“Hanoi’s 36 streets" – anyone who hears it in Vietnam will find it familiar, especially with the people of Hanoi. Some streets, although they do not maintain traditional occupations, still focus on selling one type of goods such as Hang Quat street selling worship items, Hang Buom street selling confectionery,… In this article, Impress travel will introduce the city’s itinerary Hang Dao – the street is considered the most ancient and poetic in Hanoi’s Old Quarter.
Hang Dao Street, Hanoi is located in the North – South direction, nearly 300m long. The southern end of the street is Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc square next to Hoan Kiem lake, the northern end borders Hang Ngang street. Hang Dao Street existed before the French colonial period, the French called it “Rue de la Soie" (Silk Road), this is also a play on words. In 1945, the name was changed to Hang Dao street.
Hang Dao street extends from Hang Ngang street to the beginning of Hang Gia-Cau Go street. This is a street in Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi city, Vietnam. In terms of contiguity, it is located in the north of Hoan Kiem district, with an administrative boundary to the East bordering Hang Buom and Hang Bac wards. To the South bordering Hang Bac, Hang Trong and Hang Gai wards. To the West bordering Hang Gai and Hang Bo wards.
Hang Dao Street was built on an old dyke that was removed after the Red River changed course, so the ground is quite high. The French called the street Rue de la Soie (“Hang Lua Street"), from the beginning of the 20th century they laid tracks for iron-wheeled trams to run the Bo Ho – Hang Dau route through here, later extending to the Market. Grapefruit and Yen Phu umbrellas.
Going back in history, Hang Dao Street in Hanoi was formed about 400 years ago, along the dyke near Hoan Kiem Lake. According to ancient documents, Dai Loi ward gathered people from Dan Loan village who specialized in silk dyeing from the Tran – Ho dynasties, but during the post-Le period, it became bustling. In the 15th and 16th centuries, people in many places, especially from Dan Loan, Hai Duong to Hanoi, established the Dai Loi ward specializing in silk dyeing, Hang Dao street became the bustling silk center of Thang Long capital.
The street’s name was formed a long time ago, related to the trade of cashew silk dyeing. It is said that before King Ly Thai To moved the capital to Thang Long, there was a Hang Dao ward in the ancient capital of Hoa Lu in the 10th century. In the work Du Dia Chi compiled at the beginning of the early Le dynasty, Nguyen Trai also recorded “The ward Hang Dao is dyed with cashew. At house number 38, there is still the Hoa Loc Thi communal house relic, which is a place to worship the ancestors of the fabric dyeing profession.
In ancient Hoa Lu, there was also Hang Dao ward. Hang Dao street in ancient Thang Long citadel belonged to Dong Lac and Dai Loi wards, Tien Tuc district, Tho Xuong district, Later Le dynasty. Dai Loi ward gathers people from Dan Loan village (Binh Giang, Hai Duong), Dinh Loan village, Dong Cao (Bac Ninh) specializing in silk dyeing from the Tran, Ho, and Le dynasties, which has been very busy. Fabric sellers are mainly retailers.
In fact, in the past, Hang Dao street in Hanoi was originally part of the land of two wards, Dong Lac (on the side bordering Hang Ngang) and Dai Loi (on the side bordering Bo Ho). Most of the shops on Hang Dao Street from the 19th century mainly retailed silk and fabric and were run by women.
By the 17th century, Hang Dao street was very busy because trade was mainly based on trust. The silk market here regularly opens on the 1st and 6th of the lunar month, high quality goods are often exchanged with nearby villages such as Cu Da, Van Phuc, Truc Bach, Trich Sai, Yen Thai,… However, the road is still narrow and the houses protrude into the street, most of them built in a matchbox style that is both low and small.
Most of the shops on Hang Dao Street from the 19th century mainly retailed silk and fabric and were run by women. Gradually, the rich girls here are rumored to be resourceful, skillful at home and beautiful and sharp on the outside, and are often married into families of merchants, mandarins, and intellectuals. One of them is the family of father and son, scholar Luong Van Can – Luong Ngoc Quyen, together with his grandmother and eldest daughter, who clearly demonstrated the bravery and mettle of the nation’s elite.
