Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam. Hanoi has the influence of Chinese, French and South east Asian culture in its architecture. It is a great place in Vietnam to start your journey. All the other major tourist place can be accessed by a day tour. Backpackers street in Hanoi is the best place for accommodation. I was staying near Hoan Kiem Lake which was one of the major tourist attraction in Vietnam.
Hoan Kiem lake– I started my day with an early morning walk along the Hoan Kiem lake. There were lots of people jogging around the scenic lake and there were a group of people practicing Tai Chi. It is the focal point for people of Hanoi. The turtle tower is situated at the center of the lake. Your trip to the lake won’t be complete without a trip to the jade island. The island was connected to shore by a red bridge called Huc bridge. It was great scenic spot to take good pictures.
After my trip to the lake I returned to the hotel. I booked a half day guided motorbike tour from the hotel. The total cost of the tour was 60 USD.
Tran Quoc Pagoda – Our first stop was Tran Quoc pagoda which was an old Buddhist temple situated along the west lake of Hanoi. West lake of Hanoi is a huge lake inside the Hanoi city. It is the oldest pagoda in the city. The temple is situated in a small island inside the west lake and it is connected to the shore through a small path. The architecture of the temple was very unique and the pagoda had lots of floors and each floor represent a monk. You can also purchase small turtle and release them onto west lake in order to get some good luck for yourself.
Quan Thanh Temple – The roads of Hanoi were very crowded with lots of motorbike. Most of the motorbike inside the city were electric bike. Hanoi has one of the highest concentration of motorbike in the world. Our next stop was Quan Thanh Temple. It was situated by only 10 minutes ride from Tran Quoc Pagoda. It was a Taoist temple which was established in the 11th century. The temple was situated very close to west lake. The architecture of the temple was unique to that of the pagodas at Hanoi.
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum – Our next stop was Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. The mausoleum is situated at Ba Dinh square. The mausoleum is a large building which is the final resting place for leader Ho Chi Minh. Every morning You can visit inside the mausoleum and pay respect to the supreme leader of Vietnam. The embalmed body of the leader is kept inside the mausoleum and is protected by a military honor guard. The compound is used to celebrate the Independence day of Vietnam. Every day there is a guard changing ceremony at the Mausoleum. Strictly policy is maintained in order to allow visitors inside the mausoleum. No photography or video allowed inside the building.
One pillar pagoda– The pagoda was situated very close to mausoleum. It is regarded as one of the most iconic temple in Vietnam. The architecture of the structure is very unique with only one pillar supporting the entire pagoda. The temple is situated inside a small pond and it can be accessed through stairs.
Temple of literature –Our last stop of the tour was Temple of literature. It is a Confucius temple in Hanoi. There is an imperial academy inside the Confucius temple which is used as a national university. The complex is very big and it consisted of almost five courtyards. The temple consists of various pavilions, halls, statues and stelae of doctors where study session and strict exams used to take place.
Hanoi old quarter – Hanoi old quarter is famous for its street food and traditional Vietnamese coffee. Its narrow alley and low seating is a unique experience. The foods are very reasonably priced but the place was always crowded with lot of tourist.
Hanoi Roof top Bar – If you want to get out of crowded streets of Hanoi then roof top bars are your best choice. I visited Top of Hanoi which was situated at the top of Lotte tower which was the second tallest building in Vietnam. There was brilliant view of Hanoi from top of the tower. You could even see the lakes and the mausoleum from the lounge. The lounge was expensive but it was completely worth it.
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