Experience hosted by Loan, Ngoc Ruby & other locals
Private Tour
Carbon Neutral
Ready for a jam-packed tour, full of history, culture, stories, and sights? Checkmark from your travel bucket list all your must-sees of Hanoi, because if there’s a Withlocals tour that shows you all the city's ins and outs, it’s this complete and personalized tour of Hanoi.
Destination
Hanoi, Vietnam
Category
City Highlight Tours
Duration
5 hours
Transport mode
Walking tour
Available languages
English, Vietnamese
Included
Private guide
1 Local snack or drink
Public transport
All Withlocals tours are carbon neutral
Excluded
Entrance tickets
6 reasons to book this tour
All the must-see sights & highlights
Tons of local insights & hidden gems
Take your time to discover Hanoi
Can be 100% personalized to your wishes
Connect with your local private host
Inspiring stories on the city’s history & culture
What you can expect
If you're wondering how to get a broader picture of Hanoi, you only need this private city tour and a knowledgeable city expert by your side! Go to the city's must-sees and cover more ground on this extended city tour of Hanoi. See the essentials and learn what makes Hanoi such a fascinating place, from the most interesting landmarks to hidden gems, local food recommendations, and inspiring stories.
Get to know Hanoi like the back of your hand and let your local host give you a more in-depth understanding of the city. Check out French Quarter, Bach Ma Temple, and Ta Hien Street, and many more highlights that your host has in store for you. Embrace the local culture as you get orientated with the city, thanks to the incredible insights, stories, and recommendations of the local host of your choice.
What makes this tour more attractive is each one of the hosts available will show you their city. Depending on the host, your tour will vary according to their expertise and passion, of course, also taking into consideration your interests and requests, making it a more personal and fulfilling experience. The best way to discover Hanoi in just one day!
After this complete Hanoi tour, you can enjoy the rest of your stay going further, off the beaten path, and taking in the local culture. So, why not a food tour or an evening experience? Now that you know everything about Hanoi, it's time for you to enjoy it away from the touristy spots!
Any questions? Pick your favorite local and go ahead, ask them about anything that pops into your mind. Get all the answers you need for the perfect Hanoi trip. Locals always know best. Did you know that this private tour can be personalized? Yes! Get in touch with your local host, and they'll make your wishes come true.
Choose your local
Get to know these 6 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.
Loan
The History, Culture & Adventure Connoisseur
4.9189 reviews
English・Vietnamese
Ngoc Ruby
A happy and energetic Hanoian
4.9266 reviews
English・Vietnamese
Trang Chu
The Energetic Military Journalist
4.995 reviews
English・Vietnamese
Lien
Passionate about Art, Cuisine, Animals & Adventure
5.0250 reviews
English・Vietnamese
Hoa
The Excited Explorer
4.8122 reviews
Vietnamese・English
Jenny (Hoa)
The History Buff
4.953 reviews
English・Vietnamese
This is the plan
Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with the host of your choice.
Meeting point
Meet at In front of The Note Coffee café - Hanoi to start your journey
Itinerary
This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.
City Highlights
See French Quarter, Bach Ma Temple, Ta Hien Street, and more must-sees of the city. Your local host will take you to the main spots of the city so you can get the perfect overview to what makes Hanoi so special
Hidden Gems
long the way, your local host will show you treasures hidden in plain sight that only the locals know about. Get to know the city through a different perspective, the local way, and discover places and stories that not many tourists get to experience
Special Treat
Follow your host to one of their favorite eateries for a snack or a drink beloved by the locals. Take a break and catch up with your new local friend and get the answers to all your travel questions
More Things to See
With more time, you’ll have the chance to enter some of the landmarks and attractions your host has planned for you. Get in touch with the host of your choice to hear more about their plan
Make it yours
Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.
Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.
Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.
Flexible cancellation policy
Feel confident booking
Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.
Change of plans?
Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.
Loved by travelers worldwide
Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.
Reviews from guests
Anthony🇳🇱 Netherlands
(About local )
13 June 2025
Lien was great. Friendly and knowledgeable, and flexible to our requests. The trip was 5 hours but went by in a flash without seeming at all rushed. We saw lots of different places including a few hidden gems that we would never have found ourselves. Definitely the best was to discover Hanoi. Top marks to Lien.The best way to discover Hanoi
Andy🇨🇭 Switzerland
(About local )
6 June 2025
Excellent guide
Toni🇸🇬 Singapore
(About local )
19 May 2025
Lien met us close by our hotel and took us on a tailored tour of the city. She was peppered with history, financial and cultural questions from my parents which she skilfully answered ss we navigated the city.
