After the recognition of Hoi An ancient town, Hanoi old quarter, Duong Lam village in Son Tay Town (some 60km to the west of Hanoi Capital) is the first ancient village recognised as a national relic by the Ministry of Culture and Information.

Two of Vietnam’s kings, Phung Hung (761-802) and Ngo Quyen (896-944) were born in Duong Lam, giving the village its prestige. Both men led resistance wars against northern invasion and after winning national independence, were crowned kings. After their deaths, the local people built temples in their honour.

The ancient village has a history of about 1,200 years with many houses dating back up to 400 years. One special thing about the village is that most of the buildings here are made of laterite and mud, two materials that are abundant in the area. Laterite is used on house walls, gates, wells, temple walls, and so forth. The mud is taken from ponds. Apart from its historical and tourism values, Duong Lam ancient village is an important place for scientists to study resident communities in ancient agriculture. The village gate, banyan, well, communal house are important factors in classifying Duong Lam ancient village.

Well

The common well was built in every hamlet in Duong Lam village. The well brings the name of the hamlet it is located. At present, each family possesses its own well but the common well has been protected because it maintains many imprints of the villagers.

Communal house

The communal house is a worshipping place of the god – founder of the village. The ancient village consists of 5 villages so it has 5 communal houses. Doai Giap and Cam Lam communal houses dedicate to Phung Hung – the national hero who won the victory against invaders under Duong Dynasty; Cam Thinh communal house dedicates both the founder of the village and great mandarin Cao Phuc Dien – the hero under Le Dynasty. Dong Sang communal house worships the God but it was destroyed by fire and was restored by financial support from people. The god Tan Vien Son was dedicated in Mong Phu communal house. So far, Mong Phu communal house is a gathering place of the villagers for cultural activities. The communal house was made carefully with sophisticated decoration details. It is considered as a flower of unique sculptural architecture.

Architecture of the house

The wooden house mainly has 5 or 7 spans with 2 wings. It has 5 rows of columns, sometime 1 row disappears. The house has specialized by sophisticatedly carved details in the form of flowers, leaves, clouds.

A system of wooden doors is very firm. Each span has 4 leaves of the door with upper and lower joints. Thresholds were made of firm wood above 40-50cm from the ground and 10cm from the floor. This distance helps to ventilate well, avoid humidity for the thresholds. The whole system of the thresholds is the tie system linking all spans together.

For tangible culture relic, Duong Lam has 21 relic sites, consisting of temples, pagodas and tombs and ten of which have been classified as national and provincial relics. For intangible cultural relic, Duong Lam has preserved various festivals, customs and literature on the people and land of Duong Lam through different period of time. For ecological environment, Duong Lam has many beautiful scenes linked with legendary stories such as Guom Hill, Ho Gam Hill and tales on the two kings Phuong Hung and Ngo Quyen.

In recent years, many relics in the villages such as Mia Pagoda, Phung Hung Temple, Ngo Quyen Temple and Mong Phu communal house have been restored. However, it is important to preserve not only the tangible cultural relics, but also intangible cultural relics and ecological environment and they should be carried out synchronously.

The construction of new cultural buildings which aims to honour the history, national heroes and boost tourism activity should be ensured the harmony between traditional and modern cultural values and the relations between preservation and development.

Nowadays, preserving, restoring and developing the value of Duong Lam ancient village are very important, since it contributes to preservation of the national cultural heritage.

“I wish I could marry you/ I will buy Bat Trang bricks to build our house” are the beautiful folk words honoring Bat Trang ceramic & pottery quality, the pride of northern Vietnam.

Bat Trang, a small village in the north of Vietnam, is about 13 kilometers south east of Hanoi center, on the other side of Chuong Duong bridge. Why is its name popular to most tourists to northern Vietnam? The answer is its ever famous ceramic and pottery products of high quality. If you have known about Vietnam, you may not be surprised that Bat Trang’s vases, bowls, dishes, and many other kinds of ceramic products have been exported worldwide. Should you would like to contemplate workers making ceramic products by hand, just come here! What’s more, you can also try it yourself!

History. Bat Trang village is said to be established in 14th or 15th century in several documents. However, according to the villagers, the village perhaps appeared earlier. There are always two stories concerning the village origin. One of these tells that under Ly dynasty, in 1100, when the nation was in its independence and initial growth period, there were 3 scholars who came back from their mission trip to China bringing the ceramic craft industry learned there back to Vietnam and taught the people of Bat Trang. In the other story, in the village history dates back to the 10th century, when King Ly Cong Uan relocated the capital in Thang Long. With the establishment and development of the capital, many businessmen, crafters from many areas come to settle down here to work and trade. In Bat Trang, there was a lot of white clay, so that many potters, among whom was Nguyen Ninh Trang family, came and built the kilns here. Accordingly, Bat Trang has gradually changed from a normal ceramic and pottery village into a famous ceramic and pottery centre until now.

As time went by, the village’s products have developed and become well known for the best quality, style and glaze, both inside and outside of the nation. Many of these are now customized for aristocratic families and religious needs. Its popular foreign markets are Japan (under the brand "Kochi (Giao Chi) ware"), the Netherlands, Britain, Portugal, Southeast Asia, etc.,

The famous ceramic & pottery products

Production Process. To produce a complete product, one must follow 3 steps. The first step is making the product frame. The artists select the suitable clay, treat it and start making a raw product. It must be repaired to get the best appearance. Secondly, they decorate and cover it with glazes. Last but not least, the raw products are baked in 3 days and 3 nights. There are several kinds of kiln, yet the temperature must be at 12000 or 13000. After baking, products are brought out, classified and repaired in case there are mistakes. And now we have the perfect product.

Popular product types. Bat Trang products are divided into 3 kinds based on the purpose of use.

Decorating the product

• Utilitarian wares: including plates, bowls, teacups, kettles, wine bottles, flowerpots, vases, jar… What differs is that they are thicker than Chinese ones.
• Cult wares: comprise lamp stands, candle holders, incense burner, altar boxes, swords… These are valuable for collectors because of inscription of the production years, the names of the producers and the potters.
• Decorative objects: house models, altars, statues and architectural fixtures.

The special trait is the diversified decorations on the products. Thanks to a long–lasting history and development, the village’s works have been accumulated with a lot of different special designs. One more thing that makes them distinguished is the glaze, which is of high quality and a variety of colors, such as blue, brown, white, moss green, in both breaking and melting glazes.

In fact, there have appeared a number of competitors both domestically and internationally who take advantages of high technology. Yet most customers prefer the craft products that contain historical and traditional values. Hence, it is no surprise at all that Bat Trang is still found in busy days and works. More importantly, the village is now so popular that absorbs a huge annual number of tourists to visit and buy ceramic goods.

Bat Trang ceramic village has become a popular destination for the young living in Hanoi (college or high school students) to visit during weekends. It has also become famous among foreign tourists who want to understand more about the historical and traditional values in each handicraft product. There are a lot of travel agencies that offer one day tour from Hanoi to the village at reasonable prices. Choose a Bat Trang ceramic village tour that best fits your time frame and visit this beautiful village and may be buy some ceramic goods as souvenirs for your trip in Vietnam.

