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Wrapped in legends and myths, West Lake serves as a cultural repository that preserves the essence of the ancient land adjacent to the imperial city of Thang Long.
For the people of Hanoi, West Lake is more than somewhere to enjoy the breeze and watch the sunrise and sunset. Enveloped in legends, West Lake acts as a cultural repository that safeguards the spirit of the ancient land beside the imperial city of Thang Long. Here, stories of the nine-tailed fox, the legend of the golden buffalo, and more come to life. The misty, dreamlike waters recall the tale of Grand Preceptor Le Van Thinh, who was wrongly accused of transforming into a tiger but later vindicated by history. Ancient pagodas peek out from beneath lush trees, adjoining ponds are devoted to cultivating lotus flowers, and the banks are home to a water park and flower gardens, all adding to West Lake’s allure and attracting visitors on rain-free days.
The best feature is the small road that circles the lake, where countless people cycle and jog each morning and afternoon. Young men and women stroll by the lake and enjoy refreshing drinks. This area entices foodies with a selection of street foods and grilled dishes. For sports enthusiasts, it provides a perfect space for daily training. And for photography lovers, this large area is ideal for exploring the ever-changing beauty of nature. Circling the lake, this vast expanse of water embraced by lush trees appears serene. Seen from a bird’s-eye perspective, the lake takes on diverse and visually captivating forms. It is interesting to wander along the small lakeside road and explore each interconnected yet distinct area.
If the small pond by Kim Lien Pagoda hints at a meditative atmosphere, inviting the human mind to tranquility, then Dam Tri, specifically used for lotus cultivation, suggests the elegant pleasure of enjoying lotus tea. In the summer, the lotus pond is always bustling with visitors who come here to take pictures. Tea connoisseurs and wine enthusiasts often gather here, leisurely observing the tea-makers delicately plucking flowers amidst hundreds of lotus blooms still adorned with the night’s dew. The narrow road that cuts through the pond is an ideal spot to bike in the cool breeze, offering splendid views of kayakers, rowers, and stand-up paddleboarders on the lake.
Except for the times when the Rowing Club and various aquatic sports teams are training, West Lake’s surface is generally tranquil. This serenity, seemingly woven into the fabric of the landscape, invites one’s mind to a gentle kind of happiness, soothing the hardships of a life dedicated to earning a living. It’s no wonder that people are drawn to the spiritual sanctuaries around the lake. People worship Buddha in the renowned Tran Quoc Pagoda. Quan Thanh Temple was once a Taoist sanctuary. The Tay Ho Temple is devoted to the Goddess Lieu Hanh. More temples are found on Lac Long Quan and Vong Thi streets. Here, wafting incense carries countless prayers to the ethereal heavens, while the lake, acting as an immense mirror, reflects the sky, capturing human gazes and evoking feelings of pure tranquility.
From dawn until dusk, every corner of the lake showcases a different hue, sometimes purplish, other times green, or silver at midday. Around the lake, Phoenix flowers, Cassia fistula (golden shower trees), and Lagerstroemia speciosa display their vibrant blooms when in season, ensuring that the small path circling West Lake is Hanoi’s most romantic road, whether viewed from ground-level or on high.
