• Private Tour
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

Want to see the best of Hanoi? We got you covered. But as you can expect from a Withlocals experience, the real excitement is its hidden gems. Join your favorite local and get a feeling of the city's real vibe on a tour that has it all, so you can say: I experienced the real Hanoi!

Destination

Hanoi, Vietnam

Category

City Highlight Tours

Duration

3 hours

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

English, Vietnamese

Included

• Private Guide
• Entrance ticket prison
• 1 Local Snack or Drink
• All Withlocals Tours are Carbon Neutral

Excluded

• Entrance for other attractions than mentioned

What you can expect

Choose your local

Get to know these 7 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.

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.

1. Meeting point

   Meet at The entrance of Coffee 28 opposite Dong Xuan market - Hanoi to start your journey

   View on Maps

2. 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.

3. City Highlights

   See from St. Joseph's Cathedral, Ta Hien Street, Hoa Lo Prison and other landmarks and must-sees of the city. Your local host will take you to the main spots in town so you can get the perfect overview of what makes Hanoi so unique

4. Hidden Gems

   Along 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 experience

5. Magical Storytelling

   Behind every landmark and every stop, there’s a story, and your local host is ready to tell it all. Get ready to listen to incredible stories, one-of-a-kind insights, and fun facts only a knowledgeable local would know!

6. 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

7. 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

Karsten🇨🇭 Switzerland

(About local Loan)

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 Loan)

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

Gavin🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Lien)

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

Kate🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Trang Chu)

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

Remco🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Loan)

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

Rachel🇳🇿 New Zealand

(About local Lien)

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

Rob🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Jenny (Hoa))

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 Lien)

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 Loan)

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

Chris🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Ngoc Ruby)

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 Loan)

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

Moira🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Loan)

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

Amy🇺🇸 United States

(About local Loan)

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

Krystyna

(About local Ngoc Ruby)

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

George🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Lien)

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!

FINN🇩🇰 Denmark

(About local Lien)

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!

Karen🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Trang Chu)

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

Simon🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Trang Chu)

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

Piper🇺🇸 United States

(About local Lien)

6 April 2025

My husband and I went on a 3-hour tour around the French quarter and old town in Hanoi with Lien. She took us to some of the major sites as well as a handful of “hidden gems”. We had a great time! We learned so much from Lien and got to see some areas and witness experiences we wouldn’t have ever found on our own. I would highly recommend Lien for your Hanoi tour. Thanks again!Unique and educational tour of Hanoi

Mark

(About local Ngoc Ruby)

4 April 2025

Really interesting and informative morning with Ngoc Ruby in Hà Nội . We saw lots of off the beaten track sights as well as the more popular most do visits . Great secret coffee stop overlooking the Lake . Ngoc Ruby communicated well in advance and gave good clear meeting instructions. Thank you a great first morning in Hà Nội . Great introduction to Ha Noi

Bernd

(About local Ngoc Ruby)

3 April 2025

We had a great day visiting Hanoi together with Ruby. She‘s really experienced and friendly and she adjusted the Tour to our wishes. It was a great experience seeing the train in train street and visiting old Hanoi.A tour with Ruby

Anna

(About local Lien)

28 March 2025

We had a very interesting tour of the old quarter with Lien. This was our first time in Hanoi (and in Vietnam) and the walking tour helped to orient us. Lien had lots of information to share and covered a lot of ground in the three-hour tour. We definitely recommend both her and the tour.Great introduction to Hanoi

Marianne🇺🇸 United States

(About local Lien)

27 March 2025

Our afternoon with Lien was the highlight of our stay in Hanoi! We booked our tour at the last minute and two hours later were enjoying a lovely afternoon with Lien. She is an engaging and incredibly knowledgeable guide, as well as being an excellent conversationalist. We learned about Vietnamese culture, food, history, and so much more, and were even treated to a special performance in a hidden temple. Lien customized our tour to fit our timing and interests and we left feeling like we have a new friend in Hanoi.