“Perfume Mount is an ever wish/ With mountains, water, and clouds/ People always ask if this is the top-ranking cavern…” (extracted from “Perfume Mount passion” written by Chu Manh Trinh)

Overall view

Around 60 kilometers southwest of Hà Nội, Perfume Pagoda is one among the largest and unique religious sites in Huong Son Commune, My Duc District, old Ha Tay (or enlarged Hanoi), right banks of Day River, northern Việt Nam. It comprises a complex of pagodas and Buddhist shrines built into the limestone cliffs of Perfume Mount (Hương Sơn), scattering alongside the mountain up to the peak. The complex’s center is right inside Huong Tich cavern (or in other words, Inside Pagoda). Huge numbers of pilgrims flock to the site during Perfume Pagoda festival, which begins in the middle of the first lunar month and lasts until the middle of the third one (or from February till March) in order to pray for happiness and prosperity in the coming year. Also, it is a very popular opportunity for young couples to meet and for numerous budding romances to be formed. On this special occasion, a wide range of traditional cultural activities is incorporated. Perfume pagoda is not only a religious site, but a great sight-seeing spot inVietnam as well.

Starting the pilgrimage

Coming to Huong Pagoda, what should not be left home is a good camera, since you will regret unless you catch all the snapshots of this fascinating nature drawings!

Bến Đục (Pier Duc)

The very first starting point of the pilgrimage is Ben Duc (Pier Duc). Normally, it takes more than 2 hours to go from Hanoi to Ben Duc. During the annual festival months, Ben Duc is packed with thousands of row boats used for shuttling visitors. For many visitors, this one-hour boat ride on the Yen Vi Stream from Pier Duc is actually the highlight of the trip, and inspiration sources of quite a few famous poets.

Suối Yến (Yen stream)

Yen stream flows between two mountains for 3 kilometers. Nevertheless, sitting on the boat, leisurely enjoying the surrounding landscape, you may feel that the stream is endless. Despite a facilitated road from Pier Duc to Perfume mountain, most people choose to use row boats on Yen Vi Stream (or Yen Stream), which is by far a much more romantic and scenic route to Huong Pagoda.

While traveling along Yen Stream, tourists pass by stunning landscape of blazing green rice paddles studded with jagged limestone mounts to the base of Huong Mountain. If you are on a boat there, you can easily see on your left the Phoenix Mountain, and Doi Cheo Mountain, which looks like an Indian python (Tran). Also on the left are Bung and Voi, the two mountains associated with interesting legends. On your right is Ngu Nhac mountain with the Trinh Temple where visitors stop and burn incense for the God of the Mountain. Before reaching Tro Wharf where the tour begins, the boat also passes by the Deo and Phong Su Mountains, Son Thuy Huu Tinh Cave, Trau Cave, Hoi Bridge, and Dau Valley.

Chùa Thiên Trù (Thien Tru Pagoda)

Stepping inland, there comes an interesting informal protocol for tourists! The first stop before climbing up to Huong Mount must always be a visit to Den Trinh, which means “registration shrine”. The next point of interest would be a visit to Thien Tru Pagoda (chuà Ngoài - Outer Pagoda), which was built in the 18th century under King Le Thanh Tong dynasty. “Thien Tru” means a heaven kitchen, derived from the imagination of the locals in this region, of which the rock formations in this area look like chefs busily working in the kitchen. Thien Tru Pagoda is famous for Thuy Tien tower, a granite monolith. On the right is Tien Son grotto, popular for five granite statues and various formations on the walls of the cave. Coming here, pilgrims have chances to admire the pagoda’s beauty and wonderful local landscapes.

Động Hương Tích (Huong Tich Grotto)

After more than one hour along the stream and visiting the initial ancient pagodas from the riverbank, now pilgrims would climb up hundreds of stone steps, and then down 120 stone steps to Huong Tich Grotto, literally meaning "traces of fragrance". The path to Huong Tich winds its way through magnificently luxuriant landscapes. The moss-grown Huong Tich Grotto came to life thanks to the most venerable Van Thuy Thien Tran Dao Vien Quang Chan Nhan, the Chief monk of Thien Tru Pagoda. In front of the cave lie stone stairs. Stepping down the 120-step stairs, tourists will find the inscription "The first-ranking grotto under the Southern Sky" in Han scripts, which are traces of Lord Tinh Do Vuong Trinh Sam's calligraphy in the 3rd lunar month of the year of the Tiger (Canh Dan -1770). Getting into the grotto, you will find a purely cool atmosphere in a dim light before figuring out naturally architectural works such as Dun Gao (Rice) rock, gold and silver trees, Girl and Boy Mountains (in the shapes of a girl and a boy), and so forth. Yet, what is noteworthy is the statue of Avalokitesvara carved out of emerald stone on a rocky lotus, constructed in 1793, under the Tay Son dynasty, and a 1.24m bronze bell, moulded in the 3rd Thinh Duc Year (1655). The unique carving art together with the extremely magnificient works of Nature makes the Huong Pagoda complex the top-revenued tourism destination among others in Ha Tay, and the foremost destination of Buddhists in particular and tourists in general.

Saying goodbye to Perfume Grotto, now tourists may choose to further go up to the top Mount by climbing up hundreds of stone steps, all worn smooth by passage of countless feet, or take a short rest and complete the pilgrimage.

These days, the Vietnamese believe that Huong Son is Buddha's Heaven due to its sacredness and 100% natural works of beauty. Quite a few tourists would like to come back this mysterious and sacred mountain annually for religious reasons on the one hand, and on the other hand, for the enchanting natural landscapes..

During their stay in Hanoi, most tourists insist on a trip to Van Phuc Silk Village, the famous silk village of Hanoi to contemplate the genuine traditional silk-making industry.

Van Phuc Silk Village is situated on the banks of Nhue Thi River, Nguyen Trai Road, near Ha Dong city, 8 km southwest of Ha Noi. It takes you only 30 minutes by motorbike to go there from the centre of Hanoi. The village has been much well known for its traditional sericulture, weaving, and silk products. Tourists coming here are lured by various beautiful shirts, crafts, ties, dresses and many other things made of silk available in the village. What is special is that the silk is made by very simple looms, which is the genuinely traditional Vietnamese way of making silk.

The cradle of Vietnamese Silk 

For centuries, silk has always been considered an extreme luxury, on par with rhinoceros horn, ivory and precious handworks in Vietnam. It has long been a universal byword of luxury, often worn by the richest, most powerful citizens. Most visitors somehow have heard about the significant role of this kind of material in Vietnam, yet might wonder where the cradle of Viet silk is. The mentioned Van Phuc Silk Village is proud to be the origin of best silk and silk-making industry of Vietnam, which is attached to a long-lasting history of more than two thousand years. Though passing by lots of ups and downs, during the recent years, the village’s craft has enjoyed revival due to a surging demand for silk in both the domestic and foreign markets.

Today, the fine and lustrous cloth that originates from the cocoon of the silkworm is more affordable for "ordinary" folk. Furthermore, silk is currently enjoying a fashion renaissance, particularly since its many varieties can be made into a wide range of designs suitable for all facets of modern life. Should you intend to have a silk pair of formal clothes made, just come here and select your suitable materials, and professional tailors here will bring you satisfaction!

