Guidebook
1. Old Quarter
The Old Quarter is one of the city's famous historical landmarks. The Old Quarter is winding and crowded, with many classical architectural works. Street vendors stir up the Old Quarter with their endless cries, the sizzling sound of food stalls with fragrant smoke.
Hanoi Old Quarter
The beer and pho shops are always full of gossip and laughter, which are typical of the Old Quarter. The best way to enjoy the beauty of the Old Quarter is to stroll around the winding alleys, inhale the attractive aroma of the dishes and admire the ancient buildings.
In the 13th century, Hanoi had 36 streets. Up to now, the Old Quarter has grown to a collection of up to 50 streets. The way the streets are named is very interesting, which are the names of the trades of the people in that street. For example, Hang Gai sells silk, Hang Hom sells coffins... although today, many streets no longer trade these items.
Street vendors in Hanoi's Old Quarter.
Walking to explore the maze of the Old Quarter is truly a pleasure for tourists. Most of the streets are connected to each other, the rest are winding dead ends. The houses in the Old Quarter are built in a tube shape, 1-2 stories high, with wooden attics, and must not exceed the height of the buildings in the Imperial Citadel to show respect to the king. Today, the Old Quarter has more high-rise buildings but still has a moderate height limit.
At Hang Dao, you can buy all kinds of goods, but the most prominent is the cheap wholesale of clothes, jewelry, souvenirs, dried fruits... One of the other quite special shopping streets is Hang Quat, which sells coffins, candlesticks, flags, fans, and worship items. Hang Gai Street specializes in selling exquisite silk and ao dai at quite expensive prices. Don't forget to stop by Dong Xuan Market - which was burned down and rebuilt in 1994.
Your journey to explore the Old Quarter can take a few hours, but it's better to spend a day walking around this place because it is the leading cultural, historical and shopping center of Hanoi.
2. Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Complex
The Mausoleum Complex
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is located in the west of the Old Quarter with a vast, smooth green lawn in front. Not only the mausoleum, but here there is also a complex of important historical landscapes of Hanoi and Vietnam: pagodas, fish ponds, trees, stilt houses, etc.
Uncle Ho's Mausoleum
Like the mausoleums of Lenin, Stalin, Mao Zedong, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is a massive marble architectural work. To commemorate the great contributions of President Ho Chi Minh, all the materials to build the mausoleum were transported from all over the country during the years 1973 to 1975.
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum.
The roof and columns of the mausoleum are based on the combined architecture of traditional houses and modeled after the lotus flower. Inside the mausoleum, there is a large transparent glass block where his body is placed. Every year, teams of Russian experts will come to support the preservation of Uncle Ho's body.
The line of people visiting Uncle Ho's mausoleum will have to line up a few hundred meters, along the entrance of the mausoleum, moving slowly and calmly, slowly paying their respects to Uncle Ho. Around the place where Uncle Ho's body is placed, there is a team of guards in white uniforms, guarding the sleep of the father of the nation.
When visiting the mausoleum, there will be a few small notes for visitors such as:
- Visitors wearing tank tops, tank tops, skirts/short pants will not be allowed to enter the mausoleum.
- Do not use mobile phones, cameras, or video cameras in the mausoleum.
Show respect and dignity, do not talk or laugh.
Do not touch the place where Uncle Ho's body is placed
Hat and hat should be removed from the hallway before entering the mausoleum.
Uncle Ho's stilt house
Uncle Ho's stilt house is a historical site where Uncle Ho rested and worked during the years 1958 to 1969. The stilt house is quite simple, typical of the Central Highlands, located in a garden full of flowers and fruits and has a large carp pond, often called "Uncle Ho's fish pond".
Ho Chi Minh Museum
Right next to the mausoleum is the Ho Chi Minh Museum. This is where artifacts are kept reflecting the process of building and defending the country of our country in the modern and innovative period. Some of the memorabilia marking the life of President Ho Chi Minh, such as photos of Uncle Ho's belongings, leave a strong impression on visitors.
In addition, you will admire artifacts and paintings on major themes such as "peace", "independence" ... that move many visitors.
