Hanoi City Half Day Private Tour: Hidden Corners & Train Street
Traveler rating
4.6/5
Based on 300 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is Hanoi City Half Day Private Tour: Hidden Corners & Train Street worth booking?
Hanoi City Half Day Private Tour: Hidden Corners & Train Street is a 4-hour experience in Hanoi, Vietnam, from $55 per person. It scores 69 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Solid Choice”, based on a 4.6/5 rating across 300 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 69 / 100
- Rating
- 4.6/5 (300)
- Duration
- 4 hours
- From
- $55 per person
1. A good chance to admire Hanoi Old Quarter of long history of 2000 years history. 2. Pass by French colonial architecture, peaceful lakes and traditional pagodas and temples that date back hundreds of years. 3. 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. 4. Flexible to choose a morning or afternoon itinerary or any start time you wish during the day. 5. With your limited time, you can explore most of highlights and hidden things; all hidden corners of beautiful Hanoi. 6. See all aspects of Hanoi (modern and old) and a good chance to understand the local life and their history and culture. 7. Experience a unique "train street' - a new "must-see" place of Hanoi City.
What you get
About this experience
1. A good chance to admire Hanoi Old Quarter of long history of 2000 years history. 2. Pass by French colonial architecture, peaceful lakes and traditional pagodas and temples that date back hundreds of years. 3. 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. 4. Flexible to choose a morning or afternoon itinerary or any start time you wish during the day. 5. With your limited time, you can explore most of highlights and hidden things; all hidden corners of beautiful Hanoi. 6. See all aspects of Hanoi (modern and old) and a good chance to understand the local life and their history and culture. 7. Experience a unique "train street' - a new "must-see" place of Hanoi City.
What's included
Included
- Private transfers whole tour.
- Entrance fees
- English speaking guide
- Tea (or egg-coffee) while visiting the train street
Not included
- Tips/gratuites
- Extra sight-seeing places
- Pickup at Hanoi airport or at hotel near Hanoi airport
What you'll see and do
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
Your tour guide and car from Paradise Indochina Travel pick you up at your hotels then start discovering Hanoi City. The first place is Ho Chi Minh mausoleum (open only in morning time 8:00 AM - 11:30 AM and close on Monday & Friday weekly). It is the final resting place of Ho Chi Minh, the most iconic and popular leader of Vietnam, known to his people as ‘Uncle Ho’. His body is preserved here in a glass case at the mausoleum (albeit against his wishes). Started in 1973, the construction of the mausoleum was modeled on Lenin's mausoleum in Russia and was first open to the public in 1975. Security is tight and visitors should dress with respect (no shorts, sleeveless shirts and miniskirts) and everyone has to deposit their bags and cameras before getting in. PLEASE NOTE that the mausoleum is closed from June 10 to August 12 yearly for maintenance.
40 minutes here · Admission included
One Pillar Pagoda
Legend claims that The One Pillar Pagoda was built following a dream by the fatherless emperor in which the enlightened being Avalokiteshvara gave him a baby son resting on a lotus flower. Emperor Ly Thai Tong commissioned the pagoda to be created in resemblance of this lotus flower which is also the Buddhist symbol of enlightenment. The Emperor remained in gratitude to the bodhisattva and subsequently to to Quan Am, the Goddess of Mercy following the birth of his son. Inside the temple a richly gilded statue of Quan Am takes centre place at the main altar. Today, the concrete pillar that supports the tiny wooden pagoda is a replacement for the original one which was blown up by the departing French, it remains unclear how much of the wooden temple is the original one. Another point of interest is a bo tree that grows behind the pagoda which legend state is an offshoot of the one under which Buddha became enlightened - the tree was given as a gift from India in 1958.
30 minutes here · Admission included
Temple of Literature & National University
The Temple of Literature is often cited as one of Hanoi’s most picturesque tourist attractions. Originally built as a university in 1070 dedicated to Confucius, scholars and sages, the building is extremely well preserved and is a superb example of traditional-style Vietnamese architecture. This ancient site offers a lake of literature, the Well of Heavenly Clarity, turtle steles, pavilions, courtyards and passageways that were once used by royalty. Visiting the Temple of Literature you will discover historic buildings from the Ly and Tran dynasties in a revered place that has seen thousands of doctors’ graduate in what has now become a memorial to education and literature. Originally the university only accepted aristocrats, the elite and royal family members as students before eventually opening its doors to brighter ‘commoners’. Successful graduates had their names engraved on a stone stele which can be found on top of the stone turtles.
60 minutes here · Admission included
Dong Xuan Market
Dong Xuan Market, the largest wholesale market in Hanoi was built in 1889. Dong Xuan Market has long been a tourist attraction in Hanoi, thanks to its prime location in the heart of this city as well as the impressive architecture and history. Coming to Dong Xuan Market, you can find a wide range of commodities from fabric, clothing, local handicrafts, souvenirs and street foods. Read on to explore all the specific things about Dong Xuan Market. When the nationwide war broke out in 1946, Dong Xuan Market witnessed the fierce battles of Vietnamese resistance fighters against the French soldiers, especially the combat of deciding-to-die soldiers (Quyết Tử Quân) to prevent the French attack on the Inter-resistance Zone 1 in February 1947. For more than 100 years, Dong Xuan Market has associated with many important milestones throughout the history of Hanoi, contained all the material and sentimental value of Hanoi and become one of the inseparable symbols of Hanoi.
