> Army Museum
This museum presents the Vietnamese side of the country’s struggle against colonial powers. There are three buildings of odds and ends from both the French and American wars here, including evocative photos. Most interesting, though, is the actual war equipment on display, including aircraft, tanks, bombs, and big guns, some with signs indicating just how many of which enemy the piece took out. There’s a tank belonging to the troops that crashed through the Presidential Palace gates on April 30, 1975, Vietnamese Liberation Day. Outside, there is also a spectacular, room-size bouquet of downed French and U.S. aircraft wreckage. Also on the grounds is Hanoi’s ancient flag tower (Cot Co), constructed from 1805 to 1812. The exhibits have English translations, which makes this an easy and worthwhile visit.
> Hanoi Opera House
This gorgeous, historic Art Nouveau building was built near the turn of the 20th century. Unfortunately, to get inside, you’ll have to attend a performance, which is usually enjoyable but few and far between. The steps out front are a popular local hangout to sit and watch the world go by, and the fountain of the nearby Hilton Hanoi Opera, a building that fits like a jigsaw puzzle piece around the old opera, is, more than the opera building itself, a popular place for domestic tourists to get their photos snapped.
> Ho Chi Minh Museum
English-language explanations help to piece together the fragments of Ho’s life and cause at this museum tribute, and there are personal items, photos, and documents detailing the rise of the nation’s Communist revolution. The rhetoric is laid on a bit thick, but all in all it’s an interesting and informative display. Completely unique to Vietnam are the conceptual displays symbolizing freedom, reunification, and social progress through flowers, fruit, and mirrors.
> Ho Chi Minh Trail Museum
A museum dedicated to the war of inches and supplies along the borders of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. The museum is far out of town but worth the trip for war buffs. Three floors are crowded with exhibits of photography as well as lots of war machinery. The trucks, complete with leafy camouflage, that traveled parts of the Ho Chi Minh Trail are parked in a shaded area in the courtyard out front. The revolutionary rhetoric is heavy at this museum, and the focus is on the sacrifice of the many who shoveled, dug, fought, and scraped by to get supplies of rice and ammunition to North Vietnam’s frontline forces. There is an important stress on the efforts of women to keep the supply lines open. The collection of weaponry and heavy machinery used throughout the war is enough to make it worth the visit, but again it’s just for war buffs, as it is a long drive along traffic-choked roads south of town to get there.
> Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum
In an imposing, somber, granite-and-concrete structure modeled on Lenin’s tomb, Ho lies in state, embalmed and dressed in his favored khaki suit. He asked to be cremated, but his wish was not heeded. A respectful demeanor is required, and the dress code mandates no shorts or sleeveless shirts. Note that the mausoleum is usually closed in October and November, when Ho goes to Russia for body maintenance of an undisclosed nature. The museum might be closed during this period as well. Note that the mausoleum is only open in the mornings.
> Ho Chi Minh’s former Residence
Ho’s residence, the well-known house on stilts, is behind the Presidential Palace, a gorgeous French colonial building built in 1901 for the resident French governor. Shunning the glorious structure nearby, Ho instead chose to live here from 1958 to 1969. Facing an exquisite landscaped lake, the structure does have its charm, and the spartan room is an interesting glimpse into the life of this enigmatic national hero. The basement was a meeting place for the politburo; upstairs are the bedroom and a study, and little details like his phone and walking cane are kept behind glass. Behind the house is a garden of fruit trees, many of them exotics imported from other lands, including miniature rose bushes and areca trees from the Caribbean.
> Hoa Lo Prison (Hanoi Hilton)
For sheer gruesome atmosphere alone, this ranks near the top of the must-see list. It was constructed by the French in 1896 mainly to house political prisoners, and the Vietnamese took it over in 1954. It was subsequently used to house prisoners of war. From 1964 to 1973, it was a major POW detention facility. U.S. senator John McCain was a particularly famous inmate, as was Pete Peterson, the ambassador to Vietnam, and Lieutenant Everett Alvarez, officially the first American pilot to be shot down over Vietnam. Their stories are told from the Vietnamese perspective in photographs and writings grouped in one small room. To the west is the guillotine room, still with its original equipment, and the female and Vietnamese political prisoners’ quarters. The courtyard linking the two has parts of original tunnels once used by a hundred intrepid Vietnamese revolutionaries to escape in 1945. Only part of the original complex is left; the rest of the original site was razed and is ironically occupied by a tall, gleaming office complex popular with foreign investors. There are basic English explanations, but this is a good spot to have a guide, who is certain to be armed with a tale or two.
