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Hanoi City Private Tour: Explore History, Architecture & 'Train Street' Half Day Experience
4.6
273 Ratings
Hoàn Kiếm
Discover the rich history, stunning architecture, and hidden gems of Hanoi in this private half-day tour. Experience the charm of the Old Quarter, visit historic sites, and explore the famous ‘Train Street’.
Discover the rich history, stunning architecture, and hidden gems of Hanoi in this private half-day tour. Experience the charm of the Old Quarter, visit historic sites, and explore the famous ‘Train Street’.
Duration:
5 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum - Your tour guide and car from Paradise Indochina Travel will pick you up at your hotel to begin exploring Hanoi City. The first stop is Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum (open only in the morning from 8:00 AM - 11:30 AM and closed on Mondays & Fridays). This is the final resting place of Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam’s most iconic and…
- Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum - Your tour guide and car from Paradise Indochina Travel will pick you up at your hotel to begin exploring Hanoi City. The first stop is Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum (open only in the morning from 8:00 AM - 11:30 AM and closed on Mondays & Fridays). This is the final resting place of Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam’s most iconic and beloved leader, affectionately known as ‘Uncle Ho’. His body is preserved in a glass case here (despite his wishes). The mausoleum’s construction began in 1973, inspired by Lenin’s mausoleum in Russia, and it was opened to the public in 1975. Security is strict, and visitors should dress respectfully (no shorts, sleeveless shirts, or miniskirts). Bags and cameras must be deposited before entry. PLEASE NOTE: The mausoleum is closed from June 10 to August 12 annually for maintenance.
- One Pillar Pagoda - According to legend, the One Pillar Pagoda was built following a dream by the childless emperor in which the enlightened being Avalokiteshvara presented him with a baby son resting on a lotus flower. Emperor Ly Thai Tong commissioned the pagoda to resemble this lotus flower, a Buddhist symbol of enlightenment. The Emperor remained grateful to the bodhisattva and later to Quan Am, the Goddess of Mercy, after the birth of his son. Inside the temple, a richly gilded statue of Quan Am is the centerpiece of the main altar. Today, the concrete pillar supporting the small wooden pagoda is a replacement for the original, which was destroyed by the departing French. It is unclear how much of the wooden structure is original. Another point of interest is a bo tree behind the pagoda, said to be an offshoot of the tree under which Buddha attained enlightenment. This tree was a gift from India in 1958.
- Temple of Literature & National University - The Temple of Literature is often regarded as one of Hanoi’s most picturesque tourist spots. Originally built as a university in 1070 dedicated to Confucius, scholars, and sages, the building is exceptionally well-preserved and is a prime example of traditional Vietnamese architecture. This historic site features a lake of literature, the Well of Heavenly Clarity, turtle steles, pavilions, courtyards, and passageways once used by royalty. Visiting the Temple of Literature, you will encounter historic buildings from the Ly and Tran dynasties in a revered place that has seen thousands of doctors graduate, now serving as a memorial to education and literature. Initially, the university only accepted aristocrats, the elite, and royal family members as students, but it eventually opened its doors to talented commoners. Successful graduates had their names engraved on stone steles, which can be found atop stone turtles.
- Dong Xuan Market - Built in 1889, Dong Xuan Market is the largest wholesale market in Hanoi and has long been a tourist attraction due to its prime location in the city’s heart and its impressive architecture and history. At Dong Xuan Market, you can find a wide variety of goods, including fabric, clothing, local handicrafts, souvenirs, and street food. During the nationwide war in 1946, Dong Xuan Market witnessed fierce battles between Vietnamese resistance fighters and French soldiers, notably the combat of the ‘deciding-to-die’ soldiers (Quyết Tử Quân) to prevent the French attack on the Inter-resistance Zone 1 in February 1947. For over 100 years, Dong Xuan Market has been associated with many significant milestones in Hanoi’s history, embodying both the material and sentimental values of the city and becoming one of its inseparable symbols.
- Long Bien Bridge - After the French army conquered Hanoi in 1882, the Long Bien Bridge was constructed between 1899 and 1902. A symbol of the resilience and tenacity of the Hanoian people, the bridge was bombed multiple times during the American War but was quickly repaired each time by the Vietnamese. The bridge, used by trains, mopeds, and pedestrians, is currently undergoing reconstruction to restore its original appearance. It is colorfully illuminated at night.
- Hanoi Opera House - The Hanoi Opera House (French: Opéra de Hanoï) was built by the French colonial administration between 1901 and 1911 (you can visit the exterior of the building). It is one of three opera houses constructed by the French in Indochina, the others being the Haiphong Opera House and the Municipal Theatre in Ho Chi Minh City. Modeled after the Palais Garnier, the older of Paris’s two opera houses, it is considered one of Hanoi’s architectural landmarks. The main architectural style of the Opera House is Neoclassicism. After the French left, the opera house became the site of several political events and street fighting during the battle for Hanoi. After visiting this site, our car and driver will drop you off at the same pickup location. End of the service!

What's Included
- Tea/coffee (or egg-coffee) while visiting the train street
- Private transfers during trip
- Entrance fees
- English speaking guide
- Tea/coffee (or egg-coffee) while visiting the train street
- Private transfers during trip
- Entrance fees
- English speaking guide
What's Not Included
- Tips/gratuites
- Extra sight-seeing places
- Tips/gratuites
- Extra sight-seeing places
Additional Information
- A good chance to admire Hanoi Old Quarter of long history of 2000 years history.
