HANOI
Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam. Its name Hanoi has existed since 1831 until present. This area was chosen as the capital of Vietnam by the King Ly Thai To.

Originally the area was called Dai La. The name was changed to Thang Long in 1010. According to legend, on the arrival of King Ly's Dragon Boat on the Red River at Dai La, there was a sudden appearance of a dragon. The King then named this land as Thang Long - The Ascendance of Dragon. It has been nearly a thousand year since then, and, this serene land has been called by many different names: Thang Long, Dong Kinh, Dong Do and today, Hanoi.

Throughout the Ly, Tran and Le Dynasties, Hanoi has developed to be a vigorous central city with hundreds of splendid and lustrous palaces and pagodas. Present day Hanoi still retains a great deal of historical and cultural vestiges with architectures of great values including approximately 600 temples and pagodas, and is abundant with ancient and busy commercial streets. Hanoi is also well-known as a city of rich cultural, traditional and literature activities.

Hanoi still preserves many ancient architectural works including the Old Quarter and over 600 pagodas. Many hectares of lakes lie intertwined between the streets, the largest ones being Hoan Kiem Lake, West Lake, and Truc Bach Lake. Many traditional handicrafts are also practiced in Hanoi including bronze molding, silver carving, lacquer, and embroidery. Famous sites include the One Pillar Pagoda (built in 1042), the Temple of Literature (built in 1070), the Tay Phuong Pagoda, which is very famous for its collection of statues, and Lenin Park.

Hanoi, past or present, has always been admired as a capital of rich culture and is worthy to be the heart of Vietnam.

HA LONG BAY
Ha Long Bay , a bay of wonder, is one of the most impressive landscapes in the world with thousands of islets and islands scattered throughout an area of 1500 sq km, and located only 170km North East of Hanoi. The local people use their imagination to flow the spirit into those mindless, timeless limestone and rocky islands, and make them lovelier, livelier and attractive with names such as: fighting cock islet, human head islet, golden tortoise and Ha Long itself, means “descending dragon”.

Ha Long also has many grottoes that are worthy of visiting such as: Dau Go grotto, Thien Cung grotto and Tam Cung grotto. Amazing Ha Long is a must destination for every tourist.

SILENT SAPA
The best time to witness the scenic beauty of Sapa is in February and March. Before that period, the weather might be cold and foggy, after that period is the rainy season. In February and March, Sapa is blooming with flowers and green pastures. The clouds that settle in the valley in the early mornings quickly disappear into thin air.

Located at 1,500m above sea level, Sapa lies on the side of Hoang Lien Son Mountains, 333 km northwest of Hanoi. Sapa's flora is diversified, ranging from flowers to tropical fruits. Among the most popular fruits produced in Sapa are apples, pears, peaches, and plums.

Sapa has many natural sites such as Thac Bac, Thuy Cung Grotto, Gio Cave, Troi Gate, and Truc Forest. SaPa is also the starting point of many climbers and scientists who want to reach the top of Fansipan Mountain, the highest mountain in Vietnam at 3,143m. Hoang Lien Son Mountains are also called the Alps of the North Sea area, since Fansipan Mountain is not only the highest peak in Vietnam, but also in the Indochina Peninsula. The pyramid-shaped mountain is covered with clouds all year round and temperatures often drop below zero, especially at high altitudes.

To reach Sapa, one can take a train to Lao Cai and take a bu