> Hoan Kiem Lake
Hoan Kiem Lake is the center of the city both literally and figuratively. The lake is the city’s most popular strolling ground and a lovers’ lane at night with couples locked in embrace on benches or parked motorbikes looking out over the placid waters, the shadows of overhanging willows cast by moonlight. In the morning the lake area is crowded with folks out for their morning exercise — running or walking in a clockwise circle around the lake or joining in with the many tai chi, martial arts, calisthenics, aerobics, and even ballroom dancing groups that meet in the open areas at water’s edge. Hoan Kiem Lake is also the city’s own creation myth: the Legend of the Lake of the Recovered Sword. In the mid-15th century the gods gave emperor Le Thai To a magical sword to defeat Chinese invaders. While the emperor was boating on the lake one day, a giant tortoise reared up and snatched the sword, returning it to its rightful owners and ushering peace into the kingdom. Stroll around the lake in the early morning or evening to savor local life among the willow trees and see elders playing chess or practicing tai chi. In the center of the lake is the Tortoise Pagoda; on the northern part is Ngoc Sonpagoda, reachable only by the stunning Bridge of the Rising Sun, a long, red arch typical of Chinese temple compounds. Ngoc Son is a working temple, meaning that you might walk into a local ceremony of chanting monks and kneeling supplicants. The temple grounds offer great views of the surrounding lake, and the little lakeside park on the island is a popular place for elderly men to enjoy a game of Chinese chess. Don’t miss the friendly calligrapher just inside the temple (on the left as you enter). For a nominal fee, have your and your friends’ names done in Chinese characters, complete with the meanings of each symbol in English on the back (I’m “Wheat Love Machine”) or have a scroll done of significant Chinese characters such as “Heart,” “Love,” or “Determination” (whatever you think you might need). Note: Vietnamese was traditionally written in Chinese symbols (until the French arrived). Scholars still study and speak Chinese, and Vietnamese temples are heavily influenced by Chinese traditions, adorned with Chinese scrolls and artwork.
Hoan Kiem is a useful locator for navigating the city; for addresses downtown, people generally give directions in relation to it. It’s good to know how to get from the lake to your hotel. The lake is also the jumping-off point for exploring the Old Quarter, Hanoi’s labyrinth of traditional craft streets in a sprawling maze on the north end of the lake. Lakeside is also a good place to find a bench and rest your toes after trundling around town, and you can find some good little cafes, particularly on the north end. Grab an ice cream and take time to stroll or stop and watch the moon reflect off the surface of this magical lake. You might even spot one of the giant turtles who took back the sword of Le Thai To to herald peace in Vietnam; sightings of this rare breed of turtles are quite common. Willows hang over the lake and reflect in the rippling light of dusk.
Thap Rua is the small stupa that was built in 1886 by an obscure Mandarin official. The temple was at first despised and involved in a scandal in which the official tried to have his father’s bones laid to rest at the pagoda base. But over time, tiny Thap Rua, which sits on a small island at the very center of the pond, has become something of the city’s Leaning Tower of Pisa, Statue of Liberty, and Eiffel Tower all rolled into one. Just two tiers of window galleries crowned by a short tapered roof, the temple commands great respect despite its recent construction, and it’s a popular focal point for swooning lovers at lakeside in Hanoi’s “Central Park” — the lungs of the city. The turtles that can be seen basking at the temple’s base are said to be up to 500 years old and the very species that stole the sword and founded the fair city. Hanoians love their stupa of peace; in fact, recent initiatives to have the aging pagoda painted and restored — the small stupa is covered in moss and is overgrown with weeds — were met with staunch disapproval from Hanoi citizens. And so it is as it always was.
> National Museum of Vietnamese History
This is an exhaustive repository of Vietnamese ancient and historical relics nicely displayed with some bare-bones explanations in English. Housed in a building that was the French consulate until 1910 and a museum in various incarnations since, this collection walks you from prehistoric artifacts and carvings to funerary jars and some very fine examples of Dong Son drums from the north, excavations of Han tombs, Buddhist statuary, and everyday items of early history. It’s the kind of place where schoolchildren are forced to go (and be careful if you see buses out front), and for anyone but history buffs, you might feel just as bored as the kids. For those on any kind of historical mission in Vietnam, I recommend contacting a tour agency and booking a knowledgeable guide for an excellent overview and a good beginning to any trip.
