Hanoi, VietnamThe spiritual and geographic heart of Hanoi. The lake (meaning "Lake of the Returned Sword") is steeped in legend. The red Huc Bridge leads to Ngoc Son Temple on a small island. The morning tai chi sessions around the lake are unmissable.
Price range
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Category
🏛️ Culture
City
Hanoi
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Vietnam's first national university, founded in 1070 and dedicated to Confucius. The Temple of Literature is a superb example of traditional Vietnamese architecture - five walled courtyards with lakes, gardens, and stone steles honoring doctoral graduates.
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The preserved body of Ho Chi Minh lies in state in this imposing Soviet-built granite mausoleum in Ba Dinh Square - where he declared Vietnamese independence in 1945. A deeply significant site for Vietnamese people; visitors must dress conservatively and maintain silence.
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Built by the French in 1896 to hold Vietnamese political prisoners, later used to hold American POWs during the Vietnam War including John McCain. The remaining structure is now a museum with sobering exhibitions on both chapters of history.