20 minutes here · Admission included
Long Bien Bridge
In 1882, after the French army conquered Hanoi, the bridge was constructed in 1899 and completed in 1902. A symbol of the tenacity and resilience of the Hanoian people, the Long Bien Bridge was bombed on several occasions during the American War, and each time quickly repaired by the Vietnamese. The bridge, used by trains, mopeds and pedestrians, is undergoing reconstruction to restore its original appearance. It's colourfully illuminated at night.
20 minutes here
Hanoi Train Street
Visiting Hanoi Train Street in Hanoi is one of the Best Things To Do to learn and explore Hanoi local life. Rather than being a normal road with car or motorbike traffic, it has actual real railway lines running through it. Nestled in Hanoi’s Old Quarter, this narrow alley attracts travelers hoping to snap a picture on the active train track, and even catch a train whizz by! This alley is actually a residential area - many locals have converted their houses into quaint little cafes where you can sip on traditional egg coffee. It is a very wonderful experience once visting Hanoi city.
40 minutes here · Admission included
Hanoi Opera House
The Hanoi Opera House (French: Opéra de Hanoï) was erected by the French colonial administration between 1901 and 1911 (you are allowed to visit the outside of the building). It is one of three opera houses that the French built during their time in Indochina, the others are Haiphong Opera House and Municipal Theatre in Ho Chi Minh city. It was modeled on the Palais Garnier, the older of Paris's two opera houses, and is considered to be one of the architectural landmarks of Hanoi. The main architectural style of the Opera House is Neoclassicism. After the departure of the French the opera house became the scene for several political events. as well as the scene of street fighting during the fight for Hanoi.
10 minutes here
Lake of the Restored Sword (Hoan Kiem Lake)
Then the vehicle pass through Hoan Kiem Lake (lake of the Restored Sword), another name "Turtle lake". The name “Hoan Kiem” comes from the legend of King Le Loi returning the magical sword to the Golden Turtle after defeating the Ming invaders. The lake is famous for its peaceful scenery, green surroundings, and iconic structures such as Turtle Tower, The Huc Bridge... A short walk in the walking street near the lake bring you a fresh air and peacful mind. After this site, our vehicle will drop you off the same pickup place. Your say goodbye to tour guide and driver. End of the trip! PLEASE NOTE: Incase you want to extend your visit in Hanoi Old Quarter, you can say goodbye to the guide here (and go back hotel by yourself).
15 minutes here
Where it starts and ends
Meeting point
Hanoi
This meeting point is only for those who do not need the hotel pickup or whose locations are outside of our pickup defined area.
Hotel pickup
Pickup is available for selected locations. Pickup begins about 5 minutes before departure.
Ends at
This meeting point is only for those who do not need the hotel pickup or whose locations are outside of our pickup defined area.
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- vi, en
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Every day
- Group size
- Up to 15 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- Paradise Indochina Travel
Know before you go
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- 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.
- If you hotel is located near Noi Bai airport, you need to go to the meeting point for pickup or contact the local operator for more details.
- Please contact our operations team via WhatsApp +84-982-804-399 to double check your pick-up location.
Photos
What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 300 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
The guide
10 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Knowledge and storytelling
8 mentionsReviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.
Traveler reviews
300 verified traveler reviews for Hanoi City Half Day Private Tour: Hidden Corners & Train Street. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
History, Culture, and Great Guide
Co worker and I had a business trip to Hanoi from the US and booked this tour at the end of the trip. We didn't have a ton of time to see the city but wanted to get a flavor. Boiled down: we were VERY pleased with this experience and would highly recommend. Our guide's name was Lan and she was everything you hope for in a tour guide in a foreign-to-you city: native, enthusiastic personality, and her English was very good. We visited Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum (make sure you go in the morning; you can't see Minh's body in the afternoon) and the complex around it. We then went to the Temple of Literature (aka the oldest school in Vietnam) and learned about the influence of China throughout Vietnam's history. We took a scheduled stop at a coffee shop on Train Street and were able to watch one of the trains go through. The videos of Train Street don't do the experience justice; the train was close enough to touch with your hand. You would never see that in the US. We visited the oldest cathedral in Hanoi, walked through a huge wholesale market and ended at the Long Bien bridge. We did a fair amount of walking around the different locations but transport between was in a private car where we could leave our belongings between stops and cool down in the air conditioning. The transport, driver, and all entrance fees were included in our tour price, as was our beverage at the Train Street shop. For the amount of time available to us at the end of our trip, this tour proved to be a great use of time. If you have the opportunity, definitely recommend trying to book with Lan (be ready to be quizzed constantly on the facts she teaches during the tour). If you have the flexibility of timing your overall trip to Vietnam, non-summer months would be more comfortable.
