Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi

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A pleasant way to spend an afternoon is to take a walk by the Hoan Kiem Lake..Located in the heart of Hanoi is easy to find and a leisurely stroll around its perimeter is relaxing..The standout is the little pagoda type structure that stands in the centre of the Lake but wasn't sure what its significance was...closeby is the Main Post office if you have anything to mail...this is the place to do it and it is so easy to notice the french influence in the Architecture here. this is a great Landmark to find your bearings around this Old Quarter

My wife and I first visited Hanoi in 2008 and we were intrigued by the story of the giant mythical, turtle but believed that in a small polluted lake any such animals if they ever existed there would be long gone. In a subsequent visit in 2010 we heard shrieks of excitement from a group of locals at the temple end of the lake and went to check. We couldn't believe our eyes - there was this massive turtle swimming right near the edge. Our hotel manager assurred us that after that sighting we were to be blessed with a good life. Most long time Hanoi residents were normally not so lucky in a lifetime. We later learned that in March 2011 after many attempts it was captured to treat it for injuries. It seems that around the time of our sighting the creature was surfacing a lot, probably because it was unwell. I haven't heard anything since and when we return in October 2011 we hope the story has a happy ending. and that the world population of these beautiful creatures hasn't been cut to three.
You might not be lucky enough to see the turtle but the lake environs and the nearby Old Quarter are well worth a few days of your time.

Many people visit The Huc Bridge in day time.This Lake number one in Hanoi
The temple may be one of Hanoi's most important and most popular, but it is the iconic red bridge that connects the temple to the main land - The Huc (The Rising Sun) - that gets the top spot in terms of the most photographed.
Water Puppet Show theater are nearby.

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When you arrive in the center Hanoi, you will not miss Hoan Kiem Lake. It is located at the main tourist district in Hanoi where the Tourist Information Centre, hotels, the Water Puppet Show theater are nearby.

There are several attractions around the lake including Ngoc Sun Temple, the Red bridge, and the Tortoise Tower in the middle of the lake.

It is a great place to walk around in the early morning. The temperature is fresher as the traffic are not so busy in the early morning. You can see many locals doing exercises near the lake including running, dancing, Tia Chi, weight training, and etc. It is a peaceful way of living in Hanoi.

There is a public toilet, and some cafes and restaurants nearby the lake.

The Ngoc Son Temple is dedicated to national hero Tran Hung Dao who defeated an alleged force of 30,000 Mongol warriors dispatched by Kublai Khan to extend his empire. In a separate room to the side of the main altar is a preserved giant turtle, which sadly died from injuries suffered after the Ha Noi Food Company caught it in 1967. Weighing about 200kgs, the company intended selling the meat when the Ha Noi People’s Committee intervened and prevented the sale.

However, don’t rush inside – first view the architectural adornments on the outside of the temple…

The legend of the Hoan Kiem turtle has great significance for Vietnamese people, dating back to the 15th century. It is believed that while cruising the lake, a turtle surfaced and demanded from king Le Loi that he return to the lake a sacred sword used in defeating the Ming.

The turtle either grabbed the sword or Le Loi unsheathed and gave it to the turtle, renaming it Hoan Kiem “Lake of Returned Sword”. It is still hotly debated whether the lake contains a single turtle, which reputedly lives up to 700 years, or whether there are five turtles that surface to mark important national events. Apparently, three Hoan Kiem turtles are held in captivity, two in Chinese zoos.

Turtle Tower is built on a small island on the southern side of Hoan Kiem Lake.

The Huc Bridge, a very scenic red lacquered timber bridge, is situated at the north-eastern corner of Hoan Kiem Lake – a tranquil setting in the heart of Hanoi’s Old Quarter. The “Flood of Morning Sunlight” provides views towards Turtle Island and access to the Ngoc Son Temple.

Should be high up on any Hanoi itinerary, particularly for romantic types or photographic buffs.

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This is another “attraction”, something interesting to see when you’re exploring the Hoan Kiem Lake area. The temple is located basically on the north east side of the lake and is easily recognized by the colorful two towered gateway that serves as it entranceway. The gate itself is known as Tam Quan or “Three Passage Gate” and it leads to Huc Bridge, the infamous red lacquered bridge that is so often associated with modern day Ha Noi.

The Ngoc Son is also known as the Jade Mountain Temple and was last modified in the 1800’s and was initially built to honor a 13th century military figure Tran Hung Dao, and scholar Van Xuong, Tran Hung Dao was responsible for protecting the northern borders of what is now Vietnam during the Mongol Resistance Wars of the 1250’s
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Nguyen Van Sieu was the man that was instrumental in its restoration in 1864. Van Sieu was responsible for the additions of the Tower that sits on a rock mound just inside the Tam Quan. The tower, named Thap But is a 30 foot high symbolic representation of a “paint brush”, sometimes referred to as the “Pen Tower”
In addition to this a part of his design is a shaped rock found close by that is meant to be symbolic of a “writing pad” so illustrating the constant connection seen in Vietnam between the artist and religion in this culture.

You can see here two completely different altars both ornately decorated and designed as well as a statue of Quan Vu and many religious symbols . There is also a stuffed turtle that can be seen here, supposedly found dead in the lake in 1968 . If you’ve been reading her at VT you know of the myth connecting the Lake with a turtle and this is a specimen that once inhabited the lake.

The smallish yet colorful temple, so close the lake, provides a little interlude from the hectic pace of the traffic filled streets so close by. There are benches set along the perimeter of the site next to the water so you can sit and relax after you’ve had a look inside.

I visited here twice during my time here in Ha Noi and its well worth the time to investigate.

Access to the temple is a mere 10 000 Dong…about a half dollar USA equivalent. And you can visit every day from 0800 – 1700.