لماذا هانوي؟

Hoan Kiem sits at the heart of the old city and West Lake opens up the north. Mornings start with tai chi, badminton and dancing on the shore.

The Old Quarter still keeps its guild streets: one for silk, one for tin, one for paper offerings. Narrow tube houses hide shrines and courtyards.

The Temple of Literature, the Imperial Citadel and dozens of pagodas tell a story that starts in 1010.

Wide, tree-lined boulevards, the Opera House and ochre villas south of the lake. A gift for anyone who loves architecture.

Pho for breakfast, egg coffee in the afternoon, grilled fish at dinner. Much of it is eaten on low plastic stools.

Ha Long and Lan Ha bays, and the karst valleys of Ninh Binh, are close enough for a day out or one night away.

Hotels, taxis, meals and museum tickets cost far less than in Gulf cities or Europe.

November is dry and comfortable, with the hot summer behind and the damp, grey winter still to come.