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Hai Phong
 Unlike
the two neighbors
Halong
and
CatBa
island,
Hai Phong (haiphong) attracts less
tourists unless they arrive in
Northern
Vietnam
by cruiser ships. Yet, the city maintains many charming
architectures with evident influence of early 20th century colonial
style the French invested to build up the old town as an important
sea port.
Passing
Hai Phong is an exciting experience as soon as you go by the way
crossing Cam River Ferry, from where you can go to
Halong by the
land way or take a boat (usually reserved) and run upstream 12km
till you reach the sea, from where you go on either to Halong or
Cat Ba island. Both ways offer wonderful views and seascape with
plenty of islands belonging to Halong and Cat Ba archipelago, and
few tourists choose this way to avoid repeated itineraries
There are still remarkable ancient Vietnamese architectures in Hai
Phong.
Du Hang Pagoda, the centre of Buddhism in Hai Phong, is a
very pure and graceful temple that was built in 17th century with
some renovations afterward. The pagoda contains a lot of brilliant
woodworks, bronze statues, and a bonsai collection right in the
front ground. An array of Buddha and Bodhisattva statues highlight a
circular pond of water lilies in a flowery garden and a tranquil
towered-grave yard, where buried the monks who had resided in the
pagoda, make the place a wonderful sanctuary to reduce any pressure.
If you luckily arrive in the new moon and full moon days' morning,
you will have a chance to catch fascinating pictures of Hai Phong
religious women in black velvet scarves and brown long dress, with
respectful faces and manners, sitting in and around the main shrine
of the pagoda while the monks pray or give lectures of Buddhism. Not
far from the pagoda, at the end of a very narrow market street is
Hang Kenh Pavilions, which is dedicated to the Vietnamese hero Ngo
Quyen who lived in 10th century. Being a Communal House of the Kenh
village in the old time, the Pavilions is famous for its wooden
bas-relieves, sculptures and special boat-shaped interior.
If you prefer to stroll out the city, your visit should be started
from the colonial  quarter
around Dien Bien Phu street and Tran Hung Dao street, from where you
can direct to the old Opera House, and go for a walk surrounding Tam
Bac Lake. There are 5 roofed kiosks in the eastern side of the lake
with very fresh flowers sold by smiling girls, and in the southern
side is the exciting Hang Kenh Tapestry producing woolen carpets for
export.
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