Think Your Hanoi Tourist Is Safe? Ten Ways You Can Lose It Today

The total cost will vary between around 325,000-475,000 depending on the company and your destination. It may be possible to negotiate something with an individual driver, but they will generally request you use the meter.

November 2014: there is no longer an official fixed price taxi service from Noi Bai to the city! If you have changed money into dong at the airport you can, of course, pay in local currency. Be careful of agreeing to operating the taxi meter: the meter may be tampered with, and can run upwards of USD40-60 or more to get to central Hanoi, and the upper limit is entirely out of your control.

West Lake lies off Thuy Khue Street. For most travelers, West Lake is a great place to get a skyline view of new Hanoi, as well as to feast on fresh seafood at one of the many restaurants that sit close to the shore. Tay Ho Pagoda is exceedingly pretty and dedicated to the mother goddess and Trấn Quốc Pagoda is one of the oldest still-standing temples in Vietnam (although it has been rebuilt several times).

Many locals come here to exercise by walking or cycling the pathway that rings the shore, but there's also two interesting temples in the vicinity. Tay Ho (West Lake) is Hanoi's largest lake, and its shoreline stretches for 15 kilometers. Another tiny island on the southern section of the lake holds the stocky Turtle Tower - best viewed from the bridge.

The major tourist Attraction for tourist in Hanoi upon the lake is the small island (reached by a red bridge) that holds Ngoc Son Temple, dedicated to three grand figures from Vietnamese history: La To (revered as a patron saint of physicians); the renowned scholar Van Xuong; and the 13th-century general Tran Hung Dao, who fought against the invading Mongol army. Hanoi's most well-known landmark is tranquil Hoan Kiem Lake, nestled just on the southern edge of the old town quarter. It's almost obligatory, or at least your savvy salesman will make you feel like it is.

If you haven't read these classics on Vietnam, this is a good place to pick one up (or a map or a postcard). Just $2 gets you a photocopied edition (some are rife with mistakes), and the biggest fun of all is bantering with these kids, all of whom have a good, funny line or two to get your money out of your pockets. These lads sell the likes of The Sorrow of War, by Bao Khanh, as well as popular phrase books, guidebooks, and the obligatory Quiet American, or now the popular In Retrospect, by the Vietnam War's architect, Robert McNamara.

Also note that Hanoi's wandering booksellers, once the plague of the city, especially near Hoan Kiem Lake, where the hassle of tourists was legendary, are less in evidence these days. This is a great place to experience an authentic introduction to Vietnamese life with plenty of places to sit on tiny plastic stools and enjoy the local drinks and food.