Hoan Kiem Lake Hanoi - What to See & Do

Hoan Kiem Lake (Sword Lake, or Ho Guom) sits at the heart of Hanoi, on the southern edge of the Old Quarter. The lakeside is free and open at all hours; only Ngoc Son Temple, on its island, charges entry (50,000 VND). Come at dawn to watch locals exercise, or on a weekend evening, when the surrounding streets close to traffic.

History and Legend

Hoan Kiem lake, also known as “Sword Lake,” is a freshwater lake in the center of Hanoi. The legend about the name of the lake is known by all the Vietnamese people. Since they were small, they all learn about the story in their school about the most revered heroes, a giant turtle, and a magic sword.

According to the tale, in the 15th century, before he became king, Le Loi visited a friend and came across a shining bar that his friend had caught while fishing. Le Loi asked for the bar and brought it to his home before turning it into the sword that had two words on it “Thuan Thien” (it means: harmonious with heaven).

He believed that it was a heaven-sent sword, used it in the battle against the occupying Ming army and he gained the victory. He later had a chance to go boating on the lake, but the leisured trip was interrupted. There was a large golden turtle rising above water and asking him to return the sword to the Dragon King. The King gave the sword back to the turtle without any hesitation. To commemorate this event, he decided to change the former name Luc Thuy (meaning “Green water”) into Hoan Kiem lake (meaning the lake of the Returned Sword).

The lake is not only special in her history but also some characteristics that you might not find anywhere else in Vietnam. The water of the lake has different colors depending on the reflection of the sky, it could be green, dark or light.

The lake was also home to the giant softshell turtles behind the legend. The last one known to live here died on 19 January 2016, so you will not see one surface any more. Its preserved body is now on show inside Ngoc Son Temple.

What to See around Hoan Kiem Lake

There are so many activities happening around Hoan Kiem lake which make it crowded and busy all day, especially during the weekends. Let’s rock it like the locals, and find out what to see and where to visit around Hoan Kiem Lake!

1. Ngoc Son Temple

On a small island near the north-east shore, you can easily find the Ngoc Son temple by looking from any side of the lake. The name of the temple means “Temple of the Jade Mountain.”

The temple took its present form in the 19^th century. In 1841 a charity called the Association of Good Deeds rebuilt an older shrine on the island as Ngoc Son Temple, and from 1859 to 1862 the scholar Nguyen Van Sieu raised money to rebuild it much as it stands today. The main hall honours Van Xuong, the patron of literature and exams. The rear hall is dedicated to Tran Hung Dao, a war hero who defeated the Mongolian armies invading Vietnam in the 13^th century. Guan Yu and the Taoist immortal Lu Dongbin are worshipped here too.

This is also where you can see the lake’s turtles today. Two preserved giant softshell turtles sit in glass cases. The larger one, in the left-hand hall, is the last turtle known to have lived in the lake: it died in January 2016, measures 2.08 m long, weighed 169 kg and has been on display since March 2019. The smaller one, on the right, is 1.2 m long and weighed 52 kg.

Entry is 50,000 VND per visitor per visit, the fee Hanoi’s People’s Council approved in December 2023. The national tourism site lists opening hours of 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday and 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. at weekends; other guides differ, so go by the board at the gate. It is a working temple: dress modestly.

2. The Huc Bridge

The bridge is a beautiful construction which was built to connect the Ngoc Son Temple and the lake bank. It was constructed by fine wood and stand out by its bright red color.

The Huc Bridge is a famous tourist attraction in Hanoi, well-known as “the bridge where light is absorbed.” On the shore end, a five-storey stone Pen Tower stands just inside the temple gate, and at the island end stands Dac Nguyet Lau, the Moon-Viewing Tower.

3. Turtle Tower

Turtle tower is a significant landmark in the center of Hoan Kiem lake. It went up in the mid-1880s, in the early years of French rule, on its own small islet. Though not built in a specific type of Vietnamese style, it has stood there for about 140 years.

4. The Historic St. Joseph’s Cathedral

In the west side of the lake, the St. Joseph’s Cathedral is a historical building which was built back in 1886. For over 100 years, it is still one of the biggest churches in Hanoi where many local Vietnamese Catholics come and pray.

The church is open to the public. But before you go, please remember to be appropriately dressed and keep quiet inside, above all during Mass. After visiting the church, it would be great if you have time sitting in a café near there and enjoy the view of the church.

Further reading:

• One Pillar Pagoda Hanoi, Vietnam
• What to See & Things to Do in West Lake
• Temple of Literature, Hanoi

Walking around Hoan Kiem Lake: route and map

The water’s edge measures about 1.5 km on OpenStreetMap and the path runs just outside it, so a slow loop takes about half an hour. The stops below run clockwise from Ngoc Son Temple’s gate.

