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Guide for Dress Code to Visit the Temple of Literature in Hanoi

The Temple of Literature is one of the most important historical and cultural relics of Hanoi and Vietnam. Built-in 1070 during the reign of Ly Thanh Tong, the Temple of Literature is a place to worship Confucius and Confucian sages, as well as being Vietnam’s first university. When visiting the Temple of Literature, visitors not only admire the ancient architecture and peaceful space but also have the opportunity to learn about the country’s history and culture. To preserve the beauty and solemnity of the monument, visitors need to pay attention to their clothing when coming here.

Reasons to Pay Attention to Clothes When Coming to The Temple of Literature

The Temple of Literature

The Temple of Literature

  1. Respect Sacred Space: The Temple of Literature is a place to worship and honor saints, so dressing politely is a way to show respect for this sacred space. Polite attire helps visitors show respect for this place.
  2. Preserving Cultural Beauty: The Temple of Literature is a cultural symbol of the Vietnamese people, a place that honors the tradition of studiousness and wisdom. Wearing appropriate clothing helps protect the cultural and traditional beauty of the monument, while also demonstrating awareness of preserving historical cultural values.
  3. Demonstrating Civilized Tourism Consciousness: Dressing properly not only helps visitors show respect for the tourist destination but is also a part of civilized tourism consciousness. Dressing politely and discreetly contributes to building a beautiful and civilized image of tourists, creating a good impression on local people and other tourists.

Benefits of Wearing Appropriate Clothing When Visiting to The Temple of Literature

The Temple of Literature

The Temple of Literature

  1. Make a Good Impression: Formal attire helps visitors make a good impression on others and shows respect for the culture and history of the destination. This also helps visitors feel more confident when communicating and sightseeing.
  2. Complete Experience: Wearing appropriate clothing helps visitors feel more comfortable when traveling and sightseeing, thereby experiencing the trip more fully. Comfortable and polite clothing also helps visitors enjoy the peaceful and sacred space of the Temple of Literature.
  3. Ensuring Safety: Discreet, comfortable clothing helps visitors avoid awkward situations and protect their health, especially in different weather conditions. Appropriate clothing also helps visitors avoid health-related problems such as sunburn and colds.

Specific Outfit Instructions When Coming to The Temple of Literature

Formal clothes

Formal clothes

Formal clothes

  • Clothing: Visitors should choose polite, discreet and comfortable clothes. Men can wear collared shirts or T-shirts combined with long pants. Women should wear long sleeves or T-shirts, long skirts or pants. This outfit not only shows respect but also fits the ancient space of the Temple of Literature.
  • Shoes: You should choose comfortable but polite shoes. Avoid wearing slippers or shoes that reveal too much. Sneakers or flat shoes are a good choice, helping visitors move easily and comfortably while sightseeing.

Avoid Inappropriate Clothing

Avoid wearing short skrits

Avoid wearing short skrits

  • Short, Revealing Clothes: Visitors should avoid wearing shorts, short skirts, crop tops, tank tops or tank tops. These costumes are not appropriate for sacred spaces and may cause offence.
  • See-through Clothes: Avoid wearing thin, see-through clothes that are offensive and immodest.

Traditional costume

Traditional costume

Traditional costume

  • Ao Dai: If possible, visitors can wear traditional ao dai to show respect and honor the beauty of Vietnamese culture. Ao dai is not only a traditional outfit but also brings elegant beauty.

Specific Outfit Suggestions for Each Season When Visiting to The Temple of Literature

Summer

Summer outfit

Summer outfit

  • Shirt: T-shirt or long-sleeved shirt made from airy material like cotton or linen. Avoid clothes that are too thick or do not absorb sweat.
  • Pants/Skirts: Long pants or long skirts, choose comfortable materials like linen or cotton to make it easy to move around and not make you feel hot.
  • Shoes: Lightweight sneakers, flats or sandals with straps for easy and comfortable movement.
  • Accessories: Wide-brimmed hats, sunglasses and sunscreen are indispensable accessories to protect against the summer sun.

Winter

Winter clothes

Winter clothes

  • Jacket: Thick jacket, sweater or long-sleeved t-shirt to keep warm. You should bring outerwear that can be easily taken off when needed.
  • Pants: Warm pants like jeans, fleece pants or wool pants.
  • Shoes: Sneakers or boots help keep feet warm and protected in cold weather.
  • Accessories: Scarves, beanies and gloves to protect against the cold of winter.

