Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum is incredibly popular with Vietnamese visitors and also a common tourist destination. Because of his importance to Vietnam, there are many rules and regulations for visiting his Mausoleum and the surrounding buildings on the complex.

There are many blog posts and articles out there that talk about Ho Chi Minh’s importance to the Vietnamese people and the history of the Mausoleum and grounds. This post will focus on some of the logistics and practical questions I had before visiting.

Location: Entrance to the grounds is around the corner clockwise if looking at the mausoleum approximately here. You’ll likely see crowds of well-dressed and patriotic Vietnamese streaming towards the entrance.

Hours: These are a little trickier. Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 7:30-11:30 seem fairly consistent. Some sites indicate afternoon options as well and some indicate Friday mornings, but not Friday afternoons. To be safest, I’d assume mornings and closed on Mon/Fri. We arrived at 7:25 on a Sunday morning and lines were already getting long. Earlier also helps with the heat and sun. Also, note that for about 2 months in the fall each year the Mausoleum is closed for repairs.

Dress Code: All visitors, except the smallest of children, must cover shoulders and knees. Dress on the nicer side, as most Vietnamese will be well dressed. Dress respectfully and modestly. While I had read that shoes must be closed toed, many locals were wearing various types of sandals. We all wore closed-toed sneakers to be safe. Be prepared for long, hot lines and dress covered but airy.

Security: Right at the beginning, you’ll go through airport style security with bag checks and scanning and metal detectors. Avoid bringing anything that might get flagged. You cannot bring in water or food, and my sealed water bottle was confiscated. Small purses and bags are allowed. Backpacks and larger purses or bags will have to get checked and picked up at the end. I don’t recommend doing that, so plan on only bringing what fits in pockets or a small purse. Minimalism is ideal.

ID: I had read that they checked ID, so we all brought passports. No one was checking ID. I don’t know if it is random and checking could happen. I’d say for adults, bring your local ID or diplomatic ID if living in Hanoi and passport if visiting. Kids should be fine without ID.

Phones and Cameras: You may bring your phones on grounds, but they must be put away while in the Mausoleum. No photos allowed inside. You may take photos outside. DSLR cameras get checked, so I do not recommend bringing them. Make sure your phone is on silent and won’t make noise inside.

What to Expect: After security, you’ll follow the long lines as you wrap around various buildings and head to the Mausoleum. Some of it is permanently covered with open sides, some of it is temporary and weather dependent and some is open air. It took us about an hour to get through the line, but it can take several hours depending on time and day. I really recommend getting there by 7:30 to minimize wait.

Quiet chatter is fine in the lines, but you are expected to be silent once in the building. We did hear some chatter, but as foreigners, it is extra important to be respectful. Everyone continues walking while going through the building and past Ho Chi Minh’s body, so it does not take long (only a few minutes).

Ho Chi Minh was preserved. You will see his body laid out in a large, protective case as if lying in a bed. It is good to discuss with kids ahead of time what they will see. It is similar to viewing an open casket, except it is more bed-like with glass sides. There are four guards on duty around him. There are many military guards through out the grounds and building.

After the Mausoleum: After visiting the Mausoleum, you enter a snack and beverage area, and then you can walk to the front of the grounds and take photos of the building, or continue through the property and view his cars (he had quite the collection), a pagoda with a singular support, the stilt house, and the museum. These require two separate tickets (40k each), though possibly only for foreigners. The walk through the grounds follows a specific route and you can just follow the crowds. It does not take long.

Museum: The museum is worth it if interested in the country’s more modern history. It has an exhibit on Lenin and various artifacts. It is very interesting how it is laid out and provides information in Vietnamese, English, and French. It is not too big, but worth going through. Upon exiting the museum, you can exit onto the street.

Is It Worth It For Kids? This will depend a lot on your kids. Ours (10 and 12 at the time) did fine with it and I think were happy they went. I think it’s very important with kids to pick a good weather day (not too hot and not raining), as all the line waiting is outside and you can’t have water or snacks. The museum is good for kids if they like history. Kids need to be able to wait in line patiently, possibly for over an hour or even several hours, and stay relatively quiet in line. They need to be able to be silent in the mausoleum for the few minutes it takes to go through.