Experience hosted by Lien, Trang Chu & 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.
Lien
Passionate about Art, Cuisine, Animals & Adventure
5.0257 reviews
English・Vietnamese
Trang Chu
The Energetic Military Journalist
4.999 reviews
English・Vietnamese
Loan
The History, Culture & Adventure Connoisseur
4.9197 reviews
English・Vietnamese
Jenny (Hoa)
The History Buff
4.953 reviews
English・Vietnamese
Ngoc Ruby
A happy and energetic Hanoian
4.9272 reviews
English・Vietnamese
Hoa
The Excited Explorer
4.8123 reviews
Vietnamese・English
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
Benjamin 🇩🇪 Germany
(About local )
28 June 2025
I had a very nice tour with Loan.
We talked about the history of Hanoi and Vietnam and visited many wonderful sights.
I saw some things I would never discovered of my own.
Loan is very supportive, knowledgeable and a charming person.
I can fullheartly recommend this tour.Wonderful Tour
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
Jolien🇳🇱 Netherlands
(About local )
29 July 2025
We hebben en leuke avond gehad! Lien was erg aardig, vertelde interessante dingen over de Vietnamese eet cultuur en hield goed rekening met onze wensen. Onze kinderen van 12 en 15 vonden de tour ook erg leuk!
Lien spreekt prettig verstaanbaar Engels, iets dat erg fijn is als je wilt weten wat je eet 😋Leuke en lekkere foodtour
Christiane (Chris)🇩🇪 Germany
(About local )
28 July 2025
We did the 3 Drinks and 3 Bites tour with Lien and it was absolutely fantastic! Every stop was delicious and authentic—truly off the beaten path. Lien was the perfect host: friendly, informative, and clearly passionate about sharing her city. She gave us great local tips and cultural background that really enriched the experience.
What impressed us even more was her generosity—she continued to help us the next day with follow-up questions we had. That level of care is rare and deeply appreciated. If you want to experience Hanoi like a local and feel genuinely welcomed, book a tour with Lien. It was one of the highlights of our trip!
Thanks again Lien, from Marc, Chris & The KidsAmazing Tour – A True Hanoi Gem! ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Amanda 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
(About local )
27 July 2025
We had a fantastic tasting tour with Lien (family of four with 2 young teenagers). She took us to places we would have walked past and introduced us to food we wouldn’t have tried. All was delicious (snacks, meals, drinks and desert) …and the teens tried everything. We were still full the next morning! She was very knowledgable about Hanoi, the food, the local restaurants we ate in and how to eat the different foods, plus gave us advice for our onward travel. It was a really authentic experience and Lien made it a lot of fun, despite the downpour and jet lag. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend. Thank you Lien 🙏Brilliant guide 😊
Preba🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
(About local )
26 July 2025
I did the 10-tasting street food tour in Hanoi with @Withlocals and my amazing guide Loan 🌟. She was friendly, knowledgeable, and super patient, guiding us through hidden gems I would never find on our own 🏮🥢.
The food? Absolutely delicious 😋 – and we I was so impressed by how clean and hygienic everything was! 🧼🍜 Loan also made sure every stop had gluten-free and vegan options 🌱💚 which made the experience even more special.
If you’re in Hanoi and love food, this tour is an absolute must! ✅🇻🇳🍲
🥳🌟🌟 Hanoi Street Food Tour – A Must-Do!
Gerald
(About local )
23 July 2025
großen hunger mitbringen!super strertfoodtour
Florina🇨🇭 Switzerland
(About local )
23 July 2025
Wir hatten eine tolle Zeit mit Loan als Guide unserer Foodtour! Loan hat uns verschiedene lokale Gerichte und Restaurants gezeigt und wir schätzten ihre aufgestellte, lustige Art sehr. Wir konnten sie auch wirklich alles fragen und haben so wertvolle Insights zum Leben in Hanoi erhalten. Spannende Foodtour in Hanoi
Karsten🇨🇭 Switzerland
(About local )
23 July 2025
We were travelling with our daughter and this was a great way to dive in to Hanoi and its somewhat chaotic traffic, we saw some corners we would definitely not have found on our own and really appreciated the absence of souvenir shops or attempts to sale anything else. The time passed quickly and was definitely worth it, thanks Loan!😀Enjoyful tour at a leisurely pace
Pieter🇳🇱 Netherlands
(About local )
22 July 2025
Loan is a very friendly guide. We had some changes to the program on our request and she was very flexible. Highlight for us was the Hanoi Hilton. Very impressive!
Thanks Loan for all your information. At all new bookers: we highly recommend Loan as your guide. Loan is a very friendly & flexible guide
Catalin🇷🇴 Romania
(About local )
20 July 2025
Ruby is simply amazing! She knows Hanoi in and out, she is very friendly, perfect english skills, very good energy! But what i liked most was her kindness, she always pays attention to your needs, she explains everything you need to know in order to better understand Vietnam's Capital city. Totally recommended, 10/10 :) Thank you so much, Ruby! Keep up the good work.Best tour guide in all of Vietnam
Bill🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
18 July 2025
Ruby was my guide during a 12 hour excursion to Halong Bay from Hanoi. The time flew by and the trip was memorable, in large part due to Ruby.