One Pillar Pagoda
One Pillar Pagoda was built in 1049 by King Ly Thai Tong. According to legend, after meeting Bodhisattva, the king built the pagoda to express his respect for Buddhism.
One Pillar Pagoda has a sophisticated and unique design made of wood, with only 1 single pillar rising from the lake, making the pagoda look like a holeless lotus.
3. Temples, Communal Houses, Pagodas
Temple of Literature
Khue Van Cac - Temple of Literature and Quan Su Pagoda
Located about 2km west of Hoan Kiem Lake, the Temple of Literature is a structure that demonstrates the respect for learning in general and literature in particular. The structure is quite complex and diverse, consisting of 5 courtyards, seemingly closed, quiet, completely separated from the bustling streets of Hanoi.
Established by King Ly Thanh Tong in 1070, the Temple of Literature worships Confucius and the most outstanding people in learning in the past. The first university in Vietnam was also established here in 1076. The Temple of Literature currently has 82 doctoral steles. If you want to learn about the history of the Temple of Literature, you can buy documents for sale at souvenir stalls.
Quan Su Pagoda
This is the central headquarters of the Hanoi Buddhist Sangha. On holidays, the first and fifteenth of the lunar month, the temple attracts a large number of Buddhists and tourists. During the 17th century, the temple was considered an embassy for Buddhist monks and nuns from other countries. There are currently 12 monks and nuns in the temple. Right next to the temple are a series of shops selling worship items and practicing Buddhist rituals.
Ngoc Son Temple
Ngoc Son Temple, Hanoi
This can be considered the temple that attracts the most tourists to visit. The temple is located on a small green "oasis" on Hoan Kiem Lake (located diagonally to the North). The temple is led to by a The Huc bridge (meaning "Rising Sun"), a curved bridge shaped like a shrimp, painted bright red. Surrounded by lush green trees in the middle of the vast water, the temple is a place to worship Tran Hung Dao. In the temple, there is also an artifact which is the body of a giant "Turtle" weighing nearly 250 kg.
Tran Quoc Pagoda
This is the oldest pagoda in Vietnam, located on Thanh Nien Street. In the pagoda, there is an ancient stele dating back to 1639, recounting the formation of Tran Quoc Pagoda. The pagoda was built in the 15th century and restored in 1842. The pagoda preserves many precious ashes of eminent monks.
Bach Ma Temple
Located in the Old Quarter, the small Bach Ma Temple is considered the oldest temple in Hanoi. After many restorations since the early 18th century, the temple has become a sacred place to worship Confucius. Bach Ma Temple was originally built by King Ly Thai To, who, according to legend, met and was led here by a white horse god, hence the name Bach Ma. Through the ancient and precious wooden pillars, we can see the majestic Bach Ma statue and the palanquin painted in red and gilded with gold.
Quan Thanh Temple
Quan Thanh Temple and Bach Ma Temple.
Quan Thanh Temple was built during the Ly Dynasty, worshiping the Northern Saint - a saint who symbolizes power through the image of a turtle and a snake. The giant statue and the big bell in the temple were cast in pure black bronze in 1677. The temple is located near Truc Bach Lake, at the intersection of Thanh Nien and Quan Thanh streets.
Hai Ba Trung Temple
Located to the south, about 2km from Hoan Kiem Lake, this temple was built in 1142. In the temple, there are statues of the two sisters Trung Trac and Trung Nhi. These were the first female queens of our country, who drowned themselves in the river after losing the battle to the Wu army.
Tay Ho Palace
With a part jutting out into West Lake, Tay Ho Palace is one of the top spiritual destinations in Hanoi. Every month, on the 1st and 15th of the lunar month, Tay Ho Palace is crowded with Buddhist pilgrims. The scenery inside the palace is beautiful, poetic and quiet. This is one of the places you should visit to feel the serenity, peace, feel the sky and earth moving, very gently.
4. Museums
Museums in Hanoi are usually closed on Mondays.
Hanoi Museum - Me Tri, Tu Liem
Hanoi Museum is built on an area of nearly 54,000 m2, designed in the shape of an inverted pyramid. The highlight of the main hall is a spiral ramp connecting all four floors. The second and third floors are for exhibitions. The fourth floor is a meeting room, seminar room, research room, library, preservation room, collection room.