Bernd

(About local Hang)

26 March 2025

I here with overwrite my Review of the guide Tour with the guide HangWrong duration

Unknown

(About local Loan)

20 March 2025

Loan gave us a really great 3 hour tour and took us to places that we’d never have found on our own. She managed to get us into a temple during a ceremony and explained everything to us. That was a real highlight and probably unique.Loan you were fab. 10/10.

melanie🇺🇸 United States

(About local Trang Chu)

18 March 2025

Seeing that we had already done a driving tour of Hanoi’s main tourist sites, this was the perfect option for a second day of touring. Our guide, Trang, was extremely accommodating in developing the tour just for us. She showed us many hidden gems we hadn’t yet seen and our lunch stop was truly a local experience. I highly recommend this type of tour. Walking tour of Hanoi’s hidden gems

Rick

(About local Ngoc Ruby)

15 March 2025

A comfortable private tour and getting to know Hanoi was definitely one of the highlight of our trip. Thank you Ruby! Amazing Tour

Erin🇺🇸 United States

(About local Trang Chu)

28 February 2025

Trang was a delight! My husband and I learned so much about Hanoi. Trang stopped at two local food shops and we tried the best donuts and rice treat we have ever had. Trang helped us shop local stores and answered all of our many questions. She was a delight!Great way to spend my 50th birthday!

Camilla🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Loan)

26 February 2025

Loan made a real effort to show me the artistic highlights of Hanoi. We had a great afternoon together. She even made other suggestions of places for me to see later. I highly recommend her. A great tour guide

James🇺🇸 United States

(About local Ngoc Ruby)

25 February 2025

Ngoc was a great guide. I had been in Hanoi for a week and worked very hard to see everything. Ngoc tailored the trip specifically to where I had been. She is an experience guide and showed me spots I wouldn't have found on my own with great history about the city. I highly recommend taking a tour with her.Ngoc was a great guide

Yasmin🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Lien)

25 February 2025

Lien was a wonderful guide - friendly, knowledgeable and really engaging. Appreciated the itinerary she sent beforehand, allowing us to tailor it to meet our specific needs. She gave us alot of cultural and historical insight into the city of Hanoi and we felt like we were on a tour with a friend. Highly recommend. Insightful tour into the wonders of Hanoi

JACQUI🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Trang Chu)

23 February 2025

Trang was a delightful tour guide who showed us all around the Old Quarter of Hanoi. She knew the history and the customs and took us to some of her favourite eateries and cafes which we would never have tried or even found on our own. She was thoroughly engaging and certainly knew her stuff. 10 out of 10 for Trang Interesting and fun

Alessia

(About local Lien)

23 February 2025

Lien was an amazing guide who tailored the tour perfectly to our interests. She was knowledgeable, flexible, and made sure we had a great experience, adjusting the itinerary to suit our interests. Thanks to her, we discovered hidden gems, enjoyed the vibrant atmosphere, and learned so much about Hanoi and its history. Highly recommend!Fantastic tour

Harold🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Lien)

23 February 2025

Lien was fantastic, I would highly recommend her as a guide. Lien kept us updated prior to the day, providing a round up what we were doing, where to meet etc. She was so easy to get along with on our tour. She made adjustments to what we like (food) and provided useful hints and tips. Lien also got in touch the following day to see how we were and send through some of the photos we took on the tour. Introduction to Vietnam and Hanoi.

Christoph

(About local Loan)

22 February 2025

Thanks to Loan, I had wistful hours in Hanoi exploring the rich history and culture. I can strongly recommend Loan if you are licking for an experienced guide with a lot of knowledge. Fantastic sneak prewiev of Hanoi

Sarah

(About local Loan)

22 February 2025

Loan led us on an informative and insightful tour, taking us to corners of Hanoi we otherwise would have missed, like certain colourful streets around the market, and aspects of peoples' lives. She is very sweet and polite, and was very good at sharing her knowledge of her city and its history. We would definitely recommend Loan.a highlight of our Hanoi stay

Bob

(About local Lien)

19 February 2025

We only had a short time in Hanoi, and Lien gave us an exceptional experience there. My wife and I felt we saw all the important sights, plus some real "hidden gems." Lein spoke excellent English. I highly recommend her.Knows her stuff

Jose M🇵🇷 Puerto Rico

(About local Ngoc Ruby)

18 February 2025

Ruby excelled in leading our private tour into the hidden gems of Hanoi. We enjoyed it immensely!Excellent guide!

