Hanoi

Lying to the south and east of Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi's French Quarter has grand boulevards and elegant French colonial buildings. These include the stately...more

The limestone pillars of Thailand's Phang Nga Bay may have gotten the screen time in The Man With the Golden Gun, but for sheer spectacle, nothing compares to...more

About two thirds of the infamous "Hanoi Hilton" was demolished in the early 1990s for the construction of a high-rise apartment complex, but the penitentiary's...more

A good way to get your bearings in Hanoi is to take a quick stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake, a pleasant 30-minute circuit. The lake is fringed with willows,...more

When he died in 1969, Ho Chi Minh was embalmed, in the tradition of great Communist leaders. His mausoleum was modeled after Lenin's in Moscow (and rumor...more

The Vietnam War (known in Vietnam as the American War) may be the most famous but it's certainly not the latest conflict that this resilient nation has endured...more

Hanoi is the only city in Vietnam to retain its ancient merchants' quarter, and its narrow streets, packed with fruit and vegetable markets, have housed the...more

The Perfume Pagoda, said to be named after the spring blossoms that scent the air around it, is one of the most important Buddhist sites in Vietnam. Every...more

Many travelers to Asia come down with a case of pagoda overload during their visit. So be sure to make time early on for Hanoi's most beautiful and historic...more

It might seem a bit hokey in an Xbox age, but this 1,000-year-old art form still manages to enchant. The best place to catch a water-puppet performance is this...more