via Tripadvisor
Great introduction to Hanoi
We really enjoyed this tour with our very knowledgeable and friendly guide Linh. It provided us with a great introduction to Hanoi and its history.
via Tripadvisor
Hanoi in half a day
Our tour guide was LAN and she was fantastic and enthusiastic every minute of the tour…in fact another tour member asked for her details as she was so good compared to theirs! We visited several sites including the Temple of Literature, iconic Don Xuan Market, the famous Train Street which was amazing and St Josephs Cathedral. Lans knowledge and love for her city made the tour even more special.
via Tripadvisor
Don’t expect the itinerary you booked and you’ll have a great day
The tour was good but the itinerary was quite different to what was on the website, and the guide was not able to make changes as that was what she had been instructed to do. Once we adjusted our expectations we learnt a lot about some of the sights, and we would not have got as much out of the tour without our guide. Our tour guide was lovely with quite good English
Response from the operator: Dear, thank you very much for using our service. Your half day tour with a limited time covering most of the famous sites and you already had all sites mentioned in the program. Unfortunately, you asked for a change so late once the tour almost finished so it was impossible. We hope that your feedback should have more details. Thank you very much!
via Viator
Would highly recommend
LAN was a fantastic guide, informative and funny:) the school of literature was my fave spot, there was so much history I didn’t know.
via Viator
Good to know
- Duration
- 4 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Every day
- Hotel pickup
- Available for selected locations
- Booked in 30 days
- 105
- Verdict
- Solid Choice
Who runs this experience
Operated by Paradise Indochina Travel, who run 24 experiences we rank across 5 cities, with an average Outty Ranking of 56.0.
See everything Paradise Indochina Travel runsWhy this scores 69
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
Hanoi City Half Day Private Tour: Hidden Corners & Train Street: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Hanoi.
How much does Hanoi City Half Day Private Tour: Hidden Corners & Train Street cost?
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Prices start at $55 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Hanoi usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does Hanoi City Half Day Private Tour: Hidden Corners & Train Street take?
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Plan for about 4 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Hanoi is not rushed.
Is Hanoi City Half Day Private Tour: Hidden Corners & Train Street worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 69 out of 100, which we label "Solid Choice". That score blends traveler sentiment (4.6/5 across 300 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable last minute in Hanoi, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule Hanoi City Half Day Private Tour: Hidden Corners & Train Street?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is Hanoi City Half Day Private Tour: Hidden Corners & Train Street suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 4-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book Hanoi City Half Day Private Tour: Hidden Corners & Train Street?
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Around 105 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Hanoi can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Hanoi and add a light layer if any part of the 4-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does Hanoi City Half Day Private Tour: Hidden Corners & Train Street start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Hanoi within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Hanoi?
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On Outty we rank every Hanoi experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Ha Giang Loop 3-Day Small Group - from Hanoi, (Group/Individual) HANOI STREET FOOD TOUR, Incense Village Quang Phu Cau, Hat Village and Hanoi City Tour. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Hanoi?
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Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Hanoi?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
What is included in Hanoi City Half Day Private Tour: Hidden Corners & Train Street?
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Included: Private transfers whole tour; Entrance fees; English speaking guide; and Tea (or egg-coffee) while visiting the train street. Not included: Tips/gratuites; Extra sight-seeing places; and Pickup at Hanoi airport or at hotel near Hanoi airport. Always check the voucher for the final list before you travel.
Does Hanoi City Half Day Private Tour: Hidden Corners & Train Street include hotel pickup?
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Yes, pickup is offered, or you can meet at the start point instead from 2220 listed pickup locations in and around Hanoi. Be ready about 5 minutes before the start time. You can also enter a custom pickup address when booking.
What languages is Hanoi City Half Day Private Tour: Hidden Corners & Train Street offered in?
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It is offered in Vietnamese and English. Pick your language when choosing a date and time, as not every departure runs in every language.
Will I get instant confirmation and a mobile ticket for Hanoi City Half Day Private Tour: Hidden Corners & Train Street?
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Confirmation is sent by the operator after booking, usually within 48 hours; if it is not confirmed you are not charged. Mobile tickets are accepted, so you can show the voucher on your phone.
Is Hanoi City Half Day Private Tour: Hidden Corners & Train Street wheelchair or stroller accessible?
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The operator notes: Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap. If accessibility is critical, contact the operator after booking to confirm arrangements for your date.
What happens to Hanoi City Half Day Private Tour: Hidden Corners & Train Street if the weather is bad?
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This experience depends on good weather. If it is canceled because of poor weather, you are offered a different date or a full refund.
What do travelers say about Hanoi City Half Day Private Tour: Hidden Corners & Train Street?
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Across 300 reviews averaging 4.6 out of 5, recurring themes include the guide, knowledge and storytelling. Travelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
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