Trip Planner: Asia / Vietnam / Hanoi / Lake of the Restored Sword (Hoan Kiem Lake)

Lake of the Restored Sword (Hoan Kiem Lake), Hanoi

4.4

#1 of 334 in Parks in Vietnam

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. Lake of the Restored Sword (Hoan Kiem Lake) is just one of the many highlights you can arrange to see using our online itinerary creator, Hanoi Edition.

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Tours to Lake of the Restored Sword (Hoan Kiem Lake)

Ho Chi Minh's Hanoi Small-Group Adventure Tour BOOK WITH VIATOR FROM $42

4.5

46 reviews

Duration: 240 to 270 minutes

Buy tours from $42

Hanoi Old Quarter: Cyclo and Walking Street Food Tour - Small Group BOOK WITH VIATOR FROM $32

5.0

19 reviews

Duration: 3 hours 30 minutes

Buy tours from $32

Half-Day Hanoi Motorbike Tour BOOK WITH VIATOR FROM $50

5.0

14 reviews

Duration: 4 hours

Buy tours from $50

Lake of the Restored Sword (Hoan Kiem Lake) Reviews

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TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

12,370 reviews

Google

4.6

facebook

4.5

277 likes

By cquinn2019

Great atmosphere, Great people. I've made some friends here and they are really cool. Especially the locals here. Very friendly and enthusiastic more »
By Matteo M

Il tempio di per se va visto ma non vi aspettate niente di particolare. Sicuramente in città ci sono templi molto piacere belli. La posizione però insieme al lago rendono questo tempio un posto da ved... more »

The temple itself should be seen but you do not expect anything special. Definitely in the city there are very nice pleasure temples. However, the location along with the lake makes this temple a place to see at different times of the day.

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By Pooja Upadhyay

Very beautiful lake. A must visit attraction in Hanoi. Go in the evening and you will see it some what more beautiful. Lake has a temple in the middle which is connected by a small bridge. There are 3 4 spots to see at the same place. A turtle temple is also there which had an interesting story.

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By Shashank Singh

The Lake is the heart of the Hanoi city. It is the major tourist spot and recreational place for the locals and visitors. It is the most lovable place to visit during weekends. The road on the side of lake gets closed on Sunday and all the locals gather and do many activities over there. The scenic is beautiful. There are little shops near the lake and also main market nearby.

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