Top rated vacation attractions Hanoi right now: Hanoi’s water puppet shows are a great way to sample traditional Vietnamese artistry and entertainment and are an excellent evening activity if you have children in tow. This ancient art form first evolved in Vietnam’s rural areas during the months of the monsoon paddy field flooding, and today, it is now mostly performed in custom-made water pools rather than outside. Performances usually center around well-known local legends and are accompanied by a live band using traditional Vietnamese instruments. Hanoi is the heartland of contemporary water puppet theater with five shows daily at the Municipal Water Puppet Theatre. Find additional details at https://hanoibylocals.com/tour/hanoi-street-foodie-tour/.
Known as the lake of the returned (or restored) sword, this lake marks the historical center of ancient Hanoi. The name comes from a legend in which Emperor Le Loi was given a magical sword by the gods, which he used to drive out the invading Chinese. Later, while boating on the lake, he encountered a giant turtle, which grabbed the sword and carried it down to its depths, Every morning at around 6am local residents practice traditional t’ai chi on the shore. The lake also houses Jade Island, home of the eighteenth century Temple of the Jade Mountain. The island is reachable via the red-painted and picturesque Morning Sunlight Bridge.
The Temple of Literature is often cited as one of Hanoi’s most picturesque tourist attractions. Originally built as a university in 1070 dedicated to Confucius, scholars and sages, the building is extremely well preserved and is a superb example of traditional-style Vietnamese architecture. This ancient site offers a lake of literature, the Well of Heavenly Clarity, turtle steles, pavilions, courtyards and passageways that were once used by royalty. Visiting the Temple of Literature you will discover historic buildings from the Ly and Tran dynasties in a revered place that has seen thousands of doctors’ graduate in what has now become a memorial to education and literature.
This capital city of Vietnam once served as the headquarters of the North Vietnamese communist army. Today, it provides a beautiful and educational window into a country that is most often visited through the Southern, tropical Ho Chi Minh City, once called Saigon. Where the South is palm trees and beaches, the North is tall, sharp rocky mountains full of waterfalls, deep emerald waters with pearl farms, and a culture that is as unique as it is beautiful. A visit to Hanoi provides travelers with a fascinating blend of East and West. There are bustling streets full of bicycles, motorbikes and cars; an elegant blend of Asian Pagodas, communist block buildings and French Colonial relics; and there are a host of fun and unique attractions in Hanoi for the adventurous traveler.
When the crowds begin to wear you down, Hanoi has a bundle of places to visit where you can escape for some peace. Hoan Kiem Lake is a relaxing respite right within the city, while the Temple of Literature and Vietnam Museum of Ethnology are two of the best places to visit to reflect on Vietnam’s grand history. For many visitors to Vietnam’s capital, the major attraction is strolling the streets of the city’s ancient core. This labyrinthine quarter of narrow alleys is the commercial heartbeat of town and has a history that stretches back 1,000 years. It’s a delightfully dilapidated place, where the odd piece of medieval era architecture has managed to cling on within the modern hubbub of whizzing motorbikes, street vendors, and pulsating commerce. Find more info on Hanoi By Locals.
Standing in the heart of Hanoi, the opera house was located in a beautiful intersection downtown, where five main city roads lead to. Completed in 1911 after 10 years of construction, by two French architects, Hanoi Opera House resembles the Opéra Garnier de Paris. In August 1945, the Opera House Square was the political center of the country during the revolutionary days. Since then, Hanoi Opera House has always been the center of important conferences, meetings and art performances by art troupes domestically and internationally.