Hanoi Things to Do Tips by kokoryko Top 5 Page for this destination

If you need something. . . .

You can find almost everything in the streets of ol Hanoi; you need sandals or slippers? Don’t tell you have no choice! Or are you hungry? There is bread at the street corners! In the mood for sweets? I you do not find here, nobody can help you. . . . And on the two last pictures, shops along the streets where you find things you would not even have thought about! All this is just wonderful to wander around here.

Everywhere amazement, surprises. . . . .

Walking in old Hanoi brings its lot of surprises, you never get bored, walking in the street, always is something to discover, to look at with amazement, to fill the eyes, it seems it never stops.
People in the streets, the bikes laden with flowers, fruits, everything, shops, houses. Fill your eyes with colours and harmony. Just walk, get lost, make pictures, it is wonderful!

Directions: Old city

Is this a Brancusi ?

In a little park north east of Hoan Kiem Lake you can find a dozen or so of statues displayed in that park ; the one on the main picture made me think of Brancusi, et least the attitude of the faces ; there are lots of other statues, fun and interesting to look at, as they are probably representative of modern art in Viet Nam, a quite different style from the military horrors displayed in the main parks or avenue crossings!
If you pass by (and when you are in Hanoi, you must pass by. . . ) have a look!

Directions: Hoan Kiem Lake

Old Hanoi streets

Old of Hanoi is divided in “corporations” or guilds, each corporation being located in one or few streets; historically there are 36 corporations, most of which disappeared and were replaced by more modern “corporations”; there are still streets with mainly stone carvers, smiths (motor bike repairs nowadays), butchers, groceries, tailors, etc. There are 36 streets, named after the corporations, silk street (Hang Tô), sugar street (Phô Hang Duong), fake money for offering (Hang Ma) street, etc. I do not read Vietnamese, so I did not know what the names meant, but after some time you have an idea, in which corporation you are walking.
Here on the pictures are stone carvers, pharmacy and medicine supply shops making an exhibition at night, portion of street with only flower shops, stone carvers street, and a pottery shop; this last one is not located in the old city, but there are several shops in a very close area at the crossing of Lac Long Quan and Hoang Ha Tham avenues.

And here is the temple! Temple of Literature Review

Thai Huoc Duong is the temple dedicated to Confucius, and there are also Buddha statues. Like the other Buddhist temples, this one is very richly ornate. A beautiful dragon decorates the roof (main picture), inside, red lacquer and gold; I did not want to disturb the divinities (or mix up with the tourist group) and photographed the divinities from back (picture 2); Confucius deserves respect keeping so calm on his throne with all these visitors and photographers! (Picture 3). Buddha (picture 4) looks on.
When I left, it was already night, and I had a look at the lotus flowers which were opening with darkness, like night beauties (picture 5)

20000 VND

Address: Quoc Tu Gam street

Directions: A short kilometre west of Hoan Kiem Lake, in a square bordered by Thai Hoc, Van Mieu, Quoc Tu Giam and Ton Duc Thang streets.

Second garden and the tortoises Temple of Literature Review

To enter the second garden you pass through the Kue Van Cac Pavilion, a beautiful little building with sun-shaped windows, fine sculptures, and a nice setting between the gardens. In the second yard, or garden is a big basin (representing the celestial light) in front of the yard bordering Dien Thanh Bai Druong, the halls with the 82 steles; in the 15th century an emperor ordered to build the steles in honour of the best students of the university; the steles are built on tortoises which represent patience, humility and longevity (pictures 3 & 4).
Look back to the Kue Van Cac Pavilion before entering the next yard and the temple itself (Thai Hoc Duong) above the celestial light (picture 5).

20000 VND

Address: Quoc Tu Gam street

Directions: A short kilometre west of Hoan Kiem Lake, in a square bordered by Thai Hoc, Van Mieu, Quoc Tu Giam and Ton Duc Thang streets.

