2 Best Sights in Hanoi, Vietnam

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. Public tours are not offered—only ticket-holding guests can enjoy the ornate architecture inside. There's a small ticket office between the columns on the right.

Never one to downplay its influence, the Soviet Union assisted with the design and construction of this brutalist compound. Inaugurated September 1, 1985, the rigid 120-room white colossus stretches from Yet Kieu Street to Tran Binh Trong Street. 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. With the introduction of the city metro, this entire neighborhood is undergoing intense transformation.