Sustainable tourism in Hanoi, Vietnam

Vietnam's small and pleasant capital Hanoi is a fascinating blend of East and West, with French design from its colonial past and Chinese influence from centuries of dominance.

Founded in 1010, in 1954 it became the official capital of independent Vietnam. A peaceful city of lakes with leafy boulevards, Hanoi lies at the heart of the northern Red River Delta and somehow reflects an European feel. Especially the streets of the Old Quarter preserve age-old customs, where trade takes one back half a century, and temples, pagodas and monuments reflect the historic character of Vietnam. In this area there are many hotels which have been recently refurbished with a special care to the traditional architecture and design. Hanoi Hotels are surprisingly modest but preserve a unique charming environment.

Some of them are set in historical buildings: the Ritz Hotel for example or Joy Hotel Return Hotel, the Pearls hotel, the Old street Hotel, Y Van Riverside Hotel, Hanoi Plaza hotel and Hanoi Queen Plaza. They are all front serene Hoan Kiem lake and - quite surprisingly for the standard they provide-, the prices are extremely cheap. Spending a night in any of these Vietnamese hotels will cost you from around 3,5 euros per person up to 15 euros per person. Although Hanoi, and Vietnam in general, have been absorbing a tourist boom since1993, which of course has seen an infiltration of western-style food and fashions into the once inaccessible city, Hanoi has retained its appealing sense of the old world.

This means that the city provides many services for tourists as nice boutique hotels, internet cafés and restaurants offering wide range of food. Do not forget that tourism has in general a bad influence in the way local people live, too often being responsible for changing their tastes, habits and underlining economic gaps and unequal access to resources. So forth, it is important each one of us makes a difference in the way we wish to live the city.

Respecting local traditions and habits is important, from the way of dressing to general behaviour while in public areas, to gender differences roles. Regarding shopping for example, do not indulge in mass tourist souvenirs. Sometimes, the best way to take home part of the spirit, is taking a good shot, or buying some spices, or typical things that a local person would buy. From a notebook, to a normal pen, or a traditional t-shirt or a votive candle or a dolly used by Hanoi girls. This will help much more the local community than anything else.

The hotels listed above are also Vietnamese run and your money will not feed some Western Fat Industries. Think about it.

This article was written by Michele De Capitani with support from http://www.flashbooking.com for any information, please visit cheap hotel Hanoi or for travel insurance visit Hanoi hotels.

Hanoi and Vietnamese Festivals: best time to go

Surely, if not for the hot and humid weather that characterizes Hanoi for most of the year, the best time to go visiting Vietnam cultural capital is between September and December, when rainfalls have ended and humidity levels are lowest.

Hanoi is located in northern Vietnam and will certainly offer to its visitors incredible sceneries, beautiful landscapes, pointed with colours, gorgeous food, friendly people and a millenary culture.

In terms of accommodation Hanoi has nothing to envy to some traditional fascinating cities providing at the same time good services to the travel industry. Being less developed than Ho Chi Minh City, and thanks to this, Hanoi has preserved a special vibe given by old colonial and traditional buildings, green boulevards, and colourful temples. In terms of accessibility, Hanoi provides many services as comfortable boutique hotels, internet point and restaurants with a good variety of food.

In the Old Quarter that preserves an ineludibly French taste, many boutique hotels offer modest but unique charming environments to their guests. In fact, the recent refurbishments have been respecting the traditional architecture and design of Vietnam. Many of them, like the Pearls hotel for example, or the Old street Hotel, Hanoi Queen Plaza, the Ritz Hotel, the Joy Hotel, the Return Hotel, the Y Van Riverside Hotel or the Hanoi Plaza hotel are facing the still water of Lake Hoan Kiem offering sometimes a gorgeous view to the guests that ask for it.

In terms of cultural events Hanoi’s calendar and Vietnamese calendar in general are spotted with many interesting festivals. Despite not within December, however some of the most important events of Vietnamese culture are in January when you can still hope to get a mild wheatear.