Fabulous day out and we got to experience, see and learn all the things we asked for!Discovering the old part of the city
Mikael🇸🇪 Sweden
(About local )
16 May 2025
Our tour with Loan lasted for 5 hours.
We visited many cultural sites and buildings.
Loan had very good knowledge of the history, and conveyed it in a good way.
The conversations flowed well, and Loan is a great host.
The highlight was train street which is worth a visit.
We recommend Loan as your host when you visit Hanoi.Great experience with a really good host
Matteo🇮🇹 Italy
(About local )
1 May 2025
We really enjoyed touring with Loan. She is very knowledgeable of Vietnam culture, history and traditions, but at the same time she knows how to pay attention to her customers’ needs. This means, she will give you precious insights, without overwhelming you with details. At the same time, you will feel that you are leaving your experience at you own pace. She is charming, sunny and smart. She will for sure make you leave a fantastic day! The best you can expect
mabilon2
(About local )
13 March 2025
Ruby is an excellent guide,
we learned a lot about Hanoi, we have had fun to discover this amazing town . Thanks for this excursion Very good guide
Arne
(About local )
27 February 2025
We had an interesting tour through the Old Quarter and the French Quarter of Hanoi. Hang gave us a good overview of the areas and took us to some delicious street food restaurants.Great Tour with Hang through Hanoi
Karen🇳🇿 New Zealand
(About local )
14 June 2025
We did an off the beaten track guided tour with Trang and it was very informative and interesting. Trang was very friendly and knowledgable and we felt like we had a taste of the REAL Vietnam and not just what a tourist would normally see. The only disappointment was that I thought we were going on a street food tour as well but it wasn't the case. That was my fault though as I clearly didn't read what I was booking! Thanks Trang- I highly recommend you! A unique experience
Stephen🇬🇧 United Kingdom
(About local )
9 June 2025
We had a wonderful time with Ruby. She was very knowledgeable and took us around an area of Hanoi that you wouldn’t normally see, and introduced us to some of the local people.Great morning meeting locals
Chas🇬🇧 United Kingdom
(About local )
8 June 2025
Trang was great! She was very accommodating with a few last minute schedule changes, and she helped me buy some flowers to bring to a local dinner after. On top of that she took us to part of Hanoi we wouldn’t have gone to otherwise, and shared some great local knowledge and tips. We really enjoyed our time with her and would definitely recommend booking with her if you can! Great experience
Rob🇦🇺 Australia
(About local )
7 June 2025
Jenny is a first rate tour guide and took us to places in Hanoi we might not have known about. Jenny is a true local of Hanoi who has great knowledge of the city and Vietnamese history that she is happy to share. It was a really enjoyable tour of Hanoi at a relaxed pace. Thank you for a wonderful tour, Jenny!!!Local tour of Hanoi
Bonnie🇨🇦 Canada
(About local )
6 June 2025
We arrived in Hanoi and immediately booked a tour with Lien based on previous reviews She was amazing and accommodated our requests and preferences She was knowledgeable and gave us many great suggestions for eating which we ended up returning to most of them during our stay She stayed in touch with us throughout our time in Hanoi and was a great source of information Our stay in Hanoi would not have been as fabulous as it was without Lien’s guidance! We were 110% happy with this experience! Amazing tour and guide!
Maddy
(About local )
30 May 2025
We really enjoyed our private tour with Loan. She was so friendly and welcoming. We saw all the must see sites and got lots of background information on what it’s like being a Hanoi local. Was an excellent introduction to this amazing city. Thanks for sharing your hometown with us Loan! Excellent intro to Hanoi
Alex and Lauren🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
28 May 2025
Excellent time. Highly recommend. She is well-deserving of the high ratings. Great food, good variety, and no problems with regards to any food safety concerns if one is worried about that. I recommend to bring a large appetite too--the amount of food is also generous !
