Hanoi Excursions

HALF DAY HANOI City Tour

Visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (closed on Monday, Friday) and his former residence (closed on Monday and Friday), One-Pillar Pagoda and the Temple of Literature, known as the first university of Vietnam and built more than 1,000 years ago. Afterwards, continue to Hoan Kiem Lake and visit the Ngoc Son Temple.

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GOOD MORNING HANOI

Enjoy the romantic flower market and join the locals in their morning Tai Chi and aerobics around the beautiful Hoan Kiem (Turtle) Lake. End your active morning with a bowl of “pho” – the traditional breakfast noodle soup – and a strong Vietnamese coffee or tea.

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TWO HOURS CYCLO TOUR

Enjoy a two-hour cyclo tour through Hanoi’s Old Quarter to experience the hustle and bustle, the real lifestyle of Hanoians and the busyness of this bizarre labyrinth of 36 streets.

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COOKING CLASS AT HANOI COOKING CENTRE

The course begins with a brief introduction to Vietnamese cuisine, highlighting the ingredients of traditional Vietnamese dishes. Afterwards, walk to the Chau Long Market and enjoy a market tour with the Hanoi Cooking Centre chefs who will highlight some of the daily produce sold, such fruits, vegetables, meat, silk worms, etc. Surely, this market visit will provide you with endless photo opportunities.

Return to the Hanoi Cooking Centre and get started. The chefs will explain how to prepare the various dishes on the menu. Printed recipes as well as samples of some local fruits, green bean cake, quail eggs, etc. can be taken home after the class.

Enjoy the meal you prepared and visit the Hanoi Cooking Centre shop where you may find useful cooking utensils, recipe books, spices, etc.

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MARKET & STREET FOOD TOUR with daniel hoyer

You will first visit some of the markets and establishments that are frequented by Vietnamese locals. Afterwards drive to either the Chợ Hôm or Chợ Châu Long market to learn about and taste some of the ingredients used in the local cuisine and to watch the buying and selling rituals of a Vietnamese market. The Chef will introduce you to some of the vendors, explain about the ingredients for sale and assist you with purchasing items to take home. Many photo opportunities will be available in this bustling, vibrant and colourful scene.

Your street food venture will start with the first stop at one of the many sidewalk cafes in the historic French Quarter. While enjoying a Vietnamese Ca Phe (coffee) or Tra (tea) here the Chef will give an overview of the Vietnamese food scene, particularly in Hanoi, and discuss the daily life and culture of Vietnam from a well-informed expat’s perspective.

The next stop will be Truc Bach lake where you will taste the snack of Phở Cuốn, a grilled beef and rice noodle roll with fresh herbs, along with several other favourite local snacks. The main dish will be provided at one of Hanoi’s “Bun Cha” establishments, to enjoy traditional grilled pork and rice vermicelli noodles with fresh herbs, greens and crispy spring rolls (Nem ran) like true Hanoians.

Note: The Chef may change the locations to take advantage of the season or one of his latest discoveries. The times are also flexible. For the afternoon tours, some of the locations and food selections will change since certain foods are only available at specific times and locations.

About Daniel Hoyer: Daniel is a seasoned chef and traveller who has lived in Vietnam more than five years. He has devoted extensive time in researching Vietnamese food and culture for his cookbook, Culinary Vietnam, and his tours and has a profound respect and appreciation of the people and food of Vietnam. The Chef continues writing, operates a restaurant and tour agency in Hanoi, teaches cooking classes and is a leader of gastronomic adventure tours in Vietnam, Southeast Asia and Mexico.

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BUT THAP PAGODA and CRAFT VILLAGES OF DONG HO AND BAT TRANG

Drive to But Thap Pagoda, which was built in the reign of King Tran Thanh Ton (1258-1278). The pagoda is well-known for the traditional Vietnamese art of wood carving and sculpture. Some splendid works of art are housed in the pagoda including the statue of Buddha with thousand hands and thousand eyes, and the statue of Tay Thien Dong Do Vietnam.

Continue to Dong Ho traditional block painting village, located on the banks of the Duong River in Bac Ninh province. Using the traditional Diep paper (this kind of paper is handmade by pounding the peel of Do trees with seashell – hence the name of the paper) and colours derived from nature, craftsmen print Dong Ho pictures of different themes from good luck wishes, historical figures to everyday activities and folk allegories.

On the way back to Hanoi, visit Bat Trang pottery village, situated approximately 15 km outside of Hanoi, surrounded by fertile farmland. Watch the artisans forming, painting and glazing their products, which are then baked for several days in huge kilns.

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CYCLING AROUND WESTLAKE

Enjoy a leisurely bicycle ride around Westlake (13.5 km), Hanoi’s biggest inner city lake. After a short briefing, start your journey which will take you past temples, pagodas, markets and numerous residential areas. Say “hello” to smiling children and inhale the special atmosphere that surrounds beautiful Westlake. Visit Quan Thanh Temple, one of the four sacred guardian temples of Hanoi. Satisfy your senses with fresh air, gentle breezes and lotus fragrance, stemming from the lotus ponds near the lake. Stop at Tao Sach Pagoda and Tay Ho Temple which is dedicated to St. Lieu Hanh, one of the four immortals in the Vietnamese pantheon and the prime saint of the Vietnamese mother cult.

Complete your tour with a stop at a traditional Vietnamese café, where you can relax, try a Vietnamese coffee or tea and reflect your unforgettable cycling experience.

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HISTORIC VIETNAMESE VILLAGE AND PAGODA

Drive to Duong Lam village (approximately 55 km from Hanoi). Upon arrival at Duong Lam village visit some highlights of the village, such as the Village Gate, the Communal House, an ancient house and “Mia” Pagoda. Optional cycling around Duong Lam village is available upon request at surcharge.