Hoan Kiem lake has its name because of a legend

One of the most famous destinations that you should visit in Hanoi is Hoan Kiem lake. For the day before joining our Vietnam motorbike tours, you should spend your time on walking there to enjoy the peaceful life of Hanoi. Are you curious about the name of the lake? It has its name because of a legend. According to legend, Hoan Kiem Lake is where Le Loi returned his magic sword to the Golden Turtle.

Le Loi, the youngest of three sons of an aristocratic nobleman in Lam Son, Thanh Hoa province is one of Vietnam’s greatest heroes. He became a landowner and an administrator in the area of his birth. During the time around 1407, Vietnam was dominated by the Ming Chinese and Le Loi pledged to free his country from Chinese rule after he personally witnessed the destruction of a Vietnamese village by a Ming military force.

During the war against the Minh aggressors, Le Loi was given a precious fairy Sword by the Golden Turtle God. With this sword, he finally defeated the Chinese and reclaimed the nation’s independence after 10 years of struggling. On a nice day, while boating on lake Luc Thuy, a large turtle came towards him and grabbed the sword with its mouth and submerged. The king tried to find out the turtle and the sword also but could not find either the turtle or the sword. He realized that the God must have lent him the sword to drive back the enemy, but then that his nation was free, the sword must be returned. Hence, King Le Thai To named the lake Ho Hoan Kiem or Lake of the Restore Sword after this episode.

Hoan Kiem Lake is considered one of the first things to see in Hanoi when one arrives in this bustling capital city. You can discover a lot of relics around the lake. And during the days on our Vietnam Motorcycle Tours, you can share your feeling with us about the lake.