The 12 Best Hanoi History Tours

2.Hanoi Heritage Premium Daily Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 914 reviews · from $49

Spend about eight hours touring Hanoi by limousine, from Tran Quoc Pagoda and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum to the Ethnology Museum, Temple of Literature, and Hoa Lo Prison. The $49 price includes entrance fees, lunch, an English-speaking guide, and one bottle of water per limousine leg. Expect a full schedule and a group of up to 19.

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4.Heritage Binh Chuan 2 Days 1 Night discovery in Lan Ha Bay

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 470 reviews · from $469

Spend two days and one night aboard Heritage Binh Chuan, cruising Lan Ha Bay from Tuan Chau Marina. Expect an elegant suite, full-ocean views, kayaking or bamboo boating, Dark and Bright Cave, Vovinam, pool time, and meals on board. Staff including Sam, Jack, Ashley, Sara, and Chris provide attentive service throughout the trip.

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5.Cho Gioi Vietnam War History Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 102 reviews · from $29

Spend three hours with an English-speaking Hanoi guide such as Kien or Dung, walking through Cho Gioi and Nguyen Cong Tru Market, learning about life under the planned economy, stopping at the Kham Thiem B52 memorial, and finishing with coffee or tea near Train Street. A short taxi ride is included.

“The Guide and quality of the information was excellent”

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6.Explore Hanoi Old Quarter ’s Rich History and Culture By Walking

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 72 reviews · from $19Best value

Spend three to four hours walking Hanoi’s Old Quarter with a private English-speaking student guide. Visit Hoan Kiem area sights, an ancient tube house, Kim Ngan Temple, St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Train Street, Dong Xuan Market, and Ô Quan Chưởng. Hotel pickup is included within the Old Quarter, with water and entrance fees covered.

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7.Coffee, History, and Architecture of the French Quarter

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 71 reviews · from $31

Spend 2.5 hours walking Hanoi’s French Quarter with an English-speaking local guide, often Mina or Dung. Start with Vietnamese coffee in an old French villa, then connect colonial buildings, modern Vietnamese life, and wartime history at more than 15 sights. Coffee and Trang Tien ice cream are included.

“Really awesome tour, Mina has a great knowledge of Vietnamese history and architecture and a fun personality. Highly recommend the tour!”

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8.Trang An eco-tourism – Hoa Lu ancient & Mua Cave

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 51 reviews · from $42

Travel from Hanoi's Old Quarter to Hoa Lu, Mua Cave, and Trang An with an English-speaking guide such as Tom, Brian, Cris, or Loi. Visit royal temples, climb 500 steps for wide Ninh Binh views, then row through caves and rice fields. A comfortable shuttle, buffet lunch, and hotel pickup make this a practical full-day choice.

“the rating is for the travel, pickup and tour guide (cris) organisation. the bus made for a comfortable travel to the three places. on-time pickup and drop off. The Trang an boat was long but we enjoyed it albeit in 37 degrees. The climb up to mua cave is quite doable for most people although for us the heat made it a very sweaty affair. The buffet lunch was not so tasty - a reasonable selection of dishes but bland overall. Note that there is a swimming pool available for a quick dip if you don't fancy the cycle in the heat.”

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9.Hanoi Full Day A Private Tour With Mix of History and Activities

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 51 reviews · from $160

Spend 8 to 10 hours exploring Hanoi with a private vehicle and English-speaking guide. See Ho Chi Minh’s former home, One Pillar Pagoda, the Ethnology Museum, and the Old Quarter. You’ll also enjoy a Vietnamese set lunch, cyclo ride, Train Street coffee, and a water puppet show. Guide assignments vary, with names such as QA, Hoa, Jimmy, and Bruce Lee associated with the operator.

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10.Hanoi City Highlights Walking Tour – Landmarks & History

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 34 reviews · 4 hours - 270 minutes · from $24

Spend about four and a half hours tracing Hanoi’s history from Quan Thanh Pagoda and Hoàn Kiếm Lake to Hoa Lo Prison and Train Street. Private tours include hotel pickup, while small groups have up to six people. Guides such as John, Henry, and Tom add clear wartime context, local stories, drinks, snacks, and practical city advice.

“My brother and I had a great experience on the tour led by John. John was very knowledgeable, accommodating, and fun to talk to. The tour was informative as we learned a lot about Hanoi and Vietnam’s past and present. There was also time for fun like having a few drinks at the train street before the train came by. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a tour that informs about Hanoi and Vietnam’s history and culture.”

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11.Historic Jeep Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 30 reviews · from $68

Spend four hours touring Hanoi by Jeep with an English-speaking guide. You will thread through local alleys, the French Quarter, Long Bien Bridge, West Lake, Truc Bach Lake, newer city districts, and food stops. Guides such as Minh, Nam, Dang, and Hayden have led recent tours, with vegetarian choices available.

“Minh together with the Jeep driver were amazing hosts! They brought us to view how egg coffee is created, the b52 bomber crash site in Hanoi, an amazing Hanoi dinner (bun cha) and train street! Can’t recommend them enough as we had an awesome time with them. Thank you Minh!”

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12.Hanoi’s Heritage: Embroidery Workshop in Ancient House

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 22 reviews · 1h 30m · from $23

Meet at Tân Mỹ, 16 Hang Trong Street, for a 60 to 90 minute English-language embroidery lesson in a preserved Hanoi house. A local artisan teaches basic Vietnamese stitches, and you take home your own piece. Materials, a drink, snacks, and a translator are included. A home-cooked meal is available for an extra charge from 10:00 to 11:00.

“A lovely, peaceful experience and a perfect escape from the busy streets of Hanoi. The host is incredibly kind and welcoming, and her hospitality makes you feel right at home. The workshop is calm, intimate, and thoughtfully run. You learn something meaningful, and enjoy a quieter side of the city. Highly recommended!”

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