Chris🇦🇺 Australia
(About local )
26 May 2025
Ruby was a great guide. She adjusted the itinerary to meet all of our needs and showed us many things we would never have discovered on our own. I highly recommend her to other visitors.Great knowledge and a genuine Local
Mark
(About local )
21 May 2025
Loan is an excellent guide. Showing us the highlights of Hanoi and telling stories as we went around. We had a great time. Highly recommended. Excellent Guide
Chiang and Phen🇦🇺 Australia
(About local )
21 May 2025
Had a great tour with Ruby exploring Old Quarter and eating! We only had few days in Hanoi, so found the best and quickest way to experience the local food was via a tour and it did not disappoint...absolutely stuffed at the end! Thanks Ruby for taking us around!Absolutely Stuffed Food Tour
Deborah
(About local )
20 May 2025
We had a several hour layover with Lien in Hanoi. She picked us up at the airport and we got a quick overview of the city, seeing some of the sites. We then had a great food tasting with multiple stops and lots to try. No one was hungry at the end even with three teenage boys!
The highlight was a stop at train Street just in time to see a train pass. She set up a tailor appt for us for all the boys to get custom suits. At the end, she dropped us at the train station in time to make our connection to Sapa.
She was very friendly and spoke excellent English.Hanoi Layover with Lien
Moira🇬🇧 United Kingdom
(About local )
16 May 2025
Loan was very friendly, knowledgeable and definitely knows her subject. She answered all of our questions about the history of Hanoi and life in Hanoi and Vietnam in general. She took us to places we would never have found by ourselves including the markets and temples. We thoroughly enjoyed our morning with Loan and would book her if we were in Hanoi again and would recommend. A great morning in Hanoi with Loan
Gitte🇩🇪 Germany
(About local )
15 May 2025
We had a great evening with yummi dishes and a lovely host. Absolutely recommend!!
Awesome experience
Anibal
(About local )
8 May 2025
Ruby planned an exceptional afternoon for us in Hanoi, one of the best we’ve had on our travels. I gave her a list of places and things that caught my attention, and she built a custom experience around them, thoughtfully organizing every stop and weaving together a journey through the history, culture, and flavors of the city.
One of the highlights came toward the end of the day, when Ruby guided us through several street food spots, each one more delicious than the last. It was the perfect way to get a real taste of Hanoi’s local cuisine. And just when we thought it couldn’t get better, she surprised us with a visit to a Michelin-starred spot for a truly unforgettable bowl of Pho.
To top it all off, Ruby ended the evening with tickets to the Water Puppet Theater, a beautiful and charming way to close out the day. Thoughtful, knowledgeable, and passionate, Ruby turned a single afternoon into a memory we’ll carry with us always.An Great Hanoi Experience Curated by Ruby
Michael🇳🇱 Netherlands
(About local )
6 May 2025
Ruby is a fantastic guide. She is easy to be around, speaks English well, passes along knowledge to make the city come to life, and has amazing tips and tricks that saved us time and discomfort. I won’t share any of these tips and tricks because those are part of what make it well worth it to do a tour with Ruby. Even after the tour was done we followed Ruby’s recommendations for a silk shop, restaurant, and spa and all were great. I would highly recommend Ruby to anyone considering booking a guide in Hanoi. And, I highly recommend anyone going to Hanoi book at least one day with a guide- it’ll make the city so much more accessible and easy to navigate for your entire time in Hanoi. She enhanced our Hanoi experience!!
Amy🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
6 May 2025
Loan was very knowledgeable about the history and culture of Hanoi. Having grown up in North Vietnam and matched with her love of history, we learned so much.
I provided her some ideas for what we would like to see and she created a plan for us that fulfilled everything! The Hidden Gems and cultural sites tour was a perfect combination of the traditional sites around the city AND hidden areas we would never have found on our own.
I highly recommend you book an afternoon with Loan when in HanoiAmazing afternoon in Hanoi
Andrew
(About local )
5 May 2025
Thanks Loan for a fantastic night of local insight and tasty food as we moved around the bustling streets of Hanoi. We enjoyed the great variety of tastings and experiences that you introduced us to - so very memorable and miss Hanoi already. Thanks many times over too for the personable and caring support you provided later in the evening.A real taste of Hanoi
Charlotte🇧🇪 Belgium
(About local )
2 May 2025
We hadden een gezellige street food tour met Lien op 1 mei. De tour is zeker aan te raden en Lien is een aangename en gezellige gids om mee op stap te gaan! We hadden een fijne middag in Hanoi en hebben heel lekkere zaken kunnen proeven. Voor herhaling vatbaar!Leuke tour met enorm aangename gids!
