10 Things to Do in Truc Bach, Hanoi’s Coolest Lakeside Neighbourhood

Looking to escape the chaos of Hanoi’s Old Quarter for an afternoon? Truc Bach is a hidden gem in Hanoi and a must-see. Here’s my guide to Truc Bach Lake and the surrounding neighbourhood – including the very best things to see, do, eat and drink.

The lakeside suburb of Truc Bach (Trúc Bạch) doesn’t enjoy the same reputation as Hanoi’s Old Quarter or even the French Quarter. But it’s on-par in terms of being one of the oldest, most historically significant parts of Vietnam’s capital city.

A separate village until the 17th century, Truc Bach has a similar vibe to the Old Quarter but is much more residential and laid back – and much less touristy.

When I lived in Hanoi, it was one of the few places I could go to find some peace and quiet.

Truc Bach is home to Hanoi’s oldest pagoda, a vibrant market, and a swathe of beautiful temples. Come hungry, because the district has an excellent range of lakeside cafes, restaurants and bars.

This is the best place to try phở cuốn and phở chiên phồng, two specialty dishes that have their roots in Truc Bach. The area even has its own brew, Truc Bach Beer!

If you’re into architecture and street food – and you want to experience a less-touristy side of Hanoi – Truc Bach is a wonderful place to spend an afternoon. Here are all my favourite things to see and do in Truc Bach.

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What and where is Truc Bach?

When people say Truc Bach, they’re usually referring to Truc Bach Lake (Hồ Trúc Bạch), a small body of water sectioned off from Hanoi’s largest lake, West Lake (Tây Hồ).

Part of Ba Đình district, the wider Truc Bach area includes the lake itself, Truc Bach island and the Ngũ Xã ‘Five Communes’, Thanh Nien Road (the narrow land bridge that divides the lakes), plus the streets to the east towards Long Bien Bridge.

Truc Bach is located northwest of the Old Quarter, walking distance from Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and the neighbourhood of Ngoc Ha.

Up until the 17th century, the large West Lake and much smaller Truc Bach Lake were actually the same body of water. The Cổ Ngư dike was built to allow for farmers to raise fish, diving the lake in two. In the 1950s, it was replaced with a highway.

Truc Bach has always been a centre of industry. The southern shore of the lake was traditionally occupied by craftsmen who specialised in bamboo blinds, thus bamboo plants were cultivated here.

Most of the area is residential boasting beautiful shop houses and temples. Some of the architecture is of the same vintage as buildings in the Old Quarter.

Today Truc Bach is very residential with a laid-back vibe.

You might recognise the name ‘Truc Bach’ from your modern history books: Truc Bach Lake was where John McCain crash landed after his plane was shot down over Hanoi in 1967.

A rather macabre concrete monument commemorating the event on Thanh Nien Road is one of many US-Vietnam war memorials dotted around the Truc Bach area.

How to get to Truc Bach

Truc Bach is located roughly 3.5 kilometres northwest of Hanoi Old Quarter. To get there by foot from Hoan Kiem Lake, you can either walk directly north (passing through the Dong Xuan Market), or veer north-west (via the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Ba Dinh Square and Phan Dinh Phung Street).

A Grab moto from Hoan Kiem Lake to Truc Bach costs approximately 35K VND, or slightly more for a taxi.

Phan Dinh Phung is one of my favourite streets in Hanoi. It’s not technically part of Truc Bach, but because of its proximity, I’ve included it in the things to do section below.

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Truc Bach map

Open and save an interactive Google Map of Truc Bach, with locations for all the attractions, restaurants and bars mentioned in this guide.

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Top 10 things to do in Truc Bach

Whenever I had friends or family visit me in Hanoi, I always encouraged them to spend a morning or afternoon walking around Truc Bach. It’s the perfect place to escape the chaos of the Old Quarter and experience a slightly different, much more relaxed side of Hanoi.

Here are my favourite things to do in and around Truc Bach, including the best markets, temples and walking streets.

1. Wander the streets of Truc Bach Island

Tiny Truc Bach island only has a couple of streets. You can walk around the whole islet in under an hour.

The quiet and leafy neighbourhood has a mix of typical Hanoi street scenes (washing hanging out to dry, bicycles propped photogenically up against colourful walls) and trendy bars, including the lovely Lang Thang Coffee & More (the blue building pictured above).

Follow Trấn Vũ street around the perimeter of the island for views of the lake, then duck down the side streets to admire the shophouses, local markets and street food stalls.

2. Soak up Truc Bach cafe culture

For such a small area, Truc Bach has more than its fair share of cute cafes and teahouses.

Tranquil Books & Coffee is accessed via a ‘secret’ staircase on the road behind Cua Bac Church. Seating is set over multiple levels in a very chic, newly renovated shop house. The coffee is fantastic, and they also do ‘spiked’ smoothies which go down rather well on a hot summer’s night. There aren’t many food options apart from the odd cling-wrapped croissant.