At the beginning of the 20th century, some Indians opened shops selling woolen fabrics imported from the West, then countless grocery, jewelry, hat making, etc. shops sprang up, but mainly Hang Dao was still a street. silk. Today, the relics of those two old wards are the remaining communal temples: Dong Lac temple, house number 31; Dong Lac family at house number 38; Dai Loi Temple is also called Bach Bo (white cloth) temple at house number 47; Temple of Bach Ma god.
If Tho Nhuom street used to have a profession of dyeing many different colors, then Hang Dao street specializes in dyeing bright, beautiful colors, mainly red and peach, on silk, brocade, fabric… Hang Dao is also the main market of the trade. Selling silk, the buyers are local people, the sellers are La villages of Do and Ha Dong provinces, market days: the first and sixth of every month.
The street still has many relics and temples, but now they have all been moved inside or upstairs, and the street side has become shops. Land here is more expensive than gold, there are stalls that only have a cabinet, a few dozen centimeters, but you can still live decently, because this is one of the typical shopping streets of Hanoi from the past to the present.
Anyone who comes to Hanoi must go to Hang Dao to see that there is nothing missing. The street has all kinds of goods, sparkling like diamonds, bright like gold, shiny like watches, warm like wool, etc. At the beginning of the century, many overseas Indians still came here to trade wool.
Since 2003, Hoan Kiem District People’s Committee has allowed the establishment of the Hang Dao – Dong Xuan Night Market walking street on the evenings of Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The night market sells handicrafts and some Hanoi specialties to serve tourists. The walking street at Hang Dao – Dong Xuan night market has created a new cultural feature of the capital, attracting the attention of the capital’s people and tourists to Hanoi.
In the past, the street specialized in dyeing and selling fabrics dyed red, pink, peach and many other colors. Today, the street no longer sells fabric but sells clothes, utensils, gold and silver, handicrafts, high-end goods and luxury goods.
Visitors to Hang Dao can explore traditional architecture, many ancient houses with traditional Vietnamese architecture still preserved. The buildings have tiled roofs, wooden doors, and architectural details typical of Hanoi’s Old Quarter.
Besides, Hang Dao Street also attracts tourists by its ancient beauty and vibrant atmosphere with outstanding cultural and culinary spaces such as: Many famous communal houses, pagodas, and dining streets attract tourists; As the venue for traditional festivals of Hanoi,…
At Hang Dao in Hanoi, visitors can find many unique and traditional Vietnamese products. Some popular items tourists can buy here include:
Hang Dao Street has existed since ancient Thang Long, with a history of more than 1000 years. It is one of 36 ancient streets of Hanoi, reflecting the historical and economic development of the capital. This is a street where tourists can visit and feel the atmosphere of Hanoi capital with its antiquity and modern pace of life.
Hopefully this article has helped visitors to have a general understanding of Hang Dao. Don’t forget to follow Impress travel’s Facebook and Website to update more information about other streets and book the fastest tour to explore Hanoi!
We will explore the most amazing places in the north of Vietnam. First, North Vietnam Hanoi Tour will bring you to explore Hanoi charming city, with a half-day city tour, you will visit the most iconic attractions in Hanoi such as President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex, Temple of Literature, Hoan Kiem Lake and the old quarter of Hanoi. After Hanoi, we are going to Tam Coc, Ninh Binh where we visit the Hoa Lu Ancient Capital, enjoy the boat trip in Tam Coc and to discover the countryside. For ending two days of Inspirational Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Halong Tour, we will spend one night stay on a cruise to explore the seven natural wonder of the world. Let’s explore the Magnificent North of Vietnam with Impress Travel.
Email:northvietnamtour@impresstravel.com or contact the hotline (Whatsapp, Zalo, Viber, Skype) at +84.912 379 189 – Mr. Alex.
