Hi, Hayley 742: As regards Hanoi and the Vietnam War, I would say that visiting the (solemn) Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the (humble) Ho Chi Minh's House on Stilts and the (historical) Presidential Palace are more than enough. The are so many other interesting places, as lakes, temples and traditional quarters, to be visited and admired. I wrote recently on Vietnam and you can read my reviews about Hanoi, Ha Long, Hue, Hoi An, Da Nang and HCM City. I wrote also about Cambodia and Laos. Feel free to contact me at any doubt. Take care. Best regards LuizDutraNeto Rio de Janeiro - Brazil

If Im not mistake you will need to arrive early to queue to get into the palace ground before 11am. I think 9-11am.

Main entrance fee is 40.000VND for foreigners, free for vietnamese!