Visiting Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Hanoi, Vietnam

President Ho Chi Minh, or “Uncle Ho” as he is known to the Vietnamese, is the most iconic and popular leader of Vietnam. He led the Viet Minh Independence Movement when they defeated the French ending the First Indochina War. In the West he is most commonly known for his involvement during the Vietnam War when North Vietnam was victorious and united North and South Vietnam. His current resting place is the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi and is one of the most visited attractions in the city.  

Work was started on the mausoleum in September 1973, and was inaugurated in August 1975. Based on Lenin’s Mausoleum in Moscow, it incorporates some traditional Vietnamese architecture into its design. The gardens of the grounds feature a large variety of plants from different regions of Vietnam.

The body of President Ho Chi Minh is embalmed and preserved in the central hall of the mausoleum and is protected by an honour guard of Vietnamese soldiers.

 

Getting into the Mausoleum

When you arrive at the mausoleum the first thing you will notice is the large queue. This is made up mostly of Vietnamese citizens who want to pay their respects to their former leader. There are a lot of school groups in the queue, and many will be eager to take a picture with you.  

Even though the queue is large it moved pretty quickly. We were queuing for just over an hour altogether. When we first joined the queue we were expecting much longer.

On entry into the grounds you will need to deposit your bags and cameras at a security station where you will be given a receipt. On leaving the grounds through a different gate your items will be waiting for you at another station here.

The queue is well organized and you can’t veer off the paths as there are lots of security and barriers around. The only thing you need to be aware of is that you must show respect and courtesy while approaching the mausoleum.   

 

Courtesy and Respect while Queuing and within the Mausoleum

In the queue when you get close to the mausoleum itself you are not supposed to use your phone, stand with your arms folded (or in any other manner which may be seen as disrespectful), or be overly loud whether this is talking loudly or laughing. This is the resting place of the most revered man in Vietnam after all. If you do any of these things you will be told by the soldiers who are patrolling the queue.

We would like to point out here that while the soldiers may seem abrupt, we did meet one of them at a time the mausoleum was not open and he was very friendly and helpful to us. He spoke a little bit of English and explained the opening hours of the mausoleum to us and when the best time to come back was. When on duty they have to maintain a strict persona. But they very polite and friendly when the place is not busy during closed hours.    

 

Inside the Mausoleum

Entering the mausoleum you will be more or less hurried through the central hall. You can’t stop as there are so many people everyone has to keep moving. You will walk around the glass case which holds the body of Ho Chi Minh and back down the steps at the other side. It is all over pretty quickly. But again any delays would cause the whole queue to stop and it wouldn’t move so smoothly.

Exiting the mausoleum, you make your way to the pick up point for your items. Then you can go back inside to walk around the gardens or see some of the other sights on the grounds.

 

What else is on the Grounds

Ho Chi Minh Museum

As well as the mausoleum, there is a museum on the grounds which give the history of Ho Chi Minh.  The entrance fee for this is equivalent to US$0.50 and the opening hours are from 0800 – 1130 and from 1400 – 1630 everyday except Monday and Friday when it is closed. The museum goes through the different stages of Ho Chi Minh’s life and has a collection of artifacts and gifts related to Ho Chi Minh. Guided tours are available on request.

Presidential Palace Hanoi

You can also see the Presidential Palace on the grounds. This large yellow building was intended to be the residence of Ho Chi Minh but he opted for a traditional stilt house instead. In the palace there is a collection of some of the cars Ho Chi Minh used and preservations of his quarters and rooms. Entry into the palace is not allowed as it is still used for political gatherings. The fee to explore the gardens and stilt house is equivalent to US$1.

 

Conclusion

If you are into history and know a little about Vietnam and President Ho Chi Minh, it is a unique opportunity to see his embalmed body in the flesh so to speak. Vietnamese people hold him to a very high regard. To feel the respect they have for him when you are in the queue is incredible. Many of them will also respect you for taking the time to go and visit the man they consider their savour. Don’t be surprised if the kids high five you as you walk past them or want you to take a picture with them. This is all part of the Vietnamese experience.

For anyone visiting Hanoi, and if you have a morning to spare, we would suggest going to the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum and spending it here and then walking around the other attractions on the grounds.   

– Information if you are planning this activity

Cost: Entry is free but for the other sights on the ground you may pay a small fee.
When to do: It’s best to be there early. The opening hours are 0730 – 1030 but are closed on Monday and Friday.
Duration of activity: Approximately 3 hours in total including queuing time.
Things to be aware of: Dress code needs to be suitable, i.e., no shorts or sleeveless tops. Cameras and bags are not allowed. These need to be deposited at a station on the way in and can be collected at a different station on the way out.
Location: For the location in Google Maps please click here.

Our Vietnam Travel Guide

• For our Vietnam Travel Guide with information for people looking to travel to Vietnam please click here.