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.

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 Hanoi

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

Thien was easy to connect with as soon as we hired her on with locals. She began messaging us and answering any questions we had regarding our travels in Vietnam. She met us at the airport, took us to our hotel and even made a stop at a local laundry to drop off our clothes. We had a city tour the first day of a Taoist temple, post office, book street and to a non tourist part of the city for the best pho. Before getting back to the hotel we made a stop for ban mi at a street food stand. The next day we went to the area called the US apartments , walked through the bustling markets where she helped us make some purchases and took us to a street side coffee shop recently reviewed in the New York Times where she knows the owner who gave us a private demonstration of her coffee making process. She arranged an excursion to the Mekong delta where we rode on a private boat through the delta to a coconut workshop for tea, fruit snack and a private musical performance and coconut candy tasting. Then on to a lovely open air restaurant right on the river for a lovely lunch. Thien arranged the day to locations where we were the only tourists. Then we continued on a rowboat to learn how to make rice paper wrappers. Next on to the tuk tuk to the home of an old woman who weaves fiber rugs where we were able to try weaving. The little children in the village came running to Thien for hugs and wanted to meet us . Our third day was to the cu chi tunnels. Thien has access to a non-tourist area. We saw the simulated village and how the people lived before the French and American soldiers came. I did not see any other tourists in the area. Then on to the tunnels . Again, Thien has access to tunnels where there are no other people. Just Thien and I and sometimes a park ranger guide through the tunnels. After a long drive back to the hotel Thien suggested a delicious restaurant near the hotel for our last night in Vietnam. Be sure to hire Thien. She is a smart woman with very strong opinions on life in current day Ho Chi Minh City.