Hanoi’s Lakes: Guided Tours and Activities Around the Water

When mentioning Hanoi, tourists often think of historical and cultural tourist attractions or authentic Vietnamese dishes. But Hanoi’s lakes are also one of the elements that create the beauty of the capital. In the article below, Impress travel will help tourists update more diverse tourist destinations in Hanoi.

Introducing the beauty of Hanoi’s lake

Hoan Kiem Lake

Hanoi has many lakes and green trees, one of the few capitals that has this. Tourists from all over Hanoi are always captivated by two very unique things: water and trees. Thanks to the shimmering lakes and shady trees, you can feel the heat of the capital of the country with a tropical climate.

Hanoi’s lakes have hundreds of large and small ones. Large lakes such as West Lake, Truc Bach, Hoan Kiem, Bay Mau, Ba Mau, Linh Dam, Giang Vo, Thanh Cong are quite popular. However, there are still many small lakes located in suburban districts. Because there are high-rise buildings and rows of trees protecting it, the lake water is always calm, with only ripples despite heavy rain and strong winds.

The shimmering, sparkling lakes and rows of shady trees of Hanoi’s lakes not only create the peaceful and beautiful beauty of a thousand-year-old civilized capital but also have very practical meanings related to health and peace of human life.

Hanoi’s lake tours and activities

As mentioned above, Hanoi’s lake system is very rich and widely distributed throughout the central and suburban districts of the capital. Each lake will bring different values. For example, some lakes will serve irrigation, some lakes will serve air conditioning, and some lakes will also serve tourism. 

Specifically, below are some Hanoi lakes that can be included in the tour or have some activities for tourists:

Hoan Kiem Lake

The beauty of Hoan Kiem Lake

Hoan Kiem Lake is one of Hanoi’s lakes located right in the center of Hanoi capital and surrounded by 3 streets: Hang Khay – Le Thai To – Dinh Tien Hoang. Hoan Kiem Lake is associated with the legend of King Le Loi and the magic sword, considered the heart of the Capital.

Due to its prime location, it is the connection between the old quarters such as Hang Ngang, Hang Dao, Cau Go, Luong Van Can… with the Western quarters such as Nha Tho, Trang Thi, Hang Bai, Trang Tien, Hang Unfortunately, Hoan Kiem Lake attracts many domestic and foreign tourists to visit and explore during their trip to Hanoi.

Coming to Hoan Kiem Lake, visitors can travel by many different means such as public buses, taxis, renting motorbikes,… or can walk if staying at a nearby hotel. Hoan Kiem Lake is located right in the center of Hoan Kiem district, so it is very convenient for tourists to come sightseeing and explore many interesting experiences at any time of the day.

The first activity to do when arriving at Hoan Kiem Lake is to visit The Huc Bridge. This is a symbol of the charming beauty of Hoan Kiem Lake in general and Hanoi capital in particular. With its unique architecture and many cultural and historical values, The Huc Bridge has become a must-see destination for every tourist coming to Hanoi’s lake.

Tourists should not forget to visit Turtle Tower, this is a famous architectural work located on a small mound of about 350 square meters in the middle of Hoan Kiem Lake. Turtle Tower is a unique historical and cultural symbol of the Vietnamese capital.

In addition, visitors can visit Ngoc Son Temple – a temple located on Ngoc Son island in the middle of Hoan Kiem Lake. The temple was built in the 19th century and is considered an important spiritual and tourist destination of the city. Besides, tourists can also visit tourist attractions such as Hoa Phong Tower, Ba Kieu Temple, King Le temple, Ly Thai To flower garden,…

In particular, tourists should not miss walking on Hoan Kiem Lake walking street. This is a walking street that attracts crowds of people and tourists every evening, especially on weekends. This is a commuting street with 16 streets and no vehicles. Therefore, visitors can walk to both feel the cool air of Hoan Kiem Lake and feel the bustle and bustle of the capital.

If tourists want to visit Hoan Kiem Lake during the day, we recommend that you take a photo album here. With this scenery, tourists should rent Vietnamese ao dai and conical hats to get the most beautiful souvenir photos. This is also one of the places where many Vietnamese people come to take photos when coming to Hanoi.

West Lake

Afternoon on West Lake

Located next to Thanh Nien Street, West Lake is one of Hanoi’s lakes that attracts many visitors, including foreign tourists. Not only impressed by the width of the lake in the heart of Hanoi but also by the beautiful scenery and many fun activities here.

West Lake now has an extremely fun service that tourists should try: duck riding. This is possible thanks to the vast space and beautiful surrounding natural landscape. Couples, groups of friends and families can ride ducks while leisurely chatting, enjoying the cool, airy atmosphere, and admiring the beautiful natural scenery.

