Covid-19 impact: Peace and quiet reigns supreme in Hanoi

By Kieu Hoang March 22, 2020 | 05:30 am PT

As the Covid-19 pandemic keeps people at home and the crowds off the streets, the capital city has reverted to a yesteryear quiet.

The cyclos without passengers rushing across Hanoi Opera House. This area is usually crowded on normal days as visitors often come here to take photos. But now there are very few people here.

Cyclos have rare access to the main streets and photography spots, as in front of the Hanoi Opera House, but there are few customers wanting a ride.

The St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Hanoi used to be packed with tourists and Hanoians who gather here on weekends to sit on coffee shops around the area. At the moment, only some people are still walking around here.

The St. Joseph’s Cathedral courtyard and the area around it is usually packed to the gills as the most popular hangout spot in Hanoi for both locals and foreigners. It bustles with coffee shops and eateries catering to all demographics, especially the youth. The Covid-19 induced social distancing has emptied the place of its madding crowd .

The Temple of Literature, one of the most crowded attractions in Hanoi was closed since March 13 and don’t know when will it be opened again. All entrance to the area are locked ever since the situation of Covid-19 worsened in Hanoi.

The Temple of Literature, one of the most crowded attractions in Hanoi, has been closed since March 13. It’s reopening date is uncertain at this point. All entrances to the 1,000-year-old university are locked over the worsening Covid-19 situation in Hanoi.

The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum was also closed and fences were put up around the flower garden and even on the sidewalks to prevent people from walking around the area.

The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is also closed and fences have been placed around the flower garden and even on the sidewalks to prevent people from walking around in the area.

Vietnam Museum of Ethnology suffered the same fate as it was closed on March 9. Instead of visitors wandering around, only security and museum staff remain inside.

The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, another popular tourist hotspot, was closed March 9. Not a visitor in sight, the place is peopled by just security staff and other museum employees.

Another museum, Vietnam Military History Museum on Dien Bien Phu Street is closed from March 15 to 31. Displaying chambers have been locked. Souvenir and drink shops inside stopped selling because there are no visitors.

Another museum, Vietnam Military History Museum on Dien Bien Phu Street has been closed from March 15 to 31. Its displaying chambers are locked. Souvenir and drink shops inside are closed, too

The flag tower of Hanoi closed its only entrance to the top. The 200-year-old construction is 33-meter-high, has three stories with Vietnamese flag on top. On normal days, visitors can go to the third floor to take an aerial view of the Vietnam Military History Museum right below.

The Hanoi Flag Tower has closed its only entrance to the top. The 200-year-old construction is 33-meter-high, has three stories atop which the Vietnamese flag flies high. On normal days, visitors can go to the third floor to get an aerial view of the immediate surroundings, including the Vietnam Military History Museum right below.

Shops on Trang Tien Street, near Hoan Kiem Lake were all closed on March 20.

Shops on Trang Tien Street near the Hoan Kiem Lake, another place that hustles and bustles incessantly, remain closed on March 20.

Ion Nicolae Rosescu, a Romanian tourist, tries to take a picture of The Huc Bridge through the locked door of Ngoc Son Temple on Hoan Kiem Lake. The temple was closed on March 14. Ion said that during his two-week trip from Ho Chi Minh City to Hue, Quang Ninh and Hanoi, all attractions were shut down. All he could do at the moment is walk around the streets and eat fast food while waiting for his flight back to Romania.

"I had to change my flight because the airlines temporarily stopped working due to the pandemic," Rosescu said.

Ta Hien Street used to very crowded every night in Hanoi but ever since Hanoi demanded the bars and shops to close from March 13 to 31, it became clean and empty.

Ta Hien Street is perhaps the most densely crowded place every night in Hanoi, but an order to close all bars and shops from March 13 to 31 has returned to it the peace it has not enjoyed for decades.