Ideal place for silk products & souvenirs

Like other visitors to the village, you will be surprised at this “silk shop town”, where almost all houses along the paths have been turned into shops selling silk products. Specifically, the village is now home to 1,280 households, 90% of whom are involved in silk production and business. The village makes more than 2 million meters of silk per year. Yet, more than that, you are offered a good chance to explore the Vietnamese traditional industry of silk-making.

No tourists here are uncontented with the glisten of various silk products. They are always confronted with an initially bewildering array of silk products, from raw materials, to garments, and a myriad of silk accessories. The local silk is known for its smooth and lightweight appearance, and qualities that enable it to be dyed more colors to suit a variety of skin tones. In order to cater for the changing demands and tastes of customers, Van Phuc silk producers are expanding their silk and garment repertoire: traditional glossy, embroidered silks, double layers, wrinkled silks, and of course, more colours, hues and weights, for which they have invented new techniques in dying and thermo-processing the threads.

If you are going to buy something from Vietnam as gifts for those at home, silk and clothes made of silk are available around in the village for your choice. Though the days when Vietnam's silk was reserved for nobility are long gone, what would never change is the sense of romance and luxury imparted by silk, a luminous cloth type. With 2000 years of history behind them, the silk weavers of Van Phuc Silk village are still busy, weaving dreams.

How to get there? With a view to reaching Van Phuc village, tourists should travel south west out of Ha Noi on Nguyen Trai Street until they reach the border of Ha Dong District. Then turn right and dive for about 3km. The village is on the left, some 8 km from central Hanoi. Motorbike, bus, or taxis are all of good use.

Or, tourists can book a day tours visiting handicraft villages around Hanoi to visit this village. Almost every handcraft or culture tours in Hanoi include Van Phuc silk village. As these tours offered are usually just one day tour from Hanoi, it is easy for tourists to arrange their time. 

The house at 87 Ma May Street is typical of architecture in Hanoi ‘s Old Quarter. Mã Mây Street was once divided into two smaller streets: Hang May, which specialised in bamboo and rattan goods, and Hang Ma, which was named after Quan Ca Đen (the Black Flag Troops), who had their headquarters there during the French colonial period. Many local and foreign traders, who had converged there for business, gradually settled on that street.

The house at 87 Mã Mây dates from the end of the 19th century. At that time, only one family lived there, but then, five families lived in the house from 1954 to 1998. The residents renovated the house to suit their living needs, in the process damaging architectural elements typical of Hanoi’s Old Quarter. The Hanoi-Toulouse program also includes this house. Renovation began in May 1999 and finished that October.

This is one of the few old houses which are kept intact, now used as a visiting place to introduce the traditional architecture of Hanoi’s Old Quarter. Many exhibitions, workshops, cultural events are regularly held here. The house is a famous attraction to both local and foreign tourists, and an address where reproduce vivid picture of busy living, trafficking scenes of “Hanoi’s thirty six ancient streets.”

The name Hoa Lo, commonly translated as "fiery furnace" or even "Hell's hole", also means "stove". The name originated from the street name "Pho Hoa Lo", due to the concentration of stores selling wood stoves and coal-fire stoves along the street from pre-colonial times.

The prison was built in Hanoi by the French, in dates ranging from 1886–1889 to 1898 to 1901, when Vietnam was still part of French Indochina. The French called the prison Maison Centrale - a traditional euphemism to denote prisons in France. It was located near Hanoi's French Quarter. It was intended to hold Vietnamese prisoners, particularly political prisoners agitating for independence who were often subject to torture and execution. A 1913 renovation expanded its capacity from 460 inmates to 600. It was nevertheless often overcrowded, holding some 730 prisoners on a given day in 1916, a figure which would rise to 895 in 1922 and 1,430 in 1933. By 1954 it held more than 2000 people; with its inmates held in subhuman conditions, it had become a symbol of colonialist exploitation and of the bitterness of the Vietnamese towards the French.

Known widely by the nickname ‘Hanoi Hilton’ given to it by the Americans during the Second Indochina War, Hoa Lo Prison was originally established by the French colonial government in 1896 for the purpose of detaining political prisoners and formed part of a northern network of ‘unjust and cruel prisons’ which included Cao Bang, Son La, Lai Chau and Hai Phong. Many leading revolutionaries were incarcerated here during the French colonial period, including Phan Boi Chau, Hoang Trong Mau, Luong Van Can, Nguyen Quyen, Nguyen Luong Bang and five future General Secretaries of the Communist Party - Nguyen Van Cu, Le Duan, Truong Chinh, Nguyen Van Linh and Do Muoi. Between 1964 and 1973 the prison’s inmates included several captured American pilots, notably Senator John McCain and Douglas 'Pete' Peterson, America’s first Ambassador to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Most of the original prison was demolished in 1996 to make way for the Hanoi Towers (now Somerset Grand Hanoi) serviced apartment and office complex, but the southernmost corner has been preserved and reopened to the public as a memorial to the revolutionaries who died here in atrocious conditions. Visitors can view the original cells, complete with leg-irons, along with a selection of bilingual (Vietnamese and English) displays illustrating the horrors of life in the prison during the French colonial period.

Conditions were appalling; food was watery soup and bread. Prisoners were variously isolated, starved, beaten, tortured for countless hours and paraded in anti-American propaganda. "It is easy to die but hard to live," a prison guard told one new arrival, "and we will show you just how hard it is to live." The prison is really “A Hell on Earth”.

The Hanoi Hilton was depicted in the eponymous 1987 Hollywood movie The Hanoi Hilton. Hanoi Tower, built on the site of the infamous prison "Hanoi Hilton"; the entrance to the remaining parts of the prison visible in the foreground. By 1996, most of the walls of the Hanoi Hilton had been torn down to make way for new construction. Portions of the walls were retained for historical reasons. The Vietnamese also have bitter memories of the prison, for many communist revolutionaries were kept and tortured there. In 1998, the old front of the prison was painted and restored and the remaining portions of the prison were turned into a tourist site. Some of the cells have been opened and considerable information about Vietnamese prisoners is available. The information about the U.S. prisoners of war is unreliable. There is now a Hilton Hotel in Hanoi, called the Hilton Hanoi Opera Hotel, which opened in 1999. It was built decades after the Vietnam War was over, but Hilton carefully avoided reusing the dreaded name Hanoi Hilton.

Hoa Lo Prison is a historical attraction to many local and foreign visitors. You should pay a visit to the prison to experience the history with your own eyes. There are many Hanoi city tours or sightseeing tours that include Hoa Lo as a stop in their itineraries. 

The Vietnam Military History Museum in Hanoi has so far received more than 17 million visitors, half of them foreigners from more than 150 countries. Report by the Voice of Vietnam Radio. 

Located in the centre of Hanoi, the Vietnam Military History Museum is one of the seven national museums with the greatest number of objects and visitors. With its unique objects and materials, the museum has become a cultural and historical centre and a popular destination for tourists. 

Visiting the Museum, the Guy Bagot couple from Australia spent a lot of time by the portrait of General Vo Nguyen Giap in the exhibition room “Vo Nguyen Giap - First General and Commander-in-Chief”. The husband took part in the American war in Vietnam from 1968 to 1970. At that time, Bago said he knew nothing about the strength of the Vietnamese army but soldiers like him always mentioned the General with respect. 

