Hanoi Culture Trip

Arrive at Hanoi International Airport, where your private guide and driver will meet you and transfer you to your downtown hotel (approx. 1 hour drive). Your guide will assist with check-in and share useful tips for your stay.

In the evening, enjoy the highly acclaimed “My Village” show at the Hanoi Opera House. This artistic performance uses bamboo, acrobatics, traditional music, and lighting to portray rural Vietnamese life in a mesmerizing way.

After breakfast, start your exploration at the Ho Chi Minh Complex: the Mausoleum (closed Mondays, Fridays, afternoons, and late Sept–Dec), Presidential Palace, Stilt House, and One Pillar Pagoda. Continue with a short walk to Huu Tiep Lake to see the remains of a downed B-52 aircraft.

Next, drive to the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, which showcases the 54 ethnic groups of Vietnam. For lunch, enjoy a steaming bowl of Pho, Hanoi’s iconic noodle soup, at a local eatery while your guide explains Vietnamese dining traditions.

In the afternoon, visit the Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first university dedicated to Confucius, followed by the Hoa Lo Prison (“Hanoi Hilton”), once used by French colonists and later during the Vietnam War. Stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple, considered the heart of Hanoi.

End the day with a guided walking food tour in the Old Quarter. Taste authentic street food dishes while learning hidden stories behind Hanoi’s famous cuisine.

This morning, drive to Duong Lam Ancient Village, where centuries-old houses made of laterite bricks still stand. Walk through its narrow alleyways, stopping at the 15th-century Mia Pagoda, home to 287 statues including unique Buddhist and Vajra deities.

Continue to Mong Phu Hamlet, the only village with its original gate intact, and enjoy a rustic Vietnamese lunch in a historic home. Visit the old Catholic Church to learn about the evolution of local beliefs. Before returning to Hanoi, stop at a local family home to try hands-on activities such as making rice-straw puppets and “Che Lam” (a traditional rice cake).

Rise early at 5:30 AM to witness Hanoi waking up. Begin at Long Bien Market, the city’s largest wholesale produce market, alive with vendors, motorbikes, and trading activity.

Take a morning walk around Hoan Kiem Lake, where locals practice tai chi, martial arts, and aerobics. Join a 45-minute Tai Chi class in a peaceful garden led by a local teacher.

Visit a nearby primary school to observe the lively morning drop-off routine, then enjoy a traditional Pho breakfast at a local restaurant. End the morning with a cup of authentic Vietnamese coffee overlooking the lake — either a strong iced brew or slow-drip hot coffee.

Return to your hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure.

After breakfast, enjoy free time until your driver transfers you to the airport for your onward flight or journey. End of services.