In the eyes of foreign tourists, Hanoi has enough differences that they do not confuse the capital of Vietnam with any other city in Asia.
1. Hoan Kiem Lake
The special feature of Hanoi’s geography is that there are many lakes in the heart of the city and the city is surrounded by large rivers. Hoan Kiem Lake is located right in the center of the city and is where Hanoians often go to escape the hustle and bustle of life in the capital. Moreover, next to Hoan Kiem Lake are impressive architectural works and valuable heritages such as: But Tower, Nghien Platform, The Huc Bridge, Ngoc Son Temple.
2. Hanoi Old Quarter
The highlight of Hanoi tourism is the old quarter with 36 streets, with ancient houses and streets that still retain their appearance from the 19th century. You can wander all day on the old streets, exploring the peaceful and simple places that are inherent in Hanoi. Coming here, you can feel the beauty of Hanoi people, close and familiar.
3. Temple of Literature
The Temple of Literature is a place to worship Confucius, to place the doctoral stele and also the first university in Vietnam. This is where competitions to select talents from all over the country took place to find outstanding people for the country. The Temple of Literature also has a teaching area, and the steles attached to stone turtles record the names of talented scholars and doctors throughout the feudal dynasties. Today, the Temple of Literature has become a popular destination for tourists in Hanoi, especially students who often come here before each exam to pray for luck.
4. Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
Visitors are welcome to visit and study ethnology from religious events to symbolic rituals of the 54 ethnic groups of Vietnam. The museum currently has 3 main areas: One area includes an exhibition hall, offices and research facilities, a library, etc. The second area is an outdoor exhibition area and the third area is to introduce the culture of foreign ethnic groups, mainly ethnic groups in Southeast Asia.
5. Hoa Lo Prison
Hoa Lo Prison is located on Hoa Lo Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi, built by the French colonialists in 1896, with a total area of over 12,000 m². The prison was built to detain prisoners and political criminals, and was also one of the largest and most fortified prisons in Indochina at that time. Today, Hoa Lo only has a small corner left as a tourist attraction, and this prison is also on the list of the top 10 most notorious prisons in the world.
6. Presidential Palace Relic Site
Behind the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is a modest stilt house where President Ho Chi Minh lived in the 1960s. The stilt house has the appearance of a traditional country house and includes a lush garden and carp pond. The complex also includes the Presidential Palace, built for the French Governor during the colonial period in the early 1900s. Today, the building is used to receive important international delegations and is not open to the public.
7. Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is the resting place of the great leader of the Vietnamese people. The mausoleum was officially inaugurated on September 2, 1973, at the location of the old stage in the middle of Ba Dinh Square, where President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence. The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is open five days a week, on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday mornings. Visitors are required to comply with requirements such as dressing properly, not bringing electronic recording devices and maintaining order in the mausoleum.
8. Thang Long Water Puppet Theater
When traveling to Hanoi , one of the destinations that many domestic and international tourists cannot miss is Thang Long Water Puppet Theater, right near Hoan Kiem Lake. Puppets are performed on the water and controlled by artists behind the curtain. The stories in water puppetry clearly show the life and culture of Vietnamese people, especially loved by foreign tourists.
9. West Lake
Located not far from the city center, West Lake is the largest lake in Hanoi and is a favorite relaxation destination not only for locals, but also for many tourists. The best time to visit West Lake is at sunset, where you can participate in interesting activities such as: Rowing, cycling, shopping, etc. In particular, when coming to West Lake, you also have the opportunity to visit Tran Quoc Pagoda – one of the four most sacred ancient pagodas in Hanoi.
10. One Pillar Pagoda
Located in the heart of Hanoi, the One Pillar Pagoda is a very unique architectural complex of Vietnam, also known as the Mat Pagoda, Lien Hoa Dai or Dien Huu Tu. This pagoda was built in 1049 to recreate a strange dream of King Ly Thai Tong. The pagoda was built in the middle of a lake shaped like a lotus flower emerging from the lake. The pagoda was heavily damaged during the wars. In 1955, the pagoda was restored based on the ancient architecture and still exists today.