The Vietnam Military History Museum, previously the Army Museum, was founded in 1956 and opened to public three years later. In 1964, it was named the Vietnam Army Museum Academy and in 2002, it became the Vietnam Military History Museum. 

Of the museum’s 150,000 objects and documents, about 2,000 are on display in an area of about 3,200 square meters. The exhibits reflect the lively history of Vietnam’s national founding and construction from the Hung Kings to the Ho Chi Minh era through replications of some prominent battles against foreign invaders. They demonstrate the Vietnamese army’s strategies and art of war. 

Colonel Nguyen Xuan Nang, Director of the Museum, says that the museum is divided into six parts featuring six different themes: heroic Vietnamese mothers, heroic Vietnamese nation, heroic Vietnamese people’s army, the tradition of the Vietnam People’s Army, Vietnamese weapons and weapon production tools, the world’s support for Vietnam’s resistance wars and relations between the Vietnam People’s Army and those in other countries. 

Nang says: “The museum attracts visitors because it is located in a historical relic site - the Hanoi Flag Tower, which is closely associated with the capital. This is the only museum in Vietnam that has an outdoor display of large objects, weapons and war remnants of both Vietnam and its rivals. Foreign visitors are interested in major historical events including the Dien Bien Phu Campaign and the Ho Chi Minh Campaign. The museum keeps two sand-tables of these two campaigns and offers introduction and presentations in six languages”. 

Over the past 50 years, the museum has always paid attention to improving its displays and information. It has renovated the exhibit system, improving it in terms of scale, content and formats. Over the last decade, the museum has published 30 books and organised 70 exhibitions. Each year, the museum’s researchers collect about 600 objects. In particular, following the movement to collect and display war remnants that was active between 2009 and 2010, the museum received more than 10,000 objects from war veterans and visitors. 

Colonel Nang says: “The museum is now displaying two of the 30 recognised national precious objects. They are the MIG 21 plane coded 5121, which Hero Pilot Pham Tuan used during the Dien Bien Phu in the air campaign to shoot down a US B52 bomber, and a tank coded 843 which was the first to enter Independence Palace on April 30, 1975. In particular, the exhibition featuring the self-made weapons of the Vietnamese army attracts a lot of visitors, especially foreigners. Only after visiting the museum can they really understand how Vietnam, a small and poor country without modern weapons, defeated both the French and Americans”. 

The museum has received more than 17 million visitors, half of them foreigners from more than 150 countries. Nguyen Thi Lan Huong working in the Display- Communication Section of the Museum says: “There have been many foreigners visiting the museum but I’m most impressed with those from South Africa. When they were introduced to the exhibition on the Dien Bien Phu Campaign, they said that the South African people were very impressed by this victory, which has encouraged South Africans in particular and African people in general to rise up to wrest back independence”. 

The museum is submitting to the Ministry of National Defense a plan to upgrade and modernise the museum to introduce more exhibits to meet increasing visitor demand. Once upgraded, the new museum will bring to visitors a more panoramic view of Vietnam, its land and people, and the strength of the Vietnam People’s Army.-VNA

Location & History
Located at 57B, Dinh Tien Hoang street, nearby Hoan Kiem Lake, Thang Long Water Puppet Theater is a familiar address for both domestic tourists and foreign ones, who want to enjoy water puppet shows and discovery the beauty of this unique Vietnam traditional art.
In 1969, the theater was established and since 1990; many water puppet shows have been performed by Thang Long theater artists.Since being established, our main task is to serve domestic audiences and tourist with "165 performing days". Besides, Thang Long Water Puppetry Theatre has introduced this traditional art of Vietnam to other countries and attended International Art Festivals in Asia, Europe, Australia, Latin America. Vietnamese water puppetry shows are warmly welcomed and highly appreciated wherever they are staged. The famous Thang Long Water Puppetry Theatre has been performing in many countries:
             1999: Sydney (Australia), Athens (Greek).
             1998: Spain, Portugal, Iran, France, Italy, Philippines.
             1997: Italy, Mexico, France, America, Belgium.
             1996: Spain, Brazil, America, France.
             1995: Denmark, America, Spain, Portugal, Japan.

             1994: Australia, Spain, France, Switzerland, Korea.
             1993: Hongkong, Japan.
             1992: Japan, France, Thailand.
It sounds risky, but the theater has been successful since the beginning the beginning and received favors and praises from audiences. To enjoy some typical water puppet performances, you can take a look at the video below.Traditional content of water puppet performance like daily life of Vietnamese farmers (cultivating, tending buffalo, catching fishes…), communal entertainment (swimming contest, dragon dancing…), or historical legends (Le Loi returns precious sword…), with modest performance way have appealed audiences for centuries. However, the artists of Thang Long Water Puppet Theater want to renew the old puppet shows with effect of light, music and combination between people and puppets.
Certainly, it will be much great if tourists can directly watch these shows in Thang Long Water Puppets Theater after enjoying a cup of coffee in the coffee lounge which is right in front of the theater, and giving a nice view to Hoan Kiem Lake.

Water Puppet Show

Show schedule
There are puppet show every day at 15:30 - 17:00 - 18:30 - 20:00 - 21:15 and Sunday at 9:30

Tickets
Ticket costs between 60.000 - 100.000 VND ($3-5) and can be purchased at doors or by contacting the theatre:

If tourists in Vietnam Travel have chance to visit Hanoi, Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre is a must-see place that should not be missed.

Nestled in a leafy courtyard at 36 Ly Thuong Kiet street, the new Women's Museum is an eye-catching green structure with a grand entryway that seems fitting for the first national museum of this type in Vietnam. Although it opened last October, the galleries are not yet full of visitors. However, the museum is poised to become one of Hanoi's foremost cultural centers over the next few years, imparting its particular view of Vietnamese women.

In this view, Vietnamese women today should not only know about their history but also about traditional activities such as sewing and dance. "Today's generation of women has lost touch with our traditions and cultural history," says director Dang Thi To Ngan. "We want the museum to be like an academy, with exhibits and events about minority women, a research library and space for conference on women's issues." In addition, Ms. Ngan hopes to expand the two-room library, add a souvenir shop and a guest house for visiting scholars, as well as offer classes on sewing, make-up application and exercise.

In 1985, Vietnam Women's Union President Nguyen Thi Dinh made this project one of her special concerns. Says Ngan, "Nguyen Thi Dinh wanted the character of the museum to be different from any other museums in Vietnam. She wanted it to be a center for research and activities especially for and about women; a place where women could feel comfortable and enjoy themselves." Designed by female architect Tran Xuan Diem, construction of the 10,000,000,000 dong project began in 1991 with financing from the Vietnamese Women's Union and the Ministry of Culture. Mrs. Dinh passed away in 1992 before the museum was completed, but Ngan says that "it remains a major goal of the Vietnam Women's Union to develop the museum along her guidelines and in her spirit."

It took over ten years to collect the 3,000 items on display here, a task that sent public relations specialist Nguyen Bich Van all over Vietnam to persuade families and provincial women's union offices to part with clothes, photos and other memorabilia belonging to local and national heroines. From rice pots to rifles, the pieces collected here evoke the public trials and successes of Vietnamese women as well as the personal details of their private lives.

