Places to visit in Hanoi Old Quarter

Hoan Kiem Lake

Hoan Kiem Lake

Located in the city center, Hoan Kiem Lake, also known as Sword Lake, is considered the heart of the capital Hanoi , associated with the legend of the Divine Turtle demanding the sword. Anyone who sets foot in this city for peace must visit this place once. Not only attracting tourists with its airy, cool landscape, this is also a ** Hanoi tourist destination ** associated with the spiritual historical tradition of the capital.

Located right in the middle of Hoan Kiem Lake is the ancient Turtle Tower. Also located on a small peninsula in the middle of the lake, next to the Turtle Tower are other famous heritages such as: Pen Tower, Inkstone Platform, The Huc Bridge leading to Dac Nguyet Tower or Tran Ba Pavilion on the way to Ngoc Son Temple... Visiting Hoan Kiem Lake, you can also enjoy the famous Trang Tien ice cream that has been famous for generations in Hanoi. All of these beauties have created an image of Hoan Kiem Lake that leaves a strong impression on visitors.

Dong Xuan Market

Dong Xuan Market

Established in 1889, Dong Xuan Market is the oldest and largest famous market in Hanoi located in the Old Quarter. Here, there is a diverse and rich concentration of goods such as clothes, shoes, confectionery, household goods, toys, fabrics with traditional motifs, souvenirs, food... but the most concentrated are still fabrics and clothes. Visiting Dong Xuan Market, you will witness a bustling, bustling scene, crowded with buyers and sellers.

When visiting Dong Xuan market, don't forget to visit Dong Xuan market alley located right next to the market because this is the location of many food stalls. An interesting experience for those who want to explore and enjoy Hanoi cuisine . In the chilly afternoon of Hanoi, there is nothing better than enjoying a bowl of rib porridge, a bowl of hot eel vermicelli or sipping a plate of shrimp cakes, vermicelli with grilled pork, a cup of sweet soup... Rest assured that you can eat and drink here without worrying about your wallet going empty. More specifically, if you visit Dong Xuan market on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings, you will have the opportunity to explore the night market here. This is a miniature corner of the bustling life of Hanoi at night. Immerse yourself in the bustling atmosphere of the night market with a full range of goods and choose the cutest souvenirs for your relatives and friends.

Hang Ma Street

Hang Ma Street

Located in the Old Quarter, Hang Ma Street is known to tourists as the most crowded and colorful of the 36 ancient streets in Hanoi. Famous for its traditional craft of making votive offerings and paper decorations, this place is considered a paradise of traditional goods bearing the imprint of ancient folklore.

Visiting Hang Ma Street on every holiday, you will see this place wearing a colorful coat. If on every Mid-Autumn Festival, the shops sell typical items such as lanterns, balloons, star lanterns, masks, lion heads, drums... then on the occasion of Lunar New Year, the whole street is filled with the brilliant colors of flowers, red parallel sentences and small, pretty items to decorate the house for the New Year. Besides shopping, when you come here, you can also immerse yourself in the hustle and bustle of trading activities with the cheerful sounds of drums, whistles and trumpets. While walking and learning, admiring traditional items, toys, watching the streets of Hanoi, you will see that Hang Ma Street bears the strong spiritual imprint of Eastern people.

Gate of Justice

Gate of Justice

Built during the reign of King Le Hien Tong (1749), located in the East of Thang Long citadel, O Quan Chuong is one of the five remaining gates to this day. The name O Quan Chuong is associated with the heroic sacrifice and merit of a mandarin, who was determined to fight the French to the end when they attacked Hanoi on November 20, 1873. O Quan Chuong is designed in the style of a watchtower with the main gate in the middle and two side gates on both sides, bearing the typical architectural features of the Nguyen Dynasty. Located right above the left wall of the main gate is a stone stele inscribed with the order prohibiting the gatekeepers from harassing people when passing by, which was placed by Governor Hoang Dieu in 1881. Between the main gate and the watchtower are three large Chinese characters Dong Ha Mon. Today, when coming here, visitors can still admire these unique architectural features. Over the years, Quan Chuong Gate still stands proudly in the heart of Hanoi's Old Quarter as a living testament to the resilient and heroic fighting spirit of our people, a symbol of the ancient capital, bearing the historical mark of the thousand-year-old capital.

Address: located on O Quan Chuong street, at the beginning of Hang Chieu street, near Chuong Duong bridge

Ma May Ancient House

Ma May Ancient House

If you want to admire the living space of Hanoi people, you should not miss the ancient house at 87 Ma May. Coming here, you will have the opportunity to learn about the living space and characteristics of an old Hanoi townhouse. That is why this place is currently one of the attractive tourist destinations that attracts a large number of visitors. Every evening, there are often ca tru singing sessions performed by Thang Long guild or organizing folk cultural forms typical of ancient Hanoi people. In addition, Ma May ancient house is also a place where major cultural events are regularly held. If you have the opportunity to visit this ancient house, do not forget to enjoy the unique beauty of ancient culture.

Address: 87 Ma May, Hang Buom, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Entrance fee: 10,000 VND.

Bach Ma Temple

Bach Ma Temple

Located at 76-78 Hang Buom Street, Bach Ma Temple is one of the four towns of the ancient Thang Long citadel. Built in the 9th century, according to historical records, this place worships Long Do (Dragon's Navel) - the original god of ancient Hanoi and the white horse. As a thousand-year-old historical and cultural relic, the scenery around the temple is covered with moss, further enhancing its nostalgic and ancient beauty.

The temple was built in the shape of the letter "Tam" with an eight-roof square-pavilion architecture, a three-paneled temple and more than 13 horizontal lacquered boards. Besides the temple to worship the Queen of Qi and the Sea Mountain, the temple is now also arranged with a ceremonial gate, square pavilion, forbidden palace and council house in the back running along a closed space. The deeper into the temple, the more visitors will be amazed by the wooden architecture with a system of tall ironwood pillars. Under the skillful and talented hands of the sculptors, the wooden pillars and beams all create their own impression with sophisticated and delicate decorative details.

In addition, when coming to Bach Ma Temple, you can also see with your own eyes ancient objects such as stone steles, royal decrees, palanquins, cranes, the horizontal lacquered board "Dong Tran Linh Tu", Co Long throne... an ancient space, the oldest among the ancient temples of Thang Long citadel that still remain to this day.