Hanoi Tours & Travel Packages

From September to April is the best time to visit Hanoi. However, the most beautiful and comfortable time to travel to this city is autumn (September - November). After August, the hot season in Hanoi with the temperature up to 45^oC almost ends, the weather is cooler, rains stop and trees start to change their leaves. As most of the time you travel in Hanoi is outside, the fall weather here is very supportive to have the perfect trip as it is very dry, cool, and refreshing.

From February to April is Hanoi springtime. It is warm and a little wet. If you have no pollen allergy and don’t mind to travel under the drizzle, springtime should be considered as a good time to visit Hanoi, especially this is the time of many events such as the Lunar New Year, spring festivals, Easter Day, etc. 

Hanoi Autumn

Hanoi Old Quarter

If you come to Hanoi without visiting the Old Quarter means you haven’t been here. The Old Quarter is actually Hanoi of the last centuries when this city was still a very small metropolis built in the French colonial period.

There are 36 streets here which each street was named by the products selling on it; for example, Hang Bac (Silver St.) had silver and jewelry stores, Hang Thiec (Tin St.) sold products made of tin, Hang Dong (Bronze St.) sold brazen products, Hang Ga (Chicken St.) sold poultry, etc.

Some streets in Hanoi Old Quarter are still selling their traditional products but some are not anymore, but wandering through crowded trading streets with colorful stores selling different products is still very interesting and joyful.

Besides, Hanoi Old Quarter is where you can find the best street food here. Not only the tourists, the locals in Hanoi usually come to the Old Quarter to enjoy tasty meals. In addition, if you are interested in Vietnamese religious life and ancient architecture, there are many temples and pagoda inside the Old Quarter (some have more than 100 years old) waiting for your visit and most of them are totally free to come. 

Hanoi Old Quarter

On the other hand, Hanoi Old Quarter provides so many options for amusing activities, especially the nightlife here is extremely crowded. You can choose to watch a cultural show or chill in a bar/pub/lounge and then have supper at 2 a.m. at any vendor on the streets.

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

President Ho Chi Minh is the Vietnamese greatest leader who helped the country took back independence after about 100 years of being a colony. If you want to explore the history of Vietnam, you shouldn’t miss the chance to visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum where the great president rested in peace and learn more about what he sacrificed to protect the country, his political path, and lifestyle.

Hanoi The Temple of Literature

It is said that the Temple of Literature was the first university of Vietnam which was found in 1070 and became the most important educated center at that time. At present, this place is where to worship Confucius, Chu Van An – the greatest teacher in Vietnam history, and three Emperors who contributed to build the Temple of Literature and the development of Confucian education in Vietnam.

This is also a place where locals come and wish for the best luck in the study; many students and their families come here before the important examinations to pray for success. Therefore, if you are a student, you should come here not only for getting more information about the history of Vietnam’s education but also to wish for your success and achievement.

Hanoi Temple of literature

Hanoi West Lake

Only 7km from the famous Sword Lake (Ho Guom – Ho Hoan Kiem) is “the lung of Hanoi” – West Lake (Ho Tay). This is the biggest lake in Hanoi which is about 500ha large and nearby many sacred well-known temples and pagodas such as Tran Quoc Pagoda, Tay Ho Temple, Quan Thanh Temple, etc. Besides, as the West Lake is only 10 – to 15-minute driving to Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum; therefore, you can easily add West Lake into your city tour in Hanoi.

Hanoi Handicraft Villages

As being the capital for many dynasties, the outskirts of Hanoi gathers many famous handicraft villages which were the only suppliers for royal families and now being must-visit villages that have been keeping the traditional craft for generations and provide high quality and valuable handicraft products across the country and also overseas markets.

A tour to visit handicraft villages in Hanoi is quite suitable if you are having a family holiday in Vietnam with your kids as they will have a large space to play, learn to make some interesting special handicraft products, and also get more new knowledge about life and exotic culture.

