8 Best Sights in The French Quarter, Hanoi

One of colonial Hanoi's most iconic edifices, the Hanoi Opera House was built by the French in the first decade of the 20th century as an Indochinese twin to Paris's largest opera house. Today it hosts traditional and modern performances by Vietnamese and international musicians and dancers and is home to the Vietnamese National Opera and Ballet. Public tours are not offered—only ticket-holding guests can enjoy the ornate architecture inside. You'll find an English-language performance schedule here: www.ticketvn.com. Shows begin at 8 pm, and tickets generally start at around 200,000d.

Originally built by French colonizers to house Vietnamese political prisoners, Hoa Lo prison later held American prisoners of war and was called the "Hanoi Hilton," a name given in sarcasm because the conditions were actually quite miserable. In the 1990s more than half of the prison was demolished; the gatehouse was converted into a museum that highlights the cruelty of the occupying French but whitewashes prisoner treatment during the American War, as the Vietnam War is known locally. The prison is an important historical relic and the guidebook gives information that the placards in the museum do not.

This stately prayer house once served the many ambassadors who called on the Le kings. A hall named Quan Su was built in the 15th century to receive these guests, mostly Buddhists, and a pagoda was built for them in which they could comfortably worship. The hall burned to the ground, but the pagoda was saved. The Ambassador's Pagoda escaped destruction a second time, as it was the only pagoda not burned or ransacked in the final chaotic days of the Le dynasty. This pagoda sees more action than most in town, as it serves as headquarters for the Vietnam Buddhist Association. Government elites often make official visits to the pagoda, and people commonly hold "send-off" ceremonies here for the souls of family members who have recently died. The pagoda is also in part dedicated to a monk who is said to have saved King Ly Than Tong from his deathbed, so many older women come here to pray for good health. Dozens of young monks reside on the south side of the complex and study in the classrooms directly behind the pagoda.

Never one to downplay its influence, the Soviet Union assisted with the design and construction of this "workers' cultural palace," formerly known as the Vietnam Xo Cultural Palace. Inaugurated September 1, 1985, the rigid 120-room white colossus stretches from Yet Kieu Street to Tran Binh Trong Road. The palace actually consists of three structures: the performance building houses a 1,200-seat concert hall, and the study and technology buildings contain a library, conference hall, and observatory. At the various clubs hosted here, Hanoians gather to share ideas on everything from biochemistry and chess to billboard usage in the Old Quarter. The Vietnam Trade Union headquarters is just across the street, next to the Ministry of Transportation and Communication. The broad open space here known as May 1 Square is conducive to commemorating the past and present glories of the Communist Party, and you'll invariably see propaganda posters and waves of dangling street lights consisting of blinking yellow stars and red hammers and sickles. On the square's northeast corner is a beautiful Chinese-style meeting hall.

Built in 1926 to house the French tax office, this cavernous museum opened its doors in 1959 and now has 29 halls, individual rooms that focus on specific events or periods in Vietnam's arduous road to independence. The focus naturally lands on the country's efforts against French colonialism, Japanese fascism, and American imperialism. The photographs from the 1945 August Revolution are particularly interesting. History buffs may do better here than at the National Museum of Vietnamese History just across the street: almost all of the exhibits here have English and French commentary, so a few hours of exploration can be a great learning experience.

Opened in 1932 by the French, this building has served in its present capacity since 1958, when it was turned it over to Hanoi authorities. The ground floor houses treasures from early history, particularly Vietnam's Bronze Age. Of special interest are the Ngoc Lu bronze drums, vestiges of this period some 3,000 years ago that have become enduring national Vietnamese symbols. Tools from the Paleolithic Age are on display, as are ceramics from the Ly and Tran dynasties. Painstakingly elaborate but somewhat corny dioramas depict various Vietnamese victories over hostile invaders. Upstairs, exhibits focus on more recent Vietnamese history. Standouts include 18th- to 20th-century bronze bells and khanh gongs (crescent-shape, decorative gongs); Nguyen-dynasty lacquered thrones, altars, and "parallel sentence" boards (Chinese calligraphy on lacquered wood carved into shapes of cucumbers, melons, and banana leaves); and an entire wing devoted to 7th- to 13th-century Champa stone carvings.

As you explore the museum, be sure to consult the English-language brochure you are given with the purchase of your entrance ticket, as the information it contains about the exhibits is nearly the only information on hand. Displays provide little explanatory text, even in Vietnamese, and English-language translation is lacking. It's possible to arrange English-speaking museum guides in advance.

Once called Rue Gambetta, Tran Hung Dao Street is now named after the revered Vietnamese warrior who repelled Kublai Khan's Mongol hordes three times between 1257 and 1288. This long, tree-lined boulevard is a marked example of the stateliness with which the French imbued these east–west streets. Several diplomatic missions line the boulevard; among them, fittingly, is the massive French embassy (No. 57), which takes up an entire city block. The regal Indian embassy building (No. 58-60) is also worth a look.

Founded in 1987, this informative and modern museum focuses on the cultural and historical aspects of Vietnamese women across 54 ethnic community groups. The three main exhibits highlight the themes of fashion, war, and family life, and the female gender role as it pertains to customs and tradition. History is told through videos, photographs, and well-presented displays of Vietnamese women in times of peace and war. The museum also covers areas of marriage, customs, and birth. There is an interesting section honoring the modern plight of the street vendor. Signage is in English, French, and Vietnamese.