In January, there is probably what it is considered to be the biggest festival that celebrates the Lunar New Year. The Tet Nguyen Dan festival lasts for an entire week and involves families in particular. In fact, each family member is reunited and everyone is offered some little presents with special wishes for health and happiness. It is also a moment where family discussions, old difficulties and hangers are levelled in an atmosphere of forgiveness. But as the traditional family cannot forget the ancient relatives, the ancestors, many candles and incense sticks are burst for them. In the same month the annual Dong Da Festival celebrates the triumphant historical victory of King Quang Trung (Nguyen Hue) against the invaders of the Vietnamese nation. There are different venues where processions, activities and games, competitions, war stories, fires of colourful dragons and much more will entertain adults and kids!

Still in January, but on the 6th day of Tet Hanoi and Vietnam celebrate the 5 elements (metal, wood, water, fire and earth) with music and sacrifices with the so called Co Loa Festival. Colourful flags and Dai Flags (great ones) in the wind and sculptures adorning the temples, are just some of the magic things you will be assisting to.

Last but not least, The Cau Ngu Festival celebrates an ancient native who came from the north to teach the village locals many arts and techniques like fishing, trading etc. The name of this man was Truong Quy Cong, or Truong Thieu.

This article was written by Michele De Capitani with support from http://www.flashbooking.com for any information, please visit budget Vietnamese hotels or for travel insurance visit Vietnamese hotels.

Fascinating old style Hanoi, Vietnam

The 1,000-year-old capital, a low-rise city of lakes and peaceful parks, Hanoi will enchant its visitors with simple but unique moments.

Early morning mist rises from the Hoan Kiem Lake while elders perform the slow movements of tai chi in green parks, streets become filled with mopeds and cyclo drivers (three-wheeled bicycle taxis) clamour for people attention.

Although a city of historical importance considered to be the social and cultural centre of Vietnam, Hanoi is a far slower and less developed than Ho Chi Minh City. Luckily, this slow pace development has preserved the special vibe you will live in Hanoi, with old fascinating buildings, green views on treed boulevards and smiling local people. Especially the historic Old Quarter with its French style streets and arts and crafts bargains.

Especially in this area there are many recently refurbished hotels that kept an eye to the traditional architecture and design. Modest but with an unique charming environment some Hanoi Hotels are located in historical or colonial buildings. Just to mention some that you can easily find and book directly online are the Pearls hotel for example, the Old street Hotel, Hanoi Queen Plaza, the Ritz Hotel, Joy Hotel, Return Hotel, Y Van Riverside Hotel or Hanoi Plaza hotel. Most of them face the quiet Hoan Kiem lake providing guests with beautiful views from terraces and windows. Quite unexpectedly for the standard they offer, the room rates in Hanoi Vietnamese Hotels are modest in general, ranging from 3,5 euros per person up to 15 euros per person.

As a cultural centre, Hanoi has quite a lot to offer. In fact, during the year Hanoi guests many traditional events from water puppet shows, to music and religious festivals, dance performances and a lot more. Just to mention a couple of curious ones held in springtime, that will certainly worth a visit to Vietnam and Hanoi in particular, are the Whale Festival and the Elephant Race, both in March.

The former is a fishermen festival typical of Quang Nam Village in Da Nang province, where people worship Whales and their gods asking for prosperity; the latter is more traditional in the countryside in Don Village or in forests near the Sevepoi River (Dac Lak). The race track is large enough for 10 elephants running on even ground near the forest for 1-2 km. At the signal, the mahouts command their elephants to go to the starting line and will start running excited by the sound of the drums, gongs, and cheering from the viewers.

At the end of the race, the winning one wave to the viewers with its trunk and is offered sugarcane and banana leafs!

This article was written by Michele De Capitani with support from http://www.flashbooking.com for any information, please visit cheap hotel in Vietnam or for travel insurance visit Vietnam hotels.