Things to See in Hanoi

Nestled in a corner of the Old Quarter, the small Bach Ma Temple is the oldest in the city. Built by King Ly Thai To to honour a white horse that guided him to the site to construct his city walls, the pagoda includes a statue of the legendary horse, as well as a beautiful red-lacquered funeral palanquin. Much of the existing temple resulted from an 1839 restoration. Resistance fighters hid out here during the French period. Donations are very welcome.

This small pagoda, which surrounds a garden courtyard, is one of the most delightful in Hanoi. The old wood and ceramic statues on the altar are distinctively northern. An elderly monk can sometimes be found performing acupuncture on the front porch.

Within an enormous concrete cubicle, surrounded by guards in bleached-white uniforms, lies Ho Chi Minh's embalmed body - despite his request to be cremated. It's a free tour, and it's interesting to see how the visitors - from elderly VC comrades on a pilgrimage from South Vietnam to foreign student groups - react to the sight of old Uncle Ho.