Situated at the rim of the Old Quarter among the city's most popular attractions, the green shores of Lake of the Restored Sword (Hoan Kiem Lake) offer a break from sightseeing and provide a quiet spot for people-watching. Notice the temple--topped with a red star--on a small islet in the middle of the lake. Apart from being the city's emblem, it commemorates a local legend, which involves an Excalibur-like sword. The story goes that a local dragon god gave a magical sword to a 15th-century Vietnamese emperor who used it in an uprising against the Ming Dynasty. When the war was won, a giant turtle emerged from the lake and took back the sword to return it to heaven. The lake is home to a rare species of soft-shell turtles. Using our world travel planner, Hanoi attractions like Lake of the Restored Sword (Hoan Kiem Lake) can form part of a personalized travel itinerary.
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Reviews
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Biologywelch
I went to Vietnam twice last year and this lake is simply the place to be in Hanoi. There are regular groups of people practicing Tai Chi, doing exercise and also a couple of groups of people all dres... more »
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Matt A
A nice place to visit and admire the scenery, which attracts locals and tourists alike to relax on the many benches located around the lake. The surrounding roads were cordoned off on my visit (Saturd... more »
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Thu Lan P
We got up so early in the morning for excersise, we saw old people doing ta chi and young people running and jogging, and zumba So nice and interesting to enjoy fresh air here more »
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