Things to do in Northern Vietnam
The unmissables
Most booked
Hanoi Food and Culture Tour: Army Jeep through backstreets★ 4.99 (17,710) · 4h
Top rated
Hanoi: Vintage Motorbike Food & Culture Tour with Pickup★ 5.00 (7,164) · 4h 30m
Best value
Ninh Binh Day Trip from Hanoi: Hoa Lu, Tam Coc Caves & Cycling★ 4.97 (9,011) · 11h
Recommended (7)
Ha Long Bay Cruise: Surprise Cave, Titop Island & Kayaking★ 4.91 (6,364) · 2dUS$ 56View ›
Hanoi Cooking Class: Learn 5 Traditional Dishes with Market Tour★ 4.99 (5,897) · 3h 15mUS$ 35View ›
Hanoi Cooking Class: Market Tour, Garden Villa & Egg Coffee★ 4.98 (5,564) · 4hUS$ 33View ›
Hanoi Old Quarter Street Food Tour & Hoan Kiem Lake★ 4.97 (5,347) · 3hUS$ 28View ›
Ninh Binh Day Trip from Hanoi: Tam Coc Boat & Mua Cave Hike★ 4.93 (5,102) · 12h–13hUS$ 38View ›
Ninh Binh Day Trip from Hanoi: Mua Cave, Tam Coc Boat & Countryside Ride★ 4.99 (4,701) · 10h–11hUS$ 95View ›
Saigon Night Food Tour by Motorbike & Flower Market★ 4.99 (4,561) · 4hUS$ 31View ›Top rated (10)
Hanoi motorbike tour with food: Backstreets & local dishesA half-day motorbike tour of Hanoi on a customized USSR vintage Minsk, led by an English-speaking guide who takes you through backstreets, the French Colonial and Old Quarters, and a forgotten river island, with traditional Hanoian food and beverages included. Hotel pickup is provided; the ride covers roughly 4 to 5 hours and vegan and vegetarian options are available.Is it for me?The pace is steady riding through traffic and alleys for 4 to 5 hours, which suits travelers comfortable on a motorbike as a passenger and ready to move between stops without long walks. If you prefer a slower, walking-focused tour or need to avoid motorbike travel, a different Hanoi tour will serve you better.
Hanoi: Half-Day Food & Culture Tour by Russian JeepYou’ll ride through Hanoi’s tangled alleyways and French boulevards in an open-air Russian jeep with a local guide, tasting over seven authentic street foods along the way. Expect unexpected moments—like pausing at Westlake or sharing laughter with locals—that linger long after you return.
Hanoi Motorbike Tour: Red River Delta & Ceramic VillageYou ride a vintage motorbike from central Hanoi into the Red River Delta, stopping at either an ancient citadel village or a working ceramic workshop where you try the pottery wheel yourself. Lunch is cooked and served in a local home, your English-speaking guide eats with you, and all food and drinks are included. The ride takes you off the main roads and into the daily rhythm of the countryside, which is the whole point — you see how people actually live outside the city, not a performance of it.Is it for me?Book this if you want to leave central Hanoi and see how people actually live in the Red River Delta villages — the motorbike gets you off the main roads and into the daily rhythm, and the local guide eats lunch with you, which is what makes the connection real instead of performed.
Sapa: 2-Day Trek & Hmong Homestay with Ethical GuideYou trek 14 kilometers on day one through rice terraces and villages, then climb steeply to a Hmong homestay where you cook and eat with your host family. Day two is flexible — more trekking through bamboo forests at your own pace before a taxi returns you to Sapa. The trek is run by an award-winning ethical operator that funds 49 local families, so your booking directly supports the communities you're walking through. Book if you want the real experience of staying in a village, not just passing through it.Is it for me?Book this if you want to actually stay in a village and eat with a family, not just walk past one — the homestay overnight is what makes that possible, and it's also what funds the 49 families ETHOS supports across the region.
Ninh Binh Day Trip: Mua Cave Hike, Tam Coc Boat & LunchYou’ll hike up Mua Cave for sweeping views over Ninh Binh’s limestone peaks, cycle through peaceful villages to an old pagoda, enjoy a traditional Vietnamese lunch (vegetarian options too), then float by boat through Tam Coc’s hidden caves — all with hotel pickup from Hanoi and a local guide who keeps things real.
Hanoi Motorbike Tour: Highlights, Train Street & Egg CoffeeYou’ll ride vintage motorbikes through Hanoi’s wild traffic with a local guide, visit landmarks like Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Long Bien Bridge, sneak onto Train Street for coffee as trains roar past, explore hidden alleys most travelers miss, and end with egg coffee in a quirky Old Quarter café. Expect surprises—and maybe a little splash on your jeans.
Ninh Binh Day Trip: Trang An Boat, Hoa Lu & Village Bike RideYou’ll share tea with a Vietnamese family in Tam Coc, cycle past rice fields and karst peaks, taste local dishes for lunch, float by boat through Trang An’s caves, and explore Hoa Lu’s ancient temples with a guide who brings stories to life. It’s a day full of small moments that stick with you long after you’re back in Hanoi.
Ha Giang Loop: 4-Day Motorbike Tour & Homestay with Ma Pi Leng PassYou ride a motorbike through Vietnam's northern mountains for four days, staying in homestays and eating local food cooked by families in the villages you visit. The tour includes Ma Pi Leng Pass, Lung Cu Flag Pole, a swim in Du Gia waterfall, all meals, private room accommodation, and pickup from Hanoi. You're back in the city by afternoon on day four, in time to catch an evening bus or arrange onward travel.Is it for me?A good fit if you want to see the Ha Giang Loop's main passes and villages without arranging transport, accommodation, or meals yourself—the four-day structure and included homestays mean you're traveling at a steady pace with time to walk through villages and swim at the waterfall, which is what makes the experience feel less like sightseeing and more like moving through the landscape with someone who knows it.
