Quang An is 1.2 km long, starting from the intersection with Xuan Dieu Street and ending at the intersection with Quang Khanh Street, in Tay Ho District, about 5 km north of Hanoi's Old Quarter.
At the end of March, the famous British travel magazine, Time Out, honored Quang An as one of the 30 most interesting streets in the world, at number 25. The list includes famous streets such as High Street (Melbourne, Australia), Hollywood Road (Hong Kong, China), Fifth Avenue, Park Slope, (New York, USA), Camden Street, (Dublin, Ireland)... In Southeast Asia, Quang An ranked third, after Jalan Petaling (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) and Ban Tad Thong (Bangkok, Thailand).
Quang An Street is described as: "A beautiful street located along West Lake, the new and youthful international center of Hanoi. Quang An has more and more cafes, restaurants, fashion stores, near the unique and vibrant night flower market. But this place is still really peaceful to walk every day".
Ms. Thuy Anh, owner of a French restaurant on Quang An Street, said "the street contains many interesting things that you have to discover for yourself to see everything."
What makes this street so interesting?
Public destinations
As one of the streets around West Lake, Quang An is a place where Hanoians choose to exercise and relax every day, especially in the morning and evening, with cycling and jogging activities. The sidewalks and paths leading to and from the lake are often places to sit, relax, and chat between exercises.
At the end of the street, at the intersection with Quang Khanh, is Quang An flower garden park, with sports equipment, benches, and games for children.
Better World is a destination for handmade souvenirs from around the world, where a portion of proceeds are donated to local charities.
The once famous Sao Mai swimming pool area has now been converted into a hotel and restaurant complex.
Restaurants
Quang An is a street where every house overlooks the lake, so no matter where you sit, you will have a beautiful view. There are many European and Asian restaurants, beer pubs, bars, and vegetarian restaurants. Some of the names include Cork and Bottle, Le Jardin, Mr Beer, Ben Thuy restaurant, Con Heo Beo restaurant, VOU fast food restaurant, Dao An vegetarian restaurant, Olé - Tapas, Wine & Cocktails...
Long Lee, manager of Cork and Bottle, said the best thing is that this street is not crowded and bustling like many other places in Hanoi.
"The best time to sit here and watch West Lake is at the change of seasons like this, around 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., sipping a glass of wine and enjoying the atmosphere that is hard to find anywhere else in Hanoi," said Mr. Long, adding that about 70% of the guests here are foreigners.
Coffee and tea shops
Tea shops such as Nagocha Teahouse, Eastern & Oriental Tea House and Coffee Parlour and a row of about 10 coffee shops at the end of the street such as Kali and Bao Nhi are always crowded in the evenings, on weekends and holidays. The drinks here are mostly popular or mid-range, suitable for all types of customers.
Ms. Ha Thu, Dong Da district, said that on weekends when cycling around West Lake, she always stops for coffee at the end of the street. If she thinks of cakes and tea, she will go to Eastern & Oriental Tea House. "If anyone asks where to go on the weekend, I always recommend going here," Ms. Thu said.
Homestays and hotels
As described by Time Out, Quang An is truly a "new international hub", where many foreigners live. On this street, there are also homestays, hotels or rental houses such as Hanoi Sunflower Westlake, Jin's Chill Spot 2, Ho Tay villa, Elegant Mansion 88 and some other small homestays. Foreigners often rent long-term by month or year, the apartments cost from 15 million to about 30 million VND per month.
Surrounding areas
Besides Quang An, the surrounding areas also create a unique space for the "new international center on the West Lake" such as Quang Ba night flower market, Tay Ho Palace, and food courts around Xuan Dieu and Dang Thai Mai streets.
Currently, because the surrounding streets are being repaired and rerouted, tourists and residents from other places coming to the Quang An area should pay attention to signs to avoid entering prohibited roads or traffic jams.
University (according to VnExpress)Source
Comment (0)