City Info: Hà Nội
overview
[ attractions ]
restaurants
hotels
 Hoan Kiem Lake
Located in the Old Quarter and forming the heart of the city, Hoan Kiem Lake is a
favorite reference point for locals and tourists alike. Come early in the morning to
join Hanoians of all ages as they greet the day with stretches that look like dancing
sans music. At the north end of the lake sits the Ngoc Son pagoda, a working temple
accessed via the graceful, red Bridge of the Rising Sun. Inside the temple resides a
long-preserved tortoise from the lake. Legend says that a tortoise gave Le Thai To
a magical sword from the lake, a critical tool in his defeat of the Chinese invaders.
Tortoise are reportedly still living in the lake, though sightings are few and far
between, it's still fun searching the lake's surface for any sign of their enormous
dark-green shells. In memory of the tortoise's efforts to save Hanoi, the landmark
Tortoise Pagoda (Thap Rua) sits at the south end of Hoan Kiem Lake.
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 Children's Park
at Tran Nhan Tong end of Lenin Park
A favorite of expats and adoptive parents awaiting paperwork clearance, the park is divided
into areas based on abilities. All are grouped close together, making it convenient to
watch over children of different ages. A great place to burn some energy, ride on the
dragon roller coaster (if you can call it that) and walk the trails of Lenin Park. Teens
might enjoy the other activities in the area, including a large ball you can climb into and
roll around on the lake (near the coaster). Swan boats are also available to rent and the park
includes many walking paths.
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Museum of Ethnology
Nguyen Van Huyen, Cau Giay District
Hands-down, this is the best museum in Hanoi. Inside there are an astounding variety of arts and
crafts presented from the numerous ethnic minorities of Vietnam, including a vignette on
making cone hats, a bicycle laden with fishing baskets and numerous pieces of traditional
clothing. Don't miss the photo collection upstairs. On the third floor is an audio/visual
room, but it didn't work during our visit. Outside or full-size reproductions of ten traditional
homes for minority groups; this is the highlight of the museum and interesting for the whole
family. The "love shack" may want to be avoided due to some graphic woodcarvings.
Official Website
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 Water Puppet Theater
57B Dinh Tien Hoang, northeast end of Hoan Kiem Lake
One of the places every tourist goes and for good reason. Water puppetry is a long-performed
art in Vietnam and the live performance in the middle of the city (rather than in the countryside
lakes) makes for an enjoyable show. All ages love the quick vignettes that are
filled with physical humor, despite it being voiced in Vietnamese. The live music that accompanies the jaunts
through Vietnamese folklore is engaging and the show is short enough, even the little ones won't get bored.
Front row seats cost a bit more, but are worth the closer view in our opinions. You'll be amazed at what the
puppeteers can do, waist-deep in water and hiding behing a bamboo curtain.
Official Website
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The Old Quarter
north end of Hoan Kiem lake
The tourist mecca for Ha Noi, the Old Quarter is credited with being the most densely populated area on the earth.
Packed with hotels and shops that double as homes, it can be a bit overwhelming for the newly arrived, but this is
where everyone goes first. Be prepared for the crowds, the noise, the smells (some good, some not) and the immersion
into Vietnamese city life. Pick up some pineapple on a stick (<10,000VND), check out the souvenirs, then move out a bit further
either on foot or in a cyclo (bargain!). Don't panic with the traffic, just keep a hand on the little ones and keep
walking. There's nothing quite like this area of town.
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Vincom Towers
191 Ba Trieu
One of several shopping centers in Hanoi, the Vincom Tower has the most to offer for
visiting families. Not only does it look like any mall in America, including
several stories with very familiar names, it also has a grocery store, movie
theater and video game arcade. Let the teens wander the mall, then head up to
the top floor for the arcade. An area to the left is for younger kids (under 6 or so),
the cashier is toward the back and everything to the right is games. There are
(nearly) life-size horse races, car-racing, boxing and console-style games. Megastar Cinema
shows English-language films, including a family movie on Sunday mornings.
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Temple of Literature
on Van Mieu
Built in1070 as a Confucian temple, but within the first century became the National University.
It remained in use for more than 700 years. In 1484 (before Columbus even hit American soil!),
the emperor decided to start carving the names of the graduates onto steles that were on the backs
of stone tortoises. Only 82 remain, but they're a lasting testament to the education gained here.
