Wednesday, 22 December 2010 17:34
Backpackers travelling around Vietnam will discover the futuristic sites of Hanoi, according to a travel writer
Solo travellers embarking on an adventure holiday in Vietnam will discover futuristic sites in Hanoi, it has been claimed.
Hanoi has recently marked the 1,000th anniversary when former Emperor Ly Thai To moved the capital from Ninh Binh province to its current location 60 miles north.
Ian Paynton, writing for the Independent, claimed Hanoi is now "racing" towards modernity.
He said: "Hanoi is one of South-east Asia's most authentically charming cities, built on centuries of rich tradition, colonisation and conflict.
"Just a few kilometres west of the city, a glistening metropolis is sprouting from the rice paddies at My Dinh. This city may draw on its past but it is now being shaped by the future."
However, the city still has hallmarks of the past including the famous Old Quarter which is home to a range of bars, cafes, restaurants and boutiques.