Quick answer
Tue–Thu, Sat–Sun only. Apr–Oct 7:30–10:30; Nov–Mar 8:00–11:00. Queue at Ngoc Ha St security gate. Modest dress (shoulders/knees); no photos inside. Arrive by 7:15 to avoid 45–90 min peaks. Old Quarter: 25–30 min walk or 10–15 min taxi. Wheelchair access via ramp. Closed Mon, Fri.
Why this guide
About this guide
The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi's Ba Dinh Square operates on a restricted weekly schedule, opening only on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. It remains closed every Monday and Friday for routine maintenance. Hours shift by season: from April 1 to October 31, the building is open 7:30 AM to 10:30 AM on regular open weekdays, with a 30-minute extension to 11:00 AM on weekends and public holidays. From November 1 to March 31, the window shifts to 8:00 AM–11:00 AM on weekdays and 8:00 AM–11:30 AM on weekends and public holidays. Entry is free of charge for all visitors regardless of nationality.
Each year the mausoleum closes for roughly two months to allow body-preservation work to be carried out. In 2024, the closure ran from June 10 to August 12. For 2025, the scheduled closure was June 2 to July 31, with a planned reopening on August 2. These dates can shift, so anyone planning a summer visit should verify the current closure period through official channels before traveling. On designated national holidays — including Ho Chi Minh's Birthday on May 19, National Day on September 2, and the first day of Lunar New Year — the mausoleum opens even when those dates coincide with the usual Monday or Friday closure days.
Dress code and security rules are enforced without exceptions. All clothing must cover both shoulders and knees; shorts, sleeveless tops, flip-flops, beachwear, and see-through garments are prohibited. Hats may not be worn inside the building — visitors wearing one must hold it in the right hand with the inside facing outward. At the security checkpoint, large bags, backpacks, cameras, professional video equipment, and food must be deposited at storage counters. Only wallets, cash, small valuables, and phones — switched off — may be taken into the chamber. Photography and video recording are strictly prohibited inside. Children under three years old are not admitted.
Key facts & good to know
When is the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum open and what are the annual closure dates?
The mausoleum opens Tuesday–Thursday and weekends only. Summer hours run 07:30–10:30 on weekdays; winter hours 08:00–11:00. Weekend closing times extend 30 minutes later. The site closes for roughly two months each summer for body-preservation work in Russia.
The mausoleum operates on a split seasonal schedule. From April 1 through October 31, weekday doors open at 07:30 and close at 10:30; on weekends and public holidays, closing extends to 11:00. From November 1 through March 31, weekday hours shift to 08:00–11:00, with weekends and public holidays closing at 11:30. The site is shut every Monday and Friday for routine maintenance regardless of season.
The most important date to verify before booking travel is the annual body-preservation closure. In 2024 this ran June 10–August 12; in 2025 the scheduled closure was June 2–July 31, with reopening on August 2. These windows shift slightly year to year, so always check with Vietnam's Management Board of Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum or a local operator before confirming an itinerary that includes this site in summer.
An exception to the Monday/Friday closure applies on three national holidays: Ho Chi Minh's Birthday (May 19), National Day (September 2), and the first day of Lunar New Year (Tết). If you want to combine a flag-raising ceremony with your visit, the Chào Cờ ceremony at Ba Dinh Square takes place daily at 06:00 in summer and 06:30 in winter, before the mausoleum gates open.
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum — Operating Hours by Season and Day Type
| Season | Period | Weekday (Tue–Thu) Hours | Weekend & Public Holiday Hours | Closed Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer/Autumn | Apr 1 – Oct 31 | 07:30–10:30 | 07:30–11:00 | Mon & Fri |
| Winter/Spring | Nov 1 – Mar 31 | 08:00–11:00 | 08:00–11:30 | Mon & Fri |
| Annual closure (2024) | Jun 10 – Aug 12 | Closed entirely | Closed entirely | All days |
| Annual closure (2025, scheduled) | Jun 2 – Jul 31 | Closed entirely | Closed entirely | All days |
National holiday exceptions (May 19, Sep 2, Tết Day 1) override the standard Monday/Friday closure. Always verify the annual closure window directly before travel.
