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Speaking to Travellive, the organizers of the Hoa Lo Prison Relic site said: “Thanks to the support of tourists from all over the country, both domestic and international, the number of monthly programs is sufficient to meet the needs of each visitor. Programs are usually fully booked 1-2 weeks in advance.”
Not only has it taken social media by storm with its captivating content, the Hoa Lo Prison historical site has also attracted considerable interest from tourists due to its accessible and engaging approach to history. In fact, night tours of the Hoa Lo Prison historical site are always sold out months in advance.
The media impact of the Hoa Lo Prison Relic's fanpage has drawn many people closer to the country's history. The fanpage, named "Hoa Lo Prison Relic," creates content in the most understandable way, attracting a wide audience, especially young people. The journeys visitors experience allow them to feel the historical significance and remember important milestones. Currently, the fanpage has attracted over 261,000 followers, receiving thousands of likes, interactions, and shares every day.
The key here stems from posting content on Facebook. The historical stories, events, and figures are creatively presented by the site's media team in various forms, ensuring they are both topical and in line with current social media trends. Examples include humorously incorporating riddles, song lyrics, and illustrative images with seemingly dry historical information. Beyond Facebook, the Hoa Lo Prison historical site also focuses on developing content on other social media platforms such as Instagram and Spotify through "time travel" narratives.
Through documentary images, the tour guide's commentary, and especially the vivid reenactment of the stories, visitors were given incredibly impressive perspectives.
Recently, the Hoa Lo Prison historical site has received support and attention from many types of tourists. Young people, in particular, visit the site hoping to learn about history and "relive" a glorious past of the nation. The number of tourists registering for tours is so high that all tours are constantly sold out.
Located uniquely on Hoa Lo Street in Tran Hung Dao Ward, Hoan Kiem District, the Hoa Lo Prison historical site was built by the French in 1896 and was once a place of imprisonment for thousands of Vietnamese soldiers and revolutionary activists. The prison was originally designed to hold 450 people, but in reality, it housed up to 2,000.
Through documentary images, the tour guide's commentary, and especially the vivid reenactment of the stories, the participating tourists were given incredibly impressive perspectives.
Hoa Lo Prison is a historical site steeped in events and a haunting past that sparks curiosity and a desire to explore. However, its reputation has truly exploded in recent years, becoming a popular tourist destination, especially among young people.
The night tour starts at 7 PM and ends at 9 PM, usually held every Friday and Saturday, lasting 120 minutes. Participants must register in advance with the organizers via the fanpage to arrange a specific time. The "Sacred Night" tour is a series of evening tours with various themes. Currently, Hoa Lo Prison Relic offers two night tours: "Sacred Night 2: Living Like Flowers" and "Sacred Night 3: The Flame of Youth".
Many participants described the experience using phrases such as: moving, teary-eyed, spine-chilling, awe-inspiring, impressive...
According to the Hoa Lo Prison Relic Organizing Committee, "Sacred Night 2: Living Like Flowers" is limited to participants aged 8-75. This tour focuses on honoring the revolutionary soldiers and female prisoners who lived and fought bravely at Hoa Lo Prison, thereby emphasizing the message "Live like flowers."
As for the "Sacred Night 3: The Flame of Youth" tour, the age limit for participation is 10-75 years old. Once notorious as a "hell on earth," Hoa Lo Prison was also a revolutionary school that forged countless steely spirits. With the burning flame of youth, countless heroes in their late teens and early twenties fought bravely and died heroically right here. The "Sacred Night 3: The Flame of Youth" program honors these young heroes with true historical stories.
In each night tour experience, all information and content are presented with incredible authenticity, allowing participants to feel, to some extent, the hardships and difficulties that revolutionary soldiers had to endure in the past.
At the end of the tour, each visitor also gets to enjoy light snacks such as banyan tea, banyan leaf cakes, and banyan jelly, all made from the banyan tree - one of the important "characters" featured in the tour.
With its slightly bitter yet clear tea, served with palm jelly, coconut jelly, and lotus seeds, this dish evokes a simple, pure, yet rich and unforgettable flavor, much like the indomitable spirit of generations of patriotic Vietnamese people.
The Hoa Lo Prison Relic Organizing Committee further stated that visitors on the night tour also need to comply with certain regulations.
Visitors are not allowed to film or take photos during the experience, but should focus on enjoying the atmosphere. Any filming or photography can be done at the end of the tour. The organizers have also arranged for a photographer to accompany the group to capture memorable moments. In addition, visitors are requested to dress respectfully, avoiding shorts/skirts above the knee or revealing clothing, and refrain from laughing or talking loudly during the experience. Currently, the price per tour is 300,000 VND per person.
To this day, the popularity of the night tour of Hoa Lo Prison Relic still leads many tourists to book tickets months in advance. It offers visitors a very new, impressive, and unforgettable experience.
"The Hoa Lo Prison Relic Management Board, in particular, as well as all staff and employees, will continue to strive to spread gratitude and love for history to the public in general and especially to the younger generation," the Hoa Lo Prison Relic Management Board stated regarding their future plans.
