Cross the Red River with us, ideally after stopping at 7WF's Long Bien bridge caches, and take a tour through the winding alleys of Bac Cau, a peninsula marking the source of Duong River where it emerges from the Red River before making its way to Bac Ninh province. A quiet and green village life, this is - almost incredibly - also Hanoi. Grab a few fruits on the way and travel on until you cannot go further North and until you meet an almost 360 view encompassing the Hanoi skyline all the way to the Nhat Tan rainbow bridge and to the countryside beyond. You can park and take a look around Den Doi Co, a quiet temple, before exploring the river banks. Across the river to the east, you may spot an old artillery cannon from the French war and a few temples and pagodas on a dyke road. But that's an adventure for another day...
When looking for the cache, you should have the biggest eastern bank pagoda (Chua Van Hoach) squarely in front and the beacon tower at your back. Stay safe, there is no climbing, swimming or dangerous activity involved ! Enjoy the peace and quiet before driving safely back to the frantic downtown.