Let's see Hanoi In Autumn

Autumn is the moment that streets like Church street, Quang Trung, Nguyen Du are covered with the fragrance of Milk flowers.

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Women in Vong village carry baskets of green sticky rice on their shoulders and go all corners of Hanoi streets. In late autumn, when light sun rays spread over every corner of Hanoi, it is also late season of lotus flowers. On streets of Hanoi, you will hear familiar street cries of green sticky rice or can also come across a beauty with simple dishes that you cannot find elsewhere.

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The Well- Known Barringtonia Acutangula Of Hanoi In The Season Of Leaf Fall

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Hanoi autumn is not only famous for Milk flowers, but also a season of Royal Orchid flower- a kind of noble-minded flower that has been associated with Hanoi people for a long time. Royal Orchid flowers are not many in Hanoi now, just near streets on Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dien Bien Phu, Hoang Dieu, etc.

Hanoi also has a deep love with Dracontomelon trees. If in summer, people reduce heat from cool cup of iced dracontomelon fruits, in autumn, it is time to enjoy dracontomelon fruit beams in all streets of Hanoi.

Hang Ma street in autumn is always a spotlight of Hanoi people and tourists. Pedestrians and tourists come here to remember a part of their childhood and buy autumn gifts for their children.

Tastes and types of moon cakes have been varied but it always involves Pandan Flavor Sweet Cake and baked moon cake.

A season of sugar-apple fruits

Persimmon fruits are indispensable in a five- fruit tray.

HANOI STREET FOODS

Hanoi is the capital city of Vietnam and the second largest city after Ho Chi Minh City. 

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Long Bien Bridge history

If Hoan Kiem Lake with special green water and the red bridge named The Huc is the symbol of an elegant and charming ancient city; Red river and Long Bien bridge may be seen as the symbol of courageous capital in wars.

“Hanoi” - the name means “surrounded by river” is the city of ponds, lakes, rivers and bridges. If Hoan Kiem Lake with special green water and the red bridge named The Huc is the symbol of an elegant and charming ancient city; Red river and Long Bien bridge may be seen as the symbol of courageous capital in wars.

History:

The Long Bien Bridge was constructed from 1989 to 1902 during French’s occupation of the country. Though the bridge was designed by French, it was built directly by Vietnamese workers with indigenous construction materials like woods from Phu Tho, Yen Bai, Thanh Hoa province, cement from Hai Phong, Long Tho lime from Hue.

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The bridge was formerly named Paul Doumer by the French, but Vietnamese have called it Long Bien or Cai River Bridge for a long time, and Long Bien becomes the most popular name of the bridge. Originally, Long Bien had 19 spans and it was the first steel bridge across Red river in Hanoi, and one of four greatest bridges in the world at the time it was built.

Long Bien was considered the pride, symbol of architecture in the Far East. The bridge was a connection point to transport tons of rice from Northern and Northern Central area of Vietnam to Dien Bien Phu battle, and contributed to the win of Vietnam army against French, 1954.

More than 100 years with decades of war, Long Bien Bridge was bombed many times by air attacks by American army in 1967, 1972; and many spans of the bridge were destroyed. The left spans still remaining today remind us of an unforgettable past. The bridge, hence, is not only a traffic construction, a nice architecture, but also a living historical relic.

Travel Guide:

Today, Long Bien is only one of the five bridges crossing the Red river of Hanoi. However, it may be the most special bridge with unique historic, architectural, and cultural value. It is the only bridge in Hanoi where all the riders have to go in the left hand side, where tourists can take a walk and taste mouthwatering desserts offered by vendors (see 5 street vendors you should not miss out in Hanoi), where Hanoians can buy fresh vegetable or fish for the dinner from the small afternoon market on the bridge.

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Many people living and visiting Hanoi said that Long Bien Bridge is the best place to look at the sunrise or the sunset and taking nice photos of alluvial patch. Many brides and grooms choose Long Bien Bridge as nice background in their wedding albums. Many tourists come here to visit a historical construction and view nice scenery. Many youngsters, teenagers take nice photos to keep memories of youth on the bridge or in the middle of alluvial patch with full of green tree. Many vendors and housewives still come here every afternoon for an open air market.

And many trains pass the bridge each day.

