Hanoi is a very pleasant city, not too large, not too busy, and full of culture. People there are still early to bed, early to rise. It's a city still on the cusp of the transformations that are affecting other Asian cities, the mix between traditional culture and the new world order imported from the west.

The food in Hanoi is not the best. There are more spectacular museums. Nightlife is lacking. But it's still the heart of Vietnam. Hanoi is pleasantly compact, with the small Hoan Kiem lake marking the center, the crowded older district to the north and the more spacious, French-built district to the south. Be up and about at least once by 6:00 a.m. to catch the morning activity around the lake and grab a baguette, or a bowl of pho soup, after learning some t'ai chi.

Hanoi is gradually changing, with an increasing number of hotels, restaurants, and sidewalk hawkers. There are a tremendous number of attractions here, ranging from cultural to war-related to the cult of Ho Chi Minh. Hanoi also makes a good base for arranging trips to Halong Bay or to the northern mountains.

Photo: Street in Hanoi