Good morning Hanoi with your full breakast at hotel then we meet each other for our half day city tour in the vibrant city of Hanoi. We will see a different Hanoi, closely access with local people and daily life. Firstly, we walk down to Hoan Kiem lake where we can see many activities of local people: old ladies and gentelement doing morning excercise, workers cleaning lake bank, vendors, lovers….all things going slowly slowly.
we walk down to Hoan Kiem lake where we can see many activities of local people
Walking down on the streets, to the big streets, to small streets, to lanes then we see Hanoi Church, the main “Big” Church in Hanoi. One of streets around named Church street. Visitors can see outside of the Church and can come inside for praising . Outside of the Church is “market street” with various of shops. This area is also famous for “Lemon tea” (che tranh chem gio), the teenagers come here every late afternoon to drink tea, eat sunflower seets and talk endless.
“Big” Church in Hanoi
Visitors can go inside the Church to praise and wish a good luck. If they are lucky, they can see a traditional Vietnamese wedding…
The interior of the Big Church
Following tour guide, we continue on walking around the Hoan Kiem Lake, stop to have ice cream at Thuy Ta workshop. This is one of the famous for Ice Cream in Hanoi and couples, families, friends… whoever have time to be here, stop and try ice cream (kem). We also stop at some cultural center with French style to hear about Hanoi history during French Colonial war.
French Colonial Buildings in Hanoi
Around Hoan Kiem lake, there are many stops for photo shoots. We walk and stop…
Wander around Hoan Kiem lake
Viet has many stories to tell us
The knowledgeable guide always has a lot to tell
He takes care us well when we cross the road. It is crazy to cross the roads in Hanoi. Thousands of motorbikes waiting red lights and they drive too fast for start…
The guide will take you through the windy streets of Hanoi help your cross” the crazy traffics”
We walk to Hanoi Opera House one of the most iconic French architectural buildings in Hanoi
The Opera House of Hanoi
and Sofitel Metrople Legend Luxury Hanoi hotel. This is the oldest hotel and most luxury in Hanoi. It’s French style….
Sofitel Metrople Legend Luxury Hanoi hotel
Last but not least, we pass many busy streets to Dong Xuan market. This is a wholesale market in Hanoi. Visitors can see many kinds of goods with hug amount. If you want to buy something, you should bagain with half prices.
Dong Xuan Market
Dong Xuan market is divided into many parts with many goods being sold, we visit Dried Herb market, here we can see seafood, fishes, shrimps, fishes, mushrooms, peanuts, beans….
A variety of goods being sold in Dong Xuan Market
And this is overview of Dong Xuan Market at bird eye view
The big view of Dong Xuan Market from inside
Many shops with friendly sellers, we can buy something and very fun to bargain in Vietnamese that Viet touch before
A shop near Dong Xuan market
On the way back to hotel, we also know much more about street food and taste Hanoi draught beer (Bia Hoi Hanoi).
We can have a stop for street food or draught bear on the way back to hotel
Within a half day city tour, we don’t use car, only walking and we see a friendly busy Hanoi….
