Bach Thao means “hundreds of plants” and like its name, the park is one of the few green areas in the increasingly industrialized city of Hanoi.
Bach Thao Park or Hanoi Botanical Garden that is located behind Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum has been known as the green lung of the capital for more than 100 years.
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| Hanoi botanical garden (Bach Thao park) is located behind Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum has been known as the green lung of the capital for more than 100 years. This is a small world of opulence with greenery all around which visitors should not miss when visiting Hanoi. (Photo: Exploring Hanoi) |
Established by the French in 1890, the botanical garden stretched over an area of 33ha, and surrounded a number of the French’s villas at that time. Beside indigenous plants, many exotic tropical plants from all over the world were brought here and made up a rainforest right at the heart of the city. The French also grew large grass lawn, built up a hill close by a natural lake, and cages for birds, animals along wandering shady paths to make the scenery more beautiful.
Many years later, Bach Thao Park was narrowed to make room for construction of historical complex of Ba Dinh. Birds and animals were taken to Thu Le Zoo (Hanoi), Sai Gon Zoo and Botanical Garden (Ho Chi Minh City). Now, the botanical garden with an area of over 10 ha is favorite place for relaxation of many Hanoians.
Bach Thao is home to numerous kinds of trees that are typical for tropical rainforest like: coconut, palm, orchid, or banyan tree… Two thirds are indigenous plants, and the left are imported from other tropical regions of Africa, America and Oceania. There are old big trees that take two or three people to hug around. Here is good place for any one who is interested in botany, or looking for some nature in the city.
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| The garden consists of various hundred-year-old trees/ Photo: VRS |
As a complex of garden, hill and lake, the botanical garden is where people come to rest under the trees, take a walk around the lake, or watch pigeons on the islet. There is a small bridge connecting the land and the islet in the lake where pigeons are raised. The bridge and the hill are popular among the locals as nice places for taking wedding photos. Visiting Bach Thao Park in autumn, the wedding season, tourists easily catch the sight of bride and groom posing in front of camera. Sometimes, there are up to four or five couples taking photos at the same time in the park and attracting attention of many people around. In normal day, there are a lot of local people come here for morning or late afternoon exercise, playing chess in leisure time or just relaxing after a hard workday. Tourists can visit the park to know more about the locals’ lifestyle and enjoin the peace with them.
A peaceful and green oasis in the heart of Hanoi
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| Bach Thao botanical garden in Hanoi was built by French in 1890/ Photo: VRS |
As the old books recorded, the spacious park was used to be located in the area of Khan Xuan ward, Thang Long imperial citadel – present-day Hanoi.
In 1890, the French colonial government seized the land to build a botanical garden to plant trees, raise animals and name it an herb garden, but old people seemed familiar with the names of “the Flower Farm” or the “Zoo Garden”.
Due to the harsh time of the Second World War (1939-1945), most of the animals at the zoo couldn’t survive without cares. Then, the French colonialists moved the rest of the animals to the Saigon Zoo, and let the trees grow wildly in the premises of Bach Thao botanical garden.
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| Now, the botanical garden with an area of over 10 ha is favorite place for relaxation of many Hanoians. (Photo: Explore Hanoi) |
After the capital’s liberation day on October 10, 1954, the revolutionary government renovated and renamed it Bach Thao Park. In the northwest corner of the park there is a high mound where many trees were planted here, so it was called Nung mount. On the top of the mountain, there is an old temple worshiping Huyen Thien Hac De, a youth who helped the Ly dynasty fight against the foreign invader.
Nowadays, Hanoi Botanical Garden has long become a popular spot for Hanoians to escape the bustling atmosphere of the city.
Bach Thao Park or Hanoi Botanical Garden means “hundreds of plants” and like its name, the park is one of the few green areas in the increasingly industrialized city of Hanoi housing a rich variety of flora.
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. Initially, the garden had an area of over 33 hectares, surrounded a number of French palaces and villas.
Many years later, Bach Thao Park was narrowed to make room for construction of the historical complex of Ba Dinh Square. Birds and animals were taken to Thu Le Zoo (Hanoi), Sai Gon Zoo and Botanical Garden (Ho Chi Minh City). Now, the botanical garden with an area of over 10 hectares, is the favorite place for numerous Hanoians.
Currently, the park is the place where nature lovers are immersed in the greenery of the forest, with ancient trees that witnessed many events in the history of the capital.
Hanoi Botanical Garden is home to numerous species of trees that are typical for tropical rainforest, such as coconut, palm, orchid, or banyan tree, among others. Two thirds of them are indigenous plants, and many of them were imported from other tropical regions including Africa, America and Oceania. Some old big trees take two or three people to hug around.
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| As a complex of garden, hill and lake, the botanical garden is where people come to rest under the trees, take a walk around the lake, or watch pigeons on the islet. (Photo: Explore Hanoi) |
With a cool green space, diversified vegetation, local people and visitors to Hanoi come to the park to find a fresh space, purifying the noisy life. Some foreign visitors to the park said that it is really nice to be away from the crazy traffic and noise, and enjoy the peaceful air inside this garden. There are some beautiful sculptures next to the main entrance, lakes with working fountain in the middle as well as giant trees that they have the opportunity to take photos.
In normal days, a lot of local people come here for morning or late afternoon exercise, playing chess in leisure time or just relaxing after a hard workday. Tourists can visit the park to know more about the locals’ lifestyle and enjoy the peace with them.
How to get there
Located behind Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and close by West Lake, it just takes one less than 5 minutes to visit the botanical garden from Sword Lake or Hanoi Old Quarter by taxi, and very few minutes to walk from West Lake.
If one wants to drive motorbike from Sword Lake to Back Thao Park, just remember to go along Hang Dao, Hang Ngang Street; then turn left at Hang Dau Street and keep straight along Quan Thanh Street; finally turn left and keep going on Hoang Hoa Tham Street till you see Bach Thao Park/ Hanoi Botanical Garden on the left hand side.
Bach Thao means “hundreds of plants” and like its name, the park is one of the few green areas in the increasingly industrialized city of Hanoi. The park lies behind Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, hidden in a quiet alley. Inside the park, one can find a large variety of trees and herbs not only from Vietnam but also Australia, Africa and Oceania. Closer to the end of the year, one can find many newlyweds taking their wedding photos at the park, at the beautiful rose garden or the little island across the bridge. Bach Thao Park can make a good picnic location for your trip to the Ho Chi Minh Complex.
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| In normal day, there are a lot of local people come here for morning or late afternoon exercise, playing chess in leisure time or just relaxing after a hard workday. (Photo: Explore Hanoi) |
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| Hanoi Botanical Garden is a small world with greenery all around and has the perfect natural surroundings to go for relaxation, especially, enjoy locals’ lifestyle and peaceful ambience of Hanoi. (Photo: Explore Hanoi) |
