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Hanoi City Private Tour: Explore History, Architecture & 'Train Street' Half Day Experience
4.6
265 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
(265 Ratings)
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Amyleighng
Jul 14, 2025
Great tour and Guide! - As others have already shared, Lyna is a terrific tour guide. I had to book this tour for 2 people, even though I was by myself. Even so, the cost was well worth it. Lyna is very knowledgeable about her country and its history. She took great care to make sure I had a good experience, which I appreciated.
Review provided by Viator
Paradise03861284705
Jul 3, 2025
The best tour for your day one! - Today we had the most amazing time with our fabulous tour guide Mr. Long and our driver. It was the perfect way to start our honeymoon because we learned so much about the city and saw so many places. Highly recommend this tour for your first stop in Hanoi and specifically try to ask for Mr. Long. He was so knowledgeable, friendly, and incredibly kind. We appreciate him so much!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
596shantos
Jun 29, 2025
Coffee and train - I came to Hanoi for work, my work is quite stressful during breaks, I chose the train street cafe as my destination to relax, I like to drink coffee here and watch the trains pass by.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Penny_w
Jun 11, 2025
This is a ‘must do’ when visiting Hanoi - LAN was our tour guide and she was amazing - from Hanoi herself and she knows a lot about the city and its history. Well worth it and the driver was an added extra that we had missed in the description of the tour. Liked all the places we visited. Well worth 4/5 hours of tour time when in Hanoi
Review provided by Viator
Alex_o
Jun 10, 2025
An amazing insight into Hanoi - An impromptu city tour that was so great
Our guide Andy was so knowledgeable and delightful. When we said where we wanted to go and what we wished to see he completely tailored the day to us. I loved it and the fact that he had so much historical knowledge and pride for country made it all so more interesting and enjoyable.
Review provided by Viator
Tahiya_s
Jun 9, 2025
Half day city tour was... - Half day city tour was perfect during this heat and humid weather. Our tour guide was Lan. She was friendly, funny and knowledgeable at the same time. Told us the history of all the places she took us around. The car was comfortable and the driver was good too.
Review provided by Viator
Sondrae_j
Jun 6, 2025
The Very Best of Hanoi - Our guide, Andy Nguyen, absolutely made our visit to Hanoi. He was informative, knowledgeable and very helpful. Thanks to him, we gained wonderful insights into Vietnamese history and culture. Train Street was a fun treat, the visit to Ho Chi Minh’s Mausaleum was very interesting but the highlight for us was the Literature Museum.
Review provided by Viator
Maryjane_b
Jun 3, 2025
Great energy and knowledge. - Great tour. Our guide was very energetic and knowledgeable. The only downside was that it was a Monday when we took the tour and a number of sites are closed on Monday. In addition the French President was in and visiting one of the sites and that was closed as well.
Review provided by Viator
Deepika_b
May 29, 2025
We took this walking tour... - We took this walking tour although our Hotel was situated super close to the spots highlighted. From the airport transfer to the tour itself, this was a great experience. Greatest recommend this Tour package and Company with multiple guides available!
Review provided by Viator
Charlie_v
Jun 22, 2025
Not the best tour to get introduced to Hanoi. - Was a bit disappointed with this tour. We had to cut short the tour because the tour guide had other commitments.
Review provided by Viator