> One Pillar Pagoda
To the right of the Ho Chi Minh Museum is the unique One-Pillar Pagoda, a wooden structure built in 1049 that sits on stilts over a lake. A king of the Ly Dynasty, Ly Thai Thong King had it built after having a dream in which Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara, the goddess of mercy, presented him with a lotus flower. The existing pagoda is a miniature reproduction of the original, which was said to represent a lotus emerging from the water. It is certainly interesting, and a prayer here is said to bring fertility and good health. It’s best to wear something full-length (skirt or trousers), not shorts.
> Quan Su Pagoda
Quan Su is one of the most important temples in the country. Constructed in the 15th century along with a small house for visiting Buddhist ambassadors, in 1934 it became the headquarters of the Tonkin Buddhist Association and today it is headquarters for the Vietnam Central Buddhist Congregation. It’s an active pagoda and usually thronged with worshippers; the interior is dim and smoky with incense. To the rear is a school of Buddhist doctrine. For good luck (or for fun), visitors of any stripe are welcome to buy sticks of incense and make offerings at the various altars and sand urns. It’s easy to just follow suit, and folks will be glad to show you what to do.
> Revolutionary Museum
The revolution will not be televised, however, afterward we’ll have lots of old beat-up museums that celebrate the ongoing class struggle and inevitable triumph of a unified proletariat over the running dog bourgeoisie capitalists and their elitist, oppressive schemes to keep the common man in chains. Or so runs the old party line. What is best about the Revolutionary Museum is that it’s a little run-down, a telling sign of where the nation’s revolutionary zeal has gone in the wake of a booming capitalist economy. Uncle Ho’s ideas were quickly lost in the shuffle when affordable motorbikes and TVs came on the scene. But to the elder generation of Vietnamese, the 50% who were born before 1975 and experienced Vietnam’s great struggle, places like the Revolutionary Museum are important reminders of the legacy. The revolution that started with Ho Chi Minh is celebrated now less with socialism in mind than with celebrating the nation’s hard-fought autonomy. The museum houses an interesting collection of photos and memorabilia not only chronicling the life and ascendancy of Nguyen Tat Tanh, otherwise known as Ho Chi Minh, but of the many early revolutions at the turn of the 20th century. Oil paintings retell the struggles and, literally, paint a grisly picture of life in colonial jails on Con Dao Island or Phu Quoc Island in the south. The museum route starts on the first floor with the 1945 August Revolution, photos and relics of victory at Dien Bien Phu, good background on the conflict with the United States, and the obligatory color photos of a prosperous Communist Vietnam as the revolutionaries envisioned. Party rhetoric is heavy here, and a big part of the allure of trundling around these big halls (once a French administrative building) is looking for words like “running dog” and finding artifacts like an old Budweiser can that was bent into a lantern for Viet Cong troops. Fun if you’re a war buff.
> Temple of Literature
If Vietnam has a seat of learning, this is it. There are two entities here: Van Mieu, a temple built in 1070 to worship Chinese philosopher Confucius; and Quoc Tu Giam, literally “Temple of the King Who Distinguished Literature,” an elite institute established in 1076 to teach the doctrines of Confucius and his disciples. It existed for more than 700 years as a center for Confucian learning. Moreover, it is a powerful symbol for the Vietnamese, having been established after the country emerged from a period of Chinese colonialism that lasted from 179 B.C. to A.D. 938. It is a testament to the strong cultural heritage of the Mandarins. As such, it stands for independence and a solidifying of national culture and values.
What exists today is a series of four courtyards that served as an entrance to the university. Architecturally, it is a fine example of classic Chinese with Vietnamese influences. Still present are 82 stone stelae — stone diplomas, really — erected between 1484 and 1780, bearing the names and birthplaces of 1,306 doctor laureates who managed to pass the university’s rigorous examinations. Beyond the final building, known as the sanctuary, the real university began. Damaged in the French war, it is currently being restored.
> Vietnam Ethnology Museum
If you’re interested in learning more about the 53 ethnic minorities populating Vietnam’s hinterlands, make the jaunt out to this sprawling compound (go by cab). Vietnam’s different ethnic groups, their history, and customs are explained in photos, videos, and displays of clothing and daily implements. Out back are a number of re-creations of the village homes, from a low Cham house to the towering peak of a thatched Banhar communal home. You come away with a good historical perspective on the many groups you meet in the far north and in parts of neighboring Laos and Thailand.
