming Dynasty and Ðông Ðô was renamed Ðông Quan (Eastern Gateway) by the Chinese. In 1428, Vietnam was liberated from Chinese rule by Lê L?i, the founder of the Le Dynasty and Dông Quan was renamed Dông Kinh (Eastern Capital - the name known to Europeans as Tonkin; and the same characters used for Tokyo). During the Tây Son Dynasty, it was named B?c Thành (Northern Citadel).

In 1802, when the Nguy?n Dynasty was established and then moved the capital down to present-day Hu?, it was renamed Thang Long. However, the second syllable of the toponym is actually a homonym of the word long, and so, actually suggests ?to flourish? as opposed to ?dragon?. Therefore the name would be translated roughly to to ascend and flourish. In 1831 the Nguyen Dynasty renamed it Hà N?i (which can be translated as around the bend of the river or River Interior). Hanoi was occupied by the French in 1873 and passed to them ten years later. It became the capital of French Indochina after 1887.

The city was occupied by the Japanese in 1940, and liberated in 1945, when it became the seat of Vietnam's government. From 1946 to 1954, it was the scene of heavy fighting between the French and Viet Minh forces. At that point, the city became the capital of an independent North Vietnam.

During the Vietnam War Hanoi's transportation facilities were disrupted by the bombing of bridges and railways, which were, however, promptly repaired. Following the end of the war, Hanoi became the capital of all Vietnam when North and South Vietnam were reunited on July 2, 1976.

In 2004, during site surveys for construction of a new parliament house, the remnant of a massive 900 years old citadel was discovered in central Hanoi, near the site of Ba Dinh square.

Hanoi is served by Noi Bai International Airport, located in the Soc Son District, approximately 40 km (25 miles) north of Hanoi. Noibai is the only international airport for the northern regions of Vietnam. Direct daily flights are available to other cities in Vietnam, Asia, Australia and Europe. Flights to and from Americas usually involve a transit. The airport has recently been rebuilt with modern facilities.

There are two main highways linking the airport and city. The route to the city via Thang Long Bridge is more direct than Highway 1, which runs along the outskirts of the city. The main highways are shared by cars, motor scooters, with separate lanes by the side for bicycles. Taxis are plenty and usually have trip meters, although it is also common to agree on the trip price before taking a taxi from airport to the city center. Tourists also sometimes tour the city on rickshaws.

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Hanoi is also the origin departure point for many train routes in the country. The Union Express (tau Thong Nhat) runs from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh city from Hang Co station, with stops at cities and provinces along the line. Trains also depart Hanoi for Hai Phong and other northern cities.

The main means of transport within the city are motobikes, buses, taxis, and bycicles. Motobikes remain the most common way to move around the city, due to their flexibility in navigating small streets, lack of parking spaces for cars, and also being more fuel economic than automobiles. The number of private cars are however rising every year, and traffic at peak hours can be very heavy at main intersections.

Public buses run on many routes and fare can be purchased on the bus. For short trips, "xe om" (literally, "hug vehicle") motorcycle taxis are available where the passenger sits at the rear of a motobike and the driver will take you to your destination. A taxi is more convenient for longer trips, and if you do not wish to travel in open air.

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