Visiting the temples and pagodas in the beginning of the year is a beautiful custom of the Vietnamese. Along with the aim of praying, it is also a chance for people to go sightseeing and enjoy the spring. The following pagodas and temples in Hanoi attract a large number of tourists in the capital that most visitors cannot ignore in the spring days.

Quan Su Pagoda (No. 73 Quan Su Street, Hoan Kiem District): The history witness of Buddhism in Vietnam
Built from the reign of King Le The Tong, Quan Su Pagoda today are more than 500 years old. Served as the headquarter of Buddhism, the pagoda has witnessed many historical events of the Buddhism in Vietnam. The typical event is the unity of Buddhism in Vietnam and the integration of Buddhism in the country with the world. In the freezing air of the first month of the new year, walk through the entrance gate and 11 steps, guests will enter a historical, dignified as well as peaceful space, and admire the parallel sentences written entirely in the national language and pray for a new year of peace and happiness.

Quan Thanh Temple (Quan Thanh Street, Ba Dinh District): Everlasting existence in the mind of the Vietnamese
Along with Bach Ma Temple, Voi Phuc Temple, and Temple Kim Lien, Quan Thanh temple has become one of the “Four towns of Thang Long”, the four most sacred temples of the city. This place locates a copper statue of the god Huyen Thien Tran Vu who was respected in the consciousness of Vietnamese people with many thrilling anecdotes when he protected the country. Visit the temple, visitors can admire the architectural, cultural, artistic values of the monument located on the banks of the West Lake.

Ngoc Son Temple (Hoan Kiem): A harmonious complex of ancient architecture
For years, Ngoc Son Temple, The Huc Bridge, Pen Tower, and the Writing Pad have become a famous architectural complex, attracting a lot of tourists in the country and internationally. There rarely has a certain architectural ensemble concentrating all the solemn in spiritual aspects and the harmony, unique in terms of architecture and art as such complex. Therefore, the complex has become one of the symbols of the capital and has become the first impression in the hearts of those who arrived in Hanoi. Here, visitors can pray for career and admire the poetic landscapes that the scholar Nguyen Van Sieu designed two centuries ago.

Tran Quoc Pagoda (Tay Ho, Hanoi): One of the 16 world’s most beautiful temples
For more than a millennium and a half, Tran Quoc Pagoda is the oldest pagoda in Hanoi. The pagoda was born at the birth of Van Xuan under the reign of King Ly Nam De, as a result, it was originally named Khai Quoc Pagoda.
For over 1,500 years with much restoration, relocation, the pagoda is now famous not only for its age but also for its architecture which was sequenced and complied with the stringent requirements of Buddhist architecture. Combined with the elegant and harmonious landscape of romantic West Lake, Tran Quoc Pagoda has been put in one of the 16 world’s most beautiful temples voted by Dailymail in 2016. In spring days, visiting the superlative ancient pagoda in Vietnam with marvelous architectural beauty is a pleasant experience to start a new year.

The Most Visited Temples & Pagodas in Hanoi
Nguyen Thanh Van

Hang Khay Street used to have a rather strange name called British Street. For decades, this street has become a “photography street” of Hanoi capital.

The name of Hang Khay street is associated with a unique traditional craftsmanship, called mosaic craft. For centuries, along the street there were shops specializing in making and selling such as trays, collapses, chairs, tables, tea cabinets …There used to be a mosaic craft temple which no more vestige nowadays.

Old Hang Khay street includes the southern section of Trang Tien street today. At the beginning of the French colonial period, the French called this street and Trang Tien street was “Rue des Incrusteurs”, or Tho Kham street. In 1886, the street was renamed Paul Bert Street.

In 1945, Paul Bert street split to Trang Tien street and Hang Khay street. During the temporary occupation of 1947 – 1952, this street had a stranger named was British street . After the liberation of the capital in 1954, the name Trang Tien – Hang Khay was restored.

The route Trang Tien – Hang Khay – Trang Thi at that time was the focus of the Western Quarter in Hanoi. On Hang Khay street, French shops gradually replaced traditional mosaic shops. These include the drug store at No. 1, the silk shop at No. 25, the Ritz hotel & restaurant at No. 37 …

After 1945, Hang Khay street street gradually appeared many photo shops, the first one being the International Photo Gallery of photography artist Phan Xuan Thuy opened in 1946. This is probably due to the prime location next to Hoan Kiem Lake.

Nowadays, there are only a few photographic shops in the street.

This is a place where people and tourists can walk under the trees, see the iconic works of Hanoi such as Turtle Tower, Ngoc Son Temple, The Huc Bridge, Hanoi Post Office.

Source: kienthuc

Hang Khay Street – famous photography street in Hanoi
Nguyen Thanh Van

Although Vietnam conjures up many images on first mention — motorcycles whizzing by, the limestone islands of Ha Long Bay, all of the food — perhaps nothing is more quintessentially “traveller in Vietnam” than bia hoi.