The coffee at Bluebird’s Nest is great, but the best thing is the view from the top-floor balcony. The cafe is sequestered inside a suburban block, so you basically look out onto the neighbours’ balconies and walkways. If you prefer to sit indoors, there’s a cosy room downstairs with on-the-floor seating. It’s a popular coworking space for young Vietnamese. Light meals are also available.

3. Walk a lap around Truc Bach Lake

Truc Bach Street wraps around the entire lake and connects to Thanh Nien Road for views of West Lake. I recommend walking around in an anti-clockwise direction.

The quiet roads around the lake are a favourite spot for locals to cycle and stroll on balmy Sunday afternoons. The western side of the island is particularly pleasant because the road is shaded by tall trees. You’ll find more cafes and casual bia hois along the way.

Truc Bach is a natural lake, but it’s not the kind of place you go swimming (unfortunately it’s one of the most polluted bodies of water in the city).

4. Visit Hanoi’s oldest pagoda, Tran Quoc

Located on a small islet in West Lake and accessible via Thanh Nien Road, Tran Quoc Temple (Chùa Trấn Quốc) is Hanoi’s oldest pagoda and the main attraction in this part of town.

Tran Quoc was originally built in the 6th century under Emperor Lý Nam Đế with most of the pagodas we see today having been constructed much later in the 17th century. The image of the temple’s tall spires mirrored in the glassy lake, surrounded by greenery, truly makes this one of the most tranquil spots in the city (when it’s not busy with visitors, that is!).

Tran Quoc is unique among Hanoi temples because it’s rich with Buddhist imagery. Wandering the grounds, you’ll see eight-spoked wheel motifs (a symbol of the Noble Eight-fold Path) and lotus flower imagery symbolising enlightenment.

It’s free to walk around the temple grounds and admire the bodhi trees, the various sanctuaries and shrines with their curling incense sticks. There’s no strict dress code, but I recommend you dress conservatively (covered knees and shoulders for women).

5. Thuy Trung Tien Temple

Just 100 metres from Tran Quoc on the opposite side of the road, Thuy Trung Tien Temple (Đền Thủy Trung Tiên) is located on a tiny piece of land in Truc Bach Lake. An elegant stone bridge links it to the main road and is always decorated with colourful flags.

Formerly known as Cẩu Nhi, the temple is a very popular pilgrimage place during Vietnamese New Year (Tet). Outside of the holiday season it’s almost always empty, promising real tranquility as well as panoramic lake views.

6. Quan Thanh Temple

The last temple on this list (I promise), Quan Thanh (Đền Quán Thánh) is a Taoist temple dating back to the 11th century. It is located at the southwestern end of Truc Bach Lake, a block back from the water’s edge.

An impressive gateway leads to a shady courtyard and a decadent interior. Apparently the French used to refer to this site as ‘Temple of big Buddha’, mistakenly thinking the statue of a general inside the main prayer hall was in fact the Buddha.

Quan Thanh is significant and worth visiting because it is one of Hanoi’s Four Sacred Temples, built in different quadrants to protect the city from evil spirits. Quan Thanh shields Hanoi from the north, while Bach Ma protects the city to the east, Kim Liem guards the south, and Than Linh Lang the west.

7. Try pho cuon, a special Truc Bach street food

One of the main reasons people visit Truc Bach is to eat and drink. There are a few local Truc Bach delicacies you have to try, as well as some solid international dining options and a handful of nice cafes and bars with lake views.

Pho cuon (phở cuốn) is Truc Bach’s signature dish. Roughly translated as ‘noodle roll’, it’s basically a big sheet of white rice noodle (the same kind you see in slivers in your pho soup) rolled with beef, fresh lettuce and herbs.

Like many Vietnamese dishes, it’s fresh with subtle flavours; make liberal use of the nuoc cham dipping sauce. A serving of pho cuon typically consists of 10 rolls and costs around 50K VND.

If pho cuon is the fresh and healthy choice, pho chien phong (phở chiên phồng) is pure indulgence. It’s made by taking those same sheets of white rice noodle, cut into squares, and deep frying them to make delicious, crispy rice puffs. A bed of puffs is served with strips of pork or beef and greens tossed in a thick gravy on top. It’s ridiculously good.

Restaurants specialising in both dishes can be found in the centre of Truc Bach island, at the intersection of Mac Dinh Chi and Nguyen Khac Hieu streets.

The two most popular restaurants are:

Pho Cuon Huong Mai

A no-frills local favourite, Pho Cuon Huong Mai serves both pho cuon and pho chien phong. My Vietnamese work colleagues have brought me here twice – which must mean it’s good. There are two branches located right across the street from each other.

Pho Cuon 31

Just down the road, Pho Cuon 31 is a slightly more up-market pho cuon join, with proper tables and chairs upstairs (although I much prefer sitting downstairs). I like the pho cuon here, but I do hear the ping of the microwave every time I order which makes me a bit suspicious! Generally, I think the pho cuon at Pho Cuon Huong Mai is fresher and tastier.

