Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam, attracts tourists through its long history, unique museums, ancient pagodas, and charming French-colonial architecture. All those ancient beauties perfectly blend with the path of modern life. Besides scenic spots, food markets, and cultural complexes, Hanoi has many stunning lakes that enhance the city’s beauty. Let’s explore the top 05 beautiful and famous lakes in Hanoi with Handspan Travel!

Through this blog post, you will find detailed information about these lakes below.

Hoan Kiem Lake

Hoan Kiem Lake

Hoan Kiem Lake is one of the iconic lakes in Hanoi that you should not miss visiting. This lake is located at the heart of Hanoi, associated with the Hanoi people’s culture and history. Under the King Le dynasty, Hoan Kiem Lake was named Thuy Quan Lake. According to legend, at Thuy Quan Lake, King Le handed over the golden turtle sword, so Hoan Kiem Lake got its name. In the middle of the lake is the ancient Turtle Tower. This tower is surrounded by long-standing historical and cultural heritages. They include the But Tower, Ngoc Son temple, The Huc Bridge leading to the Dac Nguyet floor, Dai Nghien, etc. These are symbols making Hanoi a thousand years of civilization. Let’s learn about the famous monuments and buildings in Hoan Kiem Lake with us!

Turtle Tower

Turtle Island is in the middle of the lake. On Turtle Island, you can see the Turtle Tower, which has unique and meaningful architecture. This tower has a rectangular architecture with three floors, with many windows and railings on the upper floors and some sophisticated decorative details. The top of the tower looks like a five-pointed star, symbolizing Vietnam. This is a work of great historical significance and is an everlasting vestige of time. 

Turtle Tower

Ngoc Son Temple

Ngoc Son Temple is located on Pearl Island, with The Huc Bridge connecting it to the land. The temple’s architecture has religious colors through many Vietnamese history’s king generations, with many horizontal lacquered boards decorated inside. This is not only a famous tourist destination but also a place containing many traditional cultural and historical values ​​of Hanoi. 

Ngoc Son Temple

But Tower (Writing Brush Tower)

The But Tower has five floors with the shape of a pen pointing straight up to the sky on the tower’s peak. The tower is located near the Writing Pad (Dai Nghien) next to The Huc Bridge, creating artistic and historical work. The But Tower and the Writing Pad were built in 1865 under the Tu Duc King Dynasty. These two works are symbols of the tradition of studiousness of the Vietnamese people.

But Tower

The Huc Bridge

The Huc Bridge is a bright red wooden bridge spanning Hoan Kiem Lake, connecting the lake shore with Ngoc Son Temple. The bridge has 15 spans and 32 round wooden pillars arranged in 16 pairs. The bridge surface is covered with ironwood planks, the bridge railing is painted vermillion. 

The Huc Bridge

Overall, Hoan Kiem Lake is not only a symbol but also one of the most worth-visiting lakes in Hanoi. Let’s come here, admire the stunning landscape, and explore the famous monuments!

West Lake

West Lake

West Lake is also among the lakes in Hanoi that you should drop by. It is the largest natural lake in Hanoi, with a total area of 50 hectares and 20 kilometers surrounding the lake. The lake is not only an exciting place in the daytime but at night as well. Coming to West Lake in the daytime, you can experience these activities below. 

Visiting some famous temples and pagodas

West Lake is not only an amusement place for tourists traveling to Hanoi but also embodies the nation's cultural values. Around the lake, there are more than 20 famous temples and pagodas, such as Tran Quoc Pagoda, Quan Thanh Temple, Phu Tay Ho, Tao Sach Pagoda, and Van Nien Pagoda. Both local people and tourists come to these temples and pagodas to pray for luck and health and learn about their architecture and history.

Tran Quoc Pagoda

Quan Thanh Temple

Cycling around the West Lake

Coming to West Lake in the early morning, late afternoon, and evening, you can catch up with many people biking around the lake. Surrounding the lake are airy and clean streets, suitable for cycling, such as Thanh Nien Street, Vong Thi, Trich Sai, lakeside roads, etc. Cycling around the lake, you can enjoy the romantic atmosphere and Hanoi's life rhythm and learn about city life every day.