SUP is a water sport activity at West Lake that is loved by many young people. If it is your first time rowing a SUP, the club’s instructors will give dedicated instructions so that visitors can master controlling the boat on the water. Visitors can proactively sit or stand while paddling the SUP boat for the most confidence. In addition, don’t forget to pose to bring back beautiful pictures on the water.

Thanh Nien Street is a clean, beautiful, green road along the shore of West Lake. The road is a great place for visitors to walk, breathe fresh air, and relax. Besides, coming here in the evening, there is no need to look for the most beautiful place, just find an airy location, visitors can comfortably immerse themselves in the beautiful sunset scenery.

During the tour, do not forget to stop at West Lake cafes. Here, tourists can enjoy a delicious cup of coffee or a warm cup of West Lake lotus tea, chat with friends, look at the clear, poetic lake and feel at peace. Absolutely in the heart of the Capital.

When coming to West Lake, visitors should definitely not miss the extremely interesting experience of cycling around the lake, exploring every corner here. There are many places here where tourists can rent bicycles by the hour. The most ideal time to cycle West Lake is early morning and evening when the weather is cool and pleasant, suitable for both exercising and enjoying the sunset or sunrise on the lake.

Truc Bach Lake

Truc Bach Lake

Although not as famous as Hoan Kiem Lake, Truc Bach Lake is still Hanoi’s lake that attracts many visitors. Truc Bach Lake is located in Ba Dinh district, Hanoi. This is a lake separated from West Lake by Thanh Nien road. To get to Truc Bach Lake, visitors can use many means of transportation such as motorbikes, taxis, public buses, etc. Some buses have stops near Truc Bach Lake such as E05, E09 and 50.

The most famous activity at Truc Bach Lake is duck riding, this is a hobby for all ages. This service is open from 7am to 9pm every day, including holidays. Prices for duck pedals at Truc Bach Lake range from 100,000 VND when renting a small boat and 200,000 VND when renting a large boat. In addition, visitors can also rent a tandem bicycle to ride around West Lake and Truc Bach Lake with others.

Normally, 1 boat will seat 2 people so it is quite suitable for couples. In addition, visitors can go in groups to have activities such as racing to create the most fun atmosphere. Guests can also feel completely secure about the service because if any problem occurs, the rental unit will support them as best they can.

In addition to duck riding activities, visitors can sit by Truc Bach Lake to admire the scenery and enjoy the fresh air with a fragrant cup of morning coffee. Some places right at Truc Bach Lake for tourists to visit include Highland Coffee at Truc Bach Lake, Manzi Art Space And Cafe, Havana Cafe, Santorini Vibes Cafe,…

Duck riding activities are often for enthusiastic young people, while going to Truc Bach Lake to stroll and enjoy fresh air is often for those looking for peace. Although the lake is small, it is filled with lush green trees and flowers, and the air here also becomes much fresher and more refreshing.

Advice when participating in Hanoi’s lake tours

In all tours, visitors always need to know a few notes to make the trip as convenient and fun as possible. For tours to visit Hanoi’s lakes, tourists should note the following:

• Prepare drinks and snacks: Bring some snacks and drinks to replenish energy during the trip. Hanoi’s weather is often quite hot, especially in the summer, so you need to prepare enough drinking water.
• Wear comfortable clothes: Choose cool, comfortable clothes to move easily and relax in Hanoi’s lake areas. Some thick clothing may be necessary if traveling in the cold season.
• Bring sunscreen and a hat: To protect your skin from the harmful effects of UV rays, don’t forget to bring sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat.
• Prepare cash: Some attractions around Hanoi’s lake may only accept payment in cash, so prepare some VNN for convenient payment.
• Consult the schedule and map: Before departure, carefully refer to the tour schedule and area map to clearly understand the schedule and be better prepared.
• Relax and enjoy: It is important to be comfortable, relax and fully enjoy your visit to Hanoi’s lakes. Don’t forget to take beautiful photos to preserve beautiful moments.
• Best time to visit: Fall is the best season to visit in Hanoi because this season the weather is cool, not too hot or too cold when traveling.
• How to get to the lakes: To best visit Hanoi’s lakes, visitors should rent motorbikes, bicycles for best transportation or rent a car on a tour to be able to visit more freely.
• Note on safety and environmental protection: The special thing is that tourists need to protect the environment by throwing trash in the right place. Because when trash falls into the lake, it not only destroys the landscape but also pollutes the environment.

Conclusion

Above is information about Hanoi’s Lakes that many tourists are interested in, especially foreigners. Hopefully visitors will have more information about tourist destinations to add to their tour in Hanoi. Don’t forget to follow Impress travel’s Facebook and Website to update more information about travel and book Hanoi tours at the best prices!

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