Hanoi travel info

Six in the morning at Hoan Kiem Lake. Mist hangs over the roof of Ngoc Son Temple beyond the red The Huc Bridge, and under the old trees on the shore, grandmothers flick open fans for their morning exercises. A bicycle loaded with flowers rolls slowly past. Within the hour the same road will be roaring with scooters, so Hanoi's quiet side belongs to early risers.

A few steps north of the lake is the Old Quarter. These were once merchant streets where each lane sold one thing, silverwork, funeral offerings, bamboo ladders, which is why nearly every street name starts with Hàng, 'goods'. Narrow tube houses three or four metres wide stand shoulder to shoulder, the pavements are taken over by parked bikes and pho cauldrons, and pedestrians walk along the edge of the road. After dark, Ta Hien street fills with knee-high plastic stools, and the night starts with a cold beer and a plate of peanuts.

For food, Hanoi is where a lot of Vietnam's classics began: clear-broth pho, bun cha with chargrilled pork, cha ca fish fried at the table with heaps of dill, and egg coffee whipped up like custard. Unlike the beach towns down south, winter here can be cold enough for a padded jacket. October and November are the best months for walking.

Noi Bai International Airport (HAN)