Hanoi Highlights: War Memorials and City Center Attractions

Discover the hidden gems of Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital city, on this full-day tour. Explore war memorials, impressive attractions, and ancient architectural works in the heart of Vietnam’s culture and history.

Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Hanoi - 08:00 - 08:30: The tour guide and bus will pick you up from your hotel in Hanoi Old Quarter or Hanoi Opera House.
  • Chua Tran Quoc - Your first stop will be Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldest pagoda in Hanoi, dating back to the 6th century. Located near West Lake, the pagoda attracts many visitors during the Lunar New Year who come to wish for good luck before concluding their tour.
  • Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum - Next, we visit the Ho Chi Minh Complex, which includes Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and Stilt House, where our great leader lived and worked during the final years of his life. Here, you will learn about Uncle Ho’s simple lifestyle. Additionally, we will stop by the One Pillar Pagoda, one of Hanoi’s four symbols. Note that the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is closed for maintenance on Mondays, Fridays, and from June 10, 2024, to August 13, 2024, so we will only visit the exterior during these times.
  • Vietnam Museum of Ethnology - This is one of the newest, largest, and most fascinating museums in Hanoi and Vietnam. It features both indoor and outdoor sections. The indoor exhibits are highly informative, while the outdoor displays and activities make the museum unique. The museum showcases houses modeled after the traditional architecture of ethnic minorities, particularly those from the Northern and Central highlands. The museum is closed on Mondays and New Year holidays, so we will visit the Ho Chi Minh Museum or the Vietnamese Women’s Museum instead.
  • Temple of Literature & National University - After lunch at a local restaurant, we will visit the Temple of Literature - Quoc Tu Giam (Imperial Academy), considered Vietnam’s first university. Highlights include the Literature Lake, Khue Van Pavilion, and the stele house. The tour guide will share stories about the 82 doctor stele stones, which bear the names of 1,306 individuals and have stood the test of time. After this visit, we will have lunch at a local restaurant.
  • Hoa Lo Prison - The tour continues at Hoa Lo Prison, one of the most notorious prisons in Vietnam during the 20th century. Established in 1896 by the French colonial government to detain political prisoners, the prison offers a glimpse into the harsh conditions of the Vietnam War. Listen to the tour guide’s stories while observing the prison’s artifacts. The city tour concludes here, but you can choose to extend your experience with a Cyclo ride or a Water Puppet show (optional).
What's Included
  • English-speaking tour guide
  • Bottled water
  • Entrance fees
  • Vietnamese lunch
  • Hotel pick-up and drop-off in the Old Quarter
  • Transport by air-conditioned bus
What's Not Included
  • Tips & Personal expenses
Additional Information

During this full-day tour of Hanoi you will visit memorials of war and disasters. You will also visit the most impressive attractions in the city center such as Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, Temple of Literature, Hoa Lo Prison and Tran Quoc Pagoda. You will be amazed as the beauty of Hanoi, known as the heart of Vietnam, is revealed to you. It is the center of culture, politics, economy and trade. Throughout the thousand year’s of its eventful history, Hanoi has preserved many ancient architectural works including the Old Quarter.