> Vietnam National Museum of Fine Arts
This very worthwhile arts museum features Vietnamese art of the 20th century, up to the 1970s or so. While the presentations are a bit crowded and rustic, there are explanations in English. Much of the art is outstanding, although you won’t really see any works of an innovative or controversial nature. Entire rooms are devoted to the Vietnamese style of lacquer and silk painting, woodblock, and folk art. Techniques are explained — a nice touch. Interesting also are the modern works of wood statuary interspersed among the exhibits. Some are patriotic in nature, depicting daily life or events during the war or done in Soviet-influenced caricature with heavy-limbed peasants striking triumphant poses or depictions of the brotherhood of the army and the working class. The top floors are devoted to prehistoric artifacts and Buddhist sculptures, some of which are huge and impressive. Don’t miss the famous 11th-century goddess of mercy (Kouan Yin), with her thousand arms and eyes, in the far-left room on the second floor. Best of all, the museum itself is in an old colonial, and, unless there’s a tour group milling around, you can stroll around in relative serenity and rest on one of the many benches provided (no napping). The gift shop has some modern works of well-known artists for sale.
> West Lake
Covering a broad area north and west of central Hanoi, West Lake is a broad expanse and home to lots of recent housing developments. In fact, the east shore of West Lake is more or less the “Beverly Hills” of Hanoi, where the best and brightest young Hanoians and expats call home (and the real estate prices are staggering). The lake is also steeped in legend and is bordered by several significant pagodas. Vietnam’s oldest pagoda, Tran Quoc, was built in the 6th century and is located on Cayang Island in the middle of the lake, a beautiful setting. An actual fragment of the Boddhi tree under which Buddha achieved Enlightenment was given as a gift from the prime minister of India in 1959 and now grows proudly in the main courtyard. Constructed by an early Zen sect and a famous center for Dharma study, and later as an imperial feasting grounds, the temple has a visitors hall, two corridors, and a bell tower; it still houses a group of diligent monks who carry out elaborate rituals for the dead on auspicious days (if a ceremony is underway, be conscientious and keep a distance, but visitors are welcome to observe). They recommend not wearing shorts here, but it is not enforced. All around the little peninsula that the island temple and its man-made walkway has created, you’ll see fishermen busy with long bamboo poles and oversize hand reels maneuvered by fishermen, who essentially twirl a large spool by hand, something that’s fun to watch, especially if they pull in something big.
Farther along the lake, Quan Thanh Temple, by the northern gate, was built during the reign of Le Thai To King (1010-28). It’s dedicated to Huyen Thien Tran Vo, the god who reigned over Vietnam’s northern regions. Renovated in the 19th century, the impressive temple has a triple gate and courtyard, and features a 3.6m (12-ft.) bronze statue of the god. West Lake is also a hub of local activity, particularly on weekends when families go paddle-boating on it.
> Women Museum
Communism of the Ho Chi Minh variety was an egalitarian movement where all men and women were created equal, and revolutionary women were on the front lines throughout Vietnam’s long conflicts with foreign powers. Whether pushing overladen bicycles along the Ho Chi Minh Trail Network or packing a pistol through the cave complexes outside of Saigon, Vietnamese women were a little more proactive than America’s “Rosy the Riveter” of World War II fame, and Hanoi’s Women’s Museum celebrates their pivotal contribution to the war effort and to the growth of a modern, stable Vietnam. Western women visiting the museum have mixed reactions, as some find the collection and presentation a bit sexist: Women are often portrayed as victims or as unlikely sources of sanity and strength (stress “unlikely”), and emphasis is placed on women’s abilities in the cottage industry and work at home (and there are lots of dull exhibits to that effect), but it should be stressed that the spirit of the museum is to celebrate women’s contributions, though the sexist slant is a bit unfortunate. It’s interesting to go and deconstruct it for yourself. The entrance is a large rotunda with a great golden statue of the oversize and overmuscled Soviet school of propaganda depicting a triumphant woman facing a great wind with a small child balanced on her shoulder. The first and second floors are “up the revolution” images and artifacts of women at war, winning the war, and winning the peace. Fascinating is the section of the many initiatives of women abroad (in the U.S. and Europe), suing for peace during conflict with the French and later Americans: Find long petitions to the U.S. government, flags and peace banners from the West, and photos of marches and protests (including images of Angela Davis and a contingent of overseas Vietnamese marching). The top floor features detailed displays of women’s dress, from traditional ao dai to the intricate variations among ethnic hilltribe women in the Central Highlands and the far north. A popular coffee shop is just outside the entrance to the museum, a good place to chat and connect with locals.