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- Destinations
- Asia
- Vietnam
- Hanoi
- Old Quarter
Old Quarter
The ancient meandering streets of the Old Quarter are each named
after the crafts and speciality trades traditionally practised by
the original artisan's guilds in the 13th century. Each guild was
grouped around a temple, or dinh, dedicated to the particular
beliefs of the village from where the guild originated, and many of
these temples are open to the public today. The early merchant's
quarter affords an intriguing glimpse into life centuries ago with
covered markets, and the ancient narrow buildings that still line
the streets, known as tube or tunnel houses that contained shops.
Businesses were taxed according to the width of their storefront
and resulted in shops only seven foot (2m) wide with a series of
storerooms, workshops and living quarters extending behind to a
length of up to 197ft (60m). Many streets are still devoted to a
predominant trade such as silks, religious objects or textiles,
silver jewellery, antiques, and there are numerous art galleries
and craft stores, as well as cafes and pavement restaurants lining
the streets. Traffic within the Old Quarter is a chaotic mix of
bicycles, motorbikes and pedestrians passing noisily down the
narrow streets and shady alleyways.
Information & Facts
Address
Language
The official language in Vietnam is Vietnamese. Some
Chinese, English and French are spoken. Tour guides can also speak
Russian and Japanese. Numerous ethnic languages are also spoken in
parts.
Money
The official currency is the Dông (VND). There are no smaller
denominations. Currency can be exchanged at banks, bureaux de
change, hotels and on the black market. Visa, MasterCard and
American Express are becoming more widely acceptable, particularly
in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, but it is best not to rely on them
elsewhere. It is recommended that visitors bring travellers cheques
in US Dollars, which can be cashed at major banks in the main
cities and tourist areas. US currency acts as unofficial tender and
is useful as a back-up when banks won't cash travellers cheques
outside the main cities, but notes must be relatively new and
unmarked. Dông can be withdrawn from ATMs, which are becoming more
widespread.
Time
Local time in Vietnam is GMT +7.