Why was Hoa Lo Prison called ”Hanoi Hilton Hotel” by its American inmates?

Hoa Lo Prison in Hanoi was built by the French in 1896 in Phu Khanh village. The building was one of the largest prisons built by French colonialists in Indochina. They jailed political revolutionists and patriots there. Many leaders of the government and the Vietnamese Communist Party were imprisoned there. From 1964 to 1973 Hoa Lo Prison confined American pilots shot down or arrested during the bombing of northern Vietnam. The most shocking for us was the fact that the prison got named ‘’Hanoi Hilton Hotel’’ by its American inmates. Sharing with you our feelings about it in a moment.

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Magical Sapa and its surroundings – mountains, rice fields and much more!

When visiting the north of Vietnam it’s worth stopping for a moment at one of the places that will delight us with their unique ambience. Cooler mountainous areas with rice fields in the most known Sapa, Ba Be or some other less known places in the area allow you to escape from the crowded cities and get to know local culture, customs, visit small villages, be a part of this picturesque world! The hotels do not have the central heating, but there will bea heated mattress waiting for you on your bed so you will not get cold! And you will pay 10USD per night for a double room 🙂

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