Cycling around the West Lake

Besides, trying street food around the lake, dropping in a café to enjoy a panoramic view of the lake, and enjoying the crowded atmosphere in the exciting bars and pubs around the lake are also amazing things to do here. Let’s visit the lake and experience exciting activities here!

Truc Bach Lake

Truc Bach Lake is also among the attractive lakes in Hanoi. It is associated with many historical stories of the city. Visitors can enjoy beautiful scenery and engage in interesting activities. The lake is located on Thanh Nien Street and right next to West Lake. The area of ​​Truc Bach Lake is about 22 hectares and the circumference of Truc Bach Lake is more than 1.8 km. Although much smaller than other lakes in Hanoi, the scenery here is beautiful and worth visiting. The lake shore is paved with stone and the sidewalk is paved with pebbles. Flower beds are planted around it and rows of willows along the path create a peaceful scene. With fresh air, cool and peaceful space, Truc Bach Lake is an ideal place for relaxing. 

Truc Bach Lake

Exploring Truc Bach Lake, you will experience the mysterious atmosphere with historical relics and outstanding architectural works. There is Quan Thanh Temple in the southwest corner of the lake, Than Quang Pagoda and Chau Long Pagoda in the east, and An Tri Temple in the northeast. You can sit and enjoy coffee by the lake, go boating, pedal ducks to admire the lake view or stroll on Thanh Nien Street to immerse yourself in the harmony of the lake water.

Bay Mau Lake

Bay Mau Lake

Bay Mau Lake is also among the outstanding lakes in Hanoi that appeal to tourists. The lake is located on the campus of Thong Nhat Park, with a total area of 28 hectares. There are two islands in the middle of the lake, Thong Nhat Island and Hoa Binh Island. The lake, which has been famous with Hanoians since ancient times, has become a place to sightsee, relax, and walk. The lake is impressive with its clear blue water, surrounded by rows of lush green trees, contributing to the fresh air of the entire park. Let’s see some things to do here.

Walking and cycling in the Thong Nhat Park

Walking and cycling in Thong Nhat Park is one of the things you should not miss in Bay Mau Lake. This creates a chance for you to immerse yourself in green trees and fresh air. 

Walking in Thong Nhat Park

Pedaling ducks, fishing at Bay Mau Lake

Pedaling and fishing on Bay Mau Lake is also a very interesting and relaxing activity. On sunny days, you can pedal on the lake to comfortably enjoy the fresh air in the lake area under the clear blue water.

Walking in the Hoa Binh Island 

Hoa Binh Island in the middle of Bay Mau Lake is one of the places to have fun in Hanoi for groups of friends. This is where exciting activities take place, a spacious space for team-building activities, outdoor singing, etc. 

Huu Tiep Lake

Huu Tiep Lake is also among the outstanding lakes in Hanoi you should visit. This lake is a unique historical site located in Ngoc Ha Ward, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi. This place preserves the wreckage of a B52 aircraft - one of the powerful evidences of the victory of the army and people of Hanoi in the "Dien Bien Phu in the air" battle in December 1972. 

Huu Tiep Lake

The lake is not only a testament to the resounding victory of the past but also a symbol of the extraordinary fighting ability and indomitable spirit of the Vietnamese people. Among the relics of the historic battle, the B52 Ngoc Ha Lake in Ba Dinh, Hanoi is the only place that still retains its original state. The remaining aircraft fuselage is about 8m long, 2.5m wide, and 3m high, with a pair of double rudders 1.26m in diameter, with a total estimated weight of several dozen tons.

Besides being a historical site, the lake is also an interesting place where you can sit and enjoy a cup of coffee or iced tea by the lake and admire the peaceful scenery. From here, you can see the remains of the plane that still remains after half a century, while feeling the tranquil atmosphere of a corner of Hanoi.

In general, you have just known about the top 05 outstanding lakes in Hanoi. For further information or to book a customized tour package in Hanoi, please don’t hesitate to contact our team.