Day 01
Hanoi Landmarks, Temples, and Old Quarter Walk
- 8:30 am: Meet your tour guide, who will pick you up from your hotel, and begin with a visit to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, a large memorial in Hanoi. It is located in the center of Ba Dinh Square, where Vietminh leader Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence on September 2, 1945, establishing the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Enjoy the architectural and historical aspects of Uncle Ho's final resting place. Just next door is Ho Chi Minh's house on stilts, where he once lived. To one side of the mausoleum stands the One Pillar Pagoda, built by King Ly Thai To in 1049. The structure became an important symbol for the people of Hanoi.
- 9:30 am: Continue to Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldest pagoda in the city at 1,400 years old, originally constructed in the sixth century during the reign of Emperor Ly Nam De. Then walk to Quan Thanh Temple, formerly known as Tran Vu Temple, a Taoist temple in Hanoi. As one of the Four Sacred Temples of the capital, Quan Thanh Temple is located near West Lake.
- 11:00 am: Continue to the Temple of Literature, constructed in 1070. It is a temple of Confucius in Hanoi, in northern Vietnam. The temple houses the "Imperial Academy," Vietnam's first national university.
- 12:30 pm: Have a hearty meal at a local restaurant.
- 1:30 pm: Proceed to the Ethnology Museum, which focuses on the 54 officially recognized ethnic groups in Vietnam. It is considered the finest modern museum in Vietnam and is a major tourist attraction in Hanoi.
- 3:30 pm: Head to Hoan Kiem Lake and walk around Hanoi's Old Quarter to experience the bustling, real lifestyle of this exciting and vibrant neighborhood.
- 4:30 pm: Drop-off at your hotel by car.
