Hanoi Old Quarter: Private Evening Walking, Cyclo Ride & Water Puppet Show
5.0
14 Ratings
Hoàn Kiếm

Embark on a relaxing evening journey around the French Quarter in Hanoi on a cyclo. Discover all the prominent features of the Old Quarter, including the Hanoi Opera House and the prestigious Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi Hotel.

Duration: 3 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Lake of the Restored Sword (Hoan Kiem Lake) - The tale goes that Le Loi King came across a shining metal bar when he visited his friend. It turned out that his friend caught the bar in one of his attempts for fish. The King asked for the bar, brought it home and moulded it into a sword. All of a sudden, there was two words printed on the sword “Thuan Thien” (harmonious with heaven).

Le Loi then understood that the sword was a gift from heaven. He used it for the battle against the war with a neighbouring country. At the beginning of 1428, when peace prevailed, on one of his trip to the Thuy Quan (now Hoan Kiem) Lake, there was a tortoise rising above water and shouting: “Please return the sword to the Dragon King”. Without hesitation, the King threw the sword to the lake. The tortoise took the sword and dove down the water. From then on, Thuy Quan became Hoan Kiem lake.

  • Old Quarter - 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.

  • Thang Long Water Puppet - Located at 57B, Dinh Tien Hoang street, nearby Hoan Kiem Lake, Thang Long Water Puppet Theater is a familiar address for both domestic tourists and foreign ones, who want to enjoy water puppet shows and discovery the beauty of this unique Vietnam traditional art.

In 1969, the theater was established and since 1990; many water puppet shows have been performed by Thang Long theater artists.Every year, about 500 shows are offered to approximately 150,000 audiences. Moreover, the theater has brought water puppetry art to more then 40 foreign countries like Japan, France, America, Australia, Spain… through performance tours, or international cultural exchange program or puppetry festivals.

What's Included
  • Beef noodles
  • Water puppet show
  • English-speaking guide
  • Cyclo tour
  • Hotel pick-up and drop-off
What's Not Included
  • Drinks
  • Personal expenses
  • Tips and gratuities
  • Optional activity costs
Additional Information
  • Children below 2 years old are free of charge.
  • Exact pick-up time to be advised upon reconfirmation.
Location
Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
Phố Lý Thái Tổ
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(14 Ratings)
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Mary_m
May 30, 2024
Take This Tour! - The description does not do this tour justice! It was so much fun -- the water puppet show was so interesting, and all six of us are still laughing about the cyclo tour. I cannot imagine that there is a better way to experience Hanoi!
Review provided by Viator
Bec_y
Apr 20, 2024
My favourite tour with friendly Paul - Perfect intro to the city of Hanoi. We landed and took this tour after a banh mi. What a highlight. Paul our guide was awesome. He took us to the puppet show, helped us cross streets, set us up in a cyclo which was heaps of fun (please remember to tip the hardworking drivers), and then I had my first egg coffee and local pho. One of my favourite tours of our holiday. Thank you Paul.
Review provided by Viator
Jialinn2021
Apr 19, 2024
Hanoi private local street food tour - Chloe our local tour guide was amazing! She brought us to the local owned family restaurants in which you wouldn’t be able to find on google and they all served amazing traditional local food. The best part was, Chloe would try out these places on her own time before recommending them to the tourists.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Wander24931369109
Apr 14, 2024
Lovely guide lovely tour :) - Nic was a very knowledgeable and friendly tour guide. Thank you for a wonderful tour we thoroughly enjoyed everything including all the historical & current information on the Vietnamese culture. We love Vietnam 🇻🇳 ❤️
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Q9603ajgregm
Mar 2, 2024
Great interesting tour - Scooter tour & food was fantastic. Louisa was best tour guide & fantastic driver. Food was interesting & good. Saw lots of sights.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jason_b
Nov 30, 2023
Authentic food, egg coffee and puppet show - The evening sightseeing tour allowed for a thorough exploration of Hanoi's Old Quarter. Our guide, Jackson, showcased the lively street scenes of the area as we walked around. The culinary segment featured a taste of typical Vietnamese pho, a culinary staple, alongside the unique experience of egg coffee. A notable part of the evening was the traditional Vietnamese water puppet show, providing an interesting glimpse into local artistry and cultural narratives. Overall, the evening unfolded smoothly, offering a well-rounded mix of cultural insights, culinary enjoyment, and entertainment. Recommended for those looking for a straightforward exploration of the Old Quarter.
Review provided by Viator
Andrea_h
Nov 2, 2023
Worth it! - Excellent tour. Was taken around the city and told interesting facts. Great to talk to a local and find out about the city and all the family owned businesses. Learned how the old town is set up. Tour guide Pietro’s English was excellent. Would totally recommend
Review provided by Viator
Christiandiaz777
Aug 8, 2023
Awesome tour! - Amazing food, get to know principal views on hanói. It rained, however Phang gave us raincoats and he was very helpful, attentive and great guide.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Stinabang
Nov 2, 2019
Great start of our Vietnam travels - Guide Jenny did such an amazing job giving us an insight to the Vietnamese culture and making us welcome in her country. The program was interesting, fun and compact but also flexible and variated. Highly reccomended as the first day in Vietnam/ Hanoi! Big hugs to Jenny that set the tone for our great travels!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
739stefanian
Oct 28, 2019
Perfect way to explore Hanoi with a local - This was the first tour we did in Hanoi and it was a great way to explore it for the first time. Our tour was lovely and explained everything in detail but also really communicated the situation in Vietnam and how people live there. But the highlight of the tour was definitely the pho. This still remains the best meal we had in Vietnam. I would definitely recommend.
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