After adjusting to Hanoi’s tempo and getting to know the city through our guided walking tour, it was time to dive deeper into its cultural heritage. Over the following days, we explored places like the Temple of Literature, West Lake, Tran Quoc Pagoda, and Quan Thanh Temple, discovering how culture and daily life intertwine in Vietnam’s capital.
Water Puppets: Stories in Motion
We began at the Thang Long Water Puppet Theater, right on the shore of Hoàn Kiếm Lake. The show is very popular, with busloads of tourists arriving daily, yet it was still enjoyable and offered a real glimpse into Vietnamese culture.
This art form is unique to Vietnam. It originated in the 11th century, created by farmers in flooded rice paddies as entertainment — hence the name “water puppets.” Even now, performed on a theater stage, water remains central to how the stories unfold.
The performance was entirely in Vietnamese, but the main story came through, and the music spoke for itself — unlike anything we’d experienced in Western performances.
The phoenix and dragon dances were especially colorful and whimsical, while village life scenes, like rice planting and fishing, were funny even without understanding the language.
Water was truly one of the main characters in the show: puppets noisily splashed in it, sometimes sending cascades shimmering in the stage lights, or unexpectedly emerging from the water, surprising us with sudden movement.
Watching the puppets glide and spin in the water, I felt a deep appreciation for how tradition, artistry, and humor come together in this uniquely Vietnamese performance.
Practical Tip:
- Tickets can be purchased at the theater or online.
- Buy at least one day in advance, as popular shows often sell out quickly.
- Ticket prices range from 100,000 to 200,000 VND, depending on the seating zone.
Walking Hanoi: An Unexpected Surprise
The Temple of Literature had been recommended by our guide as one of Hanoi’s main cultural icons. One day we decided to walk there early in the morning to arrive by opening time. Valery always prefers mapping our routes through smaller streets, hoping to avoid traffic. On this particular morning, this strategy led to unexpected discoveries.
First, we spotted a narrow street lined with houses along a railway track — one of Hanoi’s famous “train streets.” Even without a passing train, it was a delightful surprise: quiet, authentic, and full of charm at this early hour.
Next, our walk took us into a maze of narrow, twisting streets, reminiscent of medieval European quarters but with a Vietnamese twist.
Architecture was gritty and utilitarian rather than quaint — rough concrete walls covered with colorful graffiti and posters.
Cooking smells wafted from little eateries tucked into corners, and a sprawling market occupied several alleys and nooks, filling the streets with noise and color.
And of course, it wouldn’t be Hanoi without motorbikes weaving through this maze, rounding corners at full speed. As pedestrians, we had to hug the walls, hoping for enough space to avoid an unwanted brush. It felt like our usual street experience on steroids.
A Temple of Literature: Where Scholars Once Walked
Finally, we reached the Temple of Literature, and the calm after our eventful walk was immediately noticeable.
Equipped with audio guides, we explored this beautiful site and learned about its importance in Vietnamese culture, while our footsteps echoed in the silence of the peaceful grounds. Gates and pillars were beautifully carved, with rich images adorning every surface, making for a delightful exploration.
Just past the carved gates, we stepped into a calm, quiet space.
The tranquil garden was lined with ponds where pink water lilies graced still water. A resident cat prowled around, attracted by the chirping birds in the trees.
And, already a familiar sight in Hanoi, young girls in colorful áo dài dresses held photo sessions in this beautiful setting, somehow bringing it to life even more.
The Temple of Literature became Vietnam’s first national university, the Imperial Academy, in 1076, serving as a center for higher education for over 700 years — several years before the earliest European university was established in Bologna in 1088. Remarkably, this was after Vietnam had endured nearly a thousand years of Chinese occupation, only gaining independence in 938. At a time when much of European nobility considered reading and writing unnecessary, Vietnam’s kings valued education as vital to the country.
It started within the royal family but soon became accessible to commoners who proved their talent. Many villagers went on to hold important government positions.
Exams were held regularly, at multiple levels — from local communities to the final royal exam in the temple. While most did not progress to the highest degree, the system fostered a culture that revered education across society. All scholars who passed the final exams had stelae erected in their honor, mounted on turtles — sacred animals symbolizing wisdom, longevity and eternity in Vietnam.
Walking among rows upon rows of these centuries-old stelae, I was amazed at how deeply education was cherished and venerated in this country. One small detail really stood out for me — these scholars were ranked not only on their knowledge but also on high moral qualities, considered vital to acquiring important government positions.
Further in the temple, we discovered the Imperial Academy complex at the back. The top floor is dedicated to three kings who made significant contributions to education in Vietnam. But what amazed me most was that the largest statue on the main floor honors not a king, but a teacher — Chu Văn An.
A brilliant scholar who passed the highest exams and could have held a high-ranking mandarin position, he chose instead to devote his life to teaching. In Vietnam, honoring a teacher on par with kings speaks volumes about a culture that truly reveres education and those who dedicate themselves to it.
Practical Tip:
- Open 7 days a week, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm.
- Arrive at opening time (8:00 am) for a quieter visit; it starts getting busy around 9:00 am.
