A focal point of the city, Hoan Kiem Lake is a popular area where locals gather to meet, practise tai chi, and drink tea. It's where you'll find festivals, evening romance and the mystical Ngoc Son Temple, located in the centre of the lake on an island. It's also the location of the old city and still exudes an ambiance of times gone by. The Pho Co or 36 streets originally designated to 36 trade guilds, remain. Many of the guilds have left but brisk trading is still done among the locals and tourists along streets like Hang Dao, better known as " street of silk " and Hang Quat (Street of Fans) selling Buddhist relics.
