Places parainaxio Wants to Go

Unbeknownst to many, this fountain was erected as a tomb and still holds the remains of a Frenchman.

Order your phở stir-fried, sans soup.

This steamed rice crepe specialist has been rolling up its namesake dish for over 30 years.

This time-honored eatery near Hoàn Kiếm Lake serves the classic pairing of rice vermicelli soup and savory sticky rice.

For true northern-style phở with broth as clear as consommé, hunt for this restaurant hidden within a residential home.

Don’t miss the local staple of rice vermicelli with charcoal-grilled pork patties and pork belly.

Under Hanoi’s medieval citadel sits a secret military headquarters from the final years of the Vietnam War.

The notorious "Hanoi Hilton" where Vietnamese colonial subjects and later American POWs, including John McCain, were imprisoned.

Life-sized painted illusions let pedestrians blend in with the street art.

The spot where the two men ate together now stands enclosed in glass.

Twice a day a speeding train passes only inches from the homes of this residential neighborhood.

Home of the unusual art of water puppetry, one of Vietnam's oldest curiosities.

Monument to a brutal, ineffectual US bombing campaign and a sobering reminder of the human cost of the Vietnam War.

Ho Chi Minh's perfectly preserved body has been on display here since 1975.

This antique shop offers affordable 15th-century Vietnamese ceramics salvaged from a local shipwreck.

One of Vietnam's most iconic landmarks was built by Japanese traders and is now in danger of sinking.

This haunting location was featured in the final scene of a classic spaghetti western.

For a taste of Vietnamese gastropub culture, look no further than this convivial seafood joint that stays open till midnight.

Vietnam’s everyman “broken rice” dish is given one major upgrade at this humble institution.

This crab paste noodle soup specialist has been doling out its namesake dish for more than four decades.

One of Vietnam's only mosques pays tribute to the country's Muslim minority.

Nearly three tons of weapons from the Vietnam War still remain in this small, hidden museum.

An ornate tomb pays tribute to one of the most influential and cherished military leaders in Vietnam's history.

Order your coffee crowned with salted whipped cream or blended with coconut and ice.