While it can be a little boring here for little ones, older ones will be a bit bewildered by the
age of the place when compared to what they know (like it's way older than my whole country). Make
sure the kids give proper respect to things, including the altars and steles. Enjoy the banyan
trees and the ponds full of lily pads. A beautiful place to spend a bit of the afternoon (and across
the street from KOTO and Craftlink).
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 Ho Chi Minh's Stilt House
Ba Dinh Square
Tucked into the shady grounds, Ho Chi Minh's headquarters remains as he left it. This simple
little house is where Ho Chi Minh lived and worked from 1958 to 1969. Its modest construction
and decoration stands in direct contrast to the nearby Presidential Palace. It was built like
traditional stilt houses, common in some areas of Vietnam. It's a beautiful setting with some
strange plants, a caged peacock and grapefruit trees to catch the kids eyes. The pond that sits
in front of the home is home to carp and makes a peaceful break from the constant walking that
this area of town requires (near HCM Mausoleum and Museum, about 1 km from the Temple of Literature).
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Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
On Ba Dinh Square, Ba Dinh district; open Tuesday - Saturday, 9 am to 6pm
(closed for lunch 11:30-1:30). Free admission
Its imposing concrete facade is impossible to miss and is the defining feature of
Ba Dinh Square. Thousands of locals make the trek to visit the mausoleum, but remains
a less common foreign tourist destination. Nothing seemed as austere and, quite frankly, Communist
as the Mausoleum. Everyone is silent in reverence as they wait, then hurry through the actual room
where Uncle Ho lays in repose, illuminated with an orange glow. A bit disturbing for little ones, but
for anyone interested in history and culture, it's an intriguing visit.
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One Pillar Pagoda
near Ba Dinh Square, outside HCM Museum
The One Pillar Pagoda (Chua Mot Cot) is reconstruction built in 1955. The pillar is made of
concrete and the structure on top is made of wood. The previous building was
burned in 1954 by the French when they withdrew from Vietnam. It was
constructed to celebrate the tale of the heirless Emperor Ly Thai To, who dreamed
about receiving a son from the Buddhist goddess of mercy and compassion, seated
on a lotus flower. He married shortly after and bore a son, and the pagoda was
built to honour the event. The unique wooden structure
was designed to resemble a lotus flower emerging out of the water, with the single stone pillar its
symbolic stalk. People come to pray for fertility
and wellbeing, with allegedly miraculous effects.
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 Thu Le Zoo
Pho Nguyen Van Ngoc
I could blame the cloudy skies, but the zoo made us all depressed. It's a small park and zoo with a
limited number of animals, including a bunch of monkeys, wild horses, goats, an elephant, plus only-in-Asia
animals like the civet and dugong. People were throwing things at the animals and feeding them any sort
of food they had. The cages are tiny and the animals just looked miserable; the elephant had both front
feet chained to the building, unable to move. There's a pretty lake there with a few small rides and plenty
of snuggling couples, but not worth the visit.
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 Hoa Lo Prison Museum
1 Hoa Lo St (at Hai Ba Trung)
Known as the Hanoi Hilton during the American War, the Hoa Lo Prison was first used by the French colonialists, then later
by the North Vietnamese. That's when John McCain, its most famous prisoner, was here. Tucked into the shadow of the
Hanoi Tower, the prison sits on only a small plot of land, just enough for the buildings that remain. It's a bit macabre, with
torture devices and a guillotine on display, so don't bring the little ones. For older kids, it's a brief (and sometimes graphic)
introduction to the atrocities of war. Make sure to take note of the broken glass cemented into the top of the outside walls.
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 Ho Chi Minh Museum
near Ba Dinh Square
While the museum is listed in every guidebook, it isn't a must-see, unless you are a learned Ho Chi Minh fan. All
the exhibits have detailed explanations. In Vietnamese. Descriptions are brief, or non-existent, in English. There are some
interesting pieces, including many of Ho's artifacts, an oversized table with a fruit bowl and some replications of his
fight against colonization. Read up on it before you go to make it even somewhat understand. Cameras are
allowed, but bags are checked at the entry.
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Have another recommendation? Let me know.
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