Literature and poesy in the old university Temple of Literature Review

Van Mieu Quoc Tu Giam (the temple of literature) is one of the most famous places to visit in Hanoi, and this haven of peace in that hectic city has lots of calm and quietude to offer to the solitary visitor; the buildings, temples but also the gardens the water ponds, the trees and flowers.
The temple has been originally built by Emperor Ly Tai To, in the 1tth century; the actual lay-out it a wide rectangle, which you enter through the Van Mieu Van gate, an ornate one arch gate surmounted by a three arch building, with typical Vietnamese decorations: roof with turned up corners and complicated sculptures. The name “temple of literature” has probably its origin as it was a university for princes and children of mandarins, where they learned arts, military science and poesy; the tourists nowadays use the central alley which only the emperor used to go in and the mandarins used the side alleys (and me too!).
I do not know what the young ladies were waiting for at the entrance but they kindly posed for a photograph.
You enter a central alley with two rectangular basins on each side (Picture 3); walk around and look at the pink lotus flowers (picture 4). A wall at the end of the first garden with small ornate doors (picture 5), but you will have to go through the Kue Van Cac Pavilion to reach the second garden (next “tip”)

Entrance: 20000 VND

Address: Quoc Tu Gam street

Directions: A short kilometre west of Hoan Kiem Lake, in a square bordered by Thai Hoc, Van Mieu, Quoc Tu Giam and Ton Duc Thang streets.

Rub the foot of Tran Vo at Quan Thanh Temple

If you walk on Duong Than Nien street, on the dyke between Ho Tay Lake and Truc Bach Lake, you will see this temple built on the 11th century. It has been rebuilt several times, but it seems to be a typical Vietnamese temple where Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism are represented (again I am totally uncultured in Asian religions). I just liked the entrance door and again, watching people paying their respects to divinities and praying; inside, as many, it is richly ornate and the incense smell gives the atmosphere. This temple is dedicated to Tran Vo, God of the North, symbolised by Tortoise and Snake; this God saved Truc Bach Lake from the nine tails Fox. . . . . . .
Tran Vo is represented by an impressive black bronze four tonnes heavy statue. Rub his foot, it gives luck!
Lots of artefacts and decorations I do not know what they all mean (Picture 2) can be looked at, you never see all! The dark red lacquer painted ceiling with gold is very harmonious. The guard over the main door (Picture 4) impresses, but does not prevent to go in and pray in front of the elephant god (Picture 5)

Address: Duong Than Nien street

Have a look behind. . . One Pillar Pagoda Review

The one pillar Pagoda (Chua Mot Cot) is one of the most famous and visited pagodas in Hanoi; this little pagoda, built under the rule of Ly Thai To in 1049, is indeed an interesting little building. The legend says that the emperor, desperate not having heirs, dreamt of the Goddess of Mercy handing a baby boy; soon later he married a young girl from the countryside; she gave birth to a son and as recognition he ordered to build this pagoda.
Originally, the pillar was a teak tree trunk, and was renovated in 1954 after its destruction by the French. The pillar is now concrete. This tiny pagoda where the worshippers come burn incense and pray the Goddess of Mercy is built in a small water basin, and access is via a small brick stair. It’s small size and the strange style gives a real charm to this pagoda.
Interesting is to walk in the little garden behind the pagoda, there are some Buddhist shrines and a bit further a Buddhist temple very richly ornated, with gold painted Buddha, painted statues, a temple full of colours, very quiet, where monks welcome the “lost” tourist..

Directions: Location: Chua Mot Cot street, just south of Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Ba Dinh District.

The Huc Bridge and around Ngoc Son Temple

The Huc Bridge, or “where the light is absorbed” is the wooden red lacquer painted bridge leading to Ngoc Son Temple; one of the most visited places in Hanoi, it is a romantic place which you can look at for hours and dream.
Walking around the island, you have quite nice views from under the leaves (picture 2), meet young people for a photographic performance (picture 3), and at the back you meet a famous tortoise (it is a real “taxidermised” tortoise, picture 4), which once lived on the Tortoise Island, in the middle of the lake. Incense burners remind you you are on a holy place (Picture 5) .

Directions: Hoan Kiem Lake, Northern side.