Hang Ma Street is one of the oldest and most famous streets in the Hang Ma Ward, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi. Spanning about 300m and running in an East-West direction, this street is an integral part of the Old Quarter.
📍 Location and Connectivity
Hang Ma Street holds a prime location, easily connecting to important routes and attractions:
- Eastern End: Intersects with Hang Ngang, Hang Duong, and Hang Chieu streets.
- Western End: Intersects with Phung Hung Street and the railway line.
- Proximity: Only about 100m from Dong Xuan Market.
- Near Center: Approximately 700m from Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple.
🛍️ History and Goods Traded
Initially, Hang Ma was renowned for its traditional craft: the production and trade of paper goods, especially votive paper items used for rituals, funerals, and offerings according to Eastern culture, alongside various paper-based folk toys.
Today, the street has diversified its offerings, becoming a bustling commercial hub for:
- Decorative Items and Gifts: Wedding invitations, postcards, decorative flowers, and modern toys.
- Stationery: Items for study and work.
🏘️ Traditional Architecture with Historical Imprint
Hang Ma Street is captivating not only for its vibrant goods but also for its architecture, which bears the unmistakable mark of traditional Old Vietnam, highlighted by two main house types:
| House Type | Characteristics | Function |
| “Nha Chong Diem” (Two-Tier House) | Two-story house. The lower floor has an awning to shelter the shop. The second floor features small windows or mock doors facing the street. | Convenient for trading and observing the bustling street life. |
| “Nha Hinh Ong” (Tube House) | Narrow width but extending deep to the back. | Optimizes space for simultaneous trading, production, and residency. |
These houses, though not grand in scale, offer a genuine and vivid portrayal of the lifestyle and daily routines of Hanoi residents in years past.
📅 Four Seasons of Vibrant Festivals
Hang Ma is known as the “festival street” due to its year-round vibrancy and splendor, particularly during major holidays:
- 🌕 Mid-Autumn Festival: Shopping activity ramps up about a month before the 15th day of the 7th lunar month. The entire street is immersed in the brilliant colors of lanterns, star-shaped lanterns, papier-mâché masks, lion heads, and drums.
- 🌸 Lunar New Year (Tet): The street seems “sleepless,” with busy trading from before the Ông Công Ông Táo (Kitchen Gods’ Day, 23rd of the 12th lunar month) until noon on the 30th of Tet. The street overflows with the yellow and red hues of lucky money envelopes (bao lì xì), parallel sentences (câu đối), miniature Phao (firecrackers), images of the God of Wealth, Banh Chung models, and traditional offerings.
- 🎃 Halloween: The area becomes spooky yet lively with costumes, white skeletons, pumpkin lanterns, horror masks, and various decorative accessories. It draws large crowds of young people for shopping, photos, and enjoying the Halloween atmosphere.
- 🎄 Christmas: Hang Ma is filled with the shimmering colors of Christmas trees, Santa Claus figures, and countless decorative accessories. This creates an impressive scene, attracting residents and tourists to stroll, enjoy the Christmas spirit, and capture beautiful photos.
🚶♀️ Nearby Attractions (Suggested for Combined Visits)
When visiting Hang Ma Street, consider combining your trip with the following nearby famous landmarks to save travel time and enhance your experience:
- Dong Xuan Market: About 100m.
- Bach Ma Temple: About 450m.
- Hang Dau Water Tower: About 650m.
- Hoan Kiem Lake, Ngoc Son Temple: About 700m.
- Hanoi Flag Tower: About 1.6km.
- Vietnam Military History Museum: About 1.6km.
- Imperial Citadel of Thang Long: About 2km.