Hoan Kiem Lake: Legend of the Returned Sword, Ngoc Son Temple & Turtle Tower | Vietnam Purple Travel Guide

(map, reviews)

Here at Backpack and Snorkel Travel Guides, we promote self-guided walking tours.
But we realize that not everybody likes to walk by themselves in a foreign city. So, just in case that you rather go with ab guide: NO PROBLEM! Please see the GuruWalk and Viator tours below.

Hoàn Kiếm Lake: The Heart of Hanoi

(map)

Opening hours: 24/7 (lake area); Ngọc Sơn Temple: 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Admission fee (Ngọc Sơn Temple): 30,000 VND (approx. US$1.20)

Overview

At the center of Vietnam’s bustling capital, Hoàn Kiếm Lake (Lake of the Returned Sword) offers visitors a peaceful, story-filled oasis steeped in myth, history, and civic pride. Ringed by ancient trees, colonial buildings, and vibrant street life, it is the symbolic soul of Hanoi.
Locals come here for early-morning tai chi or moonlit strolls. Tourists linger at its edges, photographing the ethereal Turtle Tower or crossing the iconic red Thê Húc Bridge to Ngọc Sơn Temple. And beneath it all, the story of an emperor, a magic sword, and a golden turtle breathes life into every ripple of the lake.

Here are some photos that we took:

The Legend of the Returned Sword and the Name Hoàn Kiếm

In the early 15th century, Vietnam was under Chinese Ming occupation. A nobleman named Lê Lợi led a successful resistance and became emperor. According to legend:

• One day, Lê Lợi was fishing when a divine golden turtle (Kim Quy) emerged from the water and offered him a magical sword known as Thuận Thiên (‘Heaven’s Will’).

• With this sword, Lê Lợi gained supernatural strength and led his forces to victory against the Ming invaders, restoring Vietnamese independence.

• After his triumph, he was boating on a lake in Hanoi (then called Lục Thủy) when Kim Quy resurfaced, asking for the sword's return.

• Lê Lợi graciously returned the sword, which the turtle took down into the depths.

• From that day, the lake became known as Hồ Hoàn Kiếm — the Lake of the Returned Sword.

Relaxing at Hoan Kiem Lake

You can walk around Hoan Kiem Lake, if you like, or just sit on one of the benches around the lake and watch people go about their daily activities.
We found it very relaxing, considering the traffic chaos of Hanoi is just a few feet away, but yet sitting at the lake feels very relaxing.
On weekends, the area becomes a pedestrian zone, with traditional games, music performances, and local snacks on offer.

Ngọc Sơn Temple (Temple of the Jade Mountain)

(map, reviews)

Location: On Jade Island in the north of Hoàn Kiếm Lake, accessed via the Thê Húc Bridge

Opening hours: 7am – 6pm daily

Admission: 50,000 VND for adults at the time of writing

Cultural etiquette: When entering Ngọc Sơn Temple, wear modest clothing and remove shoes when stepping onto sacred platforms.

Ngọc Sơn Temple is the most visited temple in Hanoi, and one of its most symbolically rich landmarks, blending religious reverence, national pride, and tranquil beauty.

History & Dedications of Ngọc Sơn Temple:

Originally built in the 18th century, the temple honors several revered figures

• Trần Hưng Đạo, the general who famously repelled Mongol invasions in the 13th century.

• Văn Xương, a Taoist scholar deity associated with literature and examinations.

• La To, the patron saint of medicine.

The temple reflects Vietnam’s intellectual and martial values, a place where warriors and scholars are equally venerated.

Architecture

• A harmonious blend of Confucian, Taoist, and Buddhist styles.

• The famous Thê Húc Bridge — painted a striking vermilion red — leads to the temple’s gate, symbolizing the rising sun and life’s brilliance.

• Inside, you will find:

  • Ornately carved altars,

  • Ceremonial bells and incense burners,

  • Traditional wood architecture with dragon motifs.

Unique Feature – The Legendary Turtle

• In a side hall, visitors can view a preserved specimen of a giant Rafetus swinhoei turtle, believed to be related to the mythical creature from the Returned Sword legend.

• This turtle, found in the lake in the 20th century, became a national icon and is now displayed in a glass case, reinforcing the spiritual symbolism of the site.

Turtle Tower (Tháp Rùa)

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Location: On a small island in the center of Hoàn Kiếm Lake

Access: Not open to the public – viewed from lakeside paths or Thê Húc Bridge

Standing silently at the heart of the lake, Turtle Tower is one of Hanoi’s many interesting visual symbols. Though inaccessible to visitors, it plays a deeply symbolic role in Vietnamese cultural consciousness.

The Story of Nguyễn Ngọc Kim and the Attempted Burial at Turtle Tower

According to historical sources and local oral traditions

• In the late 19th century, during the Nguyễn Dynasty, a powerful and French-aligned local official named Nguyễn Ngọc Kim constructed Turtle Tower around 1886.

• Kim supposedly intended the tower to serve not just as a monument, but as a tomb for his father, an honor typically reserved for royalty or revered monks.

• He attempted to inter his father’s remains in the tower on Rùa (Turtle) Island, which at the time was a spiritually significant location associated with the legend of the returned sword.

The Controversy

• The move was seen as highly inappropriate and politically tone-deaf. The island and lake were considered sacred public space, imbued with national symbolism.

• Locals were outraged, and court officials in Huế (the imperial capital) took offense at what they perceived as a usurpation of royal privilege.

• As a result, Nguyễn Ngọc Kim was ordered to remove the remains, and the tower was repurposed as a symbolic structure — no longer a tomb.

Aftermath and Reinterpretation

• Though its original use was denied, Turtle Tower was left standing.

• Over time, its controversial beginnings were largely forgotten or softened in public memory.

• Today, it is no longer associated with that burial attempt, but rather with the myth of Lê Lợi and the divine turtle, becoming one of the most beloved symbols of Hanoi.

Architecture

• A three-tiered tower made of stone and brick, combining Vietnamese design with subtle French colonial influences.

• Simple, unadorned, yet graceful in form — it reflects a quiet solemnity.

• The uppermost level may once have held a shrine, though today it is bare.

Symbolic Meaning

• Though physically small, the tower appears on Vietnamese currency, in poetry, propaganda, and paintings, symbolizing patriotism, myth, and continuity.

• At night, it is elegantly illuminated, casting shimmering reflections across the lake.

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Author: Rudy at Backpack and Snorkel

Bio: Owner of Backpack and Snorkel Travel Guides. We create in-depth guides to help you plan unforgettable vacations around the world.

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