To clarify before we even begin, bia hoi is two things. It is both that fresh, local homemade beer found all over Hanoi and other areas of northern Vietnam (bia hoi literally translates to “fresh beer”), and also the roadside restaurants where you sit on those little stools to drink it. It is both the beer and the experience of drinking the beer, all wrapped up into one phrase.

But it all starts with the beer. The big thing to know about it is that unlike most beers you probably drink, which can take up to a month to brew, bia hoi is brewed fresh every single day. A light, golden lager that’s served ice cold with a bit of foam on top, it’s only about 3% alcohol, which makes it as easy to drink as water… which is a little too easy, if you know what I mean.

It also hardly has any preservatives in it, since it doesn’t need to stay fresh for longer than a day. And due to its quick turnover, bia hoi is also incredibly cheap (about 20 cents a glass, give or take). Yet while that whole fast-beer thing sounds great in theory — so cheap and fresh, yay! — the truth is that it can also be kind of ~questionable~ by the time evening rolls around. It’s delivered in kegs to businesses early each morning, so it’s best consumed earlier rather than later, when the chances of it going bad are higher.

So, how did this insanely cheap beer come to be? Like many Vietnamese cultural traditions, it can be traced back to the late 1800s, when the French ruled the country as a colony. They brought beer to Vietnam in the 1890s to try to get the Vietnamese to stop drinking their beloved traditional home-brewed rice wine. But they only built one brewery — the Hommel Brewery in Hanoi — which made it very expensive; a limited luxury for the rich and only the rich. However, once Vietnam got its independence in 1954, the Vietnamese renamed the brewery Hanoi Brewery, and from there, bia hoi was born.

But the story doesn’t stop there, because it didn’t catch on at first! The locals still loved their rice wine over anything else, and continued to drink it until the government banned home brewing, meaning locals were basically forced to turn to bia hoi as a function of necessity. Yes, leave it to the laws to change the game.

These days, bia hoi bars are all over the northern parts of the country, but they’re mostly in Hanoi, since that’s where the whole tradition began. And let me tell you: bia hoi bars are a fun time. They get rowdy. They don’t have any tables, just stools that usually spill over into the streets, meaning you may have your beer with an exciting side of motorcycle dust. If fume-y dust is not your thing, there’s also lots of street food to choose from, like fried rice, barbecue chicken, and more. But a word of caution: travellers often get sick from eating at bia hoi bars because the food is generally made very quickly and isn’t that sanitary. Try to stick to the bars that are crowded, which means they get the local’s stamp of approval and are likely a little cleaner than the less popular ones.

Or you can just head to the bia hoi bars below. Cheers!

Bia Conner
Address: Joint section of Nha Hoa and Duong Thanh Str

Bia Hoi Tong Dan
Address: 12 Tong Dan Str, Trang Tien

Bia Hoi Duong Thanh
Address: 2C Duong Thanh Str, Hoan Kiem

Bia Hoi Lan Chin
Address: Many locations across Hanoi

Source: Intrepidtravel

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Where to find the best bia hoi in Vietnam
Nguyen Thanh Van

Hanoi street food has been a unique cultural feature of Hanoi for a long time. Wherever you go, it is always a hard impression in the heart of Hanoi people as well as international visitors when they visit the city.

Street food – “soul” of Hanoi

The characteristic of street food in Hanoi is that the processing of food is very fast, not decoratively and eaters can enjoy while it is still hot. Now, pavement night diner s are places to meet friends, entertaining after stressful working hours or family gatherings. Each person has a purpose so that there are always crowded in the night, everyone is shady talk. This is the reason why there are many Vietnam food tours.

Uncle Nguyen Van Mai, a native of Hanoi, said: “The pavement restaurant is always the place that I and my friends choose when meeting each other. Not only because of this delicious food, but we also can both eat and talk very comfortably without fear of influencing or scaring anyone. The price at the sidewalk diner compared to the restaurant with clean and beautiful space is not much difference. However, many people still choose street foods, because they like the feeling of eating while looking the bustle of Hanoi streets. Street food has become a part of the soul of Hanoi. And even if people leave Hanoi, they will never forget that street food.

Street food in Hanoi in the view of international tourists.

Hanoi street food is increasingly popular and affirms its attractiveness in the eyes of international visitors. Come to Hanoi, visitors can not miss the famous street specialties such as beef noodle, pancakes, rolls, bread …

Mike Tatarski, a two-year-old visitor in Vietnam, said, “I like street food in Hanoi. Because it tastes very unique, there are many green vegetables and spice combinations are very harmonious. Especially, I was impressed with the street vendors sitting on the sidewalk because they are very friendly and humorous. It helps me feel a lot better. ” Hanoi street cuisine is richer with dishes from many regions now that make the cuisine of Kinh Ky area become more and more interesting and special.