Matteo🇮🇹 Italy

(About local Loan)

13 February 2025

We had an amazing tour with Loan, very informative, interesting, with so many little gems to discover and she was also very empathic and understanding, moreover she was also very curious of our culture. It was really worth it!Loan you are really good!

Frank

(About local Lien)

13 February 2025

We did a Highlights & Hidden Gems tour and a 10 Tastings food tour with Lien. We enjoyed them both and Lien is a delightful warm and friendly person. We learned more about Vietnamese customs and culture from her and the tours were excellent. There is a lot of food on the 10 Tastings tour so make sure you are hungry. The final savoury dish of grilled catfish was our favourite.Lien is great

Lee🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Ngoc Ruby)

11 February 2025

Ruby was so ca and gracious and gave us lots of information about Hanoi history and the nuisances of the old time. She was calm, patient and a pleasure to be with. We enjoy the experience and knowing of Ruby. We would definitely recommend her. Gentle Stroll Through Hanoi Old Town

peter🇺🇸 United States

(About local Lien)

7 February 2025

We did a food tour with Lien before and loved it. This time we did the hidden gems and we saw some backstreets and cool areas. Also great food. We feel like family friends. A fantastic walk in Hanoi

mirwan

(About local Jenny (Hoa))

1 February 2025

Jenny is a knowledgeable, fun energetic and most importantly a flexible guide. We had an amazing 3-4 tour with her. She explained the Vietnamese culture, took us to an amazing local food court,.. i would 10000% highly recommended herAmazing Guide

Anthony

(About local Jenny (Hoa))

31 January 2025

I booked Jenny as I had a short stay in Hanoi. We hit lots of the main attractions and some others that were interesring. She knows the city and the culture well Would definitely recommend her as your guide for the day If you in Hanoi and need a guide then I recommend, you can see more in a day with a guide than wondering around on your own... Great day out

Jill🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Quynh Anh (ANNE))

29 January 2025

Highlights and hidden gems were expertly and interestingly revealed by Anne in a tour that took us into places that you would never find in a guide book! She explained how many different aspects of Hanoi worked-including housing, shopping, and temples. Our Food tour with Anne was equally interesting, finding authentic Hanoi foods in unexpected place. She was great at explaining the street food culture and how to do it right! Anne is very sociable and great to spend time with.I would definitely recommend her - she is an excellent with locals guide! Hanoi hidden gems and Food tours!

CARL🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Ngoc Ruby)

26 January 2025

We spent a lovely 3 hours being shown around the city by Ruby who was very informative about Hanoi past and present. We certainly recommend this tour and in particular the visit to the old prison which is now a museum.Hanoi hidden gems tour

Jaime🇺🇸 United States

(About local Lien)

25 January 2025

Our tour with Lien was truly amazing. Truly our favorite day in Hanoi. She was so knowledgeable and took us to truly amazing places. We requested to do the Mausoleum as well as a Pagoda in West Lake along with the hidden gems, she made our requests happen. We was very warm and easy to talk to- answered amazing questions. My favorite part was getting to see secret temples and shrines as well as an amazing cafe for egg coffee at the Hanoi Cafe and a great cocktail bar- circle. Truly an amazing day, we wish we could have spent more time with her exploring. Book with Lien- you will not be disappointed. Lien is a hidden gem.

Anders

(About local Quynh Anh (ANNE))

21 January 2025

We had a great time with Anh! It was truly like having a good friend show you around. Anh was so nice and funny, very easy to be with, and also very knowledgeable about the history and culture of her home city Hanoi. We could not have had a better guide, and we feel like we got to know the city better, and we were taken to places, we could not have found ourselves. A perfect local experience with our new friend Anh! Thank you for showing us your city.Like having a good friend show you around

Mick

(About local Loan)

20 January 2025

Loan was an excellent guide for our tour of the old town and hidden gems of Hanoi. She tailored the tour to our interests and what we had already seen. She has an excellent knowledge of the area and interesting local facts. She speaks English very well and was even able to joke with us a bit. The tour was very informative and enjoyable.Loan was an excellent!

Sunita

(About local Quynh Anh (ANNE))

14 January 2025

Quynh Anh was a fun and knowledgeable guide who took us on tour through the old quarter. We got a taste of history, traditions and food all woven together in an enjoyable tour. Will definitely recommend her to anyone looking to explore Hanoi.Engaging tour