Getting around in Hanoi is fairly easy because numerous attractions, restaurants, shopping venues, and hotels are located close to each other. The city’s local population travels mostly on motorbikes while motorcycle taxis, buses, and private cars are available for when you want to visit other districts within Hanoi. Hanoi is a very compact city and most travellers choose to stay within the districts of Hoan Kiem (which includes the Old Quarter and the French Quarter), Ba Dinh, Tay Ho (West Lake), and Hai Ba Trung during their holiday. You can take a taxi, hire a car or book a driver for the day, but it’s relatively inexpensive compared to other cities in Southeast Asia.

Some of the most reputable taxi companies in Hanoi include

• Taxi CP (+84 243 826 2626)
• Hanoi Taxi (+84 43 853 5353)
• Taxi ABC (+84 43 7191 919)
• Mai Linh Taxi (+84 43 861 6161)

The distance between Hanoi Noibai Airport (HAN) and HNUE is around 20 km. The quickest way to get from Hanoi Airport (HAN) to HNUE is to taxi which costs $20 - $25 and takes around 30 minutes. However, it shoud be noted that traffic jams frequently take place in Hanoi, especially at peak hours.

1. Inside the city

With more than a thousand years of history, Hanoi, the beautiful cultural capital of Vietnam, has many things to see and do. You'll find places in Hanoi that reflect the full breadth of the Vietnamese cultural and historical experience, from the country's founding as a Chinese vassal state a thousand years in the past, to its liberation from French and American colonial powers in the 20th century, to its confident stride into the 21st.

Must-see places: Temple of Literature, Hoan Kiem Lake, the Old Quarter, Imperial Citadel, Water-puppet Theater, etc.

2. Outside the city

If you would like to stay away from the city’s noice & its busy traffic, you can extend your trip to other surrounding destinations of Hanoi city for your peaceful & relaxed moment. Must-see places:

• Bat Trang ceramic village, a small village in the north of Vietnam, is about 13 kilometers south-east of Hanoi center.
• Duong Lam ancient village, the first-recognized ancient village in Vietnam, is 40km to the west of Hanoi. It is a truly authentic Vietnam as it still retains most of the basic characteristics of a village with port village, trees, courtyard, temples, well, water fields and the ancient houses.
• Halong bay ( the new natural wonder of the world) is located in the northeastern area of Vietnam and in 3,5 hour car transfer to reach from Hanoi capital.
• Sapa – the most impressive view of mountains & valleys is far from Hanoi around 320km, in 5 hour drive. To experience Vietnamese trains, you can easily book a overnight train ticket with soft sleeper berths to Lao Cai from Hanoi, then bus transfer to Sapa.
• Ninh Binh – the peaceful & relaxed voyage to enjoy the limestone mountain landscapes, 100k m far from Hanoi, in 2 hour drive. Ninh Binh was the capital on Vietnam in 10th & 11th century.

December is one of the coldest months in Hanoi. The temperature in this time of the year dramatically drops to 18-19o C with dry climate. Sun light hours shortens and it gets dark as early as 5:30 PM. Of course the relative definition of being cold may vary - if you are from cold country like Northern Europe or America, it will be cool like mid-fall weather. If you are from Southeast Asia, however, bring warm clothes!

• Average December temperature: 19 ℃
• December high: 22℃
• December low: 15℃
• Relative humidity: 67%