Unknown
(About local )
28 April 2025
Lien is the most genuine and helpful tour guide I have had throughout my entire trip to Asia (Bangkok, Hanoi, Tokyo, Kyoto). This was also the best food tour by far.
I’m short on time otherwise I’d write a lengthier review. Please book with her if you get the chance — it’ll be a great experience!Amazing!!
Christian
(About local )
27 April 2025
We had an excellent day with Loan. Communication in advance was very good. Loan has a wealth of knowledge about history and culture. She organized a wonderful day for us, and we experienced a great tour. We're glad we booked the tour with Loan and can definitely recommend her for tours. Wonderful day with Loan
Krystyna
(About local )
26 April 2025
Had a lovely tour with Ngọc who showed us the hidden side to Hanoi. She was well informed and had a very pleasant and easy going manner which made the time past very quickly. Would recommend Lovely lady and interesting tour
Sabine🇩🇪 Germany
(About local )
26 April 2025
Dear Lien, thank you so much for this custom made Hanoi Tour. It was really great and our kids 11y and 15y had great fun.
Lien has got a lot of knowledge to share about her hometown; her English is great.
We startet in the French Quarter and Lien showed us some hidden/special places, then heading forward for Hanoi Hilton, a great bar (with great cocktails), then hidden bookstore … Finally we had a great street food tour through Hanoi - yummie. Everything was perfect!
Thank you Lien !!! Great City Tour with Food Experience
paul🇨🇦 Canada
(About local )
25 April 2025
Lien was very thorough, super friendly, interested and interesting. It was nice to hang out with her for my food tour through the Old Quarter, where I ate many new and delicious things and found out some fascinating back story on many of the items. A memorable evening! Thanks again, Lien!Lien is awesome! Pick her!
Philippa🇦🇺 Australia
(About local )
25 April 2025
We had a fabulous food walking tour around the Old Quarter in Hanoi with Lien. She was so easy to deal with, had great history knowledge, was personable and happy to answer all our questions. She gave us some really useful tips to ensure our experience in Hanoi was safe and fun.
I would recommend Lien for her history, great communication and personalizing the tour to meet our dietary needs (gluten free). It has been a real highlight. Highly recommend
Deana🇦🇺 Australia
(About local )
25 April 2025
Ngoc was clear, prompt and friendly. She was patient with our young children and customised her tour to our limited capacity to sightsee with little ones. We enjoyed the local food and her local knowledge. Overall we had a nice timePatient and flexible tour guide
Axel
(About local )
22 April 2025
As a family with two 17-year-old children, we spent a wonderful evening in Hanoi with Loan. Not only the food, but also the conversations with her were exciting and a lot of fun.A beautiful and special evening in Hanoi
amy
(About local )
22 April 2025
Ngọc Ruby was very knowledgeable and sweet. She showed us the main sights and explained spiritual rites of the Vietnamese with personal stories. Wonderful tour
SAMANTHA🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
22 April 2025
Lien is so absolutely amazing, I could not write a review good enough to describe her. Kind, knowledgeable, and fun with a great connection and relationship with her community and fantastic taste in food. She shows you where to eat, what to eat, how to eat and the history behind the dishes all in easy and smooth conversation. Great mix of cuisine and drinks on her tour. She does an amazing job of making sure you hit all the foods and spots you might not otherwise find and know. Beyond that she was helpful in providing us with knowledge to make our time outside of her tour enjoyable as well. Hanoi has the food you instantly fall in love with and Lien is the person.Perfection
Kerry
(About local )
21 April 2025
Ruby was very knowledgeable of the history of Hanoi and did a great job showing us around. She was very sweet and great with the kids! Highly recommend!Great tour
Kylie
(About local )
21 April 2025
Our tastings tour with Trang was a fabulous experience. Trang took us to local dining spots that we would never have been adventurous enough to try on our own. She was a lovely guide extremely knowledgeable & was accommodating to our individual requests. The dishes we had on the tasting tour were definitely the best food we have eaten on our travels in Vietnam. Thank you Trang!Fabulous tastings of Hanoi
Unknown
(About local )
20 April 2025
Matthew🇦🇺 Australia
(About local )
20 April 2025
Our family of four had a wonderful time with Loan eating and learning about the street food culture of Hanoi. We loved eating at small market stalls knowing the food was familiar to Loan and the quality and food safety would be high. The selections were delicious, particularly the pho which we loved. Loan is really friendly and accommodating and made sure our food allergies were considered. Would highly recommend. Great Food Experience with Loan
George🇨🇦 Canada
(About local )
19 April 2025
This was our first trip to Ha Noi so we wanted to do a walking tour with someone who knew the city. Lien was definitely that!
