Hai Phong Portal

Lap River - Tam Bac Lake

Belonging to the former An Bien Commune, the lake is currently located in the center of the City. In 1885, the French colonialists widened and straightened Liem Khe rivulet in An Bien commune to 2,800m long, 74m wide and 7m deep to create a boundary canal separating Western community from Vietnamese community, Tam Bac River to Cam river were connected.

The volume of soil excavation reached 1,760,000m3 so it was called puddle Bonnal. The old name is Bonnal Canal. In 1925, the French filled up a part of the river to the existing Exhibition House since then it's colloquially called Lap river (filled-up river).

In 1985, on the occasion of Hai Phong's 30th liberation anniversary, Lap river was 'a hundred years old' (1885-1985) being rejuvenated - 'complete improvement'. The dam banking up Tam Bac river was built connecting Tran Nguyen Han street to Quang Trung street and then enlarged to accommodate a bus station. Tam Bac bus station provides routes linking all the nationwide cities and provinces. Kiosks and walk-side shops were moved away, an auto-controlled culvert gate was built to let tide in and prevent water from flowing out when the tide is on the ebb and it was named Tam Bac lake.

In 1999, Tam Bac lake was once again greatly improved. Its bed was deeply dredged, banks were surrounded by fence, and greened with flamboyant, walk sides were paved and spotted by stone chairs where tourists can relax themselves. Early in the morning and late in the afternoon, hundreds of people go for a walk round the lake and breathe fresh air from 'the green lung' of the city.