Ten fun facts about Hanoi

Fact 1
In 2010 marked the 1,000 years since the establishment of the city, but the city has been inhabited since at least 3000 B.C.

Fact 2
The city was originally renamed 'Thang Long' in 1010 by the first ruler of the Ly Dynasty. It translated out to 'soaring dragon', because he claimed to have seen a dragon over the Red River.

Fact 3
Houses and buildings in the city are very tall but extremely narrow, because the property tax is based on the width of the front of the building.

Fact 4
The world famous 'Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre' is in Hanoi, which dates back to the 11th century. It's a tradition stemming from rice paddy fields flooding and people standing in the water with puppets performing.

Fact 5
The Long Bien Bridge, which connects Hoan Kiem and Long Bien of Hanoi, was designed by the same man who designed the Eiffel Tower. There are also families of homeless who live under the bridge, since its surrounding area is one of the poorest areas of Hanoi.

Fact 6
Hoa Lo Prison, nicknamed the 'Hanoi Hilton' by an American POW, was the prison U.S. Senator John McCain was held at from 1967 to 1973. The prison was known for its torture methods during the Vietnam War and McCain claimed he was a victim of torture as well.

Fact 7
In 2014, Traveller's Choice ranked Hanoi number 8 in TripAdvisor's list of 'World's Best Destinations'.

Fact 8
For a short period in 2012, Hanoi was the cheapest city in the world for a one night stay for two at a four-star hotel, which included cocktails, dinner, a bottle of wine and a taxi ride.

Fact 9
There are restaurants in Hanoi who offer a specific type of dish, which contains dog, insects or snakes.

Fact 10
In 2009, Smart Travel Asia named Hanoi one of the top 10 cities for shopping in the country of Asia.