Happy Holidays in Hanoi

If you are thinking about traveling to Asia this autumn, there is one place you should be sure to pass through. In October of this year, Vietnam''s capital, Hanoi will celebrate its 1000th birthday, and with the planned celebrations it sounds like you shouldn''t miss out.

So this mainstay for backpackers and young travelers should draw in a different crowd with the increased attention thrown on the city. It''s a great place to stopover for those passing through Asia and eager to learn the fascinating history and culture of an area previously demonized through Cold War rhetoric.

And there is plenty to look forward to in the big birthday party: in summer 2009, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung approved a proposed programme of exciting celebrations, some spanning up to 10 days, which include performances, live art, and an opening spectacle at Hoan Kiem Lake (legendary Lake of the Returned Sword).

What if you fancy a little more than pure partying? Hanoi has more than a few fireworks to show for its 1000 years of history. Live art and literary tributes aside, Vietnam is a country of vast cultural development and inspiring landscape ? and the capital is a great reflection of this.

With over 600 pagodas and temples, this city is more than just a pretty face: its complexion is a criss-cross of empires and political regimes. Once the seat of the ancient Ly Dynasty, much later the trade centre for French Indochina, with prime waterside location ? Hanoi then became the Communist epicenter of the country.

Amongst the temples and the remnants of its most ancient inhabitants, the impressive buildings of colonial nineteenth century Hanoi remain intact - including the Hotel Metropole and the Presidential Palace. Alongside this you find the most impressive achievements of Communist Vietnam: the majority of the country''s universities and its most forward-thinking scientific developments are the result of state funding in the 1950s and 60s.

Much more than a backpacker stop-over, hopefully 2010 will be a year to remember for anyone visiting Hanoi.

Article Source: http://www.casinoarticlessite.com

Caron Kristan composed this Hanoi piece after taking a trip with Octopus Travel who offer cheap deals on Hanoi hotels.

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