Hanoi 5 Day Vacation - Day 5 Hoa Lo Prison

Day 5

Today is our last day in Hanoi. And the final place we like to visit is Hoa Lo Prison.

Woke up about 7.30 am, packed up and had our breakfast at 8 am.
As usual, I enjoyed the beef pho and fresh fruits and a cuppa of Vietnamese coffee.

Then we took an easy stroll to the Hoa Lo Prison, aka Hanoi Hilton by the Americans. It is about 15 minutes from the hotel. If you are further away, the easiest way to get to Hoa Lo Prison is by taxi - 1 Pho Hoa Lo is right at the corner of Pho Ha Ba Trung, south of Hoan Kiem Lake on the lip of the French Quarter.


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The Prison is open from 8am to 5pm, every day of the week, with a lunch break from 11:30am to 1:30pm. An entrance fee of VND 20,000 (about USD1) is charged at the gate.

Hoa Lo Prison was originally built by French colonialists in the nineteenth century. Used to incarcerate Vietnamese political prisoners, it was known by the French as Maison Centrale - literally, Central House, a traditional euphemism to denote prisons in France. It was located near Hanoi's French Quarter. The prison was built in Hanoi by the French, in dates ranging from 1886–1889 to 1898 to 1901, when Vietnam was still part of French Indochina.

In 1964, the Vietnamese began using Hoa Lo Prison as a prisoner of war camp for US troops during the Vietnam War. It was at this time that the prison gained its ironic nickname of the “Hanoi Hilton”. The most famous prisoner at Hoa Lo Prison was Senator John McCain, who was imprisoned there for five and a half years.

Throughout its existence, Hoa Lo Prison has been a place where inmates have been subjected to dire conditions and torture, both under the French and the Vietnamese.

Whilst most of Hoa Lo Prison has been demolished, its remaining sections form a museum where visitors can enter through its red archway, known as the “monster’s mouth” to tour the site.

Most of the exhibits relate to its time under French rule, but a tour of Hoa Lo Prison also offers some insight into the horrors experienced by American POW’s.

A stay in the Hanoi Hilton was no picnic. From day one, Hoa Lo was horrifically overcrowded - while its maximum capacity was 600 prisoners, over 2,000 were confined within its walls by 1954.

Prisoners in Hoa Lo were shackled to the floor, and were often beaten by the guards. The "E" stockade housed political prisoners, who were cuffed in a seating position and arranged in two rows. A latrine stands at one end of the stockade, in full view of other prisoners.

Executions were carried out in Hoa Lo Prison by way of a mobile guillotine, which still stands near the prison's death row.

In today's Hoa Lo Prison, the American POW experience in Hoa Lo prison is presented - whitewashed, actually - in two displays made up to look like comfortable barracks. Back in the day, though, this area was the dreaded "blue room", where new prisoners were interrogated and tortured if they didn't comply. Former POW Julius Jayroe tells of his first experience in the Blue Room:

I was transported to Hanoi and introduced to the Knobby Blue Room in the New Guy Village section of the infamous Hanoi Hilton (Hoa Lo Prison). The balance of that night, the next day, and into the following night, endured torture (tight cuffs, ropes, beatings) for refusing to give any info beyond name, rank, sn, and dob.

Nothing in the present-day Blue Room attests to the torture inflicted within its walls; instead, cheery images show clean-cut POWs making Christmas dinner, alongside displays of the prisoners' sanitized personal effects.

The Hỏa Lò Prison was a prison used by the French colonists in Vietnam for political prisoners, and later by North Vietnam for prisoners of war during the Vietnam War when it was sarcastically known to American prisoners of war as the "Hanoi Hilton". The prison was demolished during the 1990s, though the gatehouse remains as a museum.(Wikipdia)

Layout of the remains of the Hoa Lo prison

The original Hoa Lo prison before it was partially demolished

Outside on one of the courtyards of the Hoa Lo prison

At the courtyard

The name Hoa Lo, commonly translated as "fiery furnace" or even "Hell's hole", also means "stove". The name originated from the street name phố Hỏa Lò, due to the concentration of stores selling wood stoves and coal-fire stoves along the street from pre-colonial times.

It was intended to hold Vietnamese prisoners, particularly political prisoners agitating for independence who were often subject to torture and execution

Close up on how the Vietnamese prisoners were shackled by the French.

Executions were carried out in Hoa Lo Prison by way of a mobile guillotine, which still stands near the prison's death row.

The Hanoi Hilton was one site used by the North Vietnamese Army to house, torture and interrogate captured servicemen, mostly American pilots shot down during bombing raids. John McCain's flight suit and parachute, on display in the museum part of the Hoa Lo

Total costs of the 5 Day Vacation:

Airfare (2pax) from Singapore (Tiger Airways) S$ 652
Hotel for 4 nights S$156
Food & Meals S$130
Taxis S$47
Shopping $138
Local Tours S$56
Others S$25

TOTAL : S$1200 ( USD 1000)

Hanoi 5 Day Vacation - Day 4 Halong Bay Day Trip

 Day 3

24 June 2013 Day 4 Halong Bay Day Trip

Today, we woke up at 6.30 am and heard the rain splattering outside our windows. We are supposed to go for the Halong Bay day tour.