On the ground floor, these dual themes are evident in the lobby's design. Rising over the marble floor is a domed ceiling modeled after a woman's breast, complete with globe lights representing drops of breast milk. Under the dome stands a golden statue entitled "Me Vietnam," designed by artist Nguyen Phu Cuong in a competition with forty-five other artists. Standing tall and fierce with a male child on her shoulder, Me Vietnam holds her right hand out to push away difficulties. Behind her is a painting of a white river, which Van describes as the "river of history and river of milk Vietnamese women produce to bring up future generations."

The focus on women's public and private lives continues on the second floor with Dong Son era jewelry and a three-dimensional scene showing a peasant woman rinsing rice. Such displays reinforce traditional notions about women and domestic life. However, sandwiched between these displays are prison and interrogation scenes, complete with cutout American GIs, which remind visitors of the crucial role Vietnamese women have played in national defense.

On the third floor, the focus shifts to exhibits that chronicle the sixty-five year history of the Vietnam Women's Union. This is the floor that foreign visitors are most likely to relate to, with its colorful display of items sent by women around the world to support Women's Union activities. Solidarity posters from anti-war feminist organizations cover the walls, reminding visitors of the force of international bonds among women. This is graphically illustrated in a huge painting of the earth with colored lights marking the several countries where the Vietnam Women's Union has contacts.

Shifting focus from the display of political artifacts back to women's domestic lives, the entire fourth floor showcases minority women's clothing. Standing stiffly in groups, the mannequins wear clothes representing all fifty-four minority groups in Vietnam. Van says that such an exhibit "helps preserve traditional culture through clothing and highlights women's role as the more fashionable gender." Large black-and-white photos of minority women engaged in domestic activities such as cooking, weaving and caring for children decorate the walls, but there are no photos of minority women in public life.

The last diorama on this floor is a rotating platform of mannequins in contemporary dress that looks like a clothing store display. Flanked by photos of recent beauty queens, it seems to reflect Ms. Ngan's hope that in the future the museum will be a place where women can lam dep (make themselves beautiful).

Keeping this huge place in order and developing these activities will certainly be a task for the twenty-two employees. To prepare themselves for future visitors, all employees are taking English classes and workshops in museum curatorship. Says Ngan, "In the future, the staff will concentrate on developing their language skills so they can guide foreign visitors through the museum and also help us form contacts with other women's museums to find how they do things."

As of yet, however, women's museums are still a rarity in other countries, and the message of other women's museums is likely to be quite different from this one. These differences will hopefully generate interesting exchanges as more visitors from Hanoi and beyond begin to drop by, turning the museum into the lively cultural center Nguyen Thi Dinh always hoped it would become.

The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology is 6th on the list of the 25 most attractive museums in Asia, ranked by the prestigious travel site Trip Advisor. The museum is an ideal destination for travelers who want to discover the rich culture of Vietnam.

The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology on Nguyen Van Huyen street is 8 km from Hanoi’s center. Built in 1997, the museum has become popular with both Vietnamese and foreigners thanks to its simple exhibits which reflect all aspects of tangible and intangible culture as well as typical characteristics of Vietnamese people’s lives and creativity. Deputy Director of the Museum Doctor Luu Hung said: "The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology was set up at a time when many of our colleagues in the country were struggling to attract visitors due to the lack of a proper development program. In our case, we tried to learn from the experience of others while diversifying our activities. We pursued activities which were new and unfamiliar to museums in Vietnam”.

The museum has two exhibits. Inside, the bronze-trimmed house covering an area of 2,500 square meters has a special architectural design. The stairs have handles with typical characteristics of the stairs of the stilt houses of ethnic minority people. The exhibits are arranged by language groups: the Kinh majority language, and the Tay, Thai, Ka Dai, Mon-Khmer, and Hoa minority languages.

The museum exhibits the cultural items of 54 Vietnamese ethnic groups. Of its nearly 27,000 objects, 23,000 reveal the culture of Vietnamese ethnic groups and the rest are about ethnic groups in other countries, mainly in Southeast Asia. There are also 11 000 photographs on various themes. All objects are thematically categorized to portray the lives and traditions of the different ethnic groups.

Visiting the exhibit featuring the Kinh majority group which include about 90% of the Vietnamese population, a British tourist said they were impressed by the rudimentary fishing tools fishing.

Visitors appreciate the museum’s thematic displays, its variety of outdoor activities such as water puppet and traditional handicraft shows, and its recreation of traditional festivals. Luong Ngoc Huong has visited the museum several times:“Visiting the museum, I can learn about the architecture and life styles of ethnic minority people. Special programs at the museum are very interesting. Because of them, I know about places I have never been and customs I have never seen.”

Leaving the Bronze Drum House, visitors are led to outdoor exhibits. There are traditional houses of the E De and Ha Nhi ethnic groups, central highland groups and the Kinh majority group. Doctor Luu Hung told VOV:“The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology was the first museum in Vietnam with outdoor exhibits. All these houses here were built by ethnic minority people themselves. By adopting new concepts and approaches, the museum has kept up with public demand. We are very proud of it”.

In the first half of this year, the museum welcomed nearly 250,000 visitors, 6% more than last year. For anyone interested in Vietnam’s minorities, it’s an essential visit.

(VOVworld)

The very first stop-over of any foreign tourist in Hanoi is always Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam (translated as Temple of Literature), which reveals the Hanoians’ spirit of study in the past! 

Situated at the south of Thang Long citadel, is on top of the historical and beautiful sightseeings of the beautiful capital of Vietnam. Please follow us in a brief tour of exploring his beauty and deep values;

Historical meaning
Tourists, particularly the foreign ones, now flock to the site for taking a look into its profound traditional meanings of both a Confucion temple and the first university of Vietnam. Văn Miếu or Temple of Literature, known as "pagode des Corbeaux" during the period of French colonisation, was founded as a Confucian temple in 1070.
Only parts of the Văn Miếu complex date back to the earliest period, although much of the architecture dates to the Ly (1010 – 1225) and Tran (1225 – 1400) Dynasties. In 1076, Vietnam's first university, the Quốc Tử Giám (or National University), was established within this temple to educate Vietnam's mandarin class. The university functioned for more than 700 years, from 1076 to 1779, during which, 2,313 doctors graduated. Hence, the complex has been attached to the name of Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam up to now.

A beauty-spot of architectural values
This ancient Confucian sanctuary is now considered one of Hanoi's finest historical and cultural sites. “The ever special architetural style of Van Mieu dates back to the 11th century, evoking an inspiration of classical creativeness of many of us”, one of my tourists remarked. Just take a look into the art of architecture, you will share the feeling! The temple is based on Confucius' birthplace at Qufu in the Chinese province of Shandong. It consists of five courtyards lined out in order, entrance to the first, via the impressive twin-tiered Van Mieu gate leads to three pathways that run through the length of the complex. The centre path was reserved for the King only, the one to its left for administrative Mandarins and the one to its right for military Mandarins.
The first two courtyards are peaceful havens of ancient trees and well-trimmed lawns where the scholars could relax away from the bustle of the city outside the thick stone walls. Entrance to the third courtyard is through the dominating Khue Van Cac (constellation of literature), a large pavilion built in 1802. Central to the this courtyard is the Thien Quang Tinh ("Well Of Heavenly Clarity"), either side of which stand two great halls which house the true treasures of the temple. These are 82 stone steles. Another 34 are believed to have been lost over the years. They sit upon stone tortoises and are inscribed with the names and birth places of 1306 men who were awarded doctorates from the triennial examinations held here at the Quoc Tu Giam ("National University") between 1484 and 1780, when the capital was moved to Hue.
The fourth courtyard is bordered on either side by great pavilions which once contained altersl of 72 of Confucius greatest students but which now contain offices, a gift shop and a small museum which contains ink wells, pens, books and personal artifacts belonging to some of the students that have studied here through the years. At the far end of the courtyard is the altar with statues of Confucius and his four closest disciples. The fifth courtyard contained the Quoc Tu Giam, Vietnam's first university founded in 1076 King Ly Can Duc, but this was destroyed by French bombing in 1947.

Though having gone through lots of restoration work, the temple still retains its very first original shape, to be one of the visit-worthy sightseeings of Hanoi, captivating to a huge number of tourists elsewhere.

A space of peace, green trees and solemnity covers the whole temple of historical and traditional love for study, making tourists feel like they were lost in a land of Confucion and traditional values. If you are in Hanoi, you should really come and explore it yourself!

Being an ancient school of Thang Long and the first university in Vietnam, Temple of Literature is acknowledged as an ancient historical-cultural heritage which gives tourists deeper understanding about Hanoi's years of culture and tradition. Tourists should definitely add the Temple of Literature to their visiting list in Hanoi. It is included in a lot of Hanoi city tours as one of the main attractions in this bustling capital city. Coming here, tourists might see many Vietnamese students visiting the places as a ritual for good luck before they enter an important exam such as the entrance exam into college.

Looking down Trang Tien Street, you can see Hanoi Opera House standing strongly, deserving to be one of Hanoi's grandest buildings.

Front facade of the Opera House

Built by the French in 1911, and renovated in the late 1990s, this is an incredible building. Hanoi Opera House is an old theatre with French architecture and typical Gothic and Mosaic characters reflected on the door domes and the glassed room respectively. The facade is colonial French with pillars and balconies overlooking the city center. The 900-seat opera house plays host to visiting foreign performances as well as Vietnamese symphonies. The exterior is a delightful mix of French neo-classical design with shuttered windows, wrought iron balconies and tiles friezes.

For a long time, Hanoi Opera House has been a rendezvous for those who love theatrical performance and traditional songs and music, symphonies, opera and classical opera. It is also a tourist attraction for local and foreign visitors.

The history of Hanoi Opera House

Hanoi Opera House is a great construction built by the French Colonialist Government during the early years of the 20th century.Harley and Broyer were designers. This design was much modified by ideas of some architects. The work was started on june, 7th, 1901, undertaken by a local supervisor - Harley Architect. Mr Travary and Savelon were in charge of the construction. The work, the peak of which is 34 meters above the ground, was carried out in a total area of 2600 square meters with the 87-meter length and 30-meter width. The designers consulted Corankta Greek ancient architecture in combination with Tuylory Castle and Opera de Paris to form a unique architecture.

Hanoi Opera House has a great value in history, architecture as well as its use. It was a historical evidence of Vietnamese social and cultural development under French rule, a vestige for an architectural development stage dating back to the end of the 19th and early 20th centuries in Vietnam. The theatre has seen many significant historical events associated to the August Revolution and the early years of Vietnam Democratic Republic.

Striking characteristics

Hanoi Opera House is renowned for its unique architecture and good composition. It is furnished rationally and harmoniously. Since its establishment, Hanoi Opera House is the largest theatre in Vietnam.

Previously the site was a big pond, adjacent to the city gate of Tay Long (also called Tay Luong) of the ancient Thang Long Capital. The construction met with many difficulties, because the foundations of the theatre were built on the pond. Before building a concrete foundation, nearly one metre thick, the pond was emptied and dredged, then 30,000 hard bamboo stakes were placed on its bed.

Hanoi Opera House is of the same architectural style as the Opera House in France. Some foreign architects said that due to being built nearly 300 years after the Paris Opera House, Hanoi Opera House avoids superfluous architectural details, which make it more magnificent and attractive. Inside the opera house are a large stage and a main audience room with a size of 24x24m, with many small rooms for audience on the central floor. The middle staircase leads to a large Hall on the second floor. The sub-staircase and corridors are located in both sides.

At the back of the Opera House is a management chamber consisting of 18 make-up rooms, 2 rooms for voice training, 1 library and 1 meeting room. Facing the stairs is a magnificent mirror room on the second floor. Opera house has been so far a typical, large-scaled art showing place, wherein party state meetings and international conferences are held. It is considered a cultural work with the best value in Vietnam, a unique architectural work with great historical, cultural, architectural and fine-art value, a unique works in urban area as well as in the capital city. The theatre has been equipped with state-of-art facilities and appliances, compatible for all types of artistic performances, from folk music and songs, ballets and piano to classical opera, reformed opera, Vietnamese operetta and drama, all made great impressions on the audience. Hanoi Opera House has also successfully organized many large-scale international concerts.

Being an ancient architecture work, the Opera House is now becoming a national art work of international renown, which contributes to our country's modern cultural field, also serves as a foundation in cultural exchanging, in our present social economic development and the national cultural innovation in particular.

Hanoi Opera House is a worthy artistic centre, a cultural and architectural relic of the capital Hanoi. This is truly a beautiful building in Hanoi and the best place to see the Opera House is from the 6th floor of the Hanoi Hilton.

Hanoi’s largest freshwater lake, West Lake has a circumference of 17km and houses many of the city’s historic places of interest around its perimeter – including Vietnam’s oldest pagoda and one of Vietnam’s four sacred temples.
Previously, West Lake has other names such as: Xac Cao, Kim Nguu Lake, Lang Bac, Dam Dam, Hoai Ho, which is the largest natural lake in Hanoi city.The Lake has an area of 500 hectares that is located on the northwest of downtown Hanoi.

History
According to one legend, the place was originally thickly wooded and inhabited by a fox demon with nine tails. The monster was later killed by the Dragon King, the ancestor of the Việt people, who drowned it under floods of water, thereby creating a lake. Another legend tells us that the Vietnamese monk Không Lộ (11th century), who rendered great services to the emperor of China, was allowed to take back to the country large amounts of bronze which he used to cast an enormous bell. Well the bell was rung, its sound was so powerful and carried so far that the Golden Calf, thinking it was its buffalo-mother’s voice calling, hurriedly rushed south to her, and in its frantic search for her turned up mounds of earth and brought into existence an enormous hollow which filled with water and became a lake.
In the middle ages, many places and pavilions were built by the Lý, Trần and Lê kings and the Trịnh seigneurs. They stood on the banks of West Lake and also at the edge of Lake Trúc Bạch, separated from it by the Cổ Ngư causeway, now renamed the Youth promenade. Trúc Bạch means white silk woven at the Ivory Bamboo village. A pavilion was built there by a Trịnh seigneur, where he relegated his neglected concubines. The poor women devoted their time to silk weaving. The product of their looms was a very beautiful kind of white silk.
In 1802, a scholar named Nguyễn Huy Lượng wrote a piece of rimmed prose (phú) which became famous. It was entitled Hymn to the West Lake. It sang the beauty of the landscape and glorified the achievements of the Tây Sơn Dynasty which had driven out the Qing invaders and brought peace to the country.
The lake used to be part of the Red River when it was a retreat reserved for the relaxation of mandarins and kings, today the lake offers so much to enjoy with a unique fusion of nature at her best and some of the most historic cultural sights in the whole of Vietnam.

