Tours and Tickets to Experience Hoa Lo Prison

Hoa Lo Prison was first built by the French in 1896 to hold Vietnamese political prisoners. It was taken over by the Vietnamese in 1954 and used to imprison American prisoners of war (POWs) during the Vietnam War. Parts of the prison have been turned into a museum and memorial.

Some of the most famous former inmates held at Hoa Lo Prison include Senator John McCain, Admrial James Stockdale, Brigadier General James Robinson Risner, and Pete Peterson, who later was named the first US ambassador to post-war Vietnam. Do Muoi, a general secretary of the Vietnamese Communist Party in the 1990s, was also a former inmate.

No, Hoa Lo Prison is no longer used as a prison. Most of the original prison structure has been demolished, while a small portion has been preserved as a museum and a memorial. Today, you can see prison cells and exhibits on the prison’s use up to the 1950s and on some American POWs.

Yes, Hoa Lo Prison is open to visits from the public. Opening hours are typically from 8am to 5pm daily, including holidays. The prison is also open for special night tours on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. Some Hanoi sightseeing tours include a stop here.

Most visitors tend to spend between 1–2 hours at Hoa Lo Prison. Guided sightseeing tours of Hanoi that stop at Hoa Lo Prison typically allocate around one hour here. A special night tour of Hoa Lo Prison, which is available on weekends, takes around 90 minutes.

Hoa Lo Prison is partially accessible for visitors in wheelchairs: There is step-free access to the prison but some areas have steps, though prison staff are helpful and will provide assistance upon request. The second floor is not accessible, as there are around 20 steps, and there are no accessible restrooms.