About Hoan Kiem Lake
Before the shop windows and the horns, follow the shore of Hoan Kiem. The gardens welcome walkers and people exercising, while Turtle Tower stands alone in the water. The legend of the returned sword gives the lake its name; the tower, however, is something you admire from the shore.
Go for an early walk, with breaks on the benches, and save Ngoc Son for a visit of its own. The red bridge appears on the north side: it leads to the temple, not to the tower.