West Lake is a beautiful place to while away an afternoon, there are boats for hire and lunch on a floating restaurant makes a novel dining option. West Lake is not only the ideal destination but also contained the value of the nation. There are 21 temples or communal houses around the lake which are listed in the national heritage list with many famous vestiges and objects. Among them, the Quan Thanh temple, Tran Quoc pagoda and Tay Ho temple are the famous tourist destinations of the West Lake.
Tran Quoc pagoda is one of the most ancient pagodas in Vietnam. Located beside the Thanh Niên Road, it is in the area of Yen Phu village with the temple honoring the God. There is a procession of the temple to pagoda every year with the group of boat. The pagoda was built since VI century. In 1615, the river side was broken to the side of the pagoda; therefore it is relocated inside the deck. The pagoda was renamed many times: An Quoc, Tran Bac, Tran Quoc, etc.
West Lake is an interesting destination for tourists. At the reign of Ly-Tran, the King built many palaces around the lake such as: Thuy Hoa Palace of Ly dynasty, Ham Nguyen Palace of Tran dynasty. On the quite windy day, boating on West Lake is elegant sense. If you have a walk around the lake, you will visit many relics and landscape. Nghi Tam Village, hometown of poet "Ba Huyen Thanh Quan" with Kim Lien Pagoda, has unique architecture. Nhat Tan Village, where Lac Thi gave birth to 7 dragons has peach blossom spring. Xuan Tao Village has Soc Temple, Trich Sai Village has Thien Nien pagoda… West Lake along with Truc Bach Lake enrichs the poetry of Hanoi and also enrich for Hanoi economy.
Besides, Tay Ho also attracts customers for having the range of restaurant with the famous Banh Tom West Lake and Bun Oc (noodle of shellfish soup). Shrimp and shellfish are caught right in the West Lake. Tourists will have opportunity to enjoy traditional Ho Tay Shrimp Cake. A special trait of culture is versed in food Thang Long Hanoi and also special meals of Asian - Europe full of poetries delight of water, cloud, wind and Vietnam green trees.

During your supposed time in Hanoi, it is highly suggested that the beautiful Tran Quoc pagoda – the oldest one among others in Hanoi, be added to your visiting list.

Location

Chùa Trấn Quốc (or Tran Quoc Pagoda) is located beside the dazzling West Lake, on Thanh Nien Road, Hanoi. Particularly, it is seated on an island linked by a bridge to the causeway between the two most romantic lakes of Hanoi: West Lake and Truc Bach Lake.

History

The construction of the pagoda started in 541 and was completed in 545 under the reign of King Ly Nam De (544-548) under its original name of Khai Quoc (National Founder). It was initially built on the bank of the Red River (then West Lake and the Red River met).

Until the early 17th century, under the reign of King Le Kinh Tong (1600-1618), the pagoda was moved to the Kim Ngu (Golden Fish) Islet due to the river bank crumbling and was renamed Tran Quoc (National Defence). 

A cultural symbol of Vietnamese Buddhism – intricate architecture

You might ask yourself why among a number of beautiful pagodas in Hanoi, Tran Quoc should be visited. The reason derives from the fact that it is considered a cultural symbol of Vietnamese Buddhism partly for it is the oldest pagoda and situated in the center of the capital of Vietnam. More importantly, unlike other ordinary pagodas, Tran Quoc Pagoda was built in a very intricate way. Behind the worshipping shrine is the Buddhist trinity followed by corridors, ten shrines and the belfry. Inside the pagoda, there are many valuable statues, such as the red lac statue trimmed with gold of Sakyamouni Buddha's Parinirvana, which is a masterpiece of Vietnamese sculptural art, and lots of ancient stele, one of which was made in 1639 by Doctoral lau- Nguyen Xuan Chinh, recording the Pagoda's history.

No one who has visited this significant pagoda of Hanoi does not take interest in its special and intricate style of architecture dated centuries ago. Please come here to feel it yourself! 

A nice tranquil backdrop

It must be said that the island and pagoda provide a beautiful backdrop, particularly when viewed at sunset. Standing at one end of Thanh Nien Road, one can see the towers of the pagoda rising above the lake’s surface. In the pagoda’s garden stands a Bồ Đề (Bodhi) tree, which is attached to a past story. The story tells that in 1959, on his visit to Vietnam, Indian Prime Minister Razendia Prasat offered the Pagoda a bodhi tree as a gift. The plant was grafted from the holy bodhi tree where Sakyamuni sat in zen (meditation) position and achieved enlightenment in India 25 centuries ago. Now the bodhi tree is easily recognizable from its heart-shaped leaves, taken from a cutting of its original tree. Today, the tree green and luxuriant, shading over part of the pagoda's yard. 

These days, Tran Quoc Pagoda, as a religious relic with a spectacular ­surrounding scenery, is a favourite stop-over of so many foreign visitors and pilgrims.

Note: The pagoda is open daily and visitors must be decently attired, long trousers are required for men.

Visiting Tran Quoc pagoda can give visitors an insight in the religion life and culture of Vietnamese people. There is no entrance fee for visiting the place, therefore visitors can easily come visit anytime during the day until late in the afternoon. 

Saint Joseph Cathedral, located at 40 Nha Chung street, Hanoi, is a Roman Catholic cathedral with neo- gothic style, which was built about 120 years ago.

History and Architecture

In 1882, after the French army conquered Hanoi, the cathedral was constructed and completed in 1886. The cathedral and Nha Chung area were built on the land formerly belonging to Bao Thien pagoda, which was built under Ly dynasty.

The architecture with domes of the cathedral follows the Gothic style and design of Paris Cathedral. It is 64.5m in length, 20.5m in width with two bell towers of 31.5m-height. Though the appearance of the cathedral, from the doors, the colorful window glass, to the religious paintings for decoration follows Western style, the main interior part is decorated in Vietnamese way with two typical colors yellow and red. Outside, in front of the cathedral is the statue of Mother Maria.

Christmas celebration

The first Christmas took place in the cathedral in 1887. Since then, the cathedral is always crowded with hundreds of people including both Christians and non-Christians at the weekend or during religious holidays like Christmas.

Visitor Information

The special thing is that space around Hanoi Cathedral is an ideal meeting place for local residents in Hanoi, especially youngsters, to get away from the bustle and noise of the city. When it gets darker, groups of friends flock to the space to enjoy themselves. To enjoy this kind of entertainment, you can feast and drink with your friends in this open space. 

Nha Chung Street now becomes the “Lemon Tea” street, a popular gathering place to many youngsters in Hanoi, and home to eye-catching souvenir shops and Western style restaurants. It is not only the holly place for Christian couples hold their wedding, but also a great venue for non- religious grooms and brides to take nice wedding shots.