Hanoi: Jeep Backstreet Tour, Train Street & Local MarketsYou’ll ride through Hanoi’s hidden alleys by vintage Jeep, watch trains thunder past on narrow streets, share lunch at a local spot your guide loves, and cross iconic bridges—all with pickup included. Expect laughter, real stories from locals, and moments that stick with you long after you leave.
Ha Giang Loop 3 Days: Easy Rider Motorbike Tour Small GroupYou ride a motorbike across the Ha Giang Loop for three days with a small group and a professional English-speaking guide, visiting Ma Pi Leng Pass, Dong Van Karst Plateau, ethnic villages, and the Hmong King Palace. All meals, accommodation in traditional houses, entrance fees, and protective gear are included. You return to Ha Giang on the afternoon of day three.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see the Ha Giang Loop's main passes and valleys without arranging your own transport, accommodation, or meals—the small group size and fixed itinerary mean you spend your energy on the ride and the views, not on logistics.
Lowest price (10)
Hanoi: Old Quarter Walking Tour & Temple of LiteratureYou walk Hanoi's main sights — Hoan Kiem Lake, Ngoc Son Temple, Temple of Literature, and Hoa Lo Prison — with a private guide who adjusts the pace to your interests. Hotel pickup is included, the itinerary is flexible, and you avoid the noise of a group tour while learning the real history behind each stop.Is it for me?Book this if you want to see Hanoi's main sights without the pace and noise of a group tour — the private guide and flexible schedule mean you move at your own speed and can linger where you're interested, which is what makes a walking tour feel like exploring instead of checking boxes.
Hanoi Old Quarter Tour: Private walk through 36 guild streetsYou get hotel pickup, a private English-speaking local guide, and five hours moving through the Old Quarter's narrow guild streets, the French Quarter's colonial architecture, and the temples and historic houses in between. Entry to the Heritage House costs an extra dollar per person, which covers the guide's fee as well. The pace is walking-based, suitable for most fitness levels, though the streets are uneven and the heat can be intense.Is it for me?A good fit if you want to understand Hanoi's layered history—colonial, revolutionary, and everyday—without arranging transport or a guide yourself. The five-hour window is what makes both the Old Quarter's narrow streets and the French Quarter's broader architecture possible in one morning, leaving your afternoon free.
Hanoi Old Quarter: Evening Walking Tour with Free PickupYou’ll join a relaxed evening walk through Hanoi’s Old Quarter with a local guide who picks you up at your hotel. Expect sensory moments: incense drifting near Ancient House, street food at the bustling night market, locals exercising by Hoan Kiem Lake. Choose optional stops like water puppets or mural art street — or just soak up city life as dusk settles in.
Hanoi Old Quarter: Street Food Walking Tour with PickupYou’ll wander Hanoi’s Old Quarter with a local guide, try street food like bun cha and banh cuon, sip egg coffee in a hidden café, and watch daily life swirl around Hoan Kiem Lake. With hotel pickup included and no tips expected, you’ll get to focus on tastes, sounds, and small moments that stay with you long after.
Hanoi French Quarter Walk: Old Quarter, Ice Cream & Hoa LoYou’ll join a local student guide for a slow walk through Hanoi’s French Quarter—watching morning life by Hoan Kiem Lake, tasting classic Trang Tien ice cream, seeing St. Joseph’s Cathedral up close, and stepping quietly through Hoa Lo Prison’s somber halls. Expect small surprises and moments that linger long after you leave.
Hanoi Highlights: Private Guided City Tour with Student GuidesYou’ll walk Hanoi’s tangled streets with a student guide who knows all the shortcuts—see Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, touch ancient stones at Van Mieu, feel the chill of Hoa Lo Prison, and end up lakeside where locals unwind. Expect laughter, honest stories, and moments that stick with you long after.
Hanoi: Private Museum Tour, Hoa Lo Prison & Tire Sandal WorkshopYou’ll walk through Hanoi’s big historical sites with a local guide who brings real stories to life — from Ho Chi Minh’s simple stilt house to the haunting cells of Hoa Lo Prison. Try making tire sandals if you’re up for something hands-on, or dive into powerful exhibits at the Women’s Museum. Expect moments that stick with you long after you leave.
Hanoi Old Quarter Private Walking Tour with Student GuideYou get picked up at your Old Quarter hotel and walk through Hanoi's narrow streets with a local student guide who shares stories and street food recommendations. You'll see Hoan Kiem Lake, the Ancient House, and have the option to catch a water puppet show in the evening. Hotel drop-off included, and your booking directly supports local education.Is it for me?Book this if you want to walk the Old Quarter with someone who actually lives there rather than someone delivering a rehearsed script—the student guide angle means you get genuine local knowledge and your money supports their education, which is the whole point.
Hanoi War Sites Tour: Ho Chi Minh, Hoa Lo Prison & B-52 WreckYou’ll walk through Hanoi’s war history with a local student guide—see Ho Chi Minh’s legacy up close, step inside Hoa Lo Prison, and stand by the B-52 wreck at Huu Tiep Lake. Try your hand at making tire sandals if you want (it’s harder than it looks). This tour leaves you with stories that linger long after you’ve left.
Hanoi: Water Puppet Show Ticket with Fast EntryYou’ll slip past the crowds at Hanoi’s Thang Long Water Puppet Theater with your reserved ticket and see legends come alive on water — complete with live music and laughter from locals around you. With several showtimes and easy entry included, it’s an hour you’ll remember long after leaving the theater.