The mausoleum closes for approximately two months every summer while the embalmed body undergoes preservation in Russia. The 2025 scheduled closure ran June 2–July 31. Exact dates shift year to year and are announced with limited advance notice. If your Hanoi dates fall between late May and mid-August, confirm reopening status with your DMC or the mausoleum management board before finalising the itinerary.
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Where do vehicles drop off and how does the security and bag deposit system work?
Enter via the 19 Ngoc Ha Street gate. Deposit large bags, cameras, and food at the first checkpoint before passing through metal detectors. Items are retrieved at a separate counter near the Presidential Palace exit. Allow 30–90 minutes for the full queue and entry process.
The entry flow begins at the 19 Ngoc Ha Street gate on the western side of the Ba Dinh complex. At the first checkpoint, visitors must deposit all large bags, backpacks, cameras, professional video equipment, and food at designated storage counters. Only wallets, cash, loose valuables, and mobile phones — switched off — may be carried through. The deposit system is free, but the layout means you exit the complex from a different point than you entered, so plan your transport pickup accordingly.
After depositing items, visitors pass through airport-style security including a bag check and metal detector before entering Ba Dinh Square proper. The routing is one-way: a covered queue corridor leads to the metal detectors, then into the mausoleum chamber, and out toward the Presidential Palace and Stilt House area. Deposited items are retrieved at a counter near that exit, not at the original entry gate.
Queue times vary considerably. On weekday mornings (Tuesday–Thursday) between 07:00 and 08:00, the wait is typically at the short end. By 09:30 on weekends and public holidays, waits can exceed one hour. Arriving by 07:15–07:30 — before the doors open — gives the shortest overall wait. There is no online booking; visitors simply arrive, join the queue, and present a passport or national ID at security for faster screening.
The mausoleum uses a strictly one-way path. You enter from the 19 Ngoc Ha Street side and exit near the Presidential Palace on the opposite side of the complex. Vehicles waiting at the entry gate will not be accessible after your visit. Instruct drivers to wait near the Stilt House/Ho Chi Minh Museum exit, or arrange to meet at a pre-agreed point on Hung Vuong Street.
What is the mandatory dress code and what behavior is enforced inside?
Shoulders and knees must be fully covered for all visitors. Shorts, tank tops, sleeveless tops, mini-skirts, beachwear, and flip-flops are prohibited. Inside the chamber, hats must be removed, phones stowed, and complete silence maintained while walking past the sarcophagus.
The dress code is enforced at the security checkpoint, before you reach the queue corridor. Clothing must cover both shoulders and both knees completely — this applies equally to male and female visitors. Prohibited items include shorts, short skirts, mini-skirts, sleeveless or tank tops, low-cut or see-through clothing, beachwear, and flip-flops. Unlike some religious sites, the mausoleum does not provide sarongs or cover-up garments on site, so there is no remedy if you arrive dressed inappropriately: entry is denied.
Inside the chamber, guards enforce a specific set of behavioral rules. Hats and caps must not be worn; if you are carrying one, hold it in your right hand with the inside facing outward. Sunglasses must be removed. Hands must stay out of pockets. Visitors walk in single file and are not permitted to stop, point, talk, or make any disruptive gestures while passing the sarcophagus. The walk-through takes only a few minutes.
Photography and video recording are absolutely prohibited inside the mausoleum building. This includes mobile phones — they must be fully stowed before entering the chamber, not merely silenced. Guards monitor compliance actively. Violations result in removal from the site.
Dress Code — Permitted vs. Prohibited Attire
| Category | Permitted | Prohibited |
|---|---|---|
| Upper body | Shirts/blouses covering shoulders fully | Tank tops, sleeveless tops, low-cut or see-through clothing |
| Lower body | Trousers, long skirts, dresses covering knees | Shorts, short skirts, mini-skirts, beachwear |
| Footwear | Closed shoes, sandals with heel straps | Flip-flops, bare feet |
| Head coverings | Carried in right hand (inside facing out) if removed | Worn on head inside the building |
| Eyewear | Carried or stored | Sunglasses worn inside the chamber |
No substitute garments are provided on site. Visitors in prohibited clothing are turned away at the checkpoint with no exceptions.
Do you need tickets for the Mausoleum, Stilt House, and Ho Chi Minh Museum?
