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9 of the Best things to do in Hanoi (Part 2)
Have you ever wondered what makes Hanoi such a Popular destination for travellers from around the world?
3. Admire Hoan Kiem Lake
Hanoi is a city of lakes and rivers, and the prettiest of them all might just be Hoan Kiem, which lies south of the Old Quarter and immediately East of the French Quarter. It’s a lovely place for a wander, and like so much in Vietnam it’s steeped in myth.
Hoan Kim means ‘Lake of the Returned Sword’, and Vietnam’s very own version of Excalibur came from here. As legend goes, Emperor Lê Lợi, who finally fought off Ming China in the 15th Century to become the first King of post-China Vietnam, was boating on the lake when a Golden Turtle appeared to him. The turtle asked him for the Emperor’s magic sword, Heaven’s Will, which had been given to him by the Dragon King himself. The Emperor dutifully returned it, and it lies with the turtles (who are still abundant in Hoan Kiem) until it is need to defend Vietnam once more.
The rather worn Tháp Rùa Pagoda, which is found on an island in the centre of the lake, honours the turtle. It’s beautifully illuminated at night. Another island here is home to the Temple of the Jade Mountain, a homage to military leader Trần Hưng Đạo – who astonishingly fought off the Mongol Hordes in the 13th Century. A lovely red wooden bridge connects the island to the shore.
4. Marvel at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
Vietnam has fought off the Chinese, the Mongols, the Americans and, of course, the French. And Ho Chi Minh, the man responsible for defeating them and founding the Vietnamese Republic lies embalmed in a glass coffin in the heart of a huge mausoleum (modelled on that of Vladimir Lenin) in Hanoi’s vast Ba Đình Square Square.
As rebel leader of the Viet Minh, Uncle Ho – as he is known to Hanoi locals – read the Declaration of Vietnam’s Independence near here on 2 September 1945. But the French didn’t surrender until 1954 and under President Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam remained divided despite his best efforts, up until his death exactly 24 years later.
It should be noted that the Mausoleum is closed on Mondays and Fridays, as well as in the afternoons, and the building is closed for two months for maintenance of Ho Chi Minh’s body from September to November.
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