Ha Noi Family Private City Tour

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, 2 Hung Vuong Ba Dinh Square, Hanoi 100000 Vietnam

8:30 am, ready to start the tour. Firstly visit Ho Chi Minh Complex; Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum, his house on stilts, the botanical garden, and the Presidential Palace while learning about his life and revolutionary activities. This used to be the residence of the Governor of Indochina. After 1954 it was named the Presidential Palace and became the place where Ho Chi Minh lived and worked until he passed away in 1969. On the way out visit the One Pillar Pagoda. The pagoda was constructed in 1049 by King Ly Thai Tong according to his dream of Bodhisattva sitting on a lotus flower and leading him to the pagoda. In 1954, the pagoda was destroyed by the French before their withdrawal. After taking over the city on October 10th, 1954, Vietnam Ministry of Culture restored the pagoda. The pagoda of today remains since this restoration

Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Temple of Literature & National University, Quoc Tu Giam Street Dong Da District, Hanoi 100000 Vietnam

Around 11:00 am arrive at the Temple of Literature. This is the combination of the Confucius Temple which was built in 1070 and the first Royal National university in Vietnam built 6 years later in 1076. Considered as 'an escape' from the bustling city, this temple and its beautiful garden provide an opportunity to learn more about education in Vietnam since 1000 years ago until recent times.
-12:00 am, enjoy a delicious lunch in a local restaurant with traditional local Vietnamese Cuisines

Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, Nguyen Van Huyen Street Cau Giay, Hanoi 100000 Vietnam

Around 1 pm:
-Visiting Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in Hanoi, offering an insight into the 54 different ethnic groups of Vietnam in an effort to preserve cultural heritage and promote socio-cultural diversity within the country.
-The museum is packed full of information detailing traditional Vietnamese ways of life, from religious events to the symbolic rituals of all the Vietnamese ethnic groups, providing a rich tapestry of the culture melting pot existing in Vietnam. The exhibition hall features everyday objects representing each group, a research center, library, and auditorium. The outdoor display area exhibits a variety of Vietnamese homes as full-scale replicas, with great attention paid to the varying architectural styles set within the authentic and tranquil gardens
The museum has over 15,000 artefacts including photographs and other multi-media such as audiotapes. Its indoor exhibition space can be viewed via a virtual tour which includes the Viet, Muong, Tho, Chut, Tav, Thai, Ka Dai, H’Mong-Dao, Tang, San Dui, Ngai, Mon-Khmer, Nam-Dao, Cham, Hoa and Khmer ethnic groups. ----
There are priceless antiques on display alongside everyday objects such as pipes, baskets and knives. Expect to see a wide range of interesting items on display at the museum with clothes, jewellery and items relating to weddings, funeral ceremonies and other spiritual rituals also exhibited across the 54 communities offering an incomparable glimpse of their history, heritage and cultural identity.



Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Chua Tran Quoc, Thanh Nien, Hanoi 10000 Vietnam

3 pm
- Tran Quoc Pagoda is the oldest of its kind in Hanoi, dating back to the 6th century during the reign of Emperor Ly Nam De Dynasty (544 - 548). The Buddhist shrine has undergone several changes throughout the years, particularly its renaming from An Quoc to Tran Quoc (protecting the country) by Emperor Le Huy Tong in the 17th century. Although it’s now set on an islet within West Lake, the pagoda was originally located on banks of Red River before it’s relocated in 1615due to the river’s encroachment. Surrounded by lush greenery, Tran Quoc Pagoda was a favorite amongst the kings and royal families for festivals, full moons, and Tet Festival.
-Standing at 15 metres, the main pagoda is made up of eleven levels, while its surrounding buildings include an incense burning house and a museum housing historic relics.You can also see intricately carved statues dating to 1639, each of which bear unique facial feature.
-Tran Quoc Pagoda is free to enter all year long, though it gets packed with devotees during annual festivities such as Tet and Buddha’s Birthday. As it’s a place of worship, visitors are advised to dress conservatively out of respect for the monks and locals.



Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Hoan Kiem Lake Walking Street, Around Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi 100000 Vietnam

- Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi attracts tourists and locals looking to get away from the noise and frenetic pace of the city. Peaceful and quiet, the lake surrounds Ngoc Son Temple, a pagoda sitting in the center on a small island.
-The temple attracts many visitors and was built in commemoration of the 13th-century military leader Tran Hung Dao who was renowned for his bravery in the battle against the Yuan Dynasty.
- Homage is also paid to scholar Van Xuong and Confucian master Nguyen Van Sieu. The island on which the temple is built is known as Jade Island and is accessible by the iconic Huc Bridge or Rising Sun Bridge which is a charming scarlet-painted wooden bridge of classical Vietnamese design. The pagoda is also guarded by two towering posts decorated with Chinese writing. The lake and temple are probably the most famous places in Hanoi city in which to rest and enjoy the view and are a great place to sit back and watch the locals.
-Ngoc Son Temple was built in the 18th century on Jade Island in the center of the ‘Lake of the Returned Sword’ or Hoan Kiem Lake. Legend describes how an emperor was once given a magical sword which helped him defeat the Chinese Ming Dynasty and in doing so saw the return of the Golden Turtle God to the lake. Today ‘Turtle Tower’ stands close to the lake in memory of this legend.
-There are also endangered large soft-shell turtles swimming in the lake, and to see one of these gentle giants is considered very auspicious. The name of the temple translates to ‘Temple of the Jade Mountain’ and is predominately dedicated to war hero General Tran Hung Dao who defeated an armed force of 300,000 soldiers sent by Mongolian Emperor Kublai Khan in the 13th century to invade Vietnam. Also inside the pagoda are a large bronze bust and other deities.
-There are altars dedicated to Tran Hung Dao, some ancient artefacts including ceramics and a preserved specimen of a giant turtle found in the lake weighing 250kg.



Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Old Quarter, Hanoi 100000 Vietnam

Guests have two option here
1) Cyclo trip around the Old Quarter - your hotel
- Originally inspired by Japanese rickshaws pulled by strong arms, the trishaw made its debut in Hanoi under the French colonial period.
-Explore old Quarter Hanoi by cyclo to dive in the soul of Hanoi. This "authentic" way allow visitors to discover the city center in intense emotions. It's like you are in the center of a whirlwind of movement, wrapped in a cacophony of horns and the bustle of people who try to make their way in the middle of all this excitement.
This is another interesting point of view letting you catch scenes of the daily life of the city, traders, small restaurants, sidewalks… They are a feast for eyes (dazzled by all these colors), nose (surprised by the spicy flavors of Asia) and ears (to whom are not used to noise and Vietnamese language) ...

2) Water puppet show
- An art form that dates back to the 11th century. The tradition of water puppet theatre stems from a time when rice paddy fields were flooded and villagers would make entertainment by standing in the waist-deep water with the puppets performing over the water. - Using large rods to support the puppets it appeared as if they were moving across the water with the puppeteers hidden behind a screen.
-This tradition is unique to North Vietnam but has recently found fame on stages all over the world; so it’s a rare treat to see the puppets perform in their original location at the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre. Performances are accompanied by a Vietnamese orchestra playing traditional music using drums, wooden bells, horns, bamboo flutes and cymbals. There are also authentic Vietnamese operatic songs telling the story that is being acted out by the puppets. Most of the shows recount Vietnamese folk tales and legends with topics including the celebration of the rice harvest depicted in a humorous fashion.
- Shows at this modern theatre are performed in a pool of water as the stage for the puppets. The puppets are controlled by no more than eight puppeteers hiding behind a bamboo screen.
-The renowned Thang Long Water Puppet show is considered to be one of the cultural highlights of Northern Vietnam dating back to a tradition that first started in the Red River Delta. Today’s performances usually include a number of short sketches rather than one long story, taking the audience on a journey of ancient village life, agricultural harvests and dances of mythical creatures.
- Most shows also feature the famous Legend of the Restored Sword of King Le which tells the tale of Hoan Kiem Lake and the giant tortoise. The live music plays an integral part in the show with singers often shouting words of encouragement to the puppets.



Duration: 1 hour