Place · Hoàn Kiếm Lake & French Quarter
Hỏa Lò Prison MemorialDi tích Nhà tù Hỏa Lò
The prison museum from the French colonial era to the war: an hour indoors, a good midday heat bailout; heavy subject matter.
Key facts
- Time on site
- 50–70 min
- p95 90 min
- Price
- about ₫50,000 (≈ US$2)
- bring cash
- Hours
- 08:00–17:008:00 AM–5:00 PM
- typical, check
- Best time
- unknown
- 28″ bags
- Painful
- Hoàn Kiếm Lake & French Quarter: painful
- Getting there
- Hỏa Lò street, 10 min south-west of the lake
- Indoor: a midday heat bailout
- Heavy subject matter
- Bring cash
- Mostly indoors
Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.
Rules in force · 9Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore…Old Quarter pavements are blocked by parked motorbikes an…
- Southeast Asia ↗Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Brunei and Myanmar; never carry a bag or parcel for anyone.
- Southeast Asia ↗Carry a passport valid for at least six months from entry with two blank pages; airlines refuse boarding on less.
- Vietnam ↗Apply for the e-visa only on the official government portal; lookalike sites charge extra.
- Vietnam ↗Crossing streets: walk slowly and steadily; motorbikes flow around you — do not stop or run.
- Vietnam ↗Carry Vietnamese đồng in small notes; many stalls and taxis are cash-only.
- North Vietnam ↗Dec–Feb in the north is cool and damp (10–18°C): pack a warm layer.
- North Vietnam ↗Sa Pa and Hà Giang can drop near freezing in December–January and fog in for days; keep a spare night and do not plan a single-day summit.
- Hanoi ↗Old Quarter pavements are blocked by parked motorbikes and stalls: large suitcases go from the car to the door, never on a walk.
- Hanoi ↗Around Hoàn Kiếm Lake, streets close to cars on Friday–Sunday evenings; taxis drop you at the edge.
Map & directions
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Plan
Open now, what it costs, what to know, how long it takes
Go now?
hours and prices: check on the day- Open
- Usually 08:00–17:00Usually 8:00 AM–5:00 PM
- Crowds
- MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
Quietest Mon–Fri · busiest Sat, Sun · desk estimate
- Tickets
- Adult: about ₫50,000 (≈ US$2) (2026 estimate)
check (reduced rate for children)
- Time to spend
- 50–70 min · up to 90 min if you linger
Weather here, next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Time on site
Minimum
40min
Worthwhile
50min
Typical
70min
p95
90min
Not printed until verified.
Tickets & entry
- Where to buy
- Buy at the entrance on the day.
- Buy from the official site or the ticket desk; resellers add a fee for the same ticket.
- Bring cash; cards may not be taken (check).
- Free days
Free entry days in Hanoi (pick Hanoi in the tool; check)
- Photos
- Allowed, no flash in the dark cells.
- What's closed
- WeeklyOpen daily; hours on the board.
- TếtcheckShort closure possible on the first days.
“Check” dates move year to year: confirm on the official page for your date.
| Ticket | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Adult entry | about ₫50,000 (≈ US$2) (2026 estimate) | Audio guide extra (about ₫50,000–100,000 (≈ US$2–4), check). |
| Evening tour | separate ticket (check) | Runs on some evenings only; book through the official channel. |
On the ground
Getting in, crowds, and where to go if it does not work
Getting in
- Stop
- Hỏa Lò street, 10 min south-west of the lake
- Exit
- —
- Ticket
- on site · official site · bring cash
- Stairs
- none of note
- Shoes
- Shoes on.
Crowds and switching
- Crowd clock
- Tour groups mid-morning.
- Sensory load
- 3/5
- Exposure
- low
Bailouts
fatigue
Café on Hàng Bài (field-verify)
Nearest rescue anchor: H — Lý Thường Kiệt south-west (convenience store, field-verify)
Step-free check
- Step-free entrance: partly · partlyGround floor mostly flat; small steps between blocks.
- Lifts: no · no
- Accessible toilet: check · check
- Wheelchair: partly · partly
Ground floor mostly flat with small steps between the blocks.
Combine with
- 10 minSt Joseph's Cathedral
- 12 minHoàn Kiếm Lake (south end)
- 12 minTràng Tiền Plaza (AC, toilets)
Walk the Hoàn Kiếm Lake & French Quarter area · the cluster page has the walking order, rescue stops and after-dark notes
More on the groundRules on site · With kids
Rules on site
- tone
- A memorial: keep voices low in the cell blocks.
With kids
- with kids
- Life-size shackled figures and a guillotine: preview it for under-10s.
- child price
- check (reduced rate for children)
Deep dive
Questions, what is nearby, photos and sources
Questions and answers
How long does a visit take?
About an hour. The audio guide adds 20–30 minutes.
Checked 2026-09-28 · Voykit desk
Is it suitable for children?
Older children with an adult; some displays of cells and a guillotine are graphic.
Checked 2026-09-28 · Voykit desk
Nearby
Straight-line distance; walk time adds 30% for streets.
Sources
- officialHanoi Department of Tourism