Day Inclusions: Private A/C transfer, English-speaking tour guide in Hanoi, lunch, entrance fee, hotel in Hanoi
Day Inclusions: Car/Mini-Van, Outstanding English speaking guide, Lunch – Vietnamese Cuisine at Tam Coc Nature Eco Lodge, All sightseeing tickets, Good bike with gears, 02 bottles of Mineral water, Services charges and government tax, Rowing boat to visit Tam Coc, One conical hat as souvenir, Demonstration of teaching to learn how to write, speak Vietnamese, and catch fish
Day Inclusions: Hotel breakfast, shuttle bus A/C transfer, English speaking tour guide on CRUISE only, entrance fee, full board, joint Cruise in Halong bay with private cabin (2 persons share 1 cabin)
What’s included in this trip :
3 STAR HOTELS & CRUISES IN VIETNAM SELECTED
Destination |
Room Type |
HOTEL NAME, ROOM TYPE & WEBSITE |
Hanoi 3-star Hotels |
Adamas Deluxe City |
ADAMAS HANOI HOTEL Refer: http://swancruiseshalong.com/ |
3-star Halong Bay Cruises |
Swan Cruise Deluxe |
SWAN CRUISE HALONG BAY Refer: http://swancruiseshalong.com/ |
4 STAR HOTELS & CRUISE IN VIETNAM SELECTED
Destination |
Room Type |
HOTEL NAME, ROOM TYPE & WEBSITE |
Hanoi 4-star Hotels |
The light deluxe with window |
THE LIGHT HOTEL HANOI Refer: thelighthotelhanoi.com/en/ |
4-star Halong Bay Cruises |
Sealife Suite Canbin |
HUONG HAI SEALIFE CRUISE HALONG BAY Refer: www.sealifegroup.com |
5 STAR HOTELS & CRUISE IN VIETNAM SELECTED
Destination |
Hotel Category |
HOTEL NAME, ROOM TYPE & WEBSITE |
Hanoi 5-star hotels |
Deluxe Sketch Apricot Hotel |
APRICOT HOTEL HANOI Refer: apricothotels.com/room/sketch |
5-star Halong bay Cruises |
Deluxe Room with Ocean View Margaret |
MARGARET CRUISE HALONG BAY Refer: https://margaretcruises.com |
The hotels and cruise are subject to change to similar category in case of fully booked
We went on a private trip to Vietnam and Cambodia, the whole trip plan was organized for us by the Impress Travel Company from Vietnam, the company did an amazing job, the whole trip was organized in a wonderful way with an amazing match between the various parties, their choices were correct and the quality of the hotels chosen were very high quality and it is important to note that the price was low in comparison To other agencies, thanks to Impress Travel and especially to Daniel who was tolerant and open to changes and organized the route for us.
Impress travel were amazing. Did my bookings with Daniel for our tour of Vietnam and I must say Daniel was very professional and prompt with his services. All the arrangement, plans, pick-up & drop-off services, hotels, vehicles, sightseeing tours and guides were spot on and excellent. Did 4 nights Hanoi, 1 night Hà Long Bay cruise, 3 nights Hoian, 4 nights Saigon and 1 night in Can Tho. It was totally awesome. Every part of the journey was superbly arranged and planned. I will highly recommend Impress Travel for anyone interested in visiting Vietnam. Very organized and reliable!
I booked with Impress Travel in July. My contact person was Tommy Thang. He is an amazing person. He was very helpful. He changed my program twice for me. Very accommodating!
We started our holiday in the north (Sapa)of Vietnam and travelled down to HCMC.
The tour was fantastic, Tommy's arrangements were to the"T".
I will always use them if I have to visit the area again and recommend them to one and all.
Thank you once again Mr.Tommy and the Impress Team.
Sulaiman Pochee
Great value for money with 4 stars hotel accommodation for 4 couples. The tour guide has been very helpful and brought us to amazing places in Sapa. We want to thanks Thuy the tour guide and especially Mark from Impress Travel for his great service and assurance throughout our trip. We’ll definitely use his service for other tour packages in other parts of Vietnam.
This is the second time we travel to Vietnam with IMPRESS Travel. First time, we booked our holiday to Hanoi, Halong Bay & Sapa during Dec 2018 with Impress.
Second time, we travel to Hoi An, Hue & Danang (Central Vietnam) during Jan 2019.
My friends & I are very glad & happy with all the hotels stay in Central Vietnam, the meals provided are delicious. We are greatly appreciated with all the tour arrangement by Tommy & his team (tour guide).
Especially, Mr. NHAT C.V. He is helpful, cheerful, knowledgeable and very professional. He always volunteer to take a nice pictures for six of us (group) .
We enjoyed our holiday with Impress travel. We will definitely come back to Vietnam again with Impress
All the latest breaking news & travel information on Hanoi travel. Browse The Independent’s complete collection of articles and commentary on Hanoi travel: Hanoi attractions, travel news, gallery, culture, history and tips.