Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi, Vietnam

Legends and myths come together at Hoan Kiem Lake

Quick Information

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Best time to visit
Mar - Apr, Sep - Nov
Ideal Duration
5-6 Days
Visa
On Arrival
Starting from
Rs. 9
  • Adventure
  • Ideal for friends
  • Romantic

About Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi

In the old quarters of the capital city, Hanoi sits the ancient Hoan Kiem Lake, which translates to the Vietnamese language as ‘Lake of the Returned Sword’. This moniker has a famous legend behind it, which is often the storyline of numerous water puppetry shows in the Thong Lang Water Puppet Theatre.

The legend says that, once the great Viet emperor Ly Thai Tong was on a cruise of the Hoan Kiem Lake Hanoi in a boat with his magical sword. This sword is said to be heaven-sent and passed on to Ly Thai by the local deity Dragon King Long Vuong. Ly Thai Tong had used this sword to fend off the Chinese invasion. But on the day of his cruise, the Golden Turtle God Kim Qui surfaced from the lake and asked for the sword back, since its purpose was served and it was to be restored to its divine owners. To commemorate this mystical event, the lake was renamed Hoan Kiem from its initial name Luc Thuy, meaning ‘green water’ because of its colour.

Upon visiting the lake, one can occasionally find soft-shell turtles roaming around or resting in the shore, which reminds everyone of this Hoan Kiem Lake legend. In the middle of the lake on a small island, there is a Turtle Tower with double storeys and a peaking roof, paying tribute to the Hoan Kiem Lake turtle. Though it looks quite dilapidated, it shows how much this story has shaped the local faith.

Another major attraction of Lake Hoan Kiem is the Temple of the Jade Mountain or the Ngoc Son Temple. Sitting in a quiet and tranquil island towards the northern shore, this pagoda is devoted to the 13th-century military leader Tran Hung Dao for his bravery in the battle against the Yuan dynasty. Prayers are also offered to scholar Van Xuong and Confucian master Nguyen Van Sieu. One can reach the Jade Island, where the temple stands, by accessing the Rising Sun Bridge or the Huc Bridge.

Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple, and the surrounding areas are a great place for small sightseeing and relaxation. On weekends, there are vibrant festivities, and market stalls are set up all around, diverting the local traffic via elsewhere.

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The halong bay cruise was a wow experience. The guide, cruise and food were really good. Overall all the tour guides were really helpful and knowledgable. I feel the time given for bana hills was little less. They should accommodate 1-2hrs more for that trip as there is a lot to explore.

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We had a wonderful time in Vietnam and the trip was organised fairly well. Apart from 2 bad experiences. I will list them down, but first happy experiences. Our trip was for 9 days and we had traveled with our 5 year old daughter. So everything was customised as per her interest. Mr Tony from wonderscape was very helpful in understanding our requirements and arranging the trip accordingly. A big thanks to him for a very friendly attitude throughout the booking and trip duration. I would definitely recommend to choose wonderscape if any of you plan your trips in the future. Now 2 not so happy experiences: 1. Our pickup on the day of arrival was delayed. We reached Hanoi at 2:30 Am, but there was no pick up person. We had to wait for almost 90 min to be picked and dropped to the hotel. As we were tired and no sleep, it was a difficult time to manage our kid at that time. However, I appreciate Mr Tony for answering my call at midnight and arranging for a pick up. This shows their commitment. 2. We had booked a boutique cruise for a luxury experience. However, the bathroom we got had water drainage issues and the entire bathroom got flooded, this was a bad experience. Unfortunately the cruise crew did not do much even after bringing this to their notice. Apart from these 2 issues, we had a very plesent trip overall. Thanks to Tony once again.

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FAQ's of Hanoi

Read on to find out why our customers love us!

 

The main significance behind the lake is the legend of the turtle god an emperor Ly Thai To associated with it.

 

The natural beauty of the lake and the surrounding greens, the view of the Turtle Tower in the middle and the beautiful Ngoc Son Temple are the major attractions in Hoan Kiem Lake.

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