Hanoi, one of the most interesting cities to visit and discover in the Southeast Asia, is the capital of Vietnam. It is perhaps not possible to wrap visiting all the highlights of this city in a day tour, the following will guide you through one of the most iconic landmarks that Vietnam capital has to offer visitors, Ho Chi Minh Complex.
Ho Chi Minh complex is a compound of several historical sites: The Mausoleum of Uncle Ho, Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts, the one Pillar pagoda. This has been one of the most visited sightseeing spots of Vietnam to both local Vietnamese and foreign visitors annually. In other words, this is truly a Mecca of Vietnam where more than two million people pay visit to this site. To get in to the Mausoleum, you get to queue up in a long line moving slowly for up to 1.5h before you could enter the imposing Mausoleum, along the way near the entrance you may witness the changing guards, the three soldiers parade to the main door and replace the other two men from the pervious shift, they all dress impressively in white uniform. Slowly following the line, you enter the main hall, step on the red carpeted stair you will enter the hall which is almost empty except the glass box covering the body of Ho Chi Minh. There the visitor will walk around the see through glass coffin where Uncle Ho is embalmed. He looks like a sleeping man guarded by the four white uniformed soldiers standing by the four corners of the glass coffin.
After the exit, continue to the House on stilts. At the entrance, there is a ticket station for entry the botanic garden. Right after ticket check, you will see a big yellow building the Presidential Palace. This beautiful maison was built by the French and in the former time, before 1954 it was used to serve as the Head quarter of the French in Indochina. Once Ho Chi Minh was suggested to live in this grand house however, as a simple leader he refused but chose to live in a much more simple house in the back garden. Nowadays, it is used as the Government office where the VIP often being welcome by the Vietnam president. Winding leisurely further in to the garden, on the other side of the pond, there is the house on stilts of Ho Chi Minh shaded by the trees which he grown many years ago when he was alive. The house looks very simple, using timber for columns, walls and floor. There is a large table and chairs underneath which was supposed for meeting and R and R area of Ho Chi Minh next to a glass aquarium with some gold fishes. In the corner of the ground floor, the rusty mental helmet and the old telephones are still seen. It is believed that from here, many important decisions were decided for the war in the South Vietnam. Climbing up on the stair leading to the floor, there are two rooms, one for working and one for sleeping with very simple furniture of a rattan chair, single bed, a radio next to a clock and khaki hat. Also next to the house on other side, there is a hill-alike area which is supposed to hide the secrete bunker system of 8m deep under the ground. This is said to be built in 1965 during the Vietnam War when America severely bombed Hanoi. Stroll around the garden and follow the path, visitors can see some of the old fruit trees of grape fruits, the hibiscuses which were planted by Ho Chi Minh. Go a little further you will visit the Vietnam’s most iconic pagoda, the One Pillar Pagoda, the building sits on a column and the whole structure represents for a Lotus flower erected from a small square lake full of water lilies. Walk around and enjoy the atmosphere scented with burning incent sticks, climb up the stair and you will see a gold plated lady Buddha statute in the shrine.
The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum opens from 7.00 until 11.00 every morning except Friday and Monday, however the House on stilts opens in the afternoon at 1.30PM till 4.30PM. If you only want to visit the House on stilts then you should visit in the afternoon.
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