Private Tour: Hanoi City Full-Day Tour with Train Street Visit

Hanoi Opera House was built to host classical art shows such as chamber music, opera, ballet, and drama. With a total area of some 2,600 square metres, the Opera House has 3 areas including the front hall, mirror chamber, and performance hall. All areas are decorated with French-style classical chandeliers.

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is an important historical attraction of Hanoi, known for honoring the national hero: President Ho Chi Minh. The building is where visitors can express their admiration and gratitude towards the common father/uncle of Vietnamese who has led the country to independence and reunification. It is popularly known among Vietnamese as Uncles’ Mausoleum, for the intimate and familiar atmosphere Ho Chi Minh always created when he was alive. Built over 2 years from 1973 to 1975, the Mausoleum is also a lively illustrator of national unity.

Infrastructure

The materials that constitute the building, from exterior granite to interior wood, were contributed by people from all over the country. Even the garden that surrounded the Mausoleum has a collection of plants and bonsais donated from all regions in Vietnam. This shows the Vietnamese’s wish to forever keep their dear father/grandfather company. In fact, the construction of the Mausoleum was against Ho Chi Minh’s will. As he passed away, he wished to be cremated and his cremation to be scattered all over the country, so that land can be saved for agricultural production.

One Pillar Pagoda, also known as the Dien Huu Pagoda or Lien Hoa Dai owns unique architectural structure with a square structure lying on a stone pillar. It is distinctive architecture that gives the pagoda become one of the fascinating tourist attractions in Hanoi. Floating above the lake consists of a system of wooden slats forming the solid structure firmly supporting the pagoda, which looks like a lotus flower raising straight up from the lake. Dien Huu Pagoda started its construction in October (lunar calendar), 1049 under King Ly Thai Tong. In 1106, King Ly Nhan Tong renovated and expanded the pagoda to become a large architectural complex with Linh Chieu Lake added and a gilded lotus throne atop. Inside the lotus throne is purple shrine with sacred bird imagery in the roof. There is a gilded statue of Buddha Avalokiteshvara inside.

A rare example of well-preserved traditional Vietnamese architecture, the Temple of Literature honours Vietnam’s finest scholars. Founded in 1070 by Emperor Ly Thanh Tong, the attractive complex is dedicated to Confucius (Khong Tu) and was the site of Vietnam’s first university (1076). The altars are popular with students praying for good grades; while the pagodas, ponds and gardens of the five courtyards make picturesque backdrops for student graduation photos. It is depicted on the 100,000d note.

Located on a small penisula on the East side of West Lake, Tran Quoc Pagoda is regarded as the most ancient pagoda in Hanoi with its history line of more than 1,500 years.

Located on a small penisula on the East side of West Lake, Tran Quoc Pagoda is regarded as the most ancient pagoda in Hanoi with its history line of more than 1,500 years. The architecture of this Buddhist center is a subtle combination between the solemn and beautiful landscape on the peaceful and quiet ambiance of West Lake’s surface. Thanks to these historical and architectural values, Tran Quoc Pagoda attracts many tourists to pay a visit, both inside and outside of Vietnam.

Located in the center of the capital of Vietnam, well-known as one of the most inhumane prisons with terrified punishment, Hoa Lo Prison, aka Maison Centrale, is a symbol of strong will of prisoners and their sacrifice for their communist ideals.

Hanoi Train Street is a unique attraction that has grown in popularity in recent years. It is a tiny street in the center of the city, with narrow houses surrounded on each side by residences and cafés, and train lines running straight down the middle. We will have a drink here while waiting for the train passing through.

Located in the middle of Ha Noi, a rapidly developing city where changes take place every hour, Ha Noi Old Quarter with its old-styled narrow streets full of antique brick houses seems to nostalgically resist the flow of time while still actively trying to adapt to the dynamic atmosphere of the modern city.

Once a bustling area where merchants and artisans gathered to sell their products, Ha Noi Old Quarter consists of many small, meandering streets, each bears the name of the goods that was specifically traded there such as Hang Bac (Silver Product), Hang Ma (Paper Product), Hang Go (Wood Product), just to name a few.

Visiting this unique historical vestige comfortably lying around Hoan Kiem Lake, tourists get lost in a totally different world from the rest of the city and have the chance to explore the modest but energetic life of the local a hundred years ago, where there were no high-rise buildings, too much traffic or fancy stores; things will get a little bit smaller, as visitors may have used to those skyscrapers and shopping centers in other parts of the city, but not at all less lively and vigorous.