Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square near Hoan Kiem Lake might look simple but in fact, it holds significant historical values to the people of Hanoi in particular and Vietnamese people in general.

Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square, located next to Hoan Kiem Lake - a famous landmark of Hanoi, is a place that many tourists will pass by frequently during their Hanoi travel journey. This square has seen many ups and downs of the city and is now a venue for several significant cultural events in Hanoi.

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1. Where is Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square?

Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square is situated to the northeast of Hoan Kiem Lake, facing the Ham Ca Map Building. The square is also the intersection of 5 famous streets of the capital city: Le Thai To, Hang Dao, Hang Gai, Dinh Tien Hoang, and Cau Go.

This square is a favorite gathering place of young people in Hanoi, especially during weekends, when it becomes a part of the walking street. Thanks to its prime location, Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square is also the familiar venue for the New Year Countdown and other significant cultural events of the city and country. It is one of the best places to chill out in Hanoi at night.

2. The history of Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square

The area around Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square used to be heath planted with coconut trees near Hoan Kiem Lake. Later, when the French colonialists invaded Vietnam, the square was renamed Place Négrier. The colonialists highly appreciated the location of this square and considered it the center of Hanoi at that time.

In 1907, a number of typical patriotic scholars, such as Luong Van Can and Nguyen Van Vinh, opened a private school named Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc (meaning Thang Long School of Righteousness). This school mainly teaches the Vietnamese language for free to students during the French colonial period. It later became the gathering place of patriotic and anti-French scholars in Hanoi and surrounding areas. To honor this school, in 1945, Mayor Tran Van Lai renamed the square to "Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc" as it is today.

3. Things to do in Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square

It is no exaggeration to say Hoan Kiem Lake is the heart of Hanoi and Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square is the vein to this heart. It is one of the top places to visit in Hanoi Vietnam.

3.1. Take part in many fantastic events

Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square has now become a part of Hanoi walking street and is often crowded with both locals and tourists. Not only being a famous check-in spot, the square is also the venue for many major events of Hanoi, such as the New Year Countdown, Lunar New Year Countdown, and several ecstatic festivals and music events. This is an ideal place if you seek a spot to enjoy Hanoi Vietnam nightlife.

Tourists can also participate in interesting Vietnamese traditional games at Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square during weekends. It will be so much fun to stroll around the lake and try the traditional games here, such as tug of war, Mandarin square capturing, bamboo jacks, etc. It is considered a must-try experience that travelers, especially kids, should not miss out on when visiting the walking street.

3.2. Enjoy mouthwatering street foods

To enjoy scrumptious Hanoi street food when visiting Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square and the nearby Old Quarter is one of the top things to do in Hanoi. Hanoi is reputably home to a wide variety of appetizing street food and drinks.

From the square, you can explore all the nooks and crannies of the surrounding streets to try Hanoi street cuisine. Some must-tries for this food tour are “nom bo kho” (papaya salad with dried beef), “nem ran” (spring roll), “thit xien nuong” (pork barbeque on a stick), egg coffee, to name a few. These local dishes will undoubtedly amaze your taste buds.

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4. How to get to Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square?

This famous Hanoi square is situated close to Hoan Kiem Lake, so it is very easy to reach. Depending on where you are staying, you can choose a suitable means of transportation to get to Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square, such as a public bus, motorbike, or car.

Regarding public buses in Hanoi, you can take bus routes no: 04, 08, 09, 11, 14, 18, 23, 3, 36, and 40 to get to the square. In case you choose to ride your own motorbike, find the shortest way to get to Hoan Kiem Lake or Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square on Google Maps. Of course, you can also opt for ride hailing applications to get here without having to search for the way.

A trip to Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square will not mean just walking around this place but also involve visiting many famous tourist attractions nearby, such as Hoan Kiem Lake, St. Joseph's Cathedral, Ngoc Son Temple, Hanoi Old Quarter, Hanoi Opera House, etc. This is the perfect itinerary for an Old Quarter tour.

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Besides the culture-rich capital city, Vietnam also has many other appealing destinations, such as Phu Quoc, Nha Trang, Hoi An, to name a few. It would be a waste if your Vietnam tour missed out on these places. It is hence exceptionally important to have in-depth research on where to visit as well as where to stay during your Vietnam journey. If you are struggling to find a good place to stay, consider Vinpearl, a leading brand of accommodation with top-class services in Vietnam. It is present in almost every destination mentioned above.

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As part of Hanoi Walking Street, Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square is a must-stop for any Hanoi tour. Having witnessed the ups and downs of the city ever since its first days, this place also holds significant values to the locals. Hopefully, this article can provide you with a quick insight so that your upcoming visit will be better planned!

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