Exploring Hoa Lo Prison - 'Hell on Earth'

The Hoa Lo Prison historical site is located at 1 Hoa Lo Street, Tran Hung Dao Ward, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi . The site is a clear testament to a period of hardship and struggle, and the indomitable spirit of patriotic Vietnamese people.

My name is Nguyen Long, and I'm a final-year student at the Academy of Journalism and Communication. Although I was born and raised in Hanoi, I honestly haven't had the chance to visit Hoa Lo Prison. Today, taking advantage of the holiday, I decided to come here to experience it firsthand.

Just outside the prison is the ticket area and free parking. The daily entrance fee is 30,000 VND per person. In addition, there are special cases where admission is discounted or free.

To have the most complete experience, I rented an audio guide device for 50,000 VND per device. When we go to each room or exhibition area, we just press the corresponding button, and the device will play content related to that location so that visitors can better understand what they are seeing.

Besides information about each historical figure, exhibit, area, or room, the narration also plays excerpts from the accounts of people who were once incarcerated in this prison, making everything more vivid.

Unlike the outside, the interior of the prison is dimly lit, creating a very authentic feel of an old prison. However, the low light helps visitors focus more on the exhibits.

When it was first built, Hoa Lo Prison covered an area of ​​12,000 square meters. Today, only about 2,434 square meters of the prison remain, preserved as a historical site for visitors.

Listening to the commentary inside the machine and seeing each object and model firsthand further enhances our admiration for the willpower and spirit of the revolutionary soldiers who were imprisoned in this prison.

Prisoner clothing, food and drink containers, shackles, and other items are displayed within the prison space.

The number of visitors varies depending on the time of year. However, everyone is mindful of maintaining silence upon entering the prison grounds.

Without audio guides, tourists can easily read information about their current location and the objects they see through the signs placed nearby.

The models recreate the conditions faced by revolutionary fighters while they were imprisoned. To be honest, there were times I got goosebumps standing in this space, seeing the simulated images, and listening to the explanations.

The revolutionary fighters were imprisoned in dark, lightless dungeons, tightly bound in chains. Every day they endured torture from the enemy, harsh diets, and disease…

Listening to them and being in this space truly fills me with even more admiration for their spirit – the steadfast revolutionary soldiers.

The exhibition area displays items and pilot uniforms belonging to American pilots who were shot down by North Vietnamese forces and civilians, and subsequently captured and imprisoned at Hoa Lo Prison.

During their tour of the prison and dungeon sites, visitors can also admire the century-old banyan tree – a symbol also associated with the lives of many revolutionary soldiers.

There are many spaces for displaying photographs within the prison grounds.

Due to limited time, I couldn't visit all the locations inside the prison today. I lit an incense stick at the memorial to the fallen heroes, and then concluded my experience.

The journey brought me so many emotions. There's nothing more authentic than being there and experiencing it firsthand. I will definitely return here soon to explore all the places I couldn't visit. During this holiday, Hoa Lo Prison could be an ideal destination for both domestic and international tourists to visit and experience.