Hoàn Kiếm Trip Overview
From the rich history and charm of the Old Quarter and Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum to the relaxed atmosphere around West Lake, you will see all parts of Hanoi in the allocated time at a safe, relaxed pace. The tour will give you a wonderful perspective of the city’s most popular and historic sights and you will have many of opportunities to get off the motorbike and take lots of photos.
Additional Info
Duration: 4 hours
Starts: Hoàn Kiếm, Vietnam
Trip Category: Tours & Sightseeing >> Vespa, Scooter & Moped Tours
Explore Hoàn Kiếm Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, Vietnam
From the rich history and charm of the Old Quarter and Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum to the relaxed atmosphere around West Lake, you will see all parts of Hanoi in the allocated time at a safe, relaxed pace. The tour will give you a wonderful perspective of the city’s most popular and historic sights and you will have many of opportunities to get off the motorbike and take lots of photos.
Stop At: Old Quarter, Hanoi 100000 Vietnam
ocated in the middle of Ha Noi, a rapidly developing city where changes take place every hour, Ha Noi Old Quarter with its old-styled narrow streets full of antique brick houses seems to nostalgically resist the flow of time while still actively trying to adapt to the dynamic atmosphere of the modern city.
Once a bustling area where merchants and artisans gathered to sell their products, Ha Noi Old Quarter consists of many small, meandering streets, each bears the name of the goods that was specifically traded there such as Hang Bac (Silver Product), Hang Ma (Paper Product), Hang Go (Wood Product), just to name a few.
Visiting this unique historical vestige comfortably lying around Hoan Kiem Lake, tourists get lost in a totally different world from the rest of the city and have the chance to explore the modest but energetic life of the local a hundred years ago, where there were no high-rise buildings, too much traffic or fancy stores; things will get a little bit smaller, as visitors may have used to those skyscrapers and shopping centers in other parts of the city, but not at all less lively and vigorous.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Lake of the Restored Sword (Hoan Kiem Lake), Hanoi 100000 Vietnam
The tale goes that Le Loi King came across a shining metal bar when he visited his friend. It turned out that his friend caught the bar in one of his attempts for fish. The King asked for the bar, brought it home and moulded it into a sword. All of a sudden, there was two words printed on the sword “Thuan Thien” (harmonious with heaven).
Le Loi then understood that the sword was a gift from heaven. He used it for the battle against the war with a neighbouring country. At the beginning of 1428, when peace prevailed, on one of his trip to the Thuy Quan (now Hoan Kiem) Lake, there was a tortoise rising above water and shouting: “Please return the sword to the Dragon King”. Without hesitation, the King threw the sword to the lake. The tortoise took the sword and dove down the water. From then on, Thuy Quan became Hoan Kiem lake.
Duration: 40 minutes
Stop At: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, 2 Hung Vuong Ba Dinh Square, Hanoi 100000 Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is an important historical attraction of Hanoi, known for honoring the national hero: President Ho Chi Minh. The building is where visitors can express their admiration and gratitude towards the common father/uncle of Vietnamese who has led the country to independence and reunification. It is popularly known among Vietnamese as Uncles’ Mausoleum, for the intimate and familiar atmosphere Ho Chi Minh always created when he was alive. Built over 2 years from 1973 to 1975, the Mausoleum is also a lively illustrator of national unity.
Duration: 40 minutes
Stop At: West Lake, Hanoi 100000 Vietnam
The city’s largest lake, known as both Ho Tay and West Lake, is 15km in circumference and ringed by upmarket suburbs, including the predominantly expat Tay Ho district. On the south side, along Ð Thuy Khue, are seafood restaurants, and to the east, the Xuan Dieu strip is lined with restaurants, cafes, boutiques and luxury hotels. The atmosphere makes a calm change from the chaos of the Old Quarter. A pathway circles the lake, making for a great bicycle ride.
Duration: 40 minutes
Stop At: Hanoi Opera House, 01 Trang Tien – Phan Chu Trinh Old Quarter, Hanoi 100000 Vietnam
An essential part of Hanoi’s 000 year history, Hanoi Opera House is without doubt one of the most famous cultural and architectural monuments of Hanoi. Located on the famous August Revolution Square, Hanoi Opera House is just a few steps from Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi Old Quarter and Vietnam History Museum. The Opera house was constructed for ten years from 1901 to 1911 and modeled on Palais Garnier – the older of Paris two opera houses, Hanoi Opera House embraces the European architectural style under the Renaissance period with the Italian-made marble floor, copper chandeliers and exquisite French murals on the ceiling, thus making the place one of Hanoi’s singular architectural landmarks.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Temple of Literature & National University, Quoc Tu Giam Street Dong Da District, Hanoi 100000 Vietnam
A rare example of well-preserved traditional Vietnamese architecture, the Temple of Literature honours Vietnam’s finest scholars. Founded in 1070 by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong, the attractive complex is dedicated to Confucius (Khong Tu) and was the site of Vietnam’s first university (1076). The altars are popular with students praying for good grades; while the pagodas, ponds and gardens of the five courtyards make picturesque backdrops for student graduation photos. It is depicted on the 100,000d note.
Duration: 50 minutes