8. Duck into Chau Long Market

Chau Long Market (Chợ Châu Long) is located at the southern junction where you cross the road to walk onto Truc Bach island. It’s a tightly packed, very local undercover produce market. What I like about this particular marketplace is that everything is set very low.

Women sit behind tiled benches with piles of fresh veg and buckets of fish and eels artfully arranged around them. The tarpaulin ceiling is slung low, which can make the market feel a bit claustrophobic.

9. Watch the sunset on West Lake

Hanoi didn’t get the nickname ‘City of Lakes’ for nothing. There are natural and man-made lakes in almost every neighbourhood – the largest being West Lake. As mentioned, Truc Bach Lake is a small section of West Lake, split from the rest of the lake by Thanh Nien Road.

Before the road was built, a dyke divided Truc Bach Lake, making it a good place to raise fish, the main local industry. It’s still a popular place for fishermen, who congregate around the lake’s edges in the mornings and evenings.

Other popular lakeside activities include eating kem ice cream and paddling a swan boat. Truc Bach is usually thronging on Sunday evenings, when families and young couples congregate on the promenade.

West Lake is one of the best spots in Hanoi to watch the sunset – either local-style from a plastic stool at one of the many bia hois on the lake’s edge, or fancy-style from one of the rooftop bars (see the next section for suggestions).

10. Walk down Phan Dinh Phung, Hanoi’s most beautiful street

Phan Dinh Phung Street (Phố Phan Đình Phùng) runs east to west from the top of Ba Dinh Square all the way to Hang Dau Water Tower. Named after one of Vietnam’s most prominent anti-French revolutionaries, it’s an absolutely gorgeous street, lined with huge, ancient trees that lay a carpet of yellow and orange leaves in autumn.

Photographers flock to this street to take advantage of the dappled light. The expansive footpaths make it one of my favourite walking streets in Hanoi.

As you move along Phan Dinh Phung, you’ll see some fine examples of heritage architecture and French colonial buildings. Most are now crumbling but many are still used as government headquarters. Take note of any signs prohibiting photography, because they do exist.

I recommend walking on the right-hand side of the street as you walk east—the better buildings are on the opposite side and you’ll get a better vantage.

At the eastern end of Phan Dinh Phung there are lots of nice clothing boutiques and cafes.

The recently re-painted Cua Bac Catholic Church (Nhà Thờ Giáo Xứ Cửa Bắc) is located about halfway along the street. Cua Bac Pagoda (Cửa Bắc Thành) is just around the corner and also worth a look in.

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Where to eat & drink in Truc Bach: More restaurants & bars

State-Run Foodshop No. 37

Update: Unfortunately Foodshop No. 37 is permanently closed.

State-Run Foodshop (Cửa Hàng Ăn uống Mậu dịch số 37) is one of my favourite restaurants in Hanoi. The theme is 1970s Communist Hanoi – the era of food stamps and rations – and the whole place is done up retro VC-style. The menu can be a bit hit and miss: it’s old school, so there are some pretty funky proteins on offer.

We’ve found the vegetable dishes are consistently good. You must order the ‘Foodshop fried rice’, a concave dome of crispy rice scraped off the bottom of a pot.

Foodshop 45

One of Truc Bach’s top international offerings, Foodshop 45 (no relation to Foodshop no. 37, although I do wonder who thought of the name first) is another go-to for us in Hanoi. Indian curries and naan breads are made the traditional way – we’ve never had a bad meal here.

We usually get take away, but the waterfront location on Truc Bach Road, north of the island, is delightful.

Chè & kem caramen dessert bars

Truc Bach has a pretty big sweet tooth, and the area is known for its chè (shaved ice and coconut milk desserts) and kem caramen (AKA creme caramel) shops. There are dozens of them on the streets just north of the water tower.

I love the French-style caramel flans at Minci Pudding and the coconut desserts at Kem Caramen Duong Hoa. Most of these dessert bars are modest, hole-in-the-wall style with Vietnamese-only menus. I recommend doing a Google image search before you go and just pointing to what you want.

Bia Hoi U Phao

Nothing beats a good bia hoi, and Bia Hơi Ụ Pháo, at the bottom of Truc Bach Lake, is one of my favourites. The super-crispy pork belly is the best you’ll find in Hanoi.

Standing Bar

With 19 taps, fair to say Standing Bar‘s specialty is craft beer. Despite the name, there is plenty of outdoor seating, including a balcony with lovely lake views. Find it on the northern end of Truc Bach island.

Summit Lounge at the Pan Pacfic Hotel

Located on the 20th floor of the Pan Pacific Hotel, Summit Lounge commands impressive views of Truc Bach, West Lake, and the inner suburbs of Hanoi. Drinks are definitely on the pricier side; light meals are also available.

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Have you ever visited Truc Bach? What is your favourite neighbourhood in Hanoi?

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