How to visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi, Vietnam

How to get to the mausoleum: the mausoleum is very centrally located in the middle of the Ba Dinh Square (where all the government buildings are) and is very easy to get to
From the Old Quarter, the best way to get there is actually to walk, which should take about 40 minutes. Hanoi can get very hot so stay hydrated!
Alternatively, taxi or motor taxi can get you there from anywhere in Hanoi for $3-$5USD (for taxi) and $2-$3USD (for motor taxi). The best way to hail a taxi or motor taxi in Hanoi is with Grab app
Lastly, if you're feeling cheap, you can also take a bus to get to it for 7,000VND ($0.3USD). From the Old Quarter, you'll want to take bus 18 from this stop. Bus comes every 15-20 minutes, and will take just 15 minutes to get you to Ba Dinh Square at this stop. Get off and walk 5 minutes to get to the mausoleum. Use BusMap app (https://busmap.vn) to get the latest bus schedule for Hanoi. Other buses that stop nearby include 9A, 9ACT, 41, 22A, and 50. Again use BusMap app to help you how to bus there
Exact location of the entrance: a lot of people have issues finding it, and the mausoleum's location on Google Maps is not the entrance. There's also no clear signage around to show you where the entrance is. Anyway, the entrance to the mausoleum is located here (coordinates: 21.035361, 105.833972). Here's a map of the entrance:Use Google Maps to help you navigate to the entrance. When you visit during the opening hours, you should see long queues formed around here

Dress code for men and women:
Wear long pants or below-knee shorts
For women: dress or skirt is fine but it must go below knee level
Cover you shoulders (no tank tops) for both men and women
No sandals, flip flops, or any shoes that expose your toes for both men and women
It's fine to bring a shawl or scarf to cover yourself with if you wear something very light. You won't be able to rent one or buy one there, so this is something you must bring with you

When to go:
Opening hours:
April 1 - October 31: open 7:30am - 10:30am (yes it's not a typo, it's only open the morning)
November 1 - March 31: open 8:00am - 11:00am from November 1 to March 31.
Closed on Mondays and Fridays
The mausoleum also closes for 2 months every year to send the body to Moscow for maintenance. It's usually from October to early December every year, but this can vary (in 2019 for example it's closed from June 14th to August 14th). There's no official website for the mausoleum so it's best to read recent Tripadvisor reviews to see if they're currently closed or not

How to avoid long lines:
Go as early as you can. Try to go before the opening hour to beat the rush. Otherwise you're looking at waiting at least 1 hour to get in on a weekday
Avoid going on weekends. Wait time on weekends is 2-3-hours. This makes it not worth the 20 seconds you get to see the body
Also avoid any public holidays in Vietnam: check https://www.officeholidays.com/countries/vietnam/2019 for a list of holidays
Avoid May 19th, which is Ho Chi Minh's birthday
There are private tours you can get on that use a separate "By Appointment" entrance. Your best bet is to talk to a local Hanoi travel agency once you get there to see if they can help you arrange something. I have not had any success finding these online

What's not allowed inside:
You won't be allowed to bring water bottle, large bags, and phones, tablets, and cameras inside. Before you get into the compound you'll go through an airport-style security scan, at which point they will tell you all the things you won't be able to bring with you. Then they will give you bags to put these prohibited items into and send you to a storage area to deposit your stuff. You will get a claim ticket with which you will claim your belongings after you exit the mausoleum
No photos and videos are allowed inside, but you won't be allowed to bring any form of recording devices into the mausoleum anyway

Other tips:
This is a very solemn place and not a very appropriate place to bring kids, especially considering how long you have to wait in line and how quiet it is inside
It's not wheelchair friendly. The mausoleum itself does not have ramps and if the guards might help carry you up the stairs if you're an obvious foreigner, but don't count on it
You only get to see the embalmed body for about 30 seconds. You will need to move with line at all times and won't be allowed to stop. You may not think it's worth the wait

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