Sightseeing OverviewMany interesting sights are within walking distance of
Hoan Kiem Lake, the tranquil
heart of Hanoi. The lake is a magnet for locals and this is the place to join in a session of Tai
Chi in the early morning. A lovely temple,
Ngoc Son (on the lake) is reached by a small red lacquered bridge.
The
Old Quarter with its 36 fascinating streets bustling with activity is to the north of the lake. A small section of the ’Hanoi Hilton’ or
Hoa Lo Prison remains on Hoa Lo Street, although most of it was destroyed
to make way for an office block.
Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum is popular with tourists and there are a number of visitor attractions close by, including
Ho Chi Minh’s House and Museum and the tiny
One Pillar Pagoda, a lotus-shaped pagoda resting on a single stone pillar rising out of a lotus pool.
Note that all museums throughout Hanoi and Vietnam are closed on Mondays and some also on Fridays. There are currently no tourist passes in Hanoi.
Tourist InformationHapro Tourist Information Center7 Dinh Tien Hoang Street
Tel: (04) 926 3366.
Key Attractions:The Old QuarterA maze of 36 narrow streets named after the products that were traditionally sold here and home to the amazing tunnel houses which have a very narrow frontage hiding very long rooms.
North of Hoan Kiem Lake
Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum Former President ’Uncle Ho’ lies in state here and people come from all over Vietnam and the world to pay their respects. His embalmed body is displayed in a granite monolith modeled after Lenin’s tomb in Moscow.
Ba Dinh Square
Tel: (04) 843 5064.
The Temple of LiteratureA beautifully preserved temple dating from 1070 which became the first university in Vietnam where the sons of mandarins were educated.
Quoc Tu Giam Street
Tel: (04) 843 3615
or 823 5601.
Fine Arts Museum This museum housed in a fine building has exhibits of artworks from prehistory to the present day.
66 Nguyen Thai Hoc
Tel: (04) 733 2131.
Website:
www.vnfineartsmuseum.org.vnHo Chi Minh’s House The simple stilt house where Ho Chi Minh occasionally lived when he was president, still containing many of his personal effects.
1 Bach Thao, Ba Dinh
Tel: (04) 823 4760.
Further Distractions:Tran Quoc Pagoda A well-used pagoda on an islet on the West Lake which has a tranquil garden and a spectacular centerpiece.
Thanh Nien
Tel: (04) 829 3869.
Ho Chi Minh MuseumDedicated to the life of the former president, Ho Chi Minh, with many of his personal items.
Off Ba Dinh Square
Tel: (04) 846 3752
or 3757.
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The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
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