Thing to do
Hanoi Old Quarter
The historic trading district north of Hoan Kiem Lake, known as the 36 streets, where each street was once named after the goods sold there.
West Lake
Hanoi's largest lake, with a 17-kilometre shoreline, the ancient Tran Quoc Pagoda on an islet and the leafy Tay Ho district of cafés, hotels and restaurants.
At a glance
- Type
- Lake and lakeside district
- Area
- Tay Ho, Hanoi, Vietnam
Good to know
- Lakeside paths
- Pagodas and temples
- Cafés and restaurants
Why we recommend it
West Lake, Ho Tay in Vietnamese, is the largest lake in Hanoi and the city's favourite place to escape the traffic of the centre. It covers about five square kilometres north-west of the Old Quarter, with a shoreline of some 17 kilometres, and formed from a former bend of the Red River. Most of the shore lies in Tay Ho district, which takes its name from the lake and is home to many of the city's expatriates, as well as hotels, restaurants and cafés.
The lake has a long history and several legends. One links its shape to a battle between the mythical hero Lac Long Quan and a nine-tailed fox, which gave it the old name Fox Corpse Swamp; another tells of a golden buffalo searching for her lost calf. In the 11th century it was known as Foggy Lake, and it was renamed West Lake in 1573 to avoid using the given name of the reigning emperor.
The main sight is Tran Quoc Pagoda, regarded as the oldest Buddhist temple in Hanoi. It was founded in the 6th century on the banks of the Red River and moved to a small islet in West Lake in 1615, when the river began to erode its site. It is reached by a short causeway, and its grounds hold a stupa 15 metres high with 11 storeys, each with a statue of Amitabha Buddha, and a bodhi tree grown from a cutting of the tree at Bodh Gaya, given in 1959 to mark the visit of the Indian president Rajendra Prasad. Close by is Quan Thanh Temple, one of the Four Sacred Temples of old Hanoi. Thanh Nien Road runs along a causeway between West Lake and the smaller Truc Bach Lake and is a pleasant place to walk.
The lake is at its best in the late afternoon, and the sunset views from the grounds of Tran Quoc Pagoda are well known. The shores are lined with gardens, hotels and restaurants, so walking or cycling part of the shoreline is an easy way to spend a few hours with stops for a drink. The full circuit is long, so most visitors choose one section, typically the stretch around Tran Quoc Pagoda and Thanh Nien Road. Dress modestly for the pagoda and temple visits.
The lake is a short taxi ride from the Old Quarter and from the Ba Dinh sights, so you can combine a morning at the mausoleum and citadel with an afternoon and sunset at the lake.
West Lake FAQs
How big is West Lake?
About five square kilometres, with a shoreline of about 17 kilometres.
What is the main sight on the lake?
Tran Quoc Pagoda, regarded as the oldest Buddhist temple in Hanoi, on an islet reached by a causeway.
When was Tran Quoc Pagoda moved to the lake?
In 1615, from its original site on the banks of the Red River.
What is special about the bodhi tree at Tran Quoc?
It is a cutting from the tree at Bodh Gaya, given in 1959 to mark the visit of Indian president Rajendra Prasad.
When is the best time to go?
Late afternoon; the sunset views from Tran Quoc Pagoda are well known.
Can you walk all the way around?
The shoreline is about 17 kilometres, so most people walk or cycle one section.
What is Truc Bach Lake?
A smaller lake separated from West Lake by Thanh Nien Road.
Which district is it in?
Mostly Tay Ho, named after the lake.