Get inside Ba Dinh District, used to be called “The French Quarter”, and explore it
Ba Dinh Square
Ba Dinh Square (Quảng trường Ba Đình), where Ho Chi Minh read Vietnam's Declaration of Independence, is a place of tranquility and the largest square in Vietnam. It is located in the north west of Hoan Kiem Lake with 320 meters in length and 100 meters in width, having 240 grass pieces separated by 1.4 meters wide aisles.
There are some important events (like celebrating Independence Day) taking place here. Behind the square stands the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum(Opening hours: Every morning on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday); You have to wait in a long queue if you plan to visit there. Besides, you canvisit One Pillar Pagoda, Ho Chi Minh Museum(http://www.baotanghochiminh.vn/) and his former residence nearby.
Vietnam Fine Arts Museum
Vietnam Fine Arts Museum is housed in two buildings of French structure blended with Vietnamese architectural elements. Getting to see more than 18 000 works of fantastic art in different collections, you will gain deeper understanding of Vietnam's fine arts.
(Main themes: Prehistoric arts; Arts from XI to XIX; Arts from the early XX; Applied arts; Folk arts; Ceramics)
Opening hours: 8:30 am to 5:00 pm from Monday to Sunday
Admission prices: Adult: 30 000 vnd; Children 6-16: 10 000 vnd Website:http://vnfam.vn/ (Vietnamese, English and French)
Address: #66 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Ba Dinh, Hanoi.
Telephone: (84-4) 37332131
Imperial Citadel of Thang Long Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, one of the world UNESCO sites in Vietnam, is of an extraordinary structure. Step inside this area loaded with pretty bonsai trees and it will give you a glimpse of the history of Vietnam.
Opening hours: 8:30 am to 11:30 am; 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm (from Tuesday to Sunday) Website: http://www.hoangthanhthanglong.vn/ (English and Vietnamse) Address: #12 Nguyen Tri Phuong, Quan Thanh, Ba Dinh, Hanoi. Telephone: (84-4) 37345927
Hanoi Flag Tower and Vietnam Military History Museum Regarded as one of the symbols of Hanoi, Hanoi Flag Tower was established in 1812 under the Nguyen Dynasty and used for observation. Before going inside the Museum nearby, you will have a chance to see some incredibly impressive American hardware in the courtyard. Vietnam Military History Museum is a good historic site that gives you an insight into the Vietnam war through Vietnamese eyes and from the Vietnamese's perspective. However, it lacks explanation written in English for some artifacts and photos.
Opening hours: 8:00 am to 11:30 am; 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday)
Admission price: 40 000 vnd Website:http://www.btlsqsvn.org.vn/(English and Vietnamese) Address: #28A Dien Bien Phu, Ba Dinh, Hanoi.
Quan Thanh Temple There are four prominent temples (Tứ trấn Thăng Long) in Hanoi including Bạch Mã, Voi Phục, Kim Liên and Quán Thánh. There was a story telling about the importance of these temples in the way they protected Vietnamese citizens from the evil a long time ago. Built in the 11th Century under the Ly dynasty, Quan Thanh Temple (Đền Quán Thánh) is one of the sacred temples in Hanoi, and it was dedicated to Thanh Huyen Thien Tran Vu (the God of the North). There is a huge bronze statue of Thanh Huyen Tran Vu in the main shrine of the temple. Vietnamese people recount that the God of the North was the one who protected them from the demons and helped with defeating the invaders.
Opening hours: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Admission price: 10 000 vnd
Address: Quan Thanh, Ba Dinh, Hanoi
Bach Thao Park Described as "The lung of Hanoi", Bach Thao Park (Botanical Gardens) is located behind Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. It is such a great place for anyone who wants to move away from the hubbub of the city life. Take a relaxing stroll or go for a run here!
Admission price: 5 000 vnd
Address: Hoang Hoa Tham, Ba Dinh, Hanoi
Lotte Center Hanoi Lotte Center Hanoi having 65 floors is the second tallest skyscraper in Hanoi after Kaengnam. This building provides us such stunning experience at the top of Hanoi to get the best view of the whole city and see it come alive at night. If you want to up to 65th observatory, click here for more information: http://lottecenter.com.vn/eng/observation/overview.asp Website:http://www.lottecenter.com.vn/(Vietnamese, English, Japanese and Korean) Address: #54 Lieu Giai, Ba Dinh, Hanoi
