West Lake (Hồ Tây in Vietnamese) is situated in the Northwest of Hanoi Capital with an area of about 500ha, the road around the lake is nearly 20km long. The lake is a part of the Red River that has been blocked for thousands of years.
West Lake – Ho Tay in the heart of Hanoi people
The local people also call it Mu Suong lake (Dâm Đàm), Trâu Vàng – Golden Buffalo lake (Kim Nguu lake), or Xác Cáo lake. Until now, West Lake (Ho Tay) is the most popular and becomes the friendly destination for the Hanoians.
Many people agree that the West Lake is the most romantic corner in the colorful picture of Hanoi City; it is a world of clear breezes, generosity, and poetry. That’s why for so long, it is an endless inspiration for poets, writers, and artists who have given readers many lovely songs and poems about the West Lake. (Listen to a song about the West Lake below).
The beautiful West Lake is not only because of the immense blue water and romantic color when the sunset comes, but also because the lake looks like a heart full of happy states to hug Hanoi.
You can know more about the life around the lake if you come here in the early morning. You can see hundreds of both young and old people coming here to train exercise and breathe fresh air. And, at the beginning of Thanh Nien Street is the gateway of bicycles full of flowers running into Hanoi.
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Different ways to explore the West Lake – Ho Tay Hanoi
West Lake has become the rendezvous point for most of the local people in Hanoi. Many beautiful roads such as Thanh Nien and Co Ngu Streets are also chosen to stop in this area. Each people come to Ho Tay Hanoi for each reason. But, here are the ways to explore West Lake perfectly.
+ Some people find themselves a corner of the lake to enjoy the wind,
+ Many other visitors take a seat and sip a cup of coffee in a roadside restaurant,
+ Enjoy the famous shrimp pie of Ho Tay, or taste a glass of ice cream,
+ Enjoy the lunch or dinner at luxury restaurants on the edge of the lake or in the middle of the lake, or on a yacht,
+ Walk around the like to breathe the fresh air to see the life of the West Lake,
+ Swim at a big park: Ho Tay Water Park,
+ Take pictures at this site to remember the moment in Hanoi, Vietnam. The early morning and sunset is the best time to come to this like for beautiful photos. And, in the summer (from June to August), Dam Sen – Lotus Lake which is the part of West Lake is popular for many people to take pictures.
Maps of Ho Tay – West Lake
Famous relics near the West Lake
West Lake is not only an ideal tourist attraction in Hanoi but also contains national cultural values. Around the lake are now more than 20 temples and pagodas that have been ranked in the national valuable documents. Here are some top places to visit near West Lake.
- Famous old temples such as Tran Quoc pagoda and Quan Thanh temple are the top sites for people to stop when they come to Ho Tay. Visitors who come here not only enjoy the architectural beauty of the ancient temples but also pray for good luck. It is very crowded on the full moon days, the first lunar month and the New Year holidays.
- Many old villages still maintain to protect the traditional value of the life of Hanoi. Nghi Tam village, the hometown of “Ba Huyen Thanh Quan”, famous poet, where has Kim Lien Pagoda with unique architecture. Xuan Tao village which has Soc temple worshiped Thanh Giong, one of the famous heroes in Vietnam history. Trich Sai Village has Thien Nien Pagoda worshiping the ancestor of the weaving profession. Thuy Khe village has Ba Danh pagoda. Nhat Tan village has the color of famous peach (the flowers bloom near Tet holidays). And, there are many other villages such as bronze casting ward, or paper-making village.
- Chu Van An School is an old school which was built by French in 1908. The buildings of the school have an influence of French architecture. This school is one of the top high schools in Hanoi. With its historical value, Chi Van An School becomes the check-in site for many tourists when they have time to Hanoi.
- Quang Ba Flower Market (236 Âu Cơ, Quảng An, Tây Hồ, Hà Nội, Vietnam) is a colorful attraction in Hanoi which is near the West Lake. You can find different kinds of flowers, especially in the early morning (5:30am). This flower market is the main place to supply fresh flowers for Hanoi. The price is not big different from most of the shops, and many shops like to get wholesales.
In conclusion, West Lake is a unique destination for Hanoi people and tourists. It becomes the lovely memory of the people who visited here or have lived and worked in Hanoi. Although the flower and peach villages and pagodas used to attract many guests, small restaurants near West Lake have established, and become a famous cuisine place for the locals and tourists.