Hanoi, Vietnam

Hanoi is the most visited international tourist destination in Vietnam mainly because it is the historical and cultural hearth and capital city of the country. Known as the “city within the river” since it is located in the Red River delta region in the north of the country, Hanoi is also the gateway to two of the most visited tourist regions in Vietnam: Hạ Long Bay, opening into the Gulf of Tonkin to the east, and Sa Pa, nestled in the mountainous northwest. More than 2.6 million people live within this global city of export processing zones, transnational corporations, and American-style shopping centers and hotels—all landscape features that support a thriving MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) tourism industry. Nevertheless, the most active tourist area ...