She took us to over 15 stops (some gems we never would have known about), gladly taking the time to answer any and all questions. Our tour was scheduled for three hours, but it ended up being almost five hours.
Lien is a good communicator and patient, with a sense of humour. We would highly recommend her to anyone who wants to learn more about Ha Noi from a true local.A true Local!
Jacqui
(About local )
19 April 2025
Ruby was lovely, knowledgeable and very patient with our 5 year old daughter who was whinging from the get go. She accommodated her with games, resta and treats. We enjoyed the tour thoroughly and appreciated the local perspective and tips.
Great intoeduction to the city
FINN🇩🇰 Denmark
(About local )
18 April 2025
Dear Lien! Thank you so much for a delightful tour professionally guided by you! It was a highly motivating tour for both of us, and it was only med even better thanks to your competent and insightful knowledge of the period when the French ruled and later when the Americans waged their bombing campings. We took it all in!👏👏👏 and can only give your our best recommendations. 10/10!Lien made our day!
Yipeng🇩🇪 Germany
(About local )
15 April 2025
We made the Nghia Tan with Trang and it was definitely the most meaningful tour in Hanoi. We got the see how locals live, where they buy groceries, have dinner, or go to school. I highly suggest you to make this tour if you are interested in the local culture.
Trang was very friendly and informative. She gave us great insights into local life and made the trip really enjoyable. We definitely recommend doing this tour with her.See how locals live
CATHERINE
(About local )
15 April 2025
Ruby was engaging, speaks good English and knows her stuff well. I would highly recommend this tour With Locals (more than Viator or Get your Guide) and make sure to get Ruby.
Ruby has introduced us to really good food in Hanoi and some of it are Michelin. Because of this, our standard for other food tours have increased too! :-) We love Hanoi food because of this tour! :-)
My only recommendation is to include Pancakes in the tour as this is something unusual for tourists where you get to wrap the pancake in a rice noodle!Best food tour ever!
Karen🇬🇧 United Kingdom
(About local )
13 April 2025
Loved our tour with Trang. Saw some excellent things that we would definitely not have found had we been on our own. Loved the egg coffee, the eating tips and the inspiring knowledge and love of Hanoi.Fabulous time with Trang
Janet🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
13 April 2025
We had an awesome day with Trang! She is knowledgeable, very friendly and knows the ends and outs of Hanoi. She came promptly at 9:30 and we were whisked off to Ho Chi Minh mausoleum!
It was busy, but she got us through quickly and answered all our questions?? We did so many more fun things with her, but I think our favorite was watching the train go by at 3:15! What a spectacular ending to our day with her!
She’s also a very good photographer and we had a lot of fun taking pictures!!! I would 100% highly recommend her🩷Kirks and Trang exolore Hanoi !
Terri
(About local )
12 April 2025
We had a fabulous time with Lien on the street food tasting tour. She picked amazing places. She was so personable, fun and intelligent. Our communication before was excellent and she made sure to ask us what was I important to us. We told her a few foods we wanted to taste but let her make the choices beyond that. We highly recommend this tour with Lien.Lien was an amazong tour guide
VALENTIN
(About local )
12 April 2025
We had a great time with Loan. Not only did we discover great and savoury dishes, but we also had the chance to discuss and get to know better the life and habits of Vietnamese people. Great experience that we fully recommend to anyone visiting Hanoi !Great Experience !
Gilles🇱🇺 Luxembourg
(About local )
9 April 2025
We had a great morning with Loan in Hanoi. Hidden Gems an food tasting we wouldn’t have experienced on our own. Highly recommend this tour with a local guide to get to know Hanoi in a different way. Thank you Loan for showing us your howntownGreat time in Hanoi
Simon🇬🇧 United Kingdom
(About local )
8 April 2025
our guide took us to some great locations we would never have found without her. we loved the old city gate and the train bridge. The style was engaging and positive and always interesting behind the scenes in Hanoi
Withlocals experiences
are always
Private & personalizedNo strangers, just you. Fully customize your trip to your needs.
With a local expertFrom historical facts to the most up-to-date health regulations.
Without the crowdsExperiences designed to take you away from the crowds towards authentic local spots.