Entry to the mausoleum itself is free for all visitors. The Presidential Palace grounds, Ho Chi Minh's Stilt House, and the Ho Chi Minh Museum each charge a separate fee — typically 40,000 VND per site — purchased at kiosks adjacent to each attraction.
The mausoleum chamber has no admission charge for Vietnamese or foreign visitors. Once you exit the chamber, the one-way route leads directly into the Presidential Palace and Stilt House compound. Tickets for this area are sold at kiosks at the compound entrance and are priced separately from the mausoleum visit. The Ho Chi Minh Museum, a dedicated building to the southeast of the mausoleum, also charges its own admission and requires a separate ticket purchase.
Because the exit from the mausoleum flows naturally into the Stilt House compound, most visitors combine the two on the same morning. Budget an additional 30–45 minutes for the Stilt House and garden grounds, and a further 45–60 minutes if you plan to visit the Ho Chi Minh Museum. The One Pillar Pagoda, located immediately adjacent to the museum, is free to enter and adds only a few minutes to the route.
Tickets are not available online for any of these sites — purchases are made in cash at the on-site kiosks on the day. Keep small-denomination Vietnamese dong on hand; change availability at the kiosks can be limited during peak morning hours.
Ba Dinh Complex — Admission Fees and Key Details
| Site | Admission Fee | Ticket Purchase Point | Approx. Time Needed | Distance from Mausoleum Exit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum | Free | No ticket required | 5–10 min (chamber walk-through) | — |
| Presidential Palace & Stilt House | ~40,000 VND | Kiosk at compound entrance | 30–45 min | ~100 m |
| Ho Chi Minh Museum | ~40,000 VND | Museum entrance kiosk | 45–60 min | ~250 m |
| One Pillar Pagoda | Free | No ticket required | 5–10 min | ~200 m |
Fees listed are typical as reported by operators; verify current prices on arrival as they may be adjusted. All purchases are cash only — no card facilities at kiosks.
Is the mausoleum wheelchair accessible and what should families with young children know before visiting?
Wheelchair users bypass the main staircase via a separate elevator with guard assistance. Strollers cannot enter the building and must be deposited; infants must be carried inside. Children under three years old are not permitted in the chamber at all.
Visitors using wheelchairs can access the mausoleum chamber through a dedicated elevator route that bypasses the main exterior staircase. Guards are stationed along the route to assist. The queue corridors leading to the building are covered and paved, making the approach manageable for wheelchair users, though the route involves some distance on foot or wheels from the security checkpoint. Companions should be prepared to navigate the one-way exit route, which also ends at ground level near the Presidential Palace.
Families traveling with infants and toddlers face two practical constraints. Strollers and pushchairs are classified as large items and must be deposited at the bag storage counter before entry, so infants need to be carried through the chamber. More significantly, children under three years old are not permitted inside the mausoleum building at all; one adult will need to wait outside with any child below that age threshold while the rest of the group enters.
From May through August, the queue corridor is not air-conditioned, and Hanoi's morning heat and humidity can be significant by 09:00. For families with young children or elderly visitors, arriving at 07:15–07:30 keeps queue time shorter and temperatures more manageable. Bring water — you will need to stow it at the checkpoint, but having it for the time spent waiting in the queue is worthwhile.
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Verified sources
- ATL DMC booking log · 12,000+ trips since 2011
- Vietnam Airlines – Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Travel Guide · https://www.vietnamairlines.com/in/en/plan-book/travel/travel-guide/ho-chi-minh-mausoleum
- IDC Travel – Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum: Opening Hour, Fee, Dress Code and Tips · https://www.idctravel.com/attraction/ho-chi-minh-mausoleum.html
- Vietnam Discovery – Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Complex Hanoi · https://vietnamdiscovery.com/hanoi/attractions/ho-chi-minh-mausoleum-complex/
- Your Vietnam Travel – Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum: Essential Information for Visitors · https://www.yourvietnamtravel.com/ho-chi-minh-mausoleum
- SVietnam Travel – Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Information and Tips · https://www.svietnamtravel.com/explore/vietnam/ho-chi-minh-mausoleum
- Indochina Voyages – Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Travel Guide · https://www.indochinavoyages.com/travel-blog/ho-chi-minh-mausoleum
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