Other Advice When Coming to The Temple of Literature

  1. Bring a Jacket: If visiting in winter, you should bring a jacket to keep warm. Jackets should be simple and polite, avoid shirts that are too flashy or not suitable for the monument space.
  2. Prepare a Hat: In the summer, when the sun is hot, visitors can wear a hat to protect themselves from the sun, but they should choose a polite, appropriate hat. A simple wide-brimmed hat or baseball cap is a good choice, providing both protection from the sun and maintaining a polite look.
  3. Sunglasses and Sunscreen: To protect your skin from the harmful effects of UV rays, visitors can use sunglasses and sunscreen when visiting outdoors. Sunglasses should have a simple design, not too colorful to fit the historical and cultural space.

Places to Visit at the Temple of Literature 

Temple of Literature – Quoc Tu Giam belongs to the system of special National Monuments of Vietnam. With a rich history and culture, the relic site is an attractive destination with many sightseeing coordinates.

Van Mieu Mon

Hanoi Temple of literature

Van Mieu Mon is part of the Tam Quan gate outside the relic site. The Temple of Literature consists of 3 doors and 2 floors. The upper floor has the three words Van Mieu Mon in ancient Chinese characters. In front of the Tam Quan gate are two steles on both sides with four ceremonial pillars in the middle. Van Mieu Mon exudes solemnity and dignity. 

Van Lake and Giam Garden

Van Lake is also known as Giam Lake or Minh Duong Lake. The lake is located right in front of the gate of the Temple of Literature relic site. Van Lake is quite large, in the middle of the lake is the Kim Chau mound. On the mound is Phan Thuy Duong – the place where literary commentary sessions by ancient Confucian scholars took place.

Located on the western wall of the Temple of Literature, Giam Garden is home to an octagonal house, a lake, ornamental plants and many other miniatures. The garden is a place to visit, relax and hold attractive cultural activities.

Dai Trung Mon

Dai Trung Mon

Dai Trung Mon

Dai Trung Mon is the second gate of the Temple of Literature – Quoc Tu Giam relic site. This work consists of 3 compartments, built on a high brick foundation with funny nose tiles designed in the style of an ancient communal house roof.

In front and behind the Dai Trung Mon area is an extremely large space with long parallel roads, trees, and open lakes. All create a quiet, peaceful scene in the middle of bustling Hanoi.

Khue Van Cac

Khue Van Cac was built in 1805 by Governor Nguyen Van Thanh during the Nguyen Dynasty. This is a square floor with 8 roofs nearly 9 meters high with 4 upper roofs and 4 lower roofs. Khue Van Cac is located on a square ground, each side is about 6.8 meters long. This project impresses with its super unique ancient-style architecture. 

On the lower floor are 4 square brick pillars intricately carved with patterns. The upper floor is painted with gilded vermilion, with two layers of brilliant red tiled roofs overlapping each other. The round windows on the upper floor create a striking feature, like a shining star.

Doctor’s Garden and Thien Quang Well

Doctor’s Garden is a must-see sightseeing location at the Temple of Literature – Quoc Tu Giam. The 82 doctoral steles here are extremely sophisticated sculptures with spiritual significance. 

These steles are placed on the backs of stone turtles, with the information of 82 valedictorians of many dynasties of Vietnam recorded on the steles. On March 9, 2010, these 82 stone steles were recognized by UNESCO as a World Documentary Heritage.

Thien Quang Well is located next to the doctoral stele area and right behind Khue Van Cac. The well is square in shape, symbolizing the ground. The well is also known as Ao Van. The ancients built this structure with the intention of being a place to receive all the essence of the universe and illuminate knowledge.

Khai Thanh Temple

Located at the end of the relic site is Khai Thanh Temple. This place worships Confucius’s parents – Thuc Luong Ngot & Nhan Thi. Previously, Khai Thanh Temple used to be a residential area with 150 rooms for students. In 1946, when the French colonialists bombarded Khai Thanh Temple, the structure was completely destroyed. Later, the temple was built and preserved to this day.

Dai Bai Duong – Dai Thanh Mon

Dai Bai Duong - Dai Thanh Mon

Dai Bai Duong – Dai Thanh Mon

Dai Thanh Mon is a building with 3 tile-roofed compartments and 2 sturdy porch columns in the front and back. Through Dai Thanh Mon is Dai Bai Duong (shrine area). In Dai Bai, there are many precious horizontal panels, incense altars, a pair of ancient cranes and a large bell cast in the year Canh Hung 1768. Dai Bai Duong consists of 9 rooms, where ceremonies took place during the period. Spring and autumn sacrifices in ancient times.

Notes About Visiting Time When Coming to The Temple of Literature

  1. Opening Hours: Temple of Literature is open from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm in summer, and from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm in winter. Tourists should note this time to arrange a suitable tour schedule.
  2. Best Time: The best time to visit the Temple of Literature is early morning or late afternoon when the sunlight is not too harsh and the space is quieter.

