Hoàn Kiếm Lake
Hoàn Kiếm Lake: the heart of the city
Neighbourhood guide
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Khoitran1957 · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsAbout Hoàn Kiếm Lake: the heart of the city
Hoàn Kiếm Lake is where Hanoi gathers: at dawn for exercise, at weekends for the walking streets, at night for a stroll under the lit trees. The red Thê Húc bridge crosses to the Ngọc Sơn Temple; the Turtle Tower stands in the water to the south.
Sights
The Ngọc Sơn Temple, the Turtle Tower and the Thăng Long Water Puppet Theatre.
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Khoitran1957 · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsEating
Cầu Gỗ, above the lake (in the MICHELIN Guide), and The Note Coffee.
Come at dawn once, and at the weekend once.
Staying
The Apricot Hotel and the Fairmont Hanoi.
Our advice: on weekend evenings the streets around the lake close to traffic: walk the whole loop.
Why it's on our list
- Sights
- Eating
- Staying
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Hoàn Kiếm Lake: the heart of the city before you go.
What’s nearby
Distances from Hoàn Kiếm Lake: the heart of the city are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 12 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Key sights
- Hoàn Kiếm Lake250 mWalk 3 minCycle 1 minCar or taxi 9 min
- St Joseph’s Cathedral450 mWalk 6 minCycle 2 minCar or taxi 10 min
- The Imperial Citadel1.2 kmWalk 15 minCycle 6 minCar or taxi 13 min
- Long Biên Bridge1.4 kmWalk 18 minCycle 7 minCar or taxi 14 min
- The Temple of Literature1.6 kmWalk 20 minCycle 8 minCar or taxi 14 min
- Trấn Quốc Pagoda2.3 kmWalk 28 minCycle 11 minCar or taxi 17 min
- Nội Bài airport21 kmCar or taxi 93 min
Railway station
- Hanoi Railway Station (Ga Hà Nội)1.3 kmWalk 17 minCycle 7 minCar or taxi 13 min