Many famous artists and movie stars can be seen in this special place. Pianist Pho An My has the habit of sitting in the church yard to enjoy a cup of tea with ice and play her favorite pieces. “It is not necessary to go to the theatre to enjoy a music concert; a pageant show will undoubtedly bring a wind of change to the audience”, said the famous artist.

Statue of Mary in front of the Saint Joseph Cathedral

How to get there

From Hoan Kiem Lake head to Hang Gai Street, keep going until you reach Ly Quoc Su Street on the left hand side. Walk pass Ly Quoc Su and you will reach Nha Chung – the Cathedral is the connecting point of these two streets.

Mass: 

Monday to Friday: 5:30 am and 6:15 pm 

Saturday: 5:30 am and 6:00 pm. 

Sunday: 5:00, 7:00, and 9:00 am; noon; 4:00 and 6:00 pm. 

Open: 5 am to 12:00 noon, 2 pm to 7:30 pm.

Amongst a number of beauty-spots in Hanoi, the One-Pillar Pagoda (one of Vietnam’s two most iconic pagodas, side by side the Perfume Pagoda) is a popular tourist attraction. 

The One Pillar Pagoda

The One Pillar Pagoda (Vietnamese: Chùa Một Cột, formally Diên Hựu tự , which litterally means “long lasting happiness and good luck”) is a historic Buddhist temple in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. As you visit Hanoi, you may come to various other monuments, parks and historical places. Yet, the One-Pillar Pagoda reflects the architectural splendour that the country has grown.

Where is it located? The unique pagoda is located in the western part of the city, near Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, Ong Ich Khiem St., Ngoc Ha, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi.

The Legendary story: According to legend, ageing Emperor Ly Thai To of the Ly dynasty, who had no children, used to go to pagodas to pray to Buddha for a son. One night, he dreamt that he was granted a private audience to the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, who was seated on a great lotus flower in a square-shaped lotus pond on the western side of Thang Long Citadel, gave the King a baby boy. Months later, when the Queen gave birth to a male child, the Emperor ordered the construction of a pagoda supported by only one pillar to resemble the lotus seat of his dream in the honour of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. According to a theory, the pagoda was built in a style of a lotus emerging out of the water.

Formation: Emperor Ly Thai Tong had this temple constructed in gratitude for the mentioned significant legendary event in 1049, by erecting a pillar in the middle of a lotus pond, and a temple of lotus-shape, exactly similar to what he saw in the dream. This unique shape of the pagoda together with the special story has been of great absorption to hundreds of thousands of international tourists!
This Pagoda was located in what was then the Tây Cấm Garden in Thạch Bảo, Vĩnh Thuận district in the capital Thăng Long (now known as Hanoi. It was built of wood on a single stone pillar 1.25 m in diameter, and it is designed to resemble a lotus blossom, which is a Buddhist symbol of purity, since a lotus blossoms in a muddy pond. Before the pagoda was opened, prayers were held for the longevity of the monarch, hence being considered a temple at that time. During the Ly Dynasty era, the temple was the site of an annual royal ceremony on the occasion of Vesak, the birthday of Gautama Buddha. A Buddha-bathing ceremony was held annually by the monarch, and it attracted monks and laymen alike to the ceremony. The monarch would then free a bird, which was followed by the people.

As time went by, the pagoda succumbed to many ravages caused by the colonial powers. In 1954, the French Union forces destroyed the pagoda before withdrawing from Vietnam after the First Indochina War, and it was rebuilt afterwards.

Today’s form: What you see today of the pagoda is a new form recovered in 1955 when it was refurbished with a concrete pillar from its remnants by the Vietnamese government. Today's structure can be just called the replica of the original pagoda, which was a large building. Locals believe that if you pray here, it will invoke well-beings and prosperity.

Opening time: The pagoda is open daily from 08:00 a.m to 05:00 p.m. Entrance is free.

Note: Remember to wear full-length clothes as you visit the One-Pillar Pagoda as well as other pagodas in the nation.
For those who want to visit this pagoda with a tour guide so they can learn more about this unique attraction in Hanoi, it is recommended that visitors book a day tours in Hanoi. Both Hanoi sightseeing tours or Hanoi culture tours include One Pillar pagoda as one stop in their itineraries so the variations of tours are quite diversified for tourists to choose from.

Ignoring the gaggles (for want of a better collective noun) of cyclos carrying tour groups, which clog up streets all over Hoan Kiem district, I’m a fan of cyclo rides and think it’s worth taking a cyclo for an hour or so at the start of a visit to Hanoi. Some will say walking is better, but I think the perspective you get from a cyclo ride is worth seeing — plus it’s far easier to look around and take photos if you’re not watching where you’re walking the whole time. Of course, if you want to explore and investigate the back alleys and stop off here and there, that’s not possible on a cyclo, but an introductory ride will help you get your bearings.

A gaggle of cyclos

You can’t walk far in Hoan Kiem, particularly around the old streets and the lake, without seeing a cyclo. You can’t even walk far without being accosted by a cyclo driver, offering to take you on a ride around the area. In other words, the answer to the question, “Where can I get a cyclo in Hanoi?” is easy: “Anywhere there are tourists.”

That said, if you do manage to pick a time when there are none about, head to the north of the lake; quite a few usually cluster near the tourist office opposite KFC or around by Ngoc Son pagoda. If it’s a sunny day, many can be found in the shade along the southern end of Hang Dau, behind the soldiers’ monument. Further south, the area around the Opera House — next to the park opposite the Hilton Opera Hotel or towards the History Museum — is a popular waiting spot.

Waiting opposite Ngoc Son Pagoda

The standard offer is a one-hour trip around the Old Quarter streets: expect to visit Hang Bac, Ma May, Hang Ma and the other usual suspects. To get a bit more variety ask to include a ride around Hoan Kiem Lake and over to the Opera House and past the Sofitel Metropole — that should be feasible in an hour.

As well as the sightseeing tours you can also take a cyclo instead of a taxi or motorbike. I’d only really recommend this if you’re going somewhere reasonably close to the centre, and would combine it with the Old Quarter tour. For example, the ride out to Quan Thanh temple or Tran Quoc pagoda, near West Lake, is pleasant enough, and if you don’t want to stop and go in you could just stick with the cyclo for a ride around Truc Bach lake. Alternatively, you could take a cyclo over to the Mausoleum, as you should get to pass Lenin Park and the flag tower.

Now to prices. A reasonable price is 100,000 VND for one person for one hour. If two of you want to share then expect to pay a bit more. You might be able to haggle down a bit lower — 100,000 VND was the first asking price of one driver I talked to yesterday, which suggests he would have dropped it had I asked, the next started at 150,000 VND — but remember, these guys are cycling your weight around for an hour in the heat and probably only get one or two passengers a day, so don’t be too hard on them.

If you want to be dropped off somewhere outside Old Quarter you may have to pay a bit more, but try to negotiate that into the hour-long trip — if you’re ending at a tourist spot this shouldn’t be too difficult as they’ll have a chance of picking up a passenger for the return. Also, make sure that if you ask the cyclo driver to wait for you at a sight, you should agree a total price first. I got stung on that one when I first got here so do be clear!

By Sarah Turner