- Entry ticket: 70,000 VND. Audio guide: 100,000 VND — very helpful if you’re exploring on your own without a guide.
West Lake Circuit: Lakeside Temples and Local Life
Another morning we made our way to West Lake, ready to explore some of Hanoi’s lakeside temples and everyday life by the lake.
Golden Buffalo Temple: Quiet Moments by the Lake
An early Grab ride brought us to Phu Tay Ho Temple, located on the shore of West Lake, around 7 am. First, we turned right into Golden Buffalo Temple (Đền Kim Ngưu) and entered through the ornate gate into the courtyard. It was completely deserted at this hour, if you don’t count a mother and baby buffalo in the corner — cast in bronze, of course.
We explored the temple and even climbed the tower, which held a large ceremonial bell on the top. It was very quiet there, with nothing but the soft rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze from the lake.
Phu Tay Ho Temple: Morning Rituals and Banyan Trees
To reach Phu Tay Ho Temple itself, we walked through a small market first. We were still adjusting to seeing red communist flags everywhere — and sure enough, they decorated this market as well. It was still quiet at this time, no customers, just sellers arranging their wares on tables. Most of them were packages of food, likely intended for temple offerings.
By the time we entered the temple, it was already busy despite the early hour. A group of people were praying in one of the shrines, while others bustled around, bringing offerings of flowers, food, and water for the deities. It was interesting to see this purposeful activity, very different from the touristy temple sites we would visit later.
The temple courtyard had banyan trees, but on closer look we realized it was a single tree sprouting multiple trunks, some spilling into the lake.
It looked like a giant, multi-legged magic creature, standing guard between land and water. Quite impressive — we had never seen trees like this before.
West Lake: A Different Face of Hanoi
Our next stop was Tran Quoc Pagoda, almost 4 km away. We decided to walk around the lake to reach it. On this route, we discovered that West Lake promenade boasted the best sidewalk in Hanoi: no parked motorcycles, no plastic chairs, no advertisement banners blocking our way.
Why? Because the sidewalk was barely wide enough for one person, which made it perfect for our quiet morning stroll.
We enjoyed our walk, listening to the constant sound of water lapping against the parapet, watching Hanoi unfold on the opposite shore under an overcast sky. At one moment, sun rays suddenly broke through the dense clouds, turning a distant patch of water into molten gold. Then, just as suddenly, it was gone and the overcast returned.
We knew this quiet would not last. Soon, the sidewalk widened, filling with parked motorcycles and the occasional car. With a resigned sigh, we stepped back onto the road, returning to the busier rhythm of Hanoi proper.
The rest of the walk along the lake was entertaining as we watched a different Hanoi sprawled around us. Small restaurants had live chickens in cages waiting for their turn — talk about fresh meals — while others foraged freely on the pavement. Men fished patiently from plastic stools by the water. Across the lake, buildings were squeezed together, each with its own personality; one even stood on stilts in the water, seemingly a world apart.
We passed a small square turned into an impromptu senior club, where some elderly people exercised outdoors while others ate soup, drank tea, or played games nearby. Further down, a young woman made tofu outside her house.
Tran Quoc Pagoda: Serenity Amid the Crowd
By the time we reached the pagoda, it was still before 9 am, but it was already busy with tourists — a stark contrast to the tranquility of the temple we had left behind.
A sign asked visitors to cover shoulders and not wear shorts, though plenty ignored it. Inside, it was so crowded that it was impossible to feel the spirit of the place. We wandered a bit and then left.
Outside, we got a nice parting gift: the thick cloud cover had lifted, and a bright blue sky adorned with fluffy white clouds reflected in the water. The pagoda seemed to float on the lake, its reflection shimmering in the light breeze. It looked serene and mysterious in a way we hadn’t felt inside.
Quan Thanh Temple: Guardian of the North
We continued along the lake until finally arriving at Quan Thanh Temple, another guardian temple of Hanoi, this time on the north side. The temple was almost empty when we entered, a nice contrast to the pagoda we had left behind.
Incense sticks burned in front of the entrance, bluish smoke rising to the sky. Inside, a giant statue of the God of the North, guardian of Hanoi, sat behind the altar, watching over the city. While we were there, a man brought food offerings and began to pray. It was fascinating to watch how the drum and bell sounded just for him and his prayer.
Practical Tip:
- Phủ Tây Hồ Temple: Open 5:00 am – 6:00 pm. Early morning is ideal to see locals making offerings and praying.
- Trấn Quốc Pagoda: Open 7:30 am – 11:00 am and 1:30 pm – 5:00 pm. It gets very busy, so visiting as early as possible is recommended.
- Quán Thánh Temple: Open 8:00 am – 5:00 pm. Entry fee 10,000 VND. In our experience, it was not busy in the late morning.
By the end of our explorations, it was clear how deeply culture and spirituality are woven into daily life in Hanoi. From the playful splashes of water puppets to centuries-old scholars’ stelae, and the quiet rhythms along West Lake, each visit revealed another layer of Vietnam’s capital. These moments reminded us that Hanoi’s charm lies not just in its landmarks and temples, but in the lives, rituals, and stories that unfold around them every day.
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