Hoa Lo Prison

Hoa Lo Prison is located at address 1 Hoa Lo Street, Hanoi. Prison was named  after the street where wood and coal stoves were sold, “Hoa” means fire when “Lo” means stove. It was built in 1896 by French colonists to capture Vietnamese patriots, revolutionaries, and political prisoners.

The prison was surrounded by a 4-meter-tall fortified stone wall with a high voltage system to prevent prisoners from escaping. It had several buildings, including a guardhouse, hospital, and workshops for making iron, textiles, and leather products. The prison had a complex system of corridors and iron gates to prevent prisoners from escaping. It is now recognized as a historical monument and a "red address" for spreading patriotism and revolution education.

Hoa Lo prison is located just outside Hanoi Old Quarter, and you can combine it with a visit to the area. It's an 8-minute walk from Saint Joseph Cathedral, and you can also visit the Vietnamese Women's Museum nearby. The route is 3 to 4.5 km walking, but you can take a taxi or rent a cyclo for half a day if it's too far.

Hours

8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Price

30000 - 500000 VND

Budget 10 $ - 20 $

Address 1 Hoa Lo Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi

Hours and Fees

How to get there

• Taxi - a convenient option for those who prefer to travel comfortably and quickly. It may cost around VND 30,000 to VND 50,000 depending on the distance and time of day.

• Public bus - a cheaper option for budget travelers. Available bus lines are 02, 09, and 23 with a fare of around VND 15,000 per person.

• Motorbike - a popular means of transportation in Hanoi. It takes around 15 minutes (5 km) from Hoan Kiem Lake to Hoa Lo Prison. You can rent a motorbike or use ride-hailing services like Grab.

• Bicycle - a fun and eco-friendly way to explore the city. There are many rental shops in the Old Quarter area.

• Double decker bus - a sightseeing bus service that stops at various tourist attractions in Hanoi. Hoa Lo Prison is one of the stops on the route.

Places to Visit Inside Hoa Lo Prison

The Guillotine Execution Site

The towering guillotine stands over 15 feet tall, with its razor sharp angled blade glinting menacingly. Blood of over 500 Vietnamese martyrs stains this instrument of colonial brutality. Visitors are overwhelmed imagining final terrified moments of patriots forced to kneel, their heads secured in the wooden lunette before the swift fall of the knife. Stand and reflect on their ultimate sacrifice.

The Lightless Dungeons

Descend the worn stone steps to the underground solitary cells, aptly named "Hell's Hell" by inmates. Squint in the darkness to glimpse faded scratches on walls counting days and months as prisoners begged for release from claustrophobic confinement and sensory deprivation that broke men's sanity. Feel the ghosts of shackled skeletons.

Macabre Artifacts Museum

Gaze through glass at the wide array of implements used to dehumanize political detainees. Rusty medieval shackles rubbed skin raw. A blood-caked leather whip hanging alongside wicked spikes designed to tear flesh from bone. Next to faded cotton uniforms, a bowl and pair of carved bamboo chopsticks recalls meals insects outnumbered rice kernels. Prominently displayed, Vice President McCain's flight suit honors mistreatment he refused to yield to even after his limbs were broken.

Legacy Banyan Tree

Beneath sprawling limbs and exposed roots, contemplate this tree nourished for decades by freedom fighters utilizing nature’s bounty to promote health despite facing daily torment at their captor's hands. Pluck a fig to taste solidarity. Carve initials into the bark where hundreds have memorialized the struggle to triumph over evil witnessed within these walls.

Day Tours at Hoa Lo Prison Memorial Site

• Ticket price: 30,000 VND per person

• Audio guides available to rent for 50,000 VND; includes commentary and stories from former prisoners

• Visitors are guided through various areas of the prison, including the formidable dungeons

• Artifacts like prisoner clothing and eating utensils are on display, along with informational signs providing historical context

• The exhibits and audio accounts provide a haunting, evocative experience.

Night Tours of Hoa Lo Prison Relic

• “Sacred Night” themed tours offered 3 evenings per week, advance booking required due to limited space

• Strict rules around dress code, movement, and discipline that visitors must adhere to

• At each tour stop, guides share insightful information about the harsh realities experienced by political detainees

• Visitors can role play as prisoners for an immersive experience

• Tours conclude with complimentary refreshments like banyan leaf cakes and tea

• Memorable moments are captured in photos for visitors to take home

Local Tips

Visitors to Hoa Lo Prison should follow safety guidelines, deposit luggage in designated areas, not touch or move objects, and only burn incense in the memorial area. Although no longer in use, the prison offers insight into the patriotism of former inmates and its unique structure.

Through compelling tours by daylight and candlelight, Hoa Lo Prison stands as a poignant memorial enshrining the memory of Vietnamese dissidents who suffered immensely within these walls yet persevered with remarkable integrity. By engaging visitors to reflect upon their sacrifice and undefeated dignity, this living relic sounds an ever-relevant call to carry forth their passionate fight for freedom's light against injustice's lingering shadow.