Hanoi City Tour from Halong Bay: Mausoleum & Pagodas
See Hanoi's landmarks without arranging transport or tickets yourself
A private Hanoi city tour departing from Halong Bay Port includes pickup, a local English-speaking guide, Vietnamese lunch and entry to Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, One Pillar Pagoda, Temple of Literature and the Old Quarter. The itinerary is customizable and runs 7 to 12 hours depending on your pace and interests. Entrance fees and transport are handled. You choose how long to spend at each stop.
Step-by-step itinerary
Hanoi city sightseeing and cultural tour
- Visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
- Explore One Pillar Pagoda
- See Tran Quoc Pagoda
- Tour Thang Long Imperial Citadel ruins
- Visit Hoa Lo Prison Museum
- Walk through Hanoi Old Quarter
- View Hoan Kiem Lake
- Visit Temple of Literature
- Explore Hanoi Train Street
- Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Entry included 45m
- One-Pillar Pagoda Entry included 30m
- Tran Quoc Pagoda 30m
- Hoa Lo Prison Entry included 45m
- Hanoi Old Quarter 45m
- Temple of Literature Entry included 45m
What’s included
- The tour includes private transport with pickup and drop-off at Halong Bay Port.
- a professional guide who speaks English.
- Vietnamese lunch.
- entrance fees to Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, One Pillar Pagoda, Tran Quoc Pagoda, Temple of Literature and the Old Quarter.
- and a water puppets performance.
Times
- Every day 06:00 06:30 07:00 07:30 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00
Before you book
Operated by Maximus Travel Vietnam
Prices and times updated 11 days ago
Traveler reviews
The experience
The day starts with pickup at Halong Bay Port and the drive into Hanoi. Your guide meets you and shapes the route around what interests you most. This is not a fixed schedule where everyone stops for the same length of time. Most travelers begin at Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the large stone building in Ba Dinh Square where the Vietnamese Revolutionary leader rests, then move to the One Pillar Pagoda, a historic Buddhist temple regarded as one of Vietnam's two most iconic temples. From there, the route typically takes in Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldest pagoda in the city at over 1,450 years old, now situated on a small islet of West Lake.
The Temple of Literature comes next: a temple of Confucius built in 1070 that once housed Vietnam's first national university. The pavilions, halls and stelae of doctors are where the empire's scholars studied and took exams. The temple appears on the back of the 100,000 Vietnamese Dong banknote. Walking through the Old Quarter, you pass streets that still carry the names of the trades that once dominated them (silk, silver, tin), and if your route includes Hanoi train street, you'll see the single-track railway that has run through these streets since the French colonial period and still operates today. A water puppets performance is part of the tour, a traditional Vietnamese art form performed on water.
Vietnamese lunch is included and typically eaten partway through the day. All entrance fees are covered, so there are no surprises at any gate. The guide speaks English and adjusts the pace to your comfort. If a site holds your attention longer, the tour stretches to accommodate it. Pickup and drop-off at Halong Bay Port are included, and the return timing is arranged so you can make your ship's departure.
Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're docking at Halong Bay and want to see Hanoi's major historical sites without renting a car or navigating the city yourself. The private format and customizable itinerary mean you set the pace at each stop, and all logistics (transport, entry fees, lunch) are arranged before you arrive.
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Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 11 years); Infant (under 4): free.
What is the One Pillar Pagoda and why is it significant?
The One Pillar Pagoda is a historic Buddhist temple in Hanoi regarded as one of Vietnam's two most iconic temples. It is a small, distinctive structure that stands as a symbol of Vietnamese Buddhism and architecture.
Is the Temple of Literature worth visiting, and what will I see there?
The Temple of Literature is worth visiting if you're interested in Vietnamese history and education. Built in 1070, it once housed Vietnam's first national university and contains pavilions, halls and stelae of doctors where scholars studied and took exams. It appears on the back of the 100,000 Vietnamese Dong banknote.
What is Tran Quoc Pagoda and how old is it?
Tran Quoc Pagoda is the oldest pagoda in Hanoi, originally constructed in the sixth century: more than 1,450 years ago. It was relocated in 1615 to a small islet on West Lake, where a causeway now links it to the mainland.
Can I see the Old Quarter on this tour?
Yes, the Old Quarter is included. Each street in this historical area was once specialized in a specific trade (silk, silver, tin and others), and many streets still carry those trade names. The quarter is the historical civic core of Hanoi outside the Imperial Citadel.
What does the tour include, and what do I need to pay for separately?
The tour includes pickup and drop-off at Halong Bay Port, a professional English-speaking guide, Vietnamese lunch, all entrance fees to the sites visited, and transport throughout the day. Personal expenses are not included.
How long does this tour take?
The tour runs 7 to 12 hours depending on how long you spend at each site and your preferences. Since the itinerary is customizable, you control the pace and can linger at attractions that interest you most.
Hanoi City Tour from Halong Bay: Mausoleum & Pagodas
7h–12h · EN · at your hotel
from US$ 165 per person
Next, you choose your date and number of travelers and see the final price.