Museum of Ethnology
Nguyen Van Huyen Street, Cau Giay. Tel: (04) 37562193:
This is a rich museum about the cultures of Vietnam's ethnic groups. The museum is about 7km from the city center. To get here from Hoan Kiem Lake, it will cost you about 85 - 100,000 VND by taxi. To save more, you can take bus number 14 for only 3000 VND from Dinh Tien Hoang, stop at Nghia Tan bus station, from there you go straight to Nguyen Van Huyen street, it takes about 3 - 5 minutes to get to the museum.
History Museum
No. 1 Trang Tien / No. 25 Tong Dan. Tel: (04) 38252853. https://www.baotanglichsu.vn
The History Museum is an architectural work built by a French engineer around 1925 to 1932. The architecture of this massive work is a combination of Chinese and French styles.
The artifacts in the museum date back to the entire history of Vietnam. One of the highlights of the museum is the bronze objects of the Dong Son culture (3rd century BC to 3rd century AD) and the beautiful Hindu sculptures and statues of the Khmer and Champa cultures.
Museum of Fine Arts
66 Nguyen Thai Hoc. Tel: (04) 3733 2131
The Vietnam Museum of Fine Arts displays many outstanding works of art with great historical value. There is also a large collection of sketches, texts, and objects of high artistic value such as Champa sculptures, the Buddha statue with a thousand eyes and a thousand hands, folk paintings, etc.
Museum of Women
36 Ly Thuong Kiet. Tel: (04) 3825 9936. https://www.womenmuseum.org.vn/
Here you will witness the progress of Vietnamese women through many pictures and artifacts, especially the relics of Vietnamese women in the resistance movement against the US. In the middle of the museum are displayed weapons made by the Soviets to shoot down US planes, and the remaining pieces of French fighter planes shot down at Dien Bien Phu.
Right next to the Women's Museum is the Hanoi Flag Tower. You can hire museum staff to explain the history of the Flag Tower for about 200,000 VND.
Hoa Lo Prison
No. 1 Hoa Lo Street
This was built by the French in 1896, where about 2,000 political prisoners were detained, including nearly 100 cases of prisoners who successfully escaped.
5. Parks and lakes
Hoan Kiem Lake (Hoan Kiem Lake)
Hoan Kiem Lake, the heart of the country.
As the focal point of Hanoi city, Hoan Kiem Lake is magically beautiful, captivating people's hearts. According to legend, in the middle of the 15th century, the Golden Turtle God gave the sacred sword to Le Loi to drive out the Ming invaders. After successfully driving out the Northern invaders, while cruising on the lake, King Le Thai To returned the sacred sword to the sacred turtle. Therefore, the lake is also called Hoan Kiem Lake.
Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi.
Hoan Kiem Lake is poetically beautiful with willow trees hanging over the shore, the ancient moss-covered Turtle Tower. Strolling along the lake in the early morning, you will easily see the scene of city people exercising, walking, playing chess, playing badminton, ... creating a simple and peaceful scene.
West Lake
Thanh Nien Street - the road between West Lake and Truc Bach Lake.
West Lake is the largest freshwater lake in the system of lakes in Hanoi. Around the lake are many pagodas and luxurious villas, creating a strangely diverse beauty. Along Xuan Dieu Street on the west side of the lake is a row of luxurious European-style restaurants, cafes, shops, boutiques and spas. The West Lake side is home to the most luxurious hotels in Hanoi such as the InterContinental and Sheraton hotels. You can also visit two famous ancient pagodas when walking around West Lake, Tay Ho Palace and Tran Quoc Pagoda.
Truc Bach Lake
Truc Bach Lake is very close to but separate from West Lake, separated by Thanh Nien Street. Both sides of the lake are covered with green trees. In the 18th century, Lord Trinh built a palace right next to the lake.
Lenin Park
Lenin Park is the green lung of Hanoi city, located to the south, about 2km from Hanoi. This is a great place for you to temporarily escape the hustle and bustle of the crowded city. The park has 2 cafes, and is an ideal place for you to rest and walk.
