Nothing is more romantic than walking hand in hand with your loved one and watching the street life. In honor of Valentine’s Day, we’re sharing the list of the most romantic streets we could find in (chaotic) Hanoi.
Slowly walking on the streets, listening to the sound of dry leaves falling in the wind, watching sunrise and sunset with your beloved one or friends or capturing some amazing shots... Sound idyllic? You might not know it but there are some places like that in Hanoi that allow you to do all those things. For some tips on how to make your city break or Vietnam trip special, let's check our pick of favorite places in the city to steal away to with your beau or belle.
1. Phan Dinh Phung Street
Phan Dinh Phung Street is famous for two rows of dracontomelon trees along on a pavement. Being the most romantic road in Hanoi, Phan Dinh Phung road attracts many tourists to visit. They can not only admire the historical buildings such as Imperial Citadel Of Thang Long, the old French Villa, etc. but also are immersed in a truly green and yellow space. About 1.5 km in lengths, Phan Dinh Phung stretches from Mai Xuan Thuong Street to Hang Cot Street. This is the road which has one of the widest sidewalks in Hanoi. Dracontomelon leaf fall season brings many beautiful nostalgic feelings about the school years.
Wandering the street, you can encounter the street hawker selling seasonal flowers. The cherry blossoms signal the spring, lilies represent for the beginning of April, lotuses remind to the summer, yellow daisies when the autumn comes and chrysanthemum robins symbolize winter.
2. Kim Ma Street
Kim Ma Street with the length about 2570m starts from Nguyen Thai Hoc Street and runs along To Lich River. Two sides of this street are extremely ideal for wedding photography with rivers and parallel large marshes.
Recently, Kim Ma road named as one of the most beautiful roads in Hanoi attracted a lot of people coming to take pictures, especially to couples wanting romantic wedding photographs. Rows of perennial plants are arranged evenly in the roadside, in the middle of the road is paved in red brick. Therefore, the image of Kim Ma Road is commented as beautiful as many love roads in Korean or Japanese film.
At the transition between autumn and wintertime is the most beautiful moment of Kim Ma Street. The leaves begin to turn yellow and fall off, creating a layer of the yellow leaf as carpet. This “Love Road” is suitable to take wedding photos in late autumn to winter. Couples can also take pictures on holidays such as Christmas, Valentine... These are the moments it becomes more sparkling, twinkling with many bright lights decorated on the tree along the road.
3. Thanh Nien Road
Thanh Nien Road has long become the meeting point of the couples to watch the sunset beside the windy lake. It is considered as one of the most beautiful and cleanest roads in the capital city with spacious roadway and rows of green trees on two sides of the pavement. Seen from above, Thanh Nien Road looks like a bridge covered green trees.
Situated between West Lake and Truc Bach Lake, Thanh Nien Road used to be a dam embanked in the early 17th century to keep fishes in Truc Bach Lake. Initially, its name was “Co Ngu” which is meaning holding tightly. It is nearly 1km, starts from Yen Phu slope to the Quan Thanh – Thuy Khue cross-road. From 1957 – 1959, after the contribution of the youth to build Co Ngu and many other larger and more beautiful buildings, President Ho Chi Minh suggested renaming Co Ngu to Thanh Nien to promote the contribution and efforts of the young generation. (Thanh Nien means the youth).
If it's nice out, consider heading up to the West Lake. Its endlessly beauty is one of Hanoi's most iconic features. Duck paddle boat on West Lake is a favorite entertaining service for couples having a chance to try after walking and feeling the romantic atmosphere on Thanh Nien Road.
In hot summer evenings, there are many summer-houses and café on the sidewalk for the ones who want to cool hot temperature. Students and the young usually gather there to enjoy fresh cool drinks and sharing their interesting stories happened in a day. In the cold winter days, the tea houses and café are even more crowded and full of people coming to enjoy cups of hot tea or espresso.
4. Hoan Kiem Lakeshore
Not a street but Hoan Kiem Lakeshore is also a nice place to take a stroll around. Legendary Hoan Kiem Lake with the Turtle Tower and red color reflected by the lake’s water of Huc Bridge has always been an iconic image of Hanoi. The lakeshore is a very familiar place for anyone living in Hanoi. When someone talking about "bờ hồ" (lakeshore), you can understand it was the Hoan Kiem Lakeshore. A walk-in Hoan Kiem Lake will open you to myriads of interesting sights and the locals’ way of living. It will be a precious experience if you wake up early and head to Hoan Kiem Lake, not only to enjoy fresh air but also to see Hanoian doing aerobic or taichi. The path running around the lake is also a place for a citizen to gather to watch fireworks on the great festivals of the nation.
This article is not only for couples or newlyweds. It is for all who love romantic walks. Whether you want to undertake this alone, with a good friend of yours or with your special someone, that is totally up to you. And final advice for the gentlemen – to create the perfect atmosphere, buy your lady a flower! In Vietnam in general and in Hanoi specifically, flowers are not expensive at all, and it will definitely impress every woman! Let those moments in Hanoi be unforgettable!