Vietnam TravelTravel Special FeaturesHanoi - The Ancient CapitalHanoi - Free To Have Fun

Hanoi - Free To Have Fun

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While we're often told that the best things in life are free, all too often, entertainment seems to come at a steep price. Bit it needn't be so. A Lan suggests some free-of-charge ways to have fun in Hanoi.

Learn Tai Chi beside West Lake

It's five in the morning and mist covers West Lake. Quite reigns as the locals stroll towards the lake to practice Tai Chi Quran. While you're clearly a stranger, no one will mind if you join in. Someone will show you to emulate the others slow, skillful movements. As you learn to breathe and perform the graceful exercises you'll feel a sense of peace and appreciation for this joyful start to your day.

Play chess beside Hoan Kiem Lake

Walking around Hoan Kiem Lake in the late afternoon you will see clusters of people seated on the lake's western bank, all peering intently at wooden Chinese chessboards. Most of the players are older men, who punctuate their games with jokes and cheerful banter. Take a seat and watch a few games, then ask to join in.

Discover local art across the Red River

Separated from central Hanoi by Red River, the Phu Thuong District has long been known as an artistic center. Painter and performance artists Anh Khanh has a stilt house here, and visitors may come and go as they please, stopping by to admire the artist’s impressive garden and art installations, and if they're lucky, to meet Anh Khanh himself. The homes and galleries of other, lesser-known artists lie nearby, allowing visitors a glimpse of Hanoi’s emerging art talent. To get there, cross the Chuong Duong Bridge, turn left and follow the dyke road for three km to reach Phu Thuong Village.

See the pre-dawn flower market

From about two to five A.M., when most of Hanoi's residents are sound asleep, a market set next to the Nghi Tam dyke road explodes with color and life. Hundreds of flower venders sell thousands of blooms, spilling out of the market and onto the road. Weave your way through stacks of roses, chrysanthemums and lilies, inhaling the heady scents, as you drive back to Hanoi, you’ll witness an unforgettable sight: the first glint of light illuminates convoys of flower vendors, peddling their bicycle laden with fresh cut blooms through Hanoi's quiet streets.

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