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 | Hanoi Hoan Kiem Lake Reviews | Tips 1 - 10 of 80 |  |
 | |  |  | Hoan Kiem Lake: The Legend of the Returned Sword | Tip Rating:   |  |  | |  |
Ho Hoan Kiem means "lake of the returned sword". The story behind the name is a legend. In 1418, the Vietnamese emperor fought a war against the Chinese. It wasn't going too well for him so when he walked by the lake one day, he saw a giant tortoise coming out of the water with a magic sword in its mouth. He took the sword and eventually defeated the Chinese army. When he was having his victory parade at the shores of Ho Hoan Kiem, the tortoise appeared again and demanded the sword back. Before he could do anything, the sword flew away from his hands to the tortoise's mouth. It disappeared in the water. The emperor had a temple built which can still be seen today. Now, here's the curious thing: In 1968, a giant tortoise was discovered dead in the lake. Scientists estimate that it's at least 200 years old. It is exhibited in the temple (Jade Hill Temple, located on a small island in Hoan Kiem Lake) and it is really huge: I would guess that it is about two metres long and weighs probably some 500kilos or so. Apart from all that historic stuff (that, btw, can be seen in the water puppet shows in the Water Puppet Theater next to the lake), Ho Hoan Kiem is a wonderful place to relax and watch the wind rippling the water. In the early morning and the evening, hundreds of Hanoians gather at the lakeshore to play badminton or do tai chi. Moreover, when you visit the lake at darkness, the lights of thousands motobikes passing by are beautifully reflected in the water. One final thing: The best look on the lake is from the top terrace of Pho Co Cafe. It's a little difficult to find - the entry is in a souvenir shop in 11, Hang Gai street, some 150metres away from the lake. And while there, you must enjoy a fresh orange juice... Leave a Comment Directions: Just south of the Old Quarter - Ho Hoan Kiem cannot be missed!
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| | | | Hoan Kiem Lake: The Heart of Hanoi | Tip Rating: | | | | |
Right at the heart of Hanoi is the Hoan Kiem Lake. Here, you find that it is a meeting place for both the locals and tourists. Cafes, shops, bus-stations and other human activities surround the whole lake. In the mornings, you will also see the locals jogging around the lake or doing other forms of exercises. According to a legend, Heaven sent Emperor Ly Thai To a magical sword, which he used to drive the Chinese out of Vietnam. One day after the war, he stumbled upon a giant golden tortoise swimming on the surface of the water; the creature grabbed the sword and disappeared into the depths of the lake. Since then, the lake has been known as Ho Hoan Kiem (Lake of the Restored Sword) because the tortoise restored the sword to its divine owners. Personally, the Hoan Kiem Lake is a reference point for me to move around the Old Quarter. Whenever I am lost, I would try to figure out where the lake is and from there, I would trace back my steps! Leave a Comment
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| | | | Hoan Kiem Lake: If there is one lake to see, it is this one ! | Tip Rating: | | | | |
One lake you cannot miss in Hanoi is Hoan Kiem Lake, the lake of the returned sword. The Tortoise Tower (Thap Rua) standing in the center of lake is linked to the legend which gave its name to the lake: this legend says that after a victory against the armies of the Chinese Ming emperors, emperor Le Loi handed back a magic sword to the Golden Turtle God in the lake and hence gave it its present name. The Ngoc Son Temple (Jade Mountain Temple) sits on another island to the north of the lake and can be reached over a famous red bridge. It takes less than one hour to walk (slowly) around this picturesque lake, under the trees, among joggers, families, young people on tour, etc. . . This lake is located to the south and East of the old city, easily reachable from most hotels in the old city or the former French district (to the South). On the western shore there are a few open air cafes and terraces from where you can enjoy fresh air and the view over the lake. A morning walk around the lake is very pleasant, before the noise of the city grows.
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