Walking the lanes
Walk the tube-house streets north from the lake, with Bach Ma on the way.
The streets
The Old Quarter is one square kilometre of 36 streets north of Hoan Kiem Lake, free to enter and open from 7am to midnight. Since the 14th or 15th century each street has been named for the goods its artisans made and sold, and many still trade under those names.
Tube houses are the narrow fronts that run deep and high, with courtyards cut in for light. Take a cyclo for a first look, then walk, ideally in the morning before the pavement fills.
Bach Ma, the temple at 76 Hang Buom, is the stop on the way to Dong Xuan.