1. Ngoc Son Temple gate (Dinh Tien Hoang Street, north-east shore): the Pen Tower and The Huc Bridge.
2. East shore: across Dinh Tien Hoang Street stands the statue of King Ly Thai To, and a little further south, on the same side, is the bus stop outside Hanoi Post Office (75B Dinh Tien Hoang), where airport bus 86 stops.
3. South end: Trang Tien Street leads off the south-east corner. On weekend evenings it is part of the walking zone.
4. West shore: the monument to King Le Thai To, the royal name by which Le Loi is remembered. St. Joseph’s Cathedral is about 200 m west of it.
5. North end: Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square. The six-storey “Shark’s Jaw” (Ham Ca Map) building that stood here was pulled down in summer 2025 to enlarge the square, and the Old Quarter starts behind it.

Since January 2026 the city has been clearing the block between Dinh Tien Hoang and Ly Thai To streets for a 2.14-hectare square and park. As of April 2026 the east side was a fenced building site (Tuoi Tre).

If you would rather walk with a guide, the Hanoi Old Quarter walking tour covers the streets just north of the lake.

What to Do around Hoan Kiem Lake?

As a focal point of Vietnamese as well as Hanoi people’s lives, Hoan Kiem Lake, also known as Restored Sword Lake, has a lot to offer both locals and tourists.

At this site, people may simply be walking with their dogs, sitting on benches to chit chat with each other, wandering the Walking street around here, etc. The list goes endless since there is always something to see and do in Hoan Kiem Lake.

Here are some suggestions of what to do around / near Hoan Kiem Lake:

1. Walking, Running and Biking

Walking (and running as well) around Hoan Kiem Lake is a wonderful experience. In the morning, grab a chance to admire the sunrise by getting up early and go to the lake. You will be amazed at the pace of life here.

In the afternoon, come here to glimpse the sunset, contemplate beautiful landscapes around, listening to music and tasting local food.

Besides, do not skip visiting the Walking street in Hanoi that operates officially every weekend, from 7 pm on Friday to midnight on Sunday, in the area around Hoan Kiem Lake and the famous Old Quarter. Runners, including locals and foreigners, both the elderly and the young, often wear a headphone plus with sunglasses.

Cars and motorbikes are kept off the lakeside streets while it runs. It is sometimes paused for big events: in March 2026 it closed from the 13th until 7 pm on the 20th for the national elections.

Alternatively, you are a fan of biking, do not hesitate to rent a bike and ride around the lake in the early morning, and watch the Vietnamese locals do Tai Chi.

2. Doing Exercise and Dancing

Hoan Kiem Lake is an ideal spot to enjoy dancing while breathing in the fresh air. Also, you can enjoy the bustling atmosphere here with some types of music using for the exercises.

3. Watching Water Puppet Show in Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre

The show at Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre, on Dinh Tien Hoang Street by the lake, is a run of short sketches performed with traditional puppets.

Shows are played by a Vietnamese orchestra who accompanies stories, and musicians playing songs using wooden bells, drums, bamboo flutes, cymbals, and horns.

Puppet performances start with a prelude by the clown Teu, which is a funny-looking puppet featuring sprouting hair. While watching this performance, you will be curious about the secret to how Vietnamese puppeteers make the puppets move flawlessly whilst seeming blind from the screen. This theatre is really a magnet for both Vietnamese locals and foreign tourists who want to understand more about this legendary traditional form of art of Vietnam.

Evening Cyclo Tour with Water Puppet Show

0.5 day

Start from:  $93 /person

Hanoi Old Quarter and Water Puppet Show by Walking

0.5 day

Start from:  $29 /person

How to Get to Hoan Kiem Lake

If you want to get to Hoan Kiem lake from Noi Bai Airport, there are several means of transportation for you: public bus and taxi (Grab). Our guide from Noi Bai Airport to the Old Quarter covers them in more detail.

• Public bus: This is the choice for those who want to travel like a local and also save money. Express bus 86 runs from Noi Bai to Hanoi Railway Station and stops at Hanoi Post Office on the east side of the lake, so there is no need to change buses. Noi Bai Airport’s transport page lists it at 50,000 VND per trip, with departures from 7:00 to 22:15. City bus 17 is cheaper (15,000 VND) but ends at Long Bien.

• Taxi at the airport: If you go with a group, the best choice would be flagging a taxi at the airport. The taxi could drive you directly to your accommodation in Hanoi, about 27 km by road. And without any stops, you can save time for your trip. Grab changed its Noi Bai fares and pickup points in August 2026 (Terminal 1: lane 3 outside Hall E; Terminal 2: car parks P1 and P7). The app shows the fare before you confirm; tolls and the airport parking fee are extra. 

Local tips for Hoan Kiem Lake

• From 7 pm on Friday to midnight on Sunday, taxis cannot drive up to the lakeside. Ask to be dropped at the edge of the walking zone and walk the last few hundred metres.
• Agree on a price before you buy from a street vendor. In June 2026 police fined a vendor near the lake who had charged a foreign visitor 420,000 VND for ten fried doughnuts.

Sources: Vietnam Government Portal (Ngoc Son Temple history); Nhân Dân (Ngoc Son ticket, December 2023); Znews (walking-zone hours, March 2026); Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (Ngoc Son hours); Người Lao Động (turtle specimens); Tuổi Trẻ (east-side works, April 2026); Grab (Noi Bai pickup, August 2026); Tiền Phong (vendor fine, June 2026)