Botanical garden

Located in the northwest of Hanoi, in Ngoc Ha ward, Ba Dinh district, the park was established by the French more than 100 years ago. Originally, the garden covered an area of more than 33 hectares, surrounding a number of French residences and villas. Visitors can enter this green 'mini-forest in the heart of Hanoi' by two entrances, a side gate at the beginning of Hoang Hoa Tham street and the main gate in the middle of Ngoc Ha street.

According to ancient history books, the spacious park used to be in the territory of Khan Xuan ward, the ancient Thang Long citadel. In 1890, the French colonial government seized land to build a botanical garden to plant trees, raise livestock and name it herb garden, but the old people seem to be used to calling it "Flower Camp" or "Zoo Garden".

Besides the native plants, many exotic tropical plants from all over the world have been brought here and form a rainforest in the heart of the city. The French also planted large lawns, built hills by natural lakes, and caged birds and other animals along the shady paths to adorn the scenery.

Due to the rigors of the Second World War (1939-1945), most animals at the zoo could not survive without good care, so the French colonialists transferred the remaining animals to the zoo. Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden, let plants grow wild in the campus of the Botanical Garden.

After the liberation of the capital on October 10, 1954, the revolutionary government renovated and renamed the Botanical Park. In the northwest corner of the park, there is a high mound, where many trees are planted, so it is called Nung mountain. On the top of the mountain, there is an ancient temple to worship Huyen Thien Hac De, who had merits to help the Ly dynasty fight foreign invaders.

Many years later, Bach Thao Park was narrowed to give way to the construction of a historical complex of Ba Dinh Square. The remaining birds and animals after 1945 were brought to Thu Le Zoo and Botanical Garden (Hanoi), Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden (Ho Chi Minh City).

Hanoi Botanical Garden is home to many species of trees typical for tropical forests such as coconuts, palms, orchids, banyan trees and other trees. Two-thirds of them are native plants, and many of them are imported from other tropical regions including Africa, the Americas, and Oceania. There are many old trees big enough for two or three people to hug.

Today, Hanoi Botanical Garden has become a familiar place for Hanoians to escape the bustling atmosphere of the city. Botanical Park or Hanoi Botanical Garden means "hundred species of plants" and like its name suggests, the park is one of the few green patches with a wide variety of plants that exist in the heart of the city. more industrialized.

With green space, diverse vegetation, locals and tourists come to Hanoi to find a fresh space, purifying the noisy life. Some foreign tourists also come to the park to relax. It's great to be away from the noisy traffic and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere inside this garden. There are some beautiful sculptures beside the main entrance, the lake with its fountain in the middle as well as the huge old trees are the attractions of the botanical garden.

Currently, the park is a place where nature lovers can immerse themselves in the green space of the forest, with ancient trees that have witnessed many events in the history of the capital. On normal days, a lot of locals come here to exercise in the morning or late afternoon, play chess in their spare time or just to relax after a tiring day at work. Tourists can visit the park to know more about the lifestyle of the locals and enjoy the peace with them.

Opening hours: daily, from 05:00 to 22:00

Fare:

Adults: 15,000 VND/pax

Children: 5,000 VND/pax