West Lake in Hanoi, Vietnam

The origin of the lake is shrouded in several folklore and legends and, thus, not really known. One popular legend is the story of the battle between local deity Dragon King Lac Long Quan and a wicked fox spirit with nine tails, whom he had defeated and laid down here where the lake stands. Another one and the more widely believed one is the story of the buffalo calf, which confused the bell of a pagoda with his mothers and ran so fast that his hood created a crater for the lake.

But these are mostly myths. In its actual heyday, West Lake in Hanoi was lined with royal palaces and houses of the elites, and the lake was used as a centre for recreation and relaxation. The second part still remains, but the surroundings have transformed into a more contemporary look with shops, restaurants and skyscrapers around.

There are several West Lake attractions around for a visitor to explore. Vietnam’s oldest temple Tran Quoc Pagoda built in the 6th century as a symbol of Vietnamese Buddhism is located in a small island. Other than West Lake Pagoda Hanoi, Quan Thanh Temple is also there, which is one of Vietnam’s Four Sacred Temples. For refreshment purposes, one can visit the south side for a street-full of the best seafood restaurants and to the northern side for more sophisticated diners.

Cycling around West Lake Hanoi along the beautiful pathways is a very rewarding activity to do here, as a dose of health for the body and the mind, as well as for exploring the area properly.