Conclusion

Choosing appropriate clothing when visiting the Temple of Literature not only shows respect for historical and cultural relics but also helps visitors have the best experience. Every small action, such as wearing clothes properly, also contributes to preserving and honoring the traditional beauty of the nation. Please prepare carefully and respect the regulations to make your visit to the Temple of Literature more meaningful and memorable.

Paying attention to your outfit not only helps you feel more comfortable and confident but also shows respect for the cultural and historical values ​​of the country. This not only creates a good impression on local people but also on international tourists, contributing to enhancing the image of Vietnam’s civilized and cultural tourism in the eyes of international friends.

Don’t forget to regularly follow our Facebook page and Website for more interesting information about traveling to Hanoi and to book Hanoi tours at the best prices.

Amazing Hanoi - Halong Bay - Ninh Binh: 5 days

Genesis cruises halong bay
Genesis cruises halong bay
Ninh Binh Tam Coc
Ninh Binh Tam Coc
Hanoi people
Hanoi people
Hanoi Van Mieu
Hanoi Van Mieu
Hanoi - HCM Mausoleum
Hanoi - HCM Mausoleum
Hanoi Bike through rice field
Hanoi Bike through rice field
Hanoi Cyclo Tour
Hanoi Cyclo Tour
Hanoi Farm tours
Hanoi Farm tours
Halong Bay
Halong Bay
Halong Boat
Halong Boat
Glory Cruise
Glory Cruise
Halong islet
Halong islet
Halong Bay
Halong Bay
Genesis cruises halong bay
Ninh Binh Tam Coc
Hanoi people
Hanoi Van Mieu
Hanoi - HCM Mausoleum
Hanoi Bike through rice field
Hanoi Cyclo Tour
Hanoi Farm tours
Halong Bay
Halong Boat
Glory Cruise
Halong islet
Halong Bay

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.

Tours Itinerary

Day 01

HANOI ARRIVAL – GREETING – HANOI CITY TOUR– Private Tour (L)

  • Good morning, pick you up at Noi Bai International
  • Airport and transfer to Hanoi Capital city.
  • Check-in the hotel then have lunch at the restaurant.
  • Afternoon sightseeing tour begins with a visit to President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum ( closed on Monday and Friday, every afternoon, and whole from 15 June – 15 August, view the outside the building). Inside the mausoleum, there are sightseeing of the Presidential Palace (view from outside), President’s Fishpond, House On Stilts, and One Pillar Pagoda.
  • Next, we will pay a visit to the Temple of Literature. It is where Confucius – The founder of Confucianism was worshiped. This place as known as the first National University of Vietnam. It is where kings, mandarins, talented people of Vietnam training to the functionary.
  • Our tour continues with an exciting visit. We will visit one of the most beautiful lakes in Hanoi is Hoan Kiem Lake. Then, we will go to the Ngoc Son Temple, which is in the middle of Hoan Kiem Lake.
  • Continue a short walking tour around the old quarter with a tour guide.

Day Inclusions: Private A/C transfer, English-speaking tour guide in Hanoi, lunch, entrance fee, hotel in Hanoi

Day 02

HANOI – NINH BINH (TAM COC, HOA LU) TOUR (B/L)

  • Good morning, have breakfast at the hotel.
  • 7.30 – 8.00 AM: Pick you up at your hotel in the Old Quarter and transfer to Tam Coc.
  • 8.00 – 10.00 AM: After two hours of transferring, our tour guide will introduce you to Vietnam as the history, culture, lifestyle of local people. On the conical hat, we will have a mini-game show to teach you how to say and write some Vietnamese simple words such as Xin Chào, Tạm Biệt, Tôi yêu Ninh Bình, etc. We will give you a little souvenir and you can wear it during the trip.
  • 10 AM: We will prepare for a boat trip to visit the beautiful Tam Coc. It takes 1.30 hours rowing along the Ngo Dong river through the three mysterious caves. You can enjoy spectacular scenery surrounded by rice paddies and towering limestone mountain peaks.
  • 11.30 AM: We will get on Thanh pier for a short walk to visit Thai Vi Temple, which is one of the well-known temples in Ninh Binh, Vietnam. We will continue 10 minutes walking along majestic valley with rice fields, rivers and lotus ponds for Tam Coc Nature Lodge where we will relaxing
  • Enjoy your lunch in here – Vietnamese food.
  • 1.30 PM: you have a chance to be a fisherman and learn how to catch the fish in the pond or river.
  • 2:00 – 3:00 PM: We ride a bike to Thung Nang, along the river among the rice field, lotus ponds, and limestone Mountains. We will continue to through a peaceful Dan Khe Trong village. This area is a real picture of the rural countryside in the north of Vietnam.
  • 15: 00: Return the van, drive to visit Hoa Lu Ancient citadel which was built in the 10th century, and the temple dedicated to King Dinh and King Le
  • 4:00 PM: Back to Hanoi Capital.
  • 18:30: Arrive in Hanoi & we will drop you at your hotel in the Old Quarter.
  • Have dinner is available on your request.
  • Overnight at the Hanoi Hotel.

