Hanoi's Hoan Kiem Lake

The Tortoise Pagoda in Hoan Kiem Lake.

 
At the heart of Hanoi, both literally and figuratively, is Hoan Kiem Lake. Although just one of many parks and lakes in Hanoi, Hoan Kiem is the most important. The lake lies just south of the old ancient part of town, and is the center of a sort of Arthurian legend. According to this legend, in the fifteenth century a fisherman found a magical sword in his nets one day, and he presented it to Emperor Ky Thai To (also known as Le Loi). The Emperor used the sword to defeat the invading Mongols. One day after the battle, the Emperor was enjoying an afternoon boat ride on Hoan Kiem Lake when a giant golden tortoise appeared, took the sword and disappeared into the depths of the lake. The restoration of the sword is the subject of one of the skits performed by the water puppets.

A pair of friends enjoying the sunset.

A small pagoda sits on an islet in the center of the lake, and is dedicated to the tortoise. The lake is surrounded by a narrow strip of park-land with paths leading all around. There's a small café at the southwest corner of the lake which is almost always crowded when the weather is nice. Near the northeast corner of the lake a red wooden bridge connects to a small island with the Ngoc Son Temple on it.

The park around the lake is popular all day long. In the morning, you'll see people exercising, while in the afternoon people walk, sit and enjoy the sunset, or meeting special friends to watch the sunset.

At the northeast corner of the lake, across the road that rings the lake, is the main theater for seeing one of Hanoi's other "must see" sights, the water puppets.

Ngoc Son Temple

The Ngoc Son Temple on Hoan Kiem Lake.

 
At the northern end of Hoan Kiem Lake is a small island with the Ngoc Son ("Jade Mountain") Temple. The temple supposedly dates back to the fourteenth century, although the current buildings were probably built in the eighteenth century. The temple is dedicated to the hero Tran Hung Dao, who defeated a force of 300,000 sent to invade Vietnam by the Mongol Emperor Kublai Khan. There are also altars dedicated to the scholars Van Xuong and La To, the patron saint of physicians.

The island and its temple are reached by a red wooden bridge called The Huc, which translates to "Flood of Morning Sunlight". Either end of the bridge is guarded by large stone gateways with Chinese characters written on them.

The temple consists of a main building housing the altars as well as some shops, along with a pavilion in front of the altars. A large bronze brazier sits in front of the main hall, holding burning incense sticks. Inside is the first of two altars. On it sit the two scholars along with several other deities. Behind this altar is the high altar dedicated to the hero Tran Hung Dao. In a room off to the side of the front altar is a preserved specimen of the lake's giant tortoise.

Admission Fee and Operating Hours

Entrance to the temple costs 3,000 Dong (0.18 USD). Purchase the tickets at the booth to the left of the bridge before crossing the bridge to the temple. Tickets are checked before entering the temple. Ngoc Son Temple is open daily from 8:00 to 17:00.