West Lake and Truc Bach Lake are an attractive part of the city. The two lakes are separated by Thanh Nien Road, which is almost one kilometre long. It is bordered by rows of willow and bang lang trees and is a favourite of young lovers West Lake, also called Ho Tay, is the biggest lake in Hanoi. Covering an area of 500ha in Tay Ho District, West Lake was created when the Red (Hong) River overflowed.
West Lake was once a resort for mandarins and kings. Many palaces, including Thuy Hoa Palace, Ham Nguyen Sanctuary, Tu Hoa Palace, Kim Lien Pagoda, and Ngoc Dam Palace were built on the banks of the lake. The 17km path around the lake leads to Nghi Tarn Flower Village, Nhat Tan Peach Garden, Kirn Lien Pagoda and Tay Ho Temple, built in honour of Princess Lieu. Today, many hotels of all sizes can be found around the lake,
West Lake is a very popular recreational place for the Hanoians who come to enjoy typical dishes such as Ho Tay shrimp cakes, Ho Tay snail noodles and Ho Tay fish.