- Pass by French colonial architecture, peaceful lakes and traditional pagodas and temples that date back hundreds of years.
- Private Hanoi city sightseeing Half Day tour, led by an experienced tour guide help you see as many things in a half-day tour as full day one….
- A good chance to admire Hanoi Old Quarter of long history of 2000 years history.
- Pass by French colonial architecture, peaceful lakes and traditional pagodas and temples that date back hundreds of years.
- Private Hanoi city sightseeing Half Day tour, led by an experienced tour guide help you see as many things in a half-day tour as full day one.
- Flexible to choose a morning or afternoon itinerary or any start time you wish during the day.
- With your limited time, you can explore most of highlights and hidden things; all hidden corners of beautiful Hanoi.
- See all aspects of Hanoi (modern and old) and a good chance to understand the local life and their history and culture.
- Experience a unique “train street’ - a new “must-see” place of Hanoi City.
- Ho Chi Minh mausoleum opens only in the morning (untill 11:30am) and closed weekly on Monday; Friday. So you will visit outside if you choose tours on Monday, Friday or tours sheduled after 10:00am
- All passengers must dress modestly when visiting Ho Chi Minh mausoleum. Passengers’ shoulders must be covered; shorts must be to knee length.
- Hanoi Opera House is closed and only open to public for its ceremony and some special events. The visit to this site is to experience the French style architectures and history information.
- The Ho Chi Minh mausoleum is closed from June 10 to August 12 yearly for maintenance.
- Please contact our operations team via WhatsApp +84-982-804-399 to double check your pick-up location.
Location
Hanoi Opera House
Tràng Tiền
This meeting point is only for those who do not need the hotel pickup or whose locations are outside of our pickup defined area.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.6
(273 Ratings)
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Octave_b
Sep 26, 2025
Fun and Interesting Tour - Sam was an excellent tour guide! He took great care of us and was very knowledgeable. The Train Street experience was super cool and Sam had pre-arranged a table reservation for us. It was a great day.
Review provided by Viator
Paolova7082vk
Sep 14, 2025
Great guide and wonderful places - Linh was a great guide!! Very kind, prepared and helpful. We spent quality time with him and saw wonderful places. He explained everything to us in every single detail. The rider was also kind and helpful. Definitely to recommend
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mukshedur_r
Sep 14, 2025
Great Half Day Hanoi Tour - It was a very informative experience covering the landmarks of the city...Tour guide Sam was exceptional...the courtesy, the planning of activities and his knowlege of history was remarkable
Review provided by Viator
Melinda_h
Sep 10, 2025
A fantastic tour of Hanoi... - A fantastic tour of Hanoi with Ken. He gave detailed information on all the sights. His knowledge about Vietnamese history was excellent. A great way to learn about Hanoi if you have a short amount of time. Ken gave us a recommendation for dinner near our hotel too and the food was fabulous.
Review provided by Viator
Barry_c
Aug 10, 2025
Great Hanoi tour - Great tour. Very informative and Sam is a brilliant guide. Ask him to share some Buddhist philosophy at no extra charge 🤣
Review provided by Viator
Malaikamazise
Jul 31, 2025
Great Day Out - 100% recommended! Our guide - Mr Linh and our driver Mr Am (aka Mr Safety) were very welcoming and friendly.
Mr Linh shared so much knowledge on Vietnamese history and culture - something you simply wouldn’t get by visiting independently.
He was engaging even with my teenagers, which is no mean feat! He also shared some hidden city gems with us.
You can visit these sites on your own of course why do that when you can have a private guide to walk and talk you through it all. For me it was a very efficient way to get round all the important spots in one afternoon and still make it back in time for an early dinner.
As I said before - 100% recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Malaika_m
Jul 31, 2025
Great & Informative - 100% recommended if you’re looking to cover ground and learn a lot of the Vietnamese culture. You can pick out these locations and visit them independently but why do so when you could have someone walk and talk you through the whole experience.
Our guide - Mr Linh and driver - Mr Am aka Mr Safety (🤣) were very welcoming and patient with us. Mr Linh has so much knowledge which was shared and gave us insights into some hidden gems in the city. He was engaging and even got my teenagers to actively engage and speak which, for anyone with teenagers, is no mean feat!
If you’re looking to cover ground in a quick afternoon and tick a lot of the boxes in half a day then this is right for you!
Review provided by Viator
Ntuthuko_k
Jul 30, 2025
Amazing Guide! - This tour was really great but the highlight of our tour was definitely our guide Sam! He was so well informed, witty and humorous. After our tour we wished we could have had him as our guide for the rest of our Vietnam trip. Definitely book this trip because you will learn so much from Sam and you’ll never feel bored. He took us to amazing places and took really good care of us while there. Don’t hesitate, book today!
Review provided by Viator
Cindy_p
Sep 24, 2025
Outstanding tour - You saw a variety of places in the old part of Hanoi. From a market to Ho Chi Minhs mausoleum to the train street. Our guide Linh was very knowledgeable and was able to answer all our questions even ones that didn't relate to the tour.
Review provided by Viator
Sandeep_c
Aug 26, 2025
Hanoi highlights - Sam was a good tour guide and very knowledgeable as well.Showed us the important landmarks of Hanoi City.
Review provided by Viator