Hoan Kiem Lake emerges as outdoor classroom for students

Hoan Kiem Lake is a popular destination in Hanoi for both local students and international tourists seeking social interaction. Photo: Shutterstock

Every weekend, Hoan Kiem Lake attracts both local students and international tourists. Around the lake, groups of young people can be seen interacting with foreign visitors, art students sketching the scenery, and others filming content for academic projects. The public space is being redefined as an open-air classroom as learning methods become more flexible.

For language students in particular, the area offers opportunities to practice conversations with native speakers from different countries and respond to real-life communication situations. The space also attracts students from other fields. Art students use the area for outdoor sketching, while media students film videos for coursework. Meanwhile, students majoring in tourism or cultural studies sometimes introduce visitors to the history and landmarks surrounding the lake.

While Hoan Kiem Lake has long been a place for social interaction, its function as a space for informal learning has become more visible in recent years, with students increasingly prioritising practical skills and real-world experience.

According to a survey on experiences and expectations of modern education conducted by Mibrand Vietnam, published in 2025, 60 per cent of 300 high school and university students in Vietnam said communication skills are the top priority of Gen Z, calling them an essential skill. This was followed by creative thinking with 54 per cent of respondents. Communication remains a valuable skill among young people, reflecting the growing demands of personal development and interaction in modern learning and working environments.

Foreign tourists are willing to communicate with Vietnamese students during their walking tours around the city centre

Nguyen Thuy Linh, a student from the University of Languages and International Studies, said the environment allows her to practice speaking more naturally.

“Speaking with foreign tourists helps me improve my communication skills and confidence,” Linh said. “We usually only practice with our classmates, but here we can interact with people from different countries and hear various accents. Sometimes the conversations start very casually, but they often turn into longer discussions about culture and daily life.”

Vu Quang Bao Minh, a fourth-year journalism student, said the space is particularly useful for practical assignments. “For courses like photojournalism or multimedia reporting, I can come here to take photos, film short videos, or even conduct quick interviews with visitors,” Minh said. “It’s easier to find real subjects and situations, which helps me develop content more naturally compared to staged classroom exercises.”

For many students, the availability of international visitors effectively transforms the space into a low-cost, real-world learning platform. At the same time, these interactions contribute to the tourism experience itself, as visitors are increasingly exposed to more personal and authentic exchanges with local people rather than formalised tour activities.

Hoan Kiem Lake is considered a great place for local students to interact with foreign travellers. Photo: Le Toan

“I find Hoan Kiem Lake is a great place to study,” said Nikkita Lysenko, a Russian exchange student at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities for three months. “It helps learning new things, discovering new effective study methods and interacting with Vietnamese people”

Besides that, Kenny, an English teacher from Belgium, who has been living in Hanoi for three years, said the way young people use public spaces like Hoan Kiem Lake reflects a broader shift in learning habits.

"I think it’s highly effective rather than sticking to classroom learning only. It adds a real life communicative goal," he said. "It will help students a lot with listening skills and fluency. Talking to the locals will teach you about the culture and give you a more profound understanding. It also shows that Vietnam is a very open and friendly country."