  • On Mondays and Fridays, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is closed, we just can visit outside.
  • You should bring a hat and sunscreen
  • Wear comfortable walking shoes and clothes. Please DO NOT wear shorts as we visit Mausoleum and Pagoda
  • Additional transfer fee for customers staying outside the Old Quarter
  • Please advise us if you have any inquires for food or other before the departure day.
  • If you choose to have Cyclo ride or Water Puppet show, the drop off at hotel is not included.
  • Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is closed for maintenance under yearly plan, from 10 June 2024 until 13 August 2024, we just visit outside.
Location
Hanoi Opera House
Tràng Tiền
If your hotel is located outside Hanoi Old Quarter, please come to wait at Hanoi Opera House for meeting.
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.6
(19 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Shrishailp2024
Jun 12, 2024
Fantastic Hanoi Adventure with an Exceptional Guide Amy... - My trip to Hanoi was truly remarkable! The city’s vibrant culture and beautiful landmarks made for an unforgettable experience. The airport transfer was smooth and efficient, setting a positive tone from the start. We had a great time visiting the Grand Wonder Hanoi, strolling down the bustling Night Train Street, and enjoying the lively Beer Street. The shopping opportunities were fantastic, with a wide variety of unique items to bring home. A big thank you to our guide, Amy, who went above and beyond to make our trip special. Her expertise and friendly nature added so much value to our experience. Do’s: Immerse yourself in the energy of Night Train Street and Beer Street. Visit the stunning Grand Wonder Hanoi. Take time to shop in the local markets for unique finds. Visit some of old buildings
Review provided by Tripadvisor
930chinmayp
Jun 12, 2024
Amazing Hanoi Tour with Wonderful Guide Amy !!! - I had an incredible time on my Hanoi city tour! From the seamless airport transfer to exploring the Grand Wonder Hanoi, Night Train Street, and Beer Street, every moment was fantastic. Shopping in the local markets was a highlight, offering unique souvenirs. A special shoutout to our guide and now friend, AMY. Her knowledge and kindness made our trip unforgettable. Thank you, Amy, for your great help and for making this experience so enjoyable. Do's: Enjoy the vibrant Night Train Street and Beer Street. Explore the Grand Wonder Hanoi. Shop in the local markets for unique souvenirs. Don'ts: Don't rush your exploration. You'll need more time to fully appreciate everything Hanoi has to offer. I highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Hanoi!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
764imeldad
Jan 17, 2020
Informative - Interesting facts about their country. Thuy is knowledgable and always smiling. Driver is patient too. Enjoyed the tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
613edwins
Jan 2, 2020
Great day with Phuc - Our one day trip tour with Phuc was really good! He was so knowledgeable and took us to a lot of interesting places in Hanoi! Can’t recommend him enough!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
U9982qrscottm
Dec 23, 2019
Free Walking tour of Hanoi - This was a fantastic way to spend a morning in Hanoi! Phuc came to our hotel directly and took out a map and custom tailored a tour experience to our liking. We were impressed with his knowledge of the area and the insight given. Phuc is a very kind young man, takes great photos too! Very happy with his tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Funnyfree
Dec 12, 2019
Memorable Walking Tour in Hanoi - We definitely enjoyed our walking tour in Hanoi with Laura thoroughly. She is punctual in picking us from our hotel.She is warm, helpful and approachable.She is very knowledgeable and gave us great insights into Vietnamese history. Though our group consists of six people,she is patient and gave each of us personalised attention. She prcovided us with lots of information about the history and culture of all the sites we visited. She also brought us to savour some local delights. We simply loved the food she had recommended. She also introduced the coconut coffee to us. We all love that too.To end the tour on a high note, she helped us purchase the tickets for the famous water puppets.Truly a great experience for my family . We greatly thank Laura for the wonderful experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Courtney
Aug 31, 2019
Great choice - I had a day tour in Hanoi with my husba nd. Actually I did not expect too much in this tour. But the guide and their service made me change my mind. They helped us to explore many things in Hanoi and tried delicious foods. I will recommend this tour for my friends. Thank you so much!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sightseer144694
Aug 4, 2019
Hanoi one day tour - Great guide, show me everything that a foreigner have to know about the city and if you are brave enough you totally should try the local all Vietnamese lunch
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Piraz89
Jul 18, 2019
Tour : Vietnam War - Excellent guidance by Lily (guide) on the history of Vietnam, knowledgeable and friendly. Kudos to GoAsia day trip!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kit_t
Jun 7, 2023
Disappointing Tour - The itinerary and transfer between the places were ok/as expected, it was very disappointing to book an English speaking guide but then get grouped together with a large Vietnamese speaking group - this really should have been two separate groups. The result was, for the people speaking English, we had the minimal explanation and guidance (a lot of the places we were left to read our own descriptions on the buildings) as the guide’s attention and focus was on the larger Vietnamese group, which we were not able to understand or interact with. This should have been much better organised as the one day highlight of Hanoi, especially as there are several other tour groups offering a very similar itinerary.
Review provided by Viator
Select Date and Tickets
up to 12 guests
1 Adult
September 2024
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Today