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Hanoi City Tour – Half Day Morning with Lunch

  • Hanoi
  • Day trip
  • Small group
  • Hotel pickup

A half-day morning in Hanoi: Tran Quoc Pagoda, the Ho Chi Minh complex with One Pillar Pagoda and the Museum of Ethnology, then a Vietnamese lunch of 8 dishes.

Short on time in Hanoi? This morning tour covers the capital's best-known sights in about six hours, with a friendly English-speaking guide and a proper Vietnamese lunch at the end.

You start at Tran Quoc, Hanoi's oldest pagoda, on a small island in West Lake. Then you visit the Ho Chi Minh complex, the gardens and the two houses where he lived and worked between 1954 and 1969, and the unusual One Pillar Pagoda. The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology introduces the 54 ethnic groups of the country, before lunch and the ride back to your hotel.

  • Tran Quoc Pagoda, Hanoi's oldest, on West Lake
  • Ho Chi Minh complex, his stilt house and gardens
  • One Pillar Pagoda, one of the most unusual pagodas in Vietnam
  • Vietnam Museum of Ethnology and the 54 ethnic groups
  • Vietnamese lunch with 8 dishes

Day by day

  1. 1

    8:00–8:30

    Morning

    Pick-up and start

    Your friendly guide picks you up at your hotel in Hanoi and the tour begins.

  2. 2

    8:45

    Calm by the lake

    Tran Quoc Pagoda

    Tran Quoc Pagoda tower on West Lake, Hanoi

    Tran Quoc Pagoda stands on Golden Fish Island in West Lake. Built in the 6th century, it is the oldest pagoda in Hanoi.

  3. 3

    9:30

    History

    Ho Chi Minh complex & One Pillar Pagoda

    Visit the Ho Chi Minh complex, where you may see his embalmed body, then walk through the garden to the two houses where he lived and worked from 1954 to 1969. Next is the One Pillar Pagoda, dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy and one of the most unique pagodas in the world. Cover your shoulders and knees when visiting the mausoleum, temples and pagodas. The mausoleum is closed on Mondays and Fridays, and for annual maintenance from mid-June to mid-August; you can still take photos and walk around the area.

  4. 4

    11:15

    54 peoples

    Vietnam Museum of Ethnology

    Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and its gardens in Ba Dinh, Hanoi

    Learn about the culture of the 54 ethnic groups living across Vietnam. On Mondays, when the museum is closed, the Vietnamese Women's Museum is visited instead.

  5. 5

    12:45

    Local flavours

    Vietnamese lunch

    Lunch at our partner restaurant, with 8 Vietnamese dishes.

    Meals:
    Lunch
  6. 6

    14:00

    Back to the hotel

    Tour ends

    Garden path to a traditional stilt house at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology

    The tour finishes and you are taken back to your hotel. Timing may vary a little.

Moments you'll remember

  • A red stupa on the water

    Morning light on West Lake, and the tall red stupa of Tran Quoc Pagoda reflected below it.

Why we love this trip

It fits around a busy trip without feeling rushed: a few well-chosen places, a proper lunch, and the rest of the day still yours.

— The AmGo team

What's included

  • Pick-up and drop-off in Hanoi
  • Transport by shuttle bus (Ford Transit, New County or similar)
  • English-speaking guide (at least 5 years of experience)
  • Entrance tickets
  • A bottle of water
  • Vietnamese lunch

Not included

  • Limousine upgrade, unless booked
  • Drinks at lunch
  • Tips for guide and driver
  • Personal expenses and anything not mentioned above

Good to know

Cancellation

Free cancellation with a full refund up to 1 day before the tour starts.

What to bring

  • Comfortable walking shoes
  • Clothing that covers shoulders and knees for the mausoleum and pagodas
  • Sun hat, sunglasses and sunscreen
  • A small umbrella or raincoat in the rainy season
  • Cash, phone or camera

Notes

  • Price shown: shuttle bus with lunch, 644,000 VND per adult.
  • Upgrade: Limousine bus +140,000 VND per person (limousine package with lunch 784,000 VND per adult).
  • Without lunch: −140,000 VND per person (504,000 VND by shuttle bus, 644,000 VND by limousine).
  • Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is closed on Mondays and Fridays and for annual maintenance from 15 June to 15 August. You can still take photos and visit the area around it.
  • On Mondays the Vietnamese Women's Museum replaces the Museum of Ethnology.
  • Children 1–4: free when sharing a seat with their parents (+280,000 VND by shuttle or +350,000 VND by limousine for their own seat). Ages 5–8 pay 75% of the adult price (one child with 2 adults; a second child pays the adult price). From 9 years the adult price applies.
  • Holiday surcharge +40% on New Year (31/12 – 02/01), Lunar New Year (28th of the last lunar month to the end of the 4th day of Tết), 30/4 – 1/5, Hung Kings Commemoration Day (29/04) and 2/9.
  • The order of the itinerary may change depending on the guide's arrangement, and the tour may finish a little earlier or later.
  • Optional cyclo ride or water puppet show can be added at the end of the tour.

Meeting point

Pick-up at your hotel in Hanoi at 8:00–8:30 by shuttle bus or limousine; we confirm the exact point when you book.

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Frequently asked questions

Which places do we visit?

Tran Quoc Pagoda, the Ho Chi Minh complex with the One Pillar Pagoda, and the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, followed by a Vietnamese lunch.

Can I choose a limousine?

Yes. The limousine bus costs 140,000 VND more per person: 784,000 VND per adult with lunch instead of 644,000 VND by shuttle bus.

Can I skip lunch?

Yes, the price drops by 140,000 VND per person.

What happens on Mondays and Fridays?

The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is closed on Mondays and Fridays, so you can only visit the area and take photos. On Mondays the Women's Museum replaces the Museum of Ethnology, which is closed.

How much do children pay?

Ages 1–4 are free sharing a seat with their parents (+280,000 VND by shuttle or +350,000 VND by limousine for their own seat). Ages 5–8 pay 75% of the adult price (one child with 2 adults; a second child pays the adult price). From 9 years the adult price applies.

Is there a holiday surcharge?

Yes, +40% on New Year (31/12 – 02/01), Lunar New Year (28th of the last lunar month to the end of the 4th day of Tết), 30/4 – 1/5, Hung Kings Commemoration Day (29/04) and 2/9.

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