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Hanoi City Private Tour: Explore History, Architecture & 'Train Street' Half Day Experience
4.6
253 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
(253 Ratings)
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Maeve_m
May 5, 2025
Hanoi City Tour - We had an amazing tour with Andy. He is so knowledgeable about Vietnam and shared all of his incredible insights with us. We also traveled with our three year old son and Andy was caring and warm towards him, which we were so grateful for. Thank you, Andy, for a great tour!
Review provided by Viator
Maeve
May 5, 2025
City Tour for our Family - My husband, 3 year old son and I had an amazing tour with Andy. He is so knowledgeable about the city and took every opportunity to educate us. With Andy, we were able to further understand culture and history of Hanoi. He was also warm and caring towards our son, which is worth another 5 stars on its own! Thank you, Andy!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alice_m
May 3, 2025
Sam was lovely and a very... - Sam was lovely and a very knowledgeable tour guide. We felt we could have visited a few more places on the tour but overall a very enjoyable morning.
Review provided by Viator
Carin_s
Apr 27, 2025
Best guide in Hanoi - We were lucky to spend a day with Lan who was very knowledgeable and fun. She is a Hanoi native and knows everything there is to know about Hanoi. We highly recommend!
Review provided by Viator
Laurafx3744vk
Apr 23, 2025
Fantastic introduction to Hanoi - Great day with Linh. He was informative and and had good facts to share with us. It was great to see musuleum before it closed for the day. Air conditioned car was a welcome treat from the heat! Highly recommend
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ozmaddie
Apr 23, 2025
If you want to see the top spots in Hanoi, do the tour. - We decided to do the private tour so we could really appreciate the city of Hanoi. Our tour guide Sam was very knowledgeable and his English was outstanding. We visited a number of the must-see culturally significant landmarks around Hanoi. We had already been to see Train Street, but Sam took us to a great cafe with the best seats to see the train, which really highlighted the benefit of having such a good tour guide.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rose_m
Apr 23, 2025
Great time in Hanoi City Tour! - I highly recommend this tour for those on a short stay in Hanoi! Very comprehensive and thorough! Long our guide was very amiable, friendly and accommodating. Great guide! Our driver Nam was excellent in navigating through the busy streets of Hanoi. We enjoyed the tour so much that time went by so quickly and it was time to say goodbye.
Review provided by Viator
734shankarp
Apr 20, 2025
Andy, the best Tour guide - Our tour guide, Andy, was exceptional during our Hanoi half-day city tour. His knowledge and enthusiasm about the city's history, culture, and landmarks were impressive. He provided insightful commentary, answered our questions, and ensured we had a smooth and enjoyable experience.
His professionalism, friendliness, and ability to tailor the tour to our interests made the experience truly memorable. We appreciated his attention to detail and flexibility in accommodating our needs.
We highly recommend Andy to anyone visiting Hanoi. His expertise and passion for the city made our tour an unforgettable experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Steve_t
Apr 27, 2025
A good tour where you will learn a lot - A really interesting tour. A good way to learn more about each destination rather than just being an ordinary tourist
Review provided by Viator
Sue_h
Apr 26, 2025
An Interesting Outing - The one thing I really wanted to do was the Train Street, but I was disappointed that this simply didn't end up happening :( Some of the other places visited were really interesting, and the guide was great!
Review provided by Viator