Location: West Lake is in Tay Ho District, Hanoi. West Lake
Characteristic: West Lake, also called Ho Tay, is the biggest lake in central Hanoi, covering 500ha. In the past, West Lake used to be part of the Red River. West Lake, a beautiful spot in Hanoi, was once a resort for mandarins and kings.

Many palaces including Thuy Hoa Palace, Ham Nguyen Sanctuary, Tu Hoa Palace, Kim Lien Pagoda, and Ngoc Dam Palace were built on the bank of the lake. The 17km path around the lake leads to Nghi Tam flower village, Tay Ho, Nhat Tan peach garden and Tay Ho Temple, were built in honour of Princess Lieu. Today, many hotels of all sizes surround the lake. Visitors can go sightseeing and enjoy typical dishes, such as Ho Tay shrimp cakes, Ho Tay snail noodles, and Ho Tay fish dishes.