Hoan Kiem Lake is located in the heart of Hanoi in Vietnam, within the historic old quarter of the city. Much of Hanoi’s past and present is tied to this picturesque body of water.
Present-day Hoan Kiem Lake is a popular stop for couples’ wedding photos and morning workouts for fitness buffs. And for the past hundreds of years, the lake has served as a place of worship and a cradle of legends – standing for itself as a major reason to visit Vietnam.
Legendary Turtles Hoan Kiem
The name of Lake Hoan Kiem points to the legend that is said to lie beneath its depths: Hồ Hoàn Kiếm means “Lake of the Returned Sword”, alluding to the legend that the future Vietnamese emperor Le Loi received a sword from a magic turtle at the edge lake. Le Loi drove the Chinese out of Vietnam with the sword, which was later retrieved by the tortoise after the invaders left.
(The nearby Thang Long Water Puppet Theater tells the story, in the form of a water puppet, of course.)
Lake turtles have become legendary, due to pollution and the pavement of the turtle nesting grounds on the lake shore. The last known turtle resident in the lake died in 2016. Today, the number of surviving turtles in Hoan Kiem Lake remains unknown.
How to get to Hoan Kiem Lake
The lake is bordered by the streets of Pho Dinh Tien Hoang to the north and east, Pho Hang Khay at its southern end, and Pho Le Thai To in the west.
The sidewalks around the lake are shaded by trees, so the short walk (less than ten minutes) can take you walking from one end of the elongated lake to the other is sure to be pleasant even in sunny weather.
Once you cross to the lakeside, you’ll find Hanoi at its most charming: old men playing Chinese chess on lakefront benches, wedding couples getting glamorous photos in full wedding suits, and (depending on the time of day) runners and fast walkers get their morning constitutionals, all against the placid backdrop of the lake’s waters.
What to do around Hoan Kiem Lake
Hoan Kiem Lake is one of Hanoi’s key landmarks, a useful landmark to get your bearings around the city. Immediately west of the lake is a bustling fashion district clustered around Pho Nha Tho and Pho Na Chung. North of the lake, the narrow streets of the old town are waiting to be explored. South of the lake is the French Quarter and the great restaurants of Hai Ba Trung.
If you’ve been touring the old town, the shores of Hoan Kiem Lake are a perfect place to rest. You may want to order a coffee at the Hapro Coffee Kiosk at Pho Le Thai To (location on Google Maps), or delve deep into the streets of the Old Quarter for its authentic Hanoi restaurants.
Tourists can check into a wide range of hotels in and around Hoan Kiem Lake: the Old Quarter has a number of low- and mid-budget hotels to choose from, while the posh French Quarter hotels can satisfy those with more money to burn down.
Templo Ngoc Son del Lago Hoan Kiem
The reflective waters of Hoan Kiem Lake are punctuated by the Turtle Pagoda (Thap Rua) at the southern end and the Ngoc Son Temple at the northern end of Hoan Kiem Lake.
The Ngoc Son Temple can be reached by crossing the Huc Bridge (Morning Sunlight) , an elegant wooden bridge painted red. Built in the 1400s, Ngoc Son is not just a museum, it is an active place of worship, where monks and devotees perform their religious duties. The burning smell of incense sticks permeates the air, which as a result feels thick and heavy.
The temple complex contains a number of interesting structures. The Pen Tower on the island’s hill is a relatively recent addition; the Tower of Moonlight (Dac Nguyet Lau) serves as the gateway to the temple from the bridge; and two walls display the names of students who passed the national exams hundreds of years ago.
The main temple building houses altars, shops, and a large stuffed turtle.
To enter the Ngoc Son Temple, an entrance fee must be paid just before crossing the bridge: VND 30,000 Dong ($ 1.30, read about money in Vietnam), available from a booth to the left of the bridge entrance. The temple is open every day, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
