The aftertaste is too strong; I played from day to night by the Return Sword Lake

When it comes to must-visit places in Hanoi, everyone will definitely think of Return Sword Lake first. There are countless lakes in Hanoi, but Return Sword Lake stands out not only because of its profound historical heritage but also because of its joyful atmosphere from day to night, which really can infect everyone. The earliest Return Sword Lake was actually just a branch of the Er River, which later became a lake due to the siltation of the waterways to the north and east. During the Li and Chen dynasties, it was called Green Water Lake, and later it was renamed Navy Lake because it was used as a place for training and reviewing the naval forces. Later, it was said that the Vietnamese monarch Lê Lợi received and returned a sword here, and the lake was finally renamed Return Sword Lake. At first glance, Return Sword Lake doesn't seem very special, with its narrow and oval surface, you can see the end at a glance. Fortunately, the lake water is still clear, revealing a simple texture. Walking along Return Sword Lake is quite pleasant, even if it takes only a few dozen minutes to walk around. The trees around the lake are lush and elegant, and in the bustling Hanoi, it is a rare place of comfort. There are two landscapes in Return Sword Lake that are most eye-catching, one is the Jade Mountain Temple on Jade Mountain Island on the north side, and the other is the Turtle Tower on Turtle Hill Island on the south side. I have already made a separate post about Jade Mountain Temple, and although you can't get close to the Turtle Tower on the island in the lake, you can see it from a distance—Turtle Tower is a multi-layered spire with four corners, combining European architectural style, with two layers of Gothic curtains on the lower level, but the arched roof retains the traditional Vietnamese architectural style. Under the mutual influence of the two architectural styles, Turtle Tower has a unique and chic beauty, and many times it is regarded as a spiritual symbol of the people of Hanoi and even the Vietnamese. As the night deepens, Return Sword Lake after the lights are up is completely another look. If Return Sword Lake during the day is still a place for leisurely walks, Return Sword Lake at night is completely a huge stage, with different street performers occupying every corner of the lake, from traditional songs to fashionable fast dances, from model catwalks to playful entertainment, the sleepless Return Sword Lake is busier than during the day, with a dazzling feeling. And for tourists, there is one place not to be missed at night at Return Sword Lake, and that is the water puppet show. The Thăng Long Water Puppet Theatre next to Return Sword Lake has performances almost every night, but it is best to buy tickets in advance, as it is not easy to buy them on the day. Water puppetry is the most characteristic traditional folk stage play in Vietnam, and it is also a unique puppet show in the world. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that the puppet show is performed on the surface of the pool; the performers must soak in the water for a long time, using their strong arm strength and skilled rope control skills to make the puppets vividly perform various legendary stories. The whole performance is quite interesting, although it is a bit simple, the strong local flavor is very touching, and it performs the traditional farming, fishing, and even the legend of Return Sword Lake. The various sounds under the performance of traditional instruments also give a feeling of being there. The only thing to complain about is the performance introduction booklet, although there is Chinese, it feels like the Chinese is just perfunctory, except for the title in Chinese, the introduction part is still in English. In contrast, the Japanese version of the introduction is very neat and all translated, and the layout and everything looks better. 🏞️Name | Return Sword Lake 🎫Ticket | Free ⛳Address | Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội