Thong Nhat Park

Thong Nhat Park, meaning Reunification Park, is one of Hanoi's largest green spaces, built in the late 1950s by volunteer labour on former marshy ground. Laid out around a broad lake with an island, it offers tree-lined paths, flowerbeds and boating on the water. Long a symbol of national aspiration during the years of division, it remains busy for morning exercise, weddings and family outings. Willows and flame trees shade its walkways, and swan-shaped pedal boats glide across the lake in the crowded capital.