Her breadth of knowledge of all things Vietnam, rolled in with her impressive language skills and her own international travel provide lots of local insights, interesting conversations and fun along the way.
In the event you're considering hiring a "local" ss a guide, you don't need to look any further than Ngoc Ruby!Excellent Travel Guide
Michal🇩🇰 Denmark
(About local )
16 July 2025
Our walk with Trang was very informative and relaxing. We got to see daily life of people in Hanoi, markets, back streets, buildings. Trang was very kind and easy going. Definitely worth doing for someone interested in learning about the daily life and not purely touristic attractions. Thank you Trang!Great walk to see daily life
Gavin🇬🇧 United Kingdom
(About local )
15 July 2025
We had a fantastic experience with Lien in July 2025 on this walking tour of the Old and French Quarters. We are a family of 4 from UK with our children aged 16 and 20. Lien had a huge wealth of knowledge to share and she was so easy to be around and spoke great English. Taking us to places we never could have found on our own we started at Dong Xuan market. The wet market was quite an experience and be warned it is not for the faint hearted or if you are vegetarian or would be very upset about low animal welfare but still an interesting delve into local culture. Temple visits were outstanding and we were fortunate enough to witness a ceremony at a community temple tucked down an alleyway - we were made very welcomed to observe and take photos/videos and one of the Buddhist Mediums took time to speak with our family. Sampled amazing coffee in a boutique coffee shop which was tucked away. Finishing the tour at Hoa Lo prison - definitely worth a visit and important to understand and show respect for the atrocities suffered by Vietnamese people by different colonialists and also in regards to the American War. Highly recommend a trip with Lien.Off the beaten track tour with lovely Lien
Kick🇳🇱 Netherlands
(About local )
12 July 2025
She was supersweet and original in her tour 🏆We love Lien
Ortwin🇳🇱 Netherlands
(About local )
11 July 2025
Great experience thanks to super Lien!Great experience thanks to Lien!
Paul
(About local )
7 July 2025
Ruby is so kind
Ruby is so attentive
Ruby is funny
Ruby is super smart/ knowledgeable
Ruby is proud
You guess right… we love Ruby and her your
Paul, Wayne and 8yr old Spencer Ruby is all roses
Allen🇩🇰 Denmark
(About local )
3 July 2025
We had a great tour in Hanoi with our guide, Flower. She was friendly, knowledgeable, and made the experience feel personal and fun. Flower shared interesting insights about the city’s history and culture, and took us to places we wouldn’t have found on our own. It was a well-paced and enjoyable tour—we definitely recommend her if you’re visiting Hanoi!Great experience
Chris🇦🇺 Australia
(About local )
3 July 2025
We had a fantastic time with Trang - she was super fun and knowledgeable. She took us to places we never would have discovered on our own and we ate SOOO much food we had to skip the next meal too. I recommend doing this tour early in your visit to Hanoi so you can go back to the places you’ve discovered. Wholeheartedly recommend to other visitors to Hanoi. Trang is awesome!
Kate🇦🇺 Australia
(About local )
29 June 2025
Trang Chu was very knowledgeable about the history of Vietnam and very friendly. We really enjoyed our evening walk - and were given lots of local eating tipsGreat introduction to hanoi
Anna🇳🇿 New Zealand
(About local )
28 June 2025
Thanks Ruby, we had such a great time walking around Nghĩa Trân with you. Otherwise we wouldn’t have ventured far out of the Old Quarter but it was so worthwhile walking around the streets, market and pagoda with you - thank you! Wishing all the best to you and your family. A very valuable tour for our family
STEPHEN
(About local )
24 June 2025
My family of 5 (including 3 children) really enjoyed the time spent with Ruby. Very knowledgeable and friendly with kids! Amazing Tour with Ruby
Remco🇳🇱 Netherlands
(About local )
19 June 2025
Loan give us a perfect impression of Hanoi in just a few hours. My friend (first timer in Vietnam) and myself (a regular) both enjoyed her professional tour done in a super friendly way. Loan also gave us the opportunity to ask her loads of questions about culture, daily life and all that came to mind. It was like a friend proudly showed her city to us.
I can recommend Loan to an traveller to Hanoi!Great time with Loan
Steve🇺🇸 United States
(About local )
18 June 2025
This was an excellent tour with Trang. She was very informative, and in 2 hours we learned more about Vietnam and Hanoi in particular than we had in the previous two weeks. We saw a local market and got to visit an apartment building and tour one of the apartments, owned by a delightful former teacher. We also visited a temple and learned about religious practices in Vietnam. Overall, this was one of the most interesting and educational tours we have done. Trang is an excellent guide, and we highly recommend this tour to those wanting to see a different side of Hanoi, not the normal tourist destinations.Local Hanoi tour
Rachel🇳🇿 New Zealand
(About local )
17 June 2025
Lien was a wonderful guide. I took a three hour walking tour of Hanoi with Lien which was excellent for getting my bearings and feeling confident to walk around the Old Quarter as a solo female traveller (even great advice for crossing the road). Lien was friendly and had a wealth of knowledge about her city. I particularly enjoyed learning from Lien’s knowledge of history. Highly recommend
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!!
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