Truc Bach Lake, Hanoi

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There are lots of restaurants around this small lake, on the southern eastern and northern sides, all local, ranging from the little food stalls to quite cosy ones apparently. The most interesting is the eastern side (Tran Vu street) where the restaurants are on one side of the street and tables are on the other side on the shore of the lake; if you come from Nguyen Truong street reaching the south Eastern corner of the lake, walk a little bit and avoid the first restaurants, as there are young people “hooking” the by-passers to go in the restaurants; reach the north side, there, it is way more quiet and you can sit on the shore, under the trees and have a beer, waiting for your food.
The city is mirroring in the lake and you may even glimpse one of the pedalo-swans gliding on the lake in the darkness.
Not as quiet as other lakes, but a pleasure to sit on a plastic stool on the shore of the lake; then finish the tour of the lake and look at people and at the restaurants on the southern side, many of them having sea food. I did not try, I began on the other side of the lake.

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Walking around Truc Bach lake at night (near West lake) is an experience by itself. Everywhere you will see couples on motorbikes enjoying their privacy with on 2 meters distance another couple on motorbike. Beside that Truc Bach lake is a very nice lake with fine tea and coffee places the romance of the place has something special and I made think about one of those old movies. Also great ice-cream and nice places to have a drink at West Lake. If hungry try the Pho Cuon in the Truc Bach are (fresh noodle-spring rolls).

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Truc Bach lake is a beautiful, though small body of water just east and across the causeway from West Lake. On the southern shores of this lake is Quan Tranh Temple. On the causeway, there are a few good restaurants as well as a monument for the Vietnamese men who manned the anti-aircraft guns during the American Vietnam War. US Senator John McCain was one of many American pilots who were downed and either killed or captured by the North Vietnamese. Senator McCain also spent time in Hanoi's famous Hoa Lo Prison as a POW.

At the far end of the causeway, you can see the beautiful and towering Tran Quoc Pagoda.

Truc Bach Lake is located just across the West Lake.

Some folks are seen playing chess, cycling, dating, exercising around this peaceful lake.