Visitors are not only attracted by the delicious food, but they also are very interested in eating while watching the local people ‘s lifestyle. Just a few plastic chairs and a folding table, even without a roof, it can become a street restaurant. Blacke Robertson, a US traveler said: “The street food of Hanoi made me very excited. It is not only very tasty, but I also found a new feeling as I sat on the small plastic chairs, sipping coffee or iced tea, watching the bustling line on the street and listening to the stories of those around me. ”

Thanks to the unique flavor and special features of street foods, many visitors also open street-style restaurants and sell Vietnamese food in their home country after they enjoyed Vietnam street food. For example, Paul Hopper, a British guy after a trip to Vietnam opened a restaurant called “Box” in London. He said: “When I came to Vietnam, I immediately” fell in love “with fresh, tasty dishes of street vendors. I am especially impressed with the popular restaurants here because of quickly and conveniently serving. Besides, it is really suitable for office staffs and worker lunches. And I decided to open chophouse in London, serving fast food but still fresh for office workers. ”

It can be said that street food has become a unique cultural feature of Hanoi, the “soul” of the land of the thousand years of civilization. Not only has a special meaning with the local people, but also has the unforgettable impression with international friends. As a result, it contributes to enriching the quintessence culinary culture of Vietnam.

Source: vietnam-travelnews

The Beauty Of Hanoi Street Food Tours
Nguyen Thanh Van

Lien Phai Pagoda is a Buddhist temple in Hanoi, Vietnam. The temple is located in Lien Phai aley, Bach Mai street, Hai Ba Trung district, promising to be an ideal destination for visitors on night food tour Hanoi who like to learn about the architecture in Vietnam.

Lien Phai Pagoda was formerly known with the name Lien Hoa Pagoda and then renamed Lien Tong. Because of the taboo of the name Nguyen Phuc Mien Tong of King Thieu Tri, the temple was renamed Lien Phai Pagoda. It is the birthplace of the Lien Tong (Lotus Meditation) – one of the Buddhist meditations of our country – appeared in Hau Le Dynasty (XVII, XVIII century). The temple also has a five-storey Cuu Sinh tower also nearly 300 years old. This is the oldest tower which has the most obvious history in the inner city of Hanoi.

The temple has been repaired many times, including major repairs in 1855 and 1869. The current scale of the temple has not changed much since this renovation.

Since 1962, Lien Phai pagoda has been recognized as a national historical-cultural monument of Vietnam.

Source: kienthuc.com.vn

Lien Phai Pagoda – the beautiful lotus of Thang Long citadel
Nguyen Thanh Van

Thuoc Bac Street used to be a pharmaceutical trading center of Hanoi in the past. There are no ancient temples and pagodas, but the street has a famous place of being house no 87 …

Thuoc Bac Street is a street extending from Hang Ma Street to Hang Thiec Street in the center of Hanoi Old Quarter. Most of this street used to be Dong Thanh village, the last part (Hang Bo side) was Nhan Noi village, Tho Xuong district.

The name of Thuoc Bac Street originates from the middle of the street from centuries ago, which is famous for the traditional Chinese pharmacies, which people often call Northern medicine to distinguish it from South medicine – using the main raw material, which is a native Vietnamese medicinal plant.

During the colonial period, the government combined the streets of Thuoc Bac (old), Hang But (old), Hang Vai Tham, Hang Ao and Hang Khoa into a long straight line, named Rue des Médicaments (Hang Thuoc street). Since 1945, the street has been officially named Vietnamese as Thuoc Bac.

Nowaday, Thuoc Bac Street is still a busy business street. Street architecture is a mix of old and new styles, including some Western-style houses, built in the first half of the 20th century.

There are no ancient temples and pagodas, but Thuoc Bac Street has a famous place of the house No. 87. In the alley of this building is a small apartment, the place where the famous painter Bui Xuan Phai has been revel in drawing “Phai Street” for decades – a line of paintings associated with memories of Hanoi Old Quarter ..

Source: kienthuc.com.vn

Thuoc Bac Street – the keeping colours place of old Hanoi
Nguyen Thanh Van

Hang But Pho street in Hanoi used to have a rather strange name, Hang Mun Street. The name comes from a typical career of the poor living on the street.

Hang But Street is a 68-meter-long street stretching from Thuoc Bac Street to Bat Su Street, west of Hanoi Old Quarter. This is the former part of Dong Thanh hamlet, old Tho Xuong district.

This street specializes in selling notebooks, pens, and markers for students. The French call Hang But street (Thuoc Bac) as “rue Cambanère”, Hang Mun street is “rue des Chiffons”.

Despite being a street of the poor, during the colonial period, at the four corners of Hang Mun street were four superficial palaces of the Japanese and colonial government officials..

Since 1945, Cambanère Street has changed the name of Hang But street, while Chiffons Street has been Hang But alley. From 1949, Hang But street (old) became a part of Thuoc Bac street, while Hang But alley was “upgraded” in Hang But street.

Hang But street is the second shortest street in Hanoi’s Old Quarter, just behind Hoan Kiem Street.

On this street no longer sells items made from fabric as the street also called Hang Mun anymore. Compared to neighboring streets, this is a fairly quiet street.

Nowaday, the main business on Hang But street is hotels and restaurants.

A notable historical site on this street is Dong Thanh Temple in No.4. The front gate of this temple is on Hang Vai street.

Source: kienthuc.com.vn

Hang But Street – The poor street of old Hanoi
Nguyen Thanh Van