Hoan Kiem Lake
A 12 hectare lake at the heart of old Hanoi, named for the legend of a magic sword returned to a golden turtle. Its shores fill with walkers and exercisers in the early morning, and the red Huc Bridge leads out to Ngoc Son Temple on its islet.
- Where
- Hanoi, Hanoi, Vietnam
- Grade
- Well known
- Worth
- 10 points collected on site, plus 1 for its grade
- Coordinates
- 21.0289, 105.8525
Get the Hoan Kiem Lake stamp
Open LOQAH when you are at Hoan Kiem Lake. It checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp is yours: confirmed on site in gold and struck with the date. It goes into your Hanoi volume with your photos and a note.
Near Hoan Kiem Lake
Ngoc Son Temple 0.2 km
A temple on a small islet in Hoan Kiem Lake, reached by the scarlet wooden Huc Bridge. Among those it honours is the general Tran Hung Dao, and one of its halls keeps a preserved giant turtle taken from the lake.
St. Joseph's Cathedral 0.4 km
A late 19th century Gothic Revival church whose twin square towers rise over Nha Chung Street near Hoan Kiem Lake. It is the cathedral of the Archdiocese of Hanoi, named for Saint Joseph, the patron saint of Vietnam.
Vietnamese Women's Museum 0.6 km
A four storey museum run by the Vietnam Women's Union, opened in 1995 a short walk from Hoan Kiem Lake. Its galleries look at family life, dress and the part women have played in Vietnam's history.
Hoa Lo Prison 0.8 km
The surviving gatehouse of a prison used by the French colonial administration, now kept as a museum. It later held American prisoners of war, who nicknamed it the Hanoi Hilton, and its cells and exhibits cover both periods.
Hanoi Opera House 0.8 km
A French colonial opera house at the head of Trang Tien Street, modelled on the Palais Garnier in Paris and opened in 1911. It still stages opera, ballet and concerts on August Revolution Square.
Vietnam National Museum of History 0.9 km
A national history museum in a building put up for the French School of the Far East during colonial rule. Taken over in 1958, its collections now run from prehistoric finds and Dong Son bronze drums to the Nguyen dynasty.
Hanoi Train Street 1.0 km
A narrow lane where a working railway line, laid by the French in 1902, runs within touching distance of the houses on either side. Several times a day the cafes along it pull in their stools as a train squeezes through.
Dong Xuan Market 1.1 km
Hanoi's largest covered market, first built by the French in 1889 on the edge of the Old Quarter. Wholesale traders fill its floors with everything from clothes and fabric to household goods and dried foods, and food stalls crowd the lanes outside.
More famous places to visit in Hanoi
Questions
Where is Hoan Kiem Lake?
Hoan Kiem Lake is in Hanoi, Hanoi, Vietnam. The nearest other LOQAH stamps are Ngoc Son Temple (0.2 km), St. Joseph's Cathedral (0.4 km), Vietnamese Women's Museum (0.6 km).
How do I get the Hoan Kiem Lake stamp?
Open LOQAH when you are at Hoan Kiem Lake and get its stamp. The app checks where you are once, at that moment, and the stamp goes into your Hanoi volume, confirmed on site, with the date.
I have been to Hoan Kiem Lake before. Can I still have the stamp?
Yes. Add it from Earlier trips in your Hanoi volume, with the date if you know it, or import your Google Timeline and LOQAH matches the places you were.
Collect your first stamp.
LOQAH is free on iPhone and Android, in India and 20 more countries, with more countries on the way. Stand at a place, collect its stamp, and keep every trip in a passport that grows.