That way, Long Bien – the oldest bridge in Hanoi is still living and sharing the daily life with Hanoians silently. If you have a chance to visit Hanoi, do not forget to take a walk on Long Bien Bridge for sight seeing, feeling the daily life of Hanoians, and enjoying peaceful moments at the present but not forgetting memorable past.

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How to get here

You can rent a motorbike and remember go on the left hand side of the bridge, or walk from the centre of Hanoi to here ( just more then 1km from the Old Quarter to Long Bien bridge).

Son Doong Cave in Quang Binh, Vietnam

Son Doong Cave is based in Quang Binh, in the North Central part of Vietnam, midway between Danang and Hanoi. At the moment, the cave is only available to visit between February and August and closed from September to January due to flood.

 

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Discovered in 2009, Son Doong Cave in Quang Binh, Vietnam, is currently the biggest cave known by mankind.

This giant is the champion in every aspect. The entire cave is approximately 9 kilometers long with the largest chamber of 200 meters wide and 150 meters high. With such a scale, Son Doong can comfortably host an entire city with NYC’s skyscrapers of up to 40 stories or allow a 747 to fly through. The cave is as twice as large as its runner-up, Deer Cave in Malaysia. Stalagmites in Son Doong are also among the tallest in the world with some towering over 70 meters high.

Not only exceptional in size, Son Doong is also ranked by BBC News as the most beautiful cave all over the globe. If you have ever watched James Cameron’s Avatar, you may find Son Doong more or less similar to the scenes on Planet Pandora. Untouched by humans and abnormally large, Son Doong has its own river, jungle and climate. Yes, river, jungle, and climate within the cave! The huge temperature difference between the air inside and outside creates a constantly hovering clouds of mist that gives rise to a miraculous and surreal atmosphere.

Son Doong was discovered by a local lumberjack named Ho Khanh. Although only in 2009 was the discovery officially announced by the British Cave Research Association, Ho Khanh’s first encounter with the giant was actually in 1991, during one of his logging trip. At that moment, Ho Khanh never knew that he had discovered the world’s largest grotto. Indeed, the powerful and mysterious wind blowing from inside the cave scared him as he thought it was one of the cave monsters in local mythology.

Son Doong became open for commercial expedition in 2013. Since then, it has attracted throngs of adventurers who want to have the extraordinary and unique experience of discovering the biggest cave on Earth.

How to get there

Son Doong is located in Son Trach, Bo Trach District, Quang Binh Province, Vietnam. There is currently no paved road leading to the cave and the journey to the cave is an adventure itself. It will take you about 6 hours to walk 10 kilometers from Ho Chi Minh Highway into the dense tropical forest of Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park to reach the mouth of Son Doong.

By Air

The nearest airport is Dong Hoi Airport, which lies in the capital city Dong Hoi of Quang Binh province. There are several ways to get to Dong Hoi. For hardcore adventurers who cannot resist the urge to enter the cave as soon as possible, flying is the optimal option as it will save both time and energy.

Vietnam Airlines offers flights from Hanoi to Dong Hoi while Vietjet Airs offers flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Dong Hoi on daily basis. Travel time is around one hour for both.

By train

Alternatively, you can board the Reunification Express trains. Because Vietnam has a lengthy S-shape, there are train services from various cities such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Hue, Vinh, etc. to Dong Hoi. Travel time varies with distance from your starting point.

Buses and taxies are available too, offering more route options and flexibility. Prices and travel time also vary with starting destinations and service providers.

From Dong Hoi, you will be transferred to Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park and then to the trekking point on Road 20 of Ho Chi Minh Highway, by bus. Therefrom, the only vehicle available is your own feet. To reach Son Doong, it will take you around one day to traverse through forests, hills, and rivers so some fitness and endurance are required. Along the way, you will visit an ethnic village called Ban Doong and spend the night in Hang En Cave.

Best time to visit

The best time of the year to visit Son Doong is from February to August. From February to April, the weather is cool and mild, perfectly suitable for trekking in the cave. However, it can be quite cold at night so be prepared to bring along some trekking jackets. From May to August, the weather is often hot and humid, making the expedition more arduous and challenging. From September to January, the cave is closed as the flood also makes it impossible to access to the caves during this time of the year.