Hanoi handicraft village

Riding motorbike

Motorbike is the dominated transportation in Vietnam that almost every family here has at least 1-2 motorbikes to serve their daily life not only as a vehicle but also as a livelihood with some people.

To experience the city like a local, trying a Hanoi motorbike tour here is the best option. The choices for motorbike tours here are varied with half-day, full-day, or food tour follows different itineraries.

Hanoi Walking

Hanoi is big but the center of Hanoi is small and sometimes you just have to walk from this attraction to other ones. Most of the walking tours in Hanoi are operated in the Old Quarter as the streets here are narrow, crowded, and many attractions nearby each other; therefore, walking becomes the most convenient way to travel inside this area.

Although the Hanoi city center is not large, the options for walking tour itinerary here are multiple. You can join a walking city tour through some most popular attractions, join a cooking class to learn how to shopping for foods in local markets and cook a few typical traditional dishes, or book a Hanoi street food tour and enjoy your dinner with some specialties and traditional food in Hanoi. 

Riding cyclo (bicycle rickshaw)

Appeared in Vietnam since 1939, cyclo or bicycle rickshaw was a symbol of wealth and power in the early 20^th century in Vietnam which only the people from high class could afford. Time passed and the cyclo became a favorite vehicle for everyone in Vietnam.

However, at present, cyclo is only allowed to work as transportation in tourism, therefore, if you want to try this old interesting vehicle, you have to join a cyclo tour and it will take you slowly throughout the crowded narrow streets in Hanoi Old Quarter.

Riding Cyclo in Hanoi

Food Tours

Hanoi Street Food is world-known and you will regret it if come to Hanoi without joining a food tour here. There are 2 main types of culinary tours in Hanoi: street food tour and cooking class. And as the most popular tour type, there are many options for Hanoi street food tour like walking tour, motorbike tour, Vespa tour, or night street food tour.

Meanwhile, most of the cooking classes take place in the early morning so that you can try to shop in a traditional market in Hanoi with the tour guide, learn how to buy the best ingredients at the best price, then come back to the class and learn how to cook them.

There are also some short flexible cooking classes in Hanoi which you can choose to join the morning/afternoon/ night session and learn to make a simple local dish/drink in about 3-hours.  

Hanoi local food

Cycling

The Biking tour is not only operated in the countryside or mountainous area, right at the center of Hanoi, but you can also always book a cycling tour to travel around the city and visit the most impressive attractions here.

Actually, comparing with other popular biking routes in Vietnam, cycling in Hanoi is the easiest route and maybe also the most interesting route as there is no obstacle on the way you bike and also can observe the daily life of the 2^nd most crowded city in Vietnam.

Taxi

Like other big cities in Vietnam, Hanoi provides a wide range of taxi brands with competitive prices. Some of the most popular taxi brands in Hanoi that can be listed are ABC, Group, CP, and Mai Linh with good services, nice drivers, new and clean cars.

On the other hand, you can use the Grab app (similar to Uber) to book a car and travel around with no worry of being overcharged as the price of each drive is public on the app.

Public Bus

The public bus system is not the strength of any city in Vietnam and Hanoi too. Normally, these buses are overloaded every day as people who used them regularly are students and pupils; meanwhile, most of the buses are not cared for and cleaned elaborately.

In addition, there is no fixed time for the bus, sometimes you have to wait 45 minutes or more to catch a bus in the city center, which means your travel plan will be broken if just stand there and wait for the bus.

Also, the public bus doesn’t seem like safe transportation, you may have to face the pick-pocket at the bus stop or on the bus, drivers drive recklessly when they are late for the schedule, etc.

Hanoi Bus

On the other hand, there is a solution if you still want to travel by bus and save the money instead of hiring a private car or traveling by taxis all day, you can buy a 1-day pass of Hanoi Hop On Hop Off Bus which cost only US$ 20/ticket to travel unlimitedly in Hanoi city center for one day (from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.