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 03

HANOI – HALONG CRUISE (B/L/D)

  • Good morning! Enjoy your with have breakfast at your hotel, then check-out the hotel.
  • 07:30 am – 08:00: Pick up from your hotel to travel to Halong Bay (notice: pickup time can be a bit flexible depending on each different Cruise, distance Hanoi – Halong bay is 160km, a stop for break time on halfway for a refreshment).
  • You enjoy the drive and sightseeing the peaceful countryside scenery during the bus trip (4 hours), we arrive at the Ha Long bay seaport at around noontime.
  • 12h 30: You will aboard the cruise, check-in & enjoy a welcome drink while your cabin will be assigned.
  • Check-in your cabin and put your luggage in, relax and may do a short inspection tour by moving around the cruise to discover about the cruise’s architecture & design
  • Enjoy the sumptuous lunch with fresh seafood meal while cruise slowly gliding out into the Halong bay.
  • 15h00 – 16h00: Explore the amazing Sung Sot Cave – the most beautiful cave in Halong Bay.
  • 16h00 – 17h00: Cruising to Titop Island. Go swimming and relaxing at the beach of Titop or climb up to the top of the island for a view panorama of Halong Bay.
  • 17h00 – 17h30: Return to the boat, enjoying beautiful seascape on the way.
  • 17h30 – 19h00: Enjoy Sunset Party on the sundeck and admire the best moments of the day when the sun starts to set.

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)

Day 04

HALONG BAY – HANOI (B/L)

  • Start your day with Tai Chi exercises or a photo hunt.
  • 07h00 – 07h30 Have breakfast on board and enjoy the peaceful morning of Halong Bay.
  • 08h30 – 09h30 Kayak among the hidden areas of the bay, around the Drum Cave.
  • 09h45 Return to the boat. Freshen up and check out of your cabin.
  • 10h00 – 10h30 Continue your cruise exploring the Bay, passing Ba Hang fishing village, Dog Islet, and more.
  • 10h30 – 11h30 while heading back to the harbor, watch the fruit carving demonstration and participate in the Cooking Class before enjoying a traditional Vietnamese lunch.
  • 11h45 – 12h00 Disembark V’Spirit Classic.
  • 12h15 – 12h30 Transfer back to Hanoi.
  • About 16:00 – Arrival back to Hanoi central city, recheck in the hotel
  • Dinner is available on your request.
  • Free time & Overnight in Hanoi city

Day 05

HANOI CITY CENTER TO NOI BAI AIRPORT – DEPARTURE (B)

  • Good morning, enjoy breakfast at the hotel. Then, you have some free time to explore Hanoi city before going to Noi Bai airport for your scheduled flight.
  • The end of the tour, thank you and see you again!

What’s included in this trip :

  • A/C accommodation with DOUBLE or TWIN ROOM (2 persons share 1 room; single room can be available on request) with daily breakfast
  • A/C transfer from Airports to the hotel and other tourist destinations according to the itinerary
  • Bus round trip to Hanoi – Ha Long Bay; (private land transfer available on request)
  • 2 days 1 night on Joint Cruise trip in Ha Long Bay, with DOUBLE or TWIN (2 persons share 1 cabin; single cabin can be available on request), full meals on board
  • Kayaking in Ha Long Bay
  • Meals as indicated in the itinerary. (Breakfast = 04; Lunch = 04; Dinner = 01)
  • English- speaking guides as specified (Chinese/ Malaysian speaking guide can be available on request)
  • Entrance fees
  • Mineral water (2 bottles/ per day with sightseeing tour)
What’s excluded in this trip:
  • All international and domestic flights
  • Specified as Chinese/ Malaysian/ Indonesian/Thai speaking guide can be available on request to pay for extra-fee.
  • Travel Insurance
  • Airport taxes
  • All meals not mentioned
  • Tips for tour guides, drivers, crew members in Ha Long Bay, other attendants if may have (3 USD/pax/day)
  • Other personal expenses not mentioned.

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

Vietnam Travel Map: 15 Days

Ranana

You feel like organized tour, but you are in a privet tour. Impress Travel make the different.

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.

Ebrahim

Tour of Vietnam

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!

Solly Pochee

The tour was fantastic

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

Bernard Lim

Great value for money with 4 stars hotel

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.

Derek.Schooling

We enjoyed our holiday with Impress travel

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

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