Hoa Lo Prison Relic

Hoa Lo Prison is one of the most affecting places to visit in Hanoi. The French colonial authorities built it at the end of the nineteenth century as the Maison Centrale, and for decades it held Vietnamese political prisoners, many of them leading figures of the independence movement, in crowded, brutal conditions. During the war with the United States it held captured American pilots, who gave it the ironic name Hanoi Hilton; among them was the future senator John McCain. Most of the original prison was demolished in the 1990s to make way for a tower, but the surviving gatehouse and a block of cells were preserved as a museum. Inside you walk through the dark communal cells with their leg shackles, the solitary confinement cells, a guillotine used by the colonial regime, and displays on escapes and on the prisoners who later led the country. A smaller section covers the American prisoners. The museum tells the story firmly from the Vietnamese point of view, which is itself part of the experience. It sits just south of Hoan Kiem Lake, so it is easy to combine with the Old Quarter or the French Quarter.

How it works: the entrance is at 1 Hoa Lo Street, in Hoan Kiem district, a walk of fifteen to twenty minutes from the lake. The prison relic opens every day from 8:00 to 17:00, including festivals and holidays. Tickets cost a small fee at the gate, with half-price entry for students and free entry for children under sixteen. An audio guide is available and is well worth taking, since it adds many of the personal stories behind the displays.

What to expect: the visit follows a clear route through about a dozen rooms and courtyards. The life-size figures of shackled prisoners in the communal cells and the sound effects in the dark corridors are intense, and some scenes may upset younger children. The section on the American pilots is presented quite differently, with photos of sports and holiday meals, and many visitors find the contrast thought-provoking. Expect to spend an hour to ninety minutes.

Making the most of it: go in the morning or late afternoon, when tour groups thin out. Take the audio guide, read the panels on the escape through the sewers, and leave time for the memorial room at the end. The relic also runs evening programmes on some nights that recreate prison life with actors; check the official site for dates if you want something more theatrical.