Things to See in Hanoi

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THINGS TO SEE IN HANOI

The perfect answers for the question about things to see in Hanoi 

Are you feeling suffocated with the bustling and crazily busy life and wanting to find a peaceful sanctuary of your own? Or yearning for a fascinating discovery of rich culture, heroic history and diverse cuisine that is able to blow your mind with amazing surprises? Hanoi – the gorgeous capital of Vietnam – is going to please you with 2-in-1 unforgettable experiences. 

These suggested followings are the most unique historical and culture Hanoi sightseeings for confusing visitors who are still wondering about things to see in Hanoi. 

1) Travelling back in time to discover Vietnamese history

There is nowhere better than exploring Vietnamese long and heroic history by paying a visit to many interesting historical Hanoi sightseeing 

Vietnam Museum of Ethnology

Vietnam Museum of Ethnology was established in 1981 in Hanoi with an area of 3.27 ha. The museum is a miniature picture of the history and culture of the 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam with a variety of cultural features. These exhibits are displayed in various categories such as clothing, jewellery, weapons, musical instruments, religious beliefs and many other spiritual activities.

The museum is divided into three main galleries: the Trong Dong Building, the outdoor display area and the Southeast Asia Exhibition Hall. From the outside, history lovers will be impressed by the special layout from the form to content is very scientific and logical, making it easy to grasp the colour of each ethnic minority. 

• Trong Dong Building: There are 15,000 artefacts, 42,000 footages and images depicting living conditions, costumes, clothing, agricultural tools and religious beliefs, as well as customs of ethnic minority people.
• Outdoor display area: There displays the unique architecture of different ethnic groups such as the Tay and Ede’s stilt house and an accurate model of rice mortar powered by the water of the Dao.
• Southeast Asia Exhibition Hall: The hall, which is built in the shape of a kite, provides tourists with exhibits on Southeast Asian culture, Indonesian paintings and a glimpse of Asia and around the world.

Wondering things to see in Hanoi next? Let’s visit another fascinating museum to get an in-depth knowledge of Vietnam history

Vietnam Military History Museum

Vietnam Military History Museum is one of the six National Museums and also the first military museum of Hanoi. Moreover, it is home to about 150,000 artefacts of historical, cultural and military value reflecting the context of the resistance war against the invaders from the Hung Kings period until the time of President Ho Chi Minh.

The museum has an indoor and outdoor display system with an area of up to 3,200m2. In the exhibition area outside the museum are war artefacts of great size and stature, associated with the vicissitudes and victories of our people in two permanent resistance wars against France and against the United States.

Hoa Lo Prison

Another must-see Hanoi sightseeings for history lovers is Hoa Lo Prison – a clear evidence for a long heroic period of Vietnamese history and a symbol for the unyielding spirit, resilience and patriotism of Vietnamese people. 

This prison was built in 1896 by the French with the purpose of capturing and detaining mostly politicians and patriotic anti-socialists. 

Designated to be “hell on earth” and the most feared prison in Southeast Asia, during its operation, Hoa Lo prison became the terrifying “cage” of many generations of soldiers and socialists. The architectures of Hoa Lo Prison were constructed to perform most brutal forms of torture, most notably the guillotine machine that had made its name into the top 10 notorious prisons in the world. 

2) Immersing in one of the most unique and richest cultural cradles in the world

After feeling satisfied with an amazing trip around most well-known historical Hanoi sightseeing, there would be a big mistake not to include these cultural destinations in your list of what to do in Hanoi. 

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

Loved by the name “Uncle Ho’s Mausoleum“, Ho Chi Minh mausoleum is the resting place of the great leader of the Vietnamese nation. Furthermore, the whole landscape in the Mausoleum is the convergence of the essence of architecture and space culture of Hanoi capital for thousands of years.

From the first steps on Ba Dinh Square, from the faraway visitors can admire Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum with the words “President Ho Chi Minh” in pink rose plum colour, which is extremely striking and impressive. In addition, cultural lovers will be enchanted by the peaceful and tranquil surroundings around the fish pond as well as astonished by the remarkable architecture of One Pillar Pagoda. 

Tran Quoc Pagoda

The next destination in your Vietnam cultural journey is nowhere but Tran Quoc Pagoda – a peaceful hideaway inside Hanoi bustling capital. 

Tran Quoc is considered the oldest pagodas in Hanoi with a history of up to 1500 years. The temple, which is located on a small island in the East of West Lake in Tay Ho district, is a harmonious combination of ancient majesty and poetic beauty of lively green garden surrounded a vast stretch of dreamlike lake. Therefore, Tran Quoc Pagoda is honoured to be listed in the list of most beautiful pagodas in the world and is a famous stop not only for Buddhists but tourists as well.

The Temple of Literature

Speaking of cultural Hanoi sightseeing, the Temple of Literature – the first university of Vietnam – is an ideal destination for culture lovers as it is not only the witness of thousand years of history but also the most prestigious school that created many talented people for the country. 

The complex covers a large area and is divided into 5 areas connected by the main road from the beginning to the end. The most outstanding feature of the Temple is Thien Quang Lake surrounded by 41 stone steles on each side, bearing the names of most talented and educated people at that time. 

3) Participating in numerous attracting activities in Hanoi

After a long but exciting day exploring historical and cultural Hanoi sightseeings, tourists are suggested to enjoy themselves with a wide range of activities. 

Water Puppet Performance 

This is a unique art form of Vietnamese people that has long existed and played an indispensable part in introducing Vietnamese culture to the world. 

Water puppet show is considered a special intangible cultural heritage of Vietnam and a traditional folk art form which often takes place on special occasions like village festivals and Tet holiday. 

The puppet artists use water as their stage, which is erected in the middle of ponds and lakes with balanced architecture symbolizing the communal roof of Vietnam rural areas. The puppets are made of wood and controlled by the artisans behind the stage through a system of poles, wires and supported by drum and flute. 

Cycle rickshaw – a beautiful cultural tourism of Hanoi

Cycle rickshaw is a distinctive means of transport that is favoured by many domestic and foreign travellers to discover the ancient beauty of the capital and explore local lifestyle. 

Thanks to the cheap, convenient, friendly and comfortable features, cyclo is commonly used by international tourists as a means of transportation while visiting Hanoi. Sitting on the cyclo, strolling through the 36 old streets and watching the bustling Hanoi promises to become a once-in-a-lifetime experience 

With the ultimate guide to appealing Hanoi sightseeings above, you will have no concern about things to see in Hanoi because these destinations are going to keep you busy all day.