Sights in Hanoi
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A
Lenin Park
The nearest green lung to the Old Quarter, Lenin Park is about 2km south of Hoan Kiem Lake. It’s a great place to escape urban Hanoi (and incorporates Bau Mau Lake, where there are pedal boats) and has a couple of cafes. You’ll find fitness bars for pull-ups and dips, and its shady paths are popular with joggers.
reviewed
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B
Museum Of Independence
The small Old Quarter house where Ho Chi Minh lived in 1945 has been converted into a museum. Ho drafted the Declaration of Independence while living and working here. The exhibit of photos on the ground floor is worth a quick look, as are Ho's upstairs living quarters, where you can soak in the frozen-in-time feel of the place.
reviewed
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C
Truc Bach Lake
This lake is separated from Ho Tay by Ð Thanh Nien, which is lined with flame trees. During the 18th century the Trinh lords built a palace on the lakeside; it was later transformed into a reformatory for wayward royal concubines, who were condemned to spend their days weaving pure white silk.
reviewed
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Ho Tay Water Park & Moon Park
On summer's most sweltering days it may seem like all of Hanoi converges on this Water Park, 5km north of the city centre. After cooling off on the water slides and in the refreshing pools, you can catch a stiff breeze on a double-corkscrew roller coaster in the adjacent Moon Park.
reviewed
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D
Temple of Literature
About 2km west of Hoan Kiem Lake, the Temple of Literature is a rare example of well-preserved traditional Vietnamese architecture. The temple complex, consisting of five courtyards, is extensive and well kept, and makes a welcome retreat from the frenetic streets of Hanoi.
reviewed
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E
St Joseph Cathedral
The striking neo-Gothic St Joseph Cathedral was inaugurated in 1886, and boasts a soaring facade that faces a little plaza. Its most noteworthy features are its twin belltowers, elaborate altar and fine stained-glass windows.
reviewed
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F
Museum of the Vietnamese Revolution
A must for all budding revolutionaries, the history of the Vietnamese Revolution is enthusiastically presented in this museum. It’s diagonally across the road from the History Museum.
reviewed
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G
Dong Xuan Market
No trip to the Old Quarter would be complete without a visit to the Dong Xuan Market, rebuilt after a fire in 1994.
reviewed
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H
Fine Arts Museum
Hanoi’s excellent Fine Arts Museum is housed in two buildings that were once the French Ministry of Information.
reviewed
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Cho 19-12
Supermarkets and malls are sprouting up all over town as many Hanoians adopt the shopping habits of Western consumers. However, Cho 19-12, found between Pho Hoa Lo and Pho Quang Trung, is an old-style market geared towards some of Hanoi's more traditional residents. It's worth a walk-through, particularly during the busier morning hours. By 12:00, it's a surreal picture of a carnival that's past its peak.
reviewed
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