Checked the weather forecast and it was not good - that it will rain the whole day in Hanoi as well as Halong Bay.

Checked with the tour operation and were disappointed to learn that they have to cancel the tour given the weather conditions.

So we spent the whole morning in the hotel room reading and watching TV. Can't go out too far with fairly heavy rain outside. Also, many of the museums and places of interests are closed on Mondays.

The rain finally stopped around 1pm. We went out for lunch and also to get a refund for our Halong Bay tour. We can't postpone it as we are returning home tomorrow. over the last 3 days, all Halong Bay trips were cancelled because of the bad weather. No boats and cruises were allowed on the Bay because of the stormy conditions. Many tourists, including us, were disappointed.

Our friendly hotel staff told us that the best time to visit Hanoi and the other attractions is from September to January where there is less rain, much cooler and less humid. December and January are the busiest months when most of the European tourists arrive.

Looks like we need to come back to Hanoi again, this time for a 3day/2night Halong Bay tour. We were told that a 1-day Halong Bay tour is too rush - it takes 6 to 7 hours for a return trip there so there is really not much time to spend in Halong Bay itself.

We then went for lunch ...

Then with our stomachs full we were ready to explored the Old Quarters ( green area) on foot. It pays to have a good pair of shoes as the pavements or the lack of them and the even even surfaces may prove a challenge to walk at times.



The Old Quarter, near Hoan Kiem lake, has the original street layout and architecture of old Hanoi. At the beginning of the 20th century the city of Hanoi consisted of only about 36 streets, most of which are now part of the old quarter.

Each street then had merchants and households specialized in a particular trade, such as silk traders, jewellery, etc. The street names nowadays still reflect these specializations, although few of them remain exclusively in their original commerce. The area is famous for its small artisans and merchants, including many silk shops.

The Old Quarter’s narrow streets are packed with family-owned shops selling silks, stuffed toys, artwork, embroidery, food, coffee, watches, and silk ties. There are plenty of great bargains to be had in the Old Quarter: you simply need to haggle the price down.Local cuisine specialties as well as several clubs and bars can be found here also.

Shop houses of Hanoi constructed in their long and narrow style to avoid being hit by high taxes.

Packed with charming colonial architecture, Buddhist temples and pagodas, the Old Quarter, located near Hoan Kiem Lake in Hoan Kiem District, is Hanoi’s major commercial district.

The preserved shop-houses that lie along these roads were built a little over a century ago. Each has a street-facing façade and multiple courtyards inside. The front part of the buildings is where trading takes place while the family occupies the rest.

One of Hanoi’s most common sights is that of streets packed with scooters, bicycles and cars swarming around pedestrians like a school of fish

Though most of the specialties (cotton, jewellery, herbs, and silk) have changed over time and have been replaced with a variety of modern-day commodities and services, visitors can still appreciate some of the original goods as well as get a feel of rich old Vietnamese customs.

Cleaners and sweepers trong the streets to keep them clean and as rubbish free as possible

A night market along Hang Dao and  Hang Luoc (near Đồng Xuân market) in the heart of the district opens for business every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evening with a variety of clothing, souvenirs and food.

After a short rest, we went to soak in the sights of Hoan Kiem Lake which is only 5 minutes away from the hotel. Hanoi tourists and locals alike head to Hoan Kiem Lake trying to find a place to get away from the noise of the city. The lake looks peaceful but certainly not quiet with all the traffic and honking from every other vehicle. Hoan Kiem Lake lake surrounds Ngoc Son Temple, a pagoda sitting in the centre on a small island.

Hoan Kiem lake means “lake of the returned sword”. The story behind the name is a legend. In 1418, the Vietnamese emperor Le Loi fought a war against the Chinese. It wasn’t going too well for him so when he walked by the lake one day, he saw a giant tutrtle coming out of the water with a magic sword in its mouth. He took the sword and eventually defeated the Chinese army with it. When he was having his victory parade at the shores of Hoan Kiem, the turtle appeared again and demanded the sword back. Before he could do anything, the sword flew away from his hands to the tortoise’s mouth. It disappeared in the water. The emperor had a temple built which can still be seen today.

The lake is one of the major scenic spots in Hanoi, Vietnam and serves as a focal point for its public life as it’s located right in the middle of the Old Quarter. It is a large lake surrounded by urban landscape, roads, businesses and walkways.

This lake is a central gathering place in the center of the city. People come here to socialize, to talk, to do business, and to relax.. As early as pre dawn on any given day hundreds of people are exercising and have already started they’re days here, you will see locals of all ages jogging and practicing tai chi. Later in the day, you will find grandparents wheeling kiddies in strollers, and young couples strolling around holding hands.

Hoan Kiem Lake wasn't Hanoi's biggest, or its deepest. It wasn't even the cleanest. But it represented the spiritual heart of the city. It was possible to stroll its circumference in less than thirty minutes.

Hanoi tourists and locals alike head to Hoan Kiem Lake when seeking a place to get away from the noise of the city.

Entrance to the Ngoc Son Temple was built in the 18th century in the centre of the lake

And many couples, both locals and tourists, enjoy the peace offered by the water and the foliage

Many come here to exercise, on one side is the tranquil lake while to the other is the horrific traffic noise and smog.

A place to assemble for fellowship, chat and make new friends.

Next we walked to Hanoi’s main Catholic cathedral, the St Joseph Cathedral. It is just a short walk from Hoan Kiem Lake. Built in the early days of the colony at the expense of a revered pagoda that was demolished in the name of France's mission civilisatrice, St Joseph’s opened its doors to worshippers in 1886. Many of the buildings in and around the area were built in the service of the cathedral in the late 19th century.


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Hanoi Cathedral, also known as Saint Joseph's Cathedral, was inaugurated on Christmas Day 1886, two years after its construction. Its design is similar to the architecture of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. 

The special thing is that space around Hanoi Cathedral is an ideal meeting place for local residents in Hanoi, especially youngsters, to get away from the bustle and noise of the city.

Saint Joseph Cathedral, located at 40 Nha Chung street, Hanoi, is a Roman Catholic cathedral with neo- gothic style, which was built about 120 years ago

Hanoi 5 Day Vacation - Day 3 Hoa Lu & Tam Coc One Day tour

Day 2

Day 3 Hoa Lu & Tam Coc One Day tour

APT Tours came over to our hotel to pick us up at 8 am.

Tam Coc  translates to "Three Caves", takes about two hours driving from Hanoi (110 km) to the South. Once there visitors are treated to a several kilometer row-boat trip through the area's three caves. The longest floating cave journey is 125 m.

The meandering river is lined by rice paddies and guarded by limestone cliffs, often inhabited by local goats. If you are lucky, sometimes you can see mischievous monkeys. The river trip is wonderful for photo hunters, especially when local people come to harvest rice. The tourists often compare the area with Guilin, China, or more closely, to the limestone islets of Halong for their similar geological structures and shapes. Thus, Tam Coc has earned the name the "Halong Bay On Land".

Hoa Lu is the relics of the ancient capital and temples dedicated to King Dinh and King Le remain. The two heroes who lived in 10th century chose Hoa Lu to build the citadel of the capital city then. Archaeologists continue to excavate buried parts of the ancient citadel with rusty weapons and ceramics.

The temples are said to be built on the old foundation of their original palaces from the 11 and 12th centuries, then restored in 17th century. Though the temples are not maintained entirely some precious antiques are still preserved such as the whole-stone dragon thrones, wooden and lacquered statues of King Dinh, Kinh Le, Queen Duong Van Nga - who in turn got married both of the kings.

The journey to Hoa Lu is rather scenic. We see acres and acres of rice fields. This is the time of the year where the farmers are transplanting their rice and we see flocks of them out in the wet fields.



Half way there, it started to rain as the region was experiencing an aftermath of the typhoon which hit north Vietnam.

First stop was to 2 of the temples in Hoa Lu. To me, these are just old temple ruins and nothing too exciting unless one truly appreciates old Vietnamese history.

The wet weather makes it more interesting

Then went to Tam Coc for lunch in a restaurant.

Next is the 2 hour boat ride Tam Coc by small boat along the Ngô Đồng river, beginning at the village of Van Lam and proceeding through a scenic landscape dominated by rice fields and karst towers. The route includes floating through three natural caves (Hang Ca, Hang Hai, and Hang Ba), the largest of which is 125m long with its ceiling about 2m high above the water. The boats are typically rowed by one or two local women who also sell embroidered goods.

The rock formations, caves, water and landscape have made Tam Coc to know popularly as Halong Bay on land

The sampans will take them quietly to the cave Ca, the most beautiful and largest of Ninh Binh with its 127m length. 

On leaving the caves, visitors will feel calm and pure air of mountain ranges rising above the rice fields. 

This is a very peaceful and scenic trip

It was drizzling initially, but the weather cleared up rather quickly.

Pay to have a hat of kinds, sunglasses and suntan lotion.

Skillful paddling of the sampan (boat) with legs.

In front of one of the 3 caves

TIPS: For journeys to Hoa Lu Tam Coc even in cloudy days, bring sunscreen and a hat or umbrella. At Tam Coc, a little bit hassle as boat owners try to sell you embroidery or boat vendors ask you buy drinks, take photos. If you really don't like, just say NO firmly. 

Tam Coc known as Halong Bay on land boasting a breathtaking scenery. While Halong Bay features huge rock formations jutting out of the sea, Tam Coc has them jutting out of its rice paddies.

Finished around 3.15pm.

Reached Hanoi 6.30pm.

Had pizza and a local beer for dinner.

Day 4