Climate

On days of the end of September, Hanoi climate normally change from summer to autumn with an average temperature about 26 degree celcius. The weather then is gentle, sometimes cold and nice. This time is quite appropriate for starting tours in the autumn in the north and middle regions of vietnam. More information on vietnam weather can find in NCHMF (see also WWIS).

Transportion

Noi-Bai Airport <---> Hanoi Center

By taxi: To go from Noi-Bai airport to places in Hanoi center and vice versa, the best way is to take a taxi. Taxi companies specializing in transportation service between Noi-Bai and Hanoi center are Airport Taxi (phone +84-4-38733333), Noi-Bai Taxi (phone +84-4-38868888), and Viet Thanh Taxi (phone 35636666). At the airport, taxis are there at outside of terminals which can pickup you directly. But, in the city you should call to reserve a taxi in advance of your departure some hours (please say your departure time and address). A taxi to the city-center takes about 40 minutes, and the price for a taxi with 4 seats from Noi-Bai to any places in Hanoi center is about 230,000 VND (~ 13 USD for an exchange-rate of 18th Aug.)

By bus: Public buses to the city center from Noi-Bai airport charge 5000 VND and take about an hour. Bus #07 crosses the Thang Long bridge and goes to the Daewoo Hotel before arrival at Kim Ma station on the western part of Hanoi. Bus #17 crosses the Chuong Duong bridge and goes close to the old quarter before arrival at Long Bien bridge. Next, for example, taking a bus #4,18,23,36 at Long Bien bridge or Chuong Duong bridge stop either #18 at Kim Ma station (charge 3000 VND) will cross Le Thanh Trong Str.

Hotels <---> ICFP2009

The hotels as listed in the accommodation page is quite near the conference location (the intersecting point between Le Thanh Trong str. and Ly Thuong Kiet str.) which can reach from your hotels by walk. Please see a map below for instructions, for example.

Getting Around

Taxis are the best way to travel long distances, but the buses, cyclos, or pedicabs, are a cheap way to make shorter trips. Taxi fares are not always consistent, and the rates for each taxi company have not been standardized. For lone travelers, rides on the back of motorbikes (actually low-powered scooters) are popular too (known as xe om, literally meaning motorbike-hug). Read more at WKT.

Directions and Maps

In reading the maps below please note that most vietnamese names such as roads, streets, districts, etc. are normally translated into english by removing their diacritics.

Hanoi-center map (english japanese vietnamese)

Hotels and roads in Hanoi-center (the conference location, No. 19 Le Thanh Tong Str. Hoan Kiem Dist. Hanoi, is at the intersecting point between Le Thanh Trong str. and Ly Thuong Kiet str.)

Hanoi bus routes and map (fare is 3000 VND/adult for every one-trip in Hanoi city)

Taxi companies (average fare is about 10,000 VND/km, it is reduced after some tens of kms in running way)

Rail way (should a ticket be booked in advance of departure)

Ask a taxi driver for taking to hotels, ICFP2009 location, and Noi-Bai airport in vietnamese