Cycling is one of the best way to discover the Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi. The city includes many cultural heritages and tourist attractions such as the Ho Chi Minh complex which consists Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, Ba Dinh square, Presidential Palace, Uncle Ho’s House on stilt, One pillar pagoda and Ho Chi Minh Museum.
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
In his will, the President stated his wish to be cremated, and to have his ash buried on the hills of the North, the Center, and the South of Vietnam. Yet, in honor of his huge dedication for the country and for the love of all Vietnamese for him, the successor Communist Government decided to keep his body so that he can see the whole country’s reunion, and the following generations can come and visit him. Accordingly, on September 2nd, 1973, his mausoleum started to be built in Ba Dinh Square, where he read the Independence Declaration on September 2nd, 1945, and was completed on August 22nd, 1975, with the Soviet Union’s help.
The Mausoleum, which was made of marble and granite, features a three-stored structure. In the second store places the famous President’s body, lying as if he were sleeping in the simple clothes worn when he was alive. Outside, visitors can see his popular quote “Khong co gi quy hon doc lap tu do” (translated as “Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom”) on the top face of the mausoleum. In front of the mausoleum is the 79 cycad trees, symbolizing Uncle Ho’s 79 springs of life.
Temple of Litterature.
Continue your bike tour with a visit to the Temple of literature, located on Van Mieu Street, 2km west of Hoan Kiem Lake. Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam is a famous historical and cultural relic consisting of the Temple of Literature and Vietnam is first university. The Temple of Literature was built in 1070 in honour of Confucius, his followers and Chu Van An, a moral figure in Vietnamese education.
Quoc Tu Giam, or Vietnam’s first university, was built in 1076. Throughout its hundreds of years of activity in the feudal, thousands of Vietnamese scholars graduated from this university.
Ethnology Museum.
You then follow the Nguyen Thai Hoc street, cycling through Kim Ma, Ngoc Khanh before arriving in Nguyen Khanh Toan street where you make another stop for visiting the ethnology museum. Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi offers an insight into the 54 different ethnic groups of Vietnam in an effort to preserve cultural heritage and promote socio-cultural diversity within the country.
The museum is packed full of information detailing traditional Vietnamese ways of life, from religious events to the symbolic rituals of all the Vietnamese ethnic groups, providing a rich tapestry of the culture melting pot existing in Vietnam. The exhibition hall features everyday objects representing each group, a research centre, library and auditorium.
The outdoor display area exhibits a variety of Vietnamese homes as full-scale replicas, with great attention paid to the varying architectural styles set within the authentic and tranquil gardens. In addition, there are also leisure pursuits on display including traditional water puppet theatre and calligraphy. The future aim of the museum is to also showcase the many cultural practices and civilisations across Southeast Asia.
Of course there are other travel highlights in Hanoi which can be included or taken out from your itinerary. Just let us know what you are interest in the most, he or she will draft an itinerary for you.