Tour Introduction
Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, has its charm thanks to a blend of the new and the old. The French-colonial era has left a legacy of beautiful buildings, with the Old Quarter a fascinating area to explore on foot. With our Hanoi city full day tour, you can taste unique specialties found only in Hanoi, purchase exquisite handicrafts made by hand by local artisans, or soak up the cultural and historical abundance that the city has to offer through compelling sites and monuments.
This city tour Hanoi is designed aiming to give you an opportunity to enjoy an absolute and adorable Hanoi, to have deeper insight into the unique culture and ancient atmosphere of the legendary city. Small streets with old houses, friendly people with typical Vietnamese smiles offer you the true feeling of this capital city.
Highlights
- Spending your relaxing time strolling around the Hoan Kiem Lake, the little lake but the very heart of life in Hanoi.
- Visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex, learn about the life of national hero
- Visit The Temple of Literature – the first National University of Vietnam.
- Experience views of what’s happening on the streets of the Old Quarter.
- Experience classic Vietnamese culture at a traditional water puppet show.
Detailed Itinerary
08h00-08h30: The tour guide will pick you up at the Old Quarter area / Opera House area to start for a Hanoi city tour. In the morning, you visit:
- Tran Quoc Pagoda is located on an island in the east of West Lake (Tay Ho District). The pagoda has a history of nearly 1500 years, considered the oldest in Thang Long – Hanoi. Its architecture has a harmonious combination of majesty, ancientness and elegance of the surrounding landscape located amidst the quiet background of an immense lake. It was the Buddhist center of Thang Long citadel in the Ly and Tran dynasties.
- Visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Complex with Uncle Ho’s Mausoleum, Uncle Ho’s stilt house, Uncle Ho’s fish pond, and One Pillar Pagoda.
Note: On Mondays and Fridays, the Mausoleum Management Board will carry out maintenance of the Mausoleum, you will only visit the outside of the Mausoleum, then visit the area of stilt house, fish pond and One Pillar Pagoda.
- Temple of Literature – Quoc Tu Giam, which is considered the first university in Vietnam. It is an ancient architecture, built on a fairly large scale in October 1073 and exists to this day. The Temple of Literature was built to worship Confucius, the founder of Confucianism, and Chu Van An – the principal of Quoc Tu Giam – representing the high moral philosophy of Vietnamese education.
Noon: The tour guide will take you to have lunch at a restaurant
Afternoon: You continue to visit:
- Thang Long Imperial Citadel is a complex of relics associated with the history of Thang Long – Dong Kinh citadel and Hanoi province starting from the pre-Thang Long period through the Dinh – pre-Le dynasties, flourished under the Ly, Tran, and Le dynasties and became the citadel of Hanoi under the Nguyen Dynasty. This is a massive architectural work built by kings in many historical periods and has become one of the most important monuments in the system of Vietnamese monuments.
Note: On every Monday, Imperial Citadel of Thang Long will be closed. If departing on Monday, the attractions of Thang Long Imperial Citadel will be compensated with tickets to visit Ngoc Son Temple.
- Visit Hoa Lo Prison, formerly a prison located in Hanoi, Vietnam, also known as Center Prison or ironically, the Hanoi Hilton. It was built when Indochina was an inseparable part of the French Empire. Partially demolished in 1990, now used as a museum.
- Visit Hoan Kiem Lake, also known as Sword Lake, learn about the architecture of Vietnam and surrounding France around the lake area. You will visit and take pictures outside Ngoc Son Temple to worship Saint Van Xuong and Tran Hung Dao – famous generals in Vietnamese and world history and The Huc Bridge. If you have a need to go inside the temple, you will have to pay for the entrance ticket at your own expense.
16:00: End the City tour of Hanoi, the car will take you back to the hotel in the Old Quarter or you can rent a cyclo to take a tour around the Old Quarter and Sword Lake or join a water puppet show… (performance schedule may change depending on the specific period).
Inclusions
- Air conditioned minivan according to the program
- 01 lunch with Hanoi specialty named vermicelli with grilled meat, or others based on your need
- Drinking water: 01 bottle of 500ml/pax/day
- One-time entrance ticket at all attractions mentioned in the itinerary
- Enthusiastic and experience tour guide
Exclusions
- VAT invoice (if you get an invoice, you need to notify and negotiate with us before booking the tour)
- Drinking during meals or other personal expenses
- Sightseeing expenses not included in the itinerary
- Surcharge of 50,000 VND for the difference between tickets for foreigners and Vietnamese.
- Other service fees and costs not mentioned in the program
- Tips for driver and guide (For Vietnamese tourists: usually from 50,000 VND/person/day; For foreign visitors, the tip is 5$/person/day)
Children Policy
- Children from 1-4 years old are free (parents take care of all expenses for children, do not occupy seats in the car). 02 adults can be attached for free with 1 child. From the 2nd child and above, the fee is 75% of the tour price.
- If 01 adult is accompanied by 01 child from 1-4 years old, the child must buy 50% of the adult’s tour price (enjoy the service like children 5-9 years old).
- Children from 5-9 years old pay 75% of tour price (separate meals, separate seat in private cars but must sleep with parents). 02 charged children also do not have their own bed.
- Children 10 years and older are counted as adults.
Special Notes
- Wear suitable walking shoes or clothing
- When visiting Ho Chi Minh Monuments, do not wear shorts (shorts) or short skirts above the knees
