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| Ho Chi Minh Monsoleum, Hanoi |
Though this World Heritage Site is comparable to the Royal Palace, other tourist attractions in Hanoi are better known than Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long.
Ho Chi Minh Complex and Nearby:
Ba Dinh Square
Ho Chi Minh Monsoleum
One Pillar Pagoda
Ho Chi Minh Museum
Ho Chi Minh Relic Area in
Presidential Palace
Temple of Literature
Lenin Statue and Park
Army Museum
Huan Kiem Lake Area:
Ngoc Son Temple
Turtle Tower
Thang Long Water Puppet
Theatre
Monument of King Le Thai
To
Hanoi Old Quarter
East Side of Huan Kiem
Lake
Opera House
Vietnamese Revolution
Museum
Vietnam National Museum of History |
| One Pillar Pagoda, Ho Chi Minh Complex |
Ho Chi Minh Complex:
In front of Ho Chi Minh
Mausoleum is Ba Dinh Square, wide green yard where you can take grand and
beautiful panorama shots. If want to visit Uncle Ho you need to go to the
entrance of Ho Chi Minh Complex at Ngoc Ha Street several hundred metres away.
Inside complex you can
visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, One Pillar Pagoda, Ho Chi Minh Relic Area in
Prediential and Ho Chi Minh Museum.
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
8.00-11.00 except Friday
Other attractions in the
complex 8.00 - 11.30 / 14.00 - 16.00
Temple of Literature is
located 1km south of Ho Chi Minh Complex but it is it on the opposite direction
to Thang Long Citadel. For Lenin Statue & Park and Army Museum are just
steps away from Flag Tower of Hanoi.
Huan Kiem Lake Area:
Around the Huan Kiem Lake
is the tourist hub of Hanoi. There are tourist information centre,
accommodations, dining venues with a view, street food scene, meeting point,
theatre, open bus stop, shopping area, banks and post office.
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| Ngoc Son Temple, Huan Kiem Lake |
Ngoc Son Temple and Turtle
Tower
Located above the lake, it
is a legend about tortoise, sacred sword and great king. Turtle is one of
mythical animals of Vietnam, including dragon (Long), turtle, phoenix and
unicorn (Dragon-headed Unicorn).
Monument of King Le Thai
To
He is one of Vietnamese
great emperors who could repel the Chinese troop from Vietnam in 14th century.
Le Thai To is the king who mentioned in the legend of magical sword and giant
turtle in Huan Kiem Lake. His pristine monument is compact on the busy road
around the lake.
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| Water Puppet Theatre, Huan Kiem Lakeside |
Thang Long Water Puppet
Theatre
The performance here is
one of my favourite activities in Vietnam. I attended the show after visiting
real rural area at a commune where Citedel of Ho Dynasty is situated in Tranh
Hoa Province. Friendly Vietnamese farmers in laid-back village, their cottages,
paddy fields, ponds and buffalos still exist in Vietnam.
The Water Puppet show in
Hanoi seems gaining the most reputation because it has been the traditional
local activity that reflects the daily life and beliefs of the Northern farmers
for a long time.
Hanoi Old Quarter
Don’t miss to explore the
heritage houses in Hanoi Old Quarter on the North of Huan Kiem Lake. I met by
an accident. However, I really like them. As we see, Vietnamese houses are
narrow at front and deep long. Heritage houses are divided the plot of land
wisely with courtyard at the middle and private terrace on the second floor to
allow sunlight and air circulation.
East Side of Huan Kiem
Lake:
East side of Huan Kiem
Lake is the elegant district of Hanoi, this is the site of government offices
in Colonial architecture style, the
stock market, five-star hotels, and luxury brand stores from the West, such as
Gucci, Louise Vuitton and Mont Blanc.
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| Hanoi Opera House |
Hanoi Opera House
One of Hanoi's elegant
landmark under Renaissance architecture with European master from Opera Garnier
de Paris, built during 1901-1911.
Compared to Ho Chi Minh City Opera House,
it is the larger. Hanoi Opera House organised the events from time to time.
Green lawn and ground floor of the building is location of chic café,
restaurant and bar that open daily. If you walk through the back gate, there
are more affordable Vietnamese coffee houses there.
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| Vietnamese Revolution Museum |
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| Vietnamese Revolution Museum |
Vietnamese Revolution
Museum
Tran
Quang Khai Street
I had the opportunity to
visit Vietnamese Revolution Museum located in typical Colonial architecture
building. The back entrance is not far from the Opera House. The exhibition is
simple, filled with photos and historical objects. What makes me frightened is
the Guillotine on display at the museum's second floor. And what a
delight is clean restroom.
Vietnam National Museum of
History
Trang Tien Street
Exotic Indo-Chinese style
edifice located not far from the Vietnamese Revolution Museum, but I missed.
Because of confusion with the label attached to the front gate of the Museum of
Vietnamese Revolution as Vietnam National Museum of History. I spent most of
time at Revolution Museum and too tired to continue.
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