In the "Teacher's Classroom" space, visitors can transform themselves into students of the past, learning about the learning traditions and the Vietnamese culture of requesting calligraphy.
Hanoi has long been a land of profound culture, where every street, rooftop, tree, dish, and daily life carries its own unique story. In literature, Hanoi is depicted through the refined writings of Thach Lam, Nguyen Tuan, Vu Bang, Bang Son, and others as an elegant city, rich in tradition, with its customs, delicacies, and seasonal flowers all reflecting a refined lifestyle.
From the shimmering Temple of Literature to the solemn Ba Dinh Square, from late-night pho in the Old Quarter to cultural and historical spaces in the heart of the capital, Hanoi at night is offering young people many ways to explore the city from new perspectives.
Temple of Literature: A thousand-year-old heritage awakened by light.
The Temple of Literature night tour opens to visitors at 6:30 PM, just as Hanoi begins to light up. Among the participants are many groups of students and young people seeking a relaxing experience after school or work. Stepping through the gates of the historical site, they feel detached from the noisy outside world, finding a slower pace of life in a space filled with traditional music and warm lights filtering through the tiled roofs, trees, and courtyard.
Here, the Temple of Literature night tour is designed as a storytelling journey about Vietnamese scholarship and the tradition of studiousness. Passing through each space, visitors encounter glimpses of this tradition: the Four Sacred Animals' teachings recall the educational values of the family; the sweet lullabies evoke the hopes parents have for their children; the Scholar's Journey recreates the path of learning, hard work, and success of ancient scholars; and the Stone Stele tells stories, bringing viewers closer to the examinations, the talented individuals, and the nation's spirit of valuing knowledge.
In addition, the tour includes an exhibition at the Temple of Literature, a virtual reality experience, folk games, a traditional calligraphy class, and interactive activities with the AI Turtle, allowing visitors to "touch" the heritage in various ways.
Many tourists choose to stop in front of Khue Van Cac to appreciate the beauty of this iconic structure during a night tour of the Temple of Literature.
The highlight, eagerly awaited by many, was the 3D Mapping presentation of "The Essence of Vietnamese Learning" at the Thai Hoc House area. As the lights dimmed, the facade of the ancient building became the backdrop for a dialogue between sound, images, and heritage. Accompanied by music from traditional instruments, artists appeared with ethnic props, leading viewers into a story about the intellectual journey of the Vietnamese people. From calligraphy, pages of books, images of scholars and examination halls, to the spirit of respecting teachers and elders, layers of moving images were superimposed on the architecture, creating the feeling that the past was vividly coming to life on the historical site.
The 3D Mapping program "The Quintessence of Vietnamese Learning" opens a journey to discover the core values of Vietnamese education and the tradition of valuing learning.
Sharing his thoughts on this storytelling approach, Mr. Nguyen Van Phong, representative of the Van Mieu Night Tour Management Board, said: “The night tour is a meeting point between a modern product and a heritage space imbued with historical and cultural depth. What we hope is that visitors can experience the heritage at a different time, in a different space, from multiple perspectives and with more senses. On the night tour, they not only learn but also have moments of slow living, relaxation, and enjoyment.”
Ba Dinh Square: A moment of silence beneath the national flag.
Besides popular check-in spots and night tours attracting young people, the flag-lowering ceremony at Ba Dinh Square is also frequently mentioned on social media as a "must-try" experience when visiting Hanoi. Videos capturing the moment the national flag is lowered in a solemn atmosphere often attract thousands of interactions, evoking emotions in many people, especially students from other provinces and cities who have just come to study and live in the capital.
The Honor Guard performs the flag-lowering ceremony at Ba Dinh Square, a ritual maintained daily.
The national flag was slowly lowered to the sound of ceremonial music in the solemn atmosphere.
Phuong Anh (20 years old), a second-year student at a university in Hanoi, said she learned about the flag-lowering ceremony through social media posts and decided to experience it with her friends. “When I was there in person, I felt a very different atmosphere. Everyone stood solemnly watching, and the space was much quieter and more dignified than I imagined,” Phuong Anh shared.
The flag-lowering ceremony takes place daily at 9 PM in Ba Dinh Square. The honor guard, in their formal attire, marches out to the solemn strains of ceremonial music. All eyes are fixed on the red flag with a yellow star, fluttering against the Hanoi night sky. This moment is a rare pause amidst the hustle and bustle of city life, allowing each person to deeply appreciate familiar things like national pride and gratitude to their ancestors.
Enjoy Hanoi's nighttime culinary scene.
After visiting cultural and historical sites, many young people continue their exploration of Hanoi at night with a more familiar experience: street food. On social media platforms, famous late-night eateries are always on the list of recommendations for tourists visiting the capital. From long-standing pho restaurants in the Old Quarter to stalls selling pork rib porridge, crab noodle soup, or sticky rice at night, each place offers a unique flavor of Hanoi.
From traditional pho soup to mixed pho or pho with wine sauce, each variation contributes to enriching Hanoi's culinary culture.
Enjoying pho late at night is a way to experience the rhythm of life and the distinctive flavors of Hanoi after the city lights up.
In the middle of the night street, a small pho stall remains brightly lit with a few simple tables and chairs, a steaming pot of broth, and vendors nimbly blanching noodles, arranging meat, and pouring broth. On the low tables are steaming bowls of beef pho, chicken pho with fragrant fried onions, or rich and flavorful beef pho.
For many young people, nighttime dining is not just about eating, but also a way to experience the city. Conversations over small tables, late-night eateries, and the familiar flavors of traditional dishes contribute to Hanoi's unique charm when night falls.
Quang An Flower Market: A splash of color to start the new day.
Located by West Lake, Quang An Flower Market is Hanoi's largest wholesale flower market, bustling with activity from late night to early morning. It's a hub for flowers from various growing regions like Tay Tuu, Me Linh, Da Lat, and neighboring provinces before being distributed to shops and local markets both within and outside the city. As night falls, the market becomes increasingly crowded. Besides traders picking up their goods, many young people also come here to stroll, admire the flowers, and experience a different rhythm of Hanoi life.
Under the lights, the stalls are overflowing with the vibrant colors of seasonal flowers. Summer brings lotus and sunflowers; autumn is highlighted by daisies; and winter offers early peach blossoms, peonies, and other flowers for holidays and festivals. Long rows of bouquets create a dazzling spectacle in the late night. The sounds of delivery trucks, buying and selling, and the constant flow of people make the market a bustling place, a stark contrast to the quietness of many other Hanoi streets at the same time.
More than just a place to buy and sell flowers, Quang An Market is also a destination for many young people who want to stroll through the market, admire seasonal flowers, and experience the vibrant nightlife of Hanoi.
In the journey of exploring Hanoi at night, the vibrant colors of Quang An flower market are a gentle piece, concluding a night in the capital full of experiences. Each stop not only offers new experiences for young people but also opens up opportunities for them to better understand the history, culture, and rhythm of life of the city. As dawn breaks, the journey ends, but the stories of a Hanoi that is both modern and rich in tradition still linger in the hearts of those who have experienced the night in the capital.
Source: https://vtv.vn/theo-chan-gioi-tre-kham-pha-dem-ha-noi-100260618103047368.htm
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