Hanoi War History: Monuments' Dark Side

Uncover the hidden stories of Hanoi’s Vietnam War monuments on a unique walking tour. Explore the dark side of famous landmarks, learn about life under the planned economy, and discover the untold tales of the city’s locals. Join us for a conversation-filled stroll that supports a worthy cause.

Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Train Street - This historic area of Hanoi was visited to hear stories from veterans and learn about the lives of local residents. It’s an excellent spot to relax after absorbing a wealth of history and war insights.
  • Kham Thien - Kham Thien B52 Memorial: More Than a Memorial - A Profound Lesson from History.
    This memorial is visited not only…
What's Included
  • Private transportation
  • Tea and coffee
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Hanoi during the Vietnam War: uncovering the hidden stories behind its renowned landmarks.
Explore life under the planned economy, the experiences of local people from both the North and the South, and the tale of Vietnam’s unification—a nation once split between communism and anti-communism, teetering on the edge of the Cold War.
This “stroll” will take…

Location
24B P. Chùa Vua
Phố Chùa Vua
This is the gate of a school named Doan Ket school
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(22 Ratings)
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Mark_b
Oct 30, 2025
Great tour very informative - Great guide very friendly has first hand experience good history lesson interesting stories great to see a different side of history
Review provided by Viator
343gregs
Sep 28, 2025
An amazing, thoughtful, and educational afternoon spent learning about the history of Vietnam — thank-you Dung & team!! - We both really loved this tour — it was easily one of the best things we did on our trip to Hanoi. It takes you through a potted history of Vietnam (over a coffee in a local cafe), taking in more than just the war but putting it into the broader context; through the impact of the war and reunification on local life and livelihoods in Hanoi (through touring the old black market and social housing, which brought this to life perfectly); and then ending on the famous train street to show how Vietnamese spirit continues to build back and grow. Our guide, Dung, was fantastic, and happily took our many questions. We learned absolutely tonnes and had an amazing time, so thank you very much Dung & team!! Would recommend this to anyone. In terms of tips — bring some comfy shoes, and perhaps water, insect repellant and an umbrella/coat just in case. Drinks are provided throughout but perhaps bring some extra cash so you can stay on at train street with some further drinks (we did for a few hours to catch the next train going through, which was great and conveniently also on our wishlist for the trip — two birds, one stone!).
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Chloe_m
Sep 28, 2025
Favourite tour in all of Vietnam! - Stunning tour, I learnt so much about the history of Vietnam and details about the war I had no idea about. I’ve been to Hanoi twice before and I feel like I got to learn and see more of the lesser touristy bits of the city. I highly recommend it.
Review provided by Viator
Toughralph
Jul 22, 2025
A True Highlight of our Time in Vietnam - This was a special experience with Kien, learning about the culture of Hanoi and a history of the war from a North Vietnamese perspective. We opted for a private tour and are very happy we did. We spent a morning in conversation with Kien and took away more than we could have hoped. Our morning started with coffee in a local café. Over coffee, Kien shared a thoughtful overview of Vietnamese history and culture – all leading to the neighborhoods we would soon see. The “black market” and the alley neighborhoods are not on most tourist Hanoi agendas, but we would highly recommend you do. Kien brough to life the history of the market, its current merchants, and how it reflects broader cultural dynamics in Vietnam. We learned a great deal. Other neighborhood visits included the memorial of B-52 bombings. With Kien you learn the history and how it is perceived by local people. It is a moving experience. We concluded our time with a visit to an off-the-beaten path train street. We had another beverage at a local café and then were so very close to a passing train! This experience would be first on our list of recommendations in Hanoi. Even better, a portion of your tour cost goes to the Blue Dragon charity to help Vietnamese children.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lucacf592xn
Jul 19, 2025
- Doing this tour filled me with new perspectives. I feel immensely privileged to share the beautiful streets of Hanoi today 🌹 I'm grateful for Kien and feel anyone visiting Hanoi would benefit from the contextualisation this tour provides.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Saras358
Apr 23, 2025
Really enjoyable! - I booked this tour at the last minute after it was recommended by someone I met in a different tour. It was very interesting in that you went outside of the Old Quarter and you saw areas that you otherwise wouldn’t go to. I would say it’s not really a history tour (despite what the name may suggest) but an illustrated commentary on Vietnamese culture and way of life outside of the touristy areas of Hanoi - although it does involve a brief historical overview, I felt the tour was more focused on people’s stories and this made it really interesting. A nice bonus is that we went to a quieter part of Train Street just in time for a train passing through and we were able to sit down and have a coffee with the train rushing by.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Eli_b
Apr 1, 2025
Fantastic tour - Excellent tour! Kien was lovely and very knowledgeable, his passion for his culture and job is infectious. Would definitely recommend to anyone
Review provided by Viator
Janab814
Mar 19, 2025
Great History Tour - Our tour guide Kien was fantastic. He has a great view of history and gave a great presentation with visuals. His English was flawless and he clearly has a passion for Vietnamese history.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Keefpringle
Dec 25, 2024
A unique and fascinating glimpse of a slice of otherwise inaccessible Hanoi life. Get off the beaten track with Kien!! - What an awesome tour! Definitely for those visitors looking for something off of the beaten track. Kien gave us insight into a neighbourhood that foreigners would otherwise never get to see. The first 45 minutes were in a local cafe getting acquainted and learning 2000 years of history! This may sound like a lot, but it is key in contextualising and understanding the tour that follows. Plenty more to say and I will leave it there for others to discover. Very highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Martabakunyil
Oct 4, 2025
Explore Hanoi's Alleyso - Interesting experience bcs we got to know hidden alleys in Hanoi with their intriguing stories. Too bad we had to end the tour earlier bcs there would be a parade and the guide was worried about not being able to go home due to road blockage
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $37
up to 10 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).