West lake is ok to visit love to walk around lakes and parks when I travel to other cities you can get a sense of local life. For me it was ok if staying in area then most certainly go over and walk around the lake or part of it. If staying in old quarter don’t think it’s that special to go and see. Temple and pagoda is a nice touch for lake and it’s fairly dirty and smelly bit that goes for most lakes on Hanoi.

Our tour company arranged for us to rent bikes to ride around the 17 km perimeter of West Lake. It was a fun experience, and there are a few temples and statues to stop and see along the way. Warning: you are on regular traffic rounds with all kinds of vehicles. Because of this, the experience was more dangerous than I expected. But we had decent bikes with good gear shifting and we enjoyed the afternoon.

West Lake itself is not historic in itself. It's probably too large for most people to walk around as well. A lot of the locals just sit down on chairs and look at the view. It's visited mainly because of Tran Quoc pagoda which sits within it. Alongside is another lake Ho Truc Bach - more famous because Senator John McCain was shot down into that lake

This is basically just a very normal lake, just as in many places all over the world, with the usual activities people do around & along it. And the usual street seller selling their stuff. Nothing special. Visit only if you have time to spare

This is one of the very few options to escape the crowd in Hanoi. West Lake is a vast waterfront area offering a relaxing, peaceful atmosphere as well as some precious open spaces for a stroll. Good to take a rest when traffic of the Vietnamese capital becomes unbearable.

Dominant of Hanoi, neighbouring with Truc Back smaller lake, pagoda or governmental attraction very close near by. Nice to walk around almost in any weather. We walked around a bit and being lucky to have low temperature slightly above twenty degrees. We did walk only part close to another small lake as this is very big one

The neighborhood consists of some of the best attractions in Hanoi. There are several spots where you can get a great view of sunrise and sunset. Bars, pubs and some restaurants serving the best Vietnamese foods and drinks. Streets are clean. That’s why some 5 star hotels are located here.

We enjoyed a walk up to the lake from the Old Quarter. It is a bit dirty and the air was very polluted. But we walked around some of the lake and saw the pagoda. A nice spot in Hanoi if they could just clean up somewhat…

Twin Dragons of West Lake. This was an impressive sight and if you visit West Lake its a “must-see”. These twin dragons are colorful, cool and large. With the back drop of the lake, it almost looks like they are the Guardians of the Lake and welcoming you to this beautiful area. We loved it.

Just had an amazing time at West Lake in Hanoi. The peaceful vibes by the water and the beautiful pagodas were a treat.Loved how I could take a relaxing stroll, watch Tai Chi, and enjoy the sunset. And the local food around the lake?Delish! If you're in Hanoi, don't miss this gem.