You want to visit a historic attraction in Hanoi with the whole view from the top?

You want to see another aspect of the world of Hanoi?

Pick a trip reaching to Long Bien bridge and all your demands will be satisfied!

Long Bien Bridge (also known as Paul Doumer Bridge) was constructed between 1899 and 1902 and designed by Gustave Eiffel, the father of Eiffel Tower in Paris. Because of the strategic position in connecting Hanoi Capital to the coastal Hai Phong city, Long Bien Bridge had to be severely bombed during the American war of Vietnamese people against invaders.

>>> 20+ Top Things To Do In Hanoi (and the ONE thing NOT to do!) + MAPS

Long Bien Bridge across Red River

Long Bien Bridge across Red River

Nowadays, this bridge is still alive and used for trains, mopeds, and pedestrians crossing the romantic Red River. Enduring the grim wars, this bridge has some small holes and the Vietnamese government is making a tremendous attempt to restore its original appearance. The unique architecture with the festive life of locals here makes Long Bien Bridge Hanoi become a symbol of the desire for a peach of Hanoians.

A visit to Long Bien bridge definitely marks good impressive in your minds!

[lwptoc]

Long Bien Bridge – Meaning to Locals and Tourists

To locals, Long Bien Bridge is a place not only helping people to cross the Red River but also preserving historical memories. To tourists, the construction is a historic place that could remind them of the crime of the American army during the Vietnam War.

Long Bien Bridge Walk – A Must-Try Experience

Can you walk across Long Bien Bridge?

The answer is… YES!

Unlike the fast speed of motorbikes, walking across Long Bien Bridge is a worth-trying choice of many visitors who want to escape from the bustle and hustle of Hanoi City. As it’s over a hundred- year- old history, the bridge seems to be perilous with small holes in the sidewalk. So be careful with every step when you walk across the bridge. With the impressive 1.6 kilometers in length, most of the concrete slabs appear to shatter at any time.

The spectacular but dangerous charm of Long Bien Bridge

The spectacular but dangerous charm of Long Bien Bridge

On the one-hour way walking across Long Bien Bridge, tourists will be immersed in a variety of entertaining activities. At the beginning of the bridge, cool fresh winds from the Red River will welcome you. You can stop for a while to see a huge quantity of trucks of pineapples that are uploaded by farmers.

busy market under Long Bien bridge

There is a crowded and busy market under Long Bien bridge which was named after it

(insta: susanimage)

In the midway over Long Bien river, tourists can see Vietnamese guys swimming in the freshwater of Red river. With smiles on their faces, these boys dip into the cool river and play together in the hot summers. For the first time, we may feel perplexed when observing these totally naked boys, but afterward, we definitely feel curious.

What to do in Long Bien Bridge Vietnam

Catch a panoramic view of Hanoi from Long Bien Bridge

Long Bien is the bridge associated with the precious memories, where Hanoians choose to soothe the soul on a windy day or to leave all the pressure and worries behind and heading out of the increasingly exhaust-heavy air of the city.

long bien

From here, you will not get your eyes off a magnificent view of Hanoi.

Come to Long Bien Bride, sit down silently, let your mind relax and just simply, enjoy the local breath of this outstanding city.

Enjoy the local dishes around Long Bien Bridge

Afterward, tourists can walk along the banks of the river, pass by some fish restaurants located near the river and try mouthwatering local dishes of this area. Sitting in a nearby restaurant, you can observe the magnificent scenery of the ancient bridge. Don’t miss this wonderful chance!

Besides, you should catch the opportunities to enjoy a private time in a well-decorated cafe, sip the bold taste of a cup of hot coffee, and chat with your friends or members. For example, from the 4th floor of Tran Nhat Duat cafe, you will catch the sights of the rocky field in Red River, the bustling Long Bien Market, and a large area of Hanoi.

Long Bien Bridge view from a coffee shop

Long Bien Bridge view from a coffee shop balcony

For those who want to explore more intriguing landmarks of Hanoi in a short day, a motorbike trip will be obviously your priority. From Hanoi Old Quarter with 36 hustle streets, tourists can continue their trip to Long Bien bridge. The best time to visit Long Bien bridge is the spectacular sunset when tourists ride their motorbikes across the romantic Red river.

One highlight that most tourists fancy when traveling Long Bien bridge at night is passing by vendors along two sides of the Long Bien bridge. These vendors sell fried corn and sweet potatoes, which appeals to lots of the young, especially in the winter.

It sounds fabulous to sit together, sipping a cup of green tea and enjoying the cold atmosphere of the winter.

Discover the rhymth of local life with Hanoi Old Quarter Walking Tour!

Crossing Across Long Bien Bridge at Sunset

To many locals, it’s a wonderful time to hear the whisper of the winds, feel the cool fresh air of the sunset and observe the daily lifestyle of locals. When the night is getting darker and darker, tourists can involve in the crowd who are eager to come back home after a hard-working day.

Romantic sunset at Long Bien Bridge

Romantic sunset at Long Bien Bridge

You also catch sights of locals floating in their boat to go fishing along Red River. If lucky, you can buy some fresh fish caught from locals at a reasonable price and high quality. How amazing, right?

>>> Take a Free Walking Tours for your Hanoi days <<<

Hanoi Free Local Tours

The Significant History of Long Bien Bridge Hanoi Vietnam

Constructed in 1899 – 1902, Long Bien Bridge was opened in 1903, which was known as “the bridge connects two centuries”.

From 1899 to 1902, there were more than 3,000 Vietnamese taking part in the construction due to the complicated design and technical deprivation.

Its original name is “Paul – Doumer Bridge”, which was named after Paul Doumer  – The Governor-General of French Indochina and the French president.

Long Bien Bridge in the past

Long Bien Bridge in the past

The bridge was of strategic importance in securing control of northern Vietnam. It was the only bridge across the Red River connecting Hanoi to the main port of Haiphong at that time.

  • The critical placement was the reason why this bridge was severely bombarded during the Vietnam War. The first attack of the invaders took place in 1967.
  • It was unusable for a year then due to serious damage of 7 spans and 4 large pillars after 10 bombs.

In May 1972, it fell victim to one of the first coordinated attacks using laser-guided “smart bombs”. Long Bien bridge was bombed four times, 1,500m of the bridge were damaged and 2 piers were destroyed

Most sections appeared the holes whereas some parts of the original structure still maintain its intact beauty. Despite lots of restoration and preservation, only half of the bridge retains its original shape until now.

The Unique Architecture of Long Bien Bridge in Hanoi

Designed by the architects Daydé & Pillé, Long Bien Bridge was one of the longest bridges in Asia at that time.

The construction design resembles the design of the Tolbiac Bridge in District 13, Paris on the Paris – Orleans railway.

Hanoi Vespa Tours to Long Bien_20181118213352

The design of the Tolbiac Bridge

30.000 cubic meters of stone and metal were used with the amount of money was up to 6.200.000 French francs.

The bridge is 2290 across the river and 896 meters in bridges, including 19 steel beams spanning over 20 meters tall and including a stone path.

The bridge for the railroads runs in the middle. Both sides are roads for motor vehicles and walkways.

The road for vehicles is 2.6 meters and the pedestrian walkway is 0.4 meters.

The special of the bridge is the traffic flow of the bridge in the direction of the swing is on the left side of the bridge, not on the right as other conventional bridges.

The traffic flow is on the left side of the bridge

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us! We are happy to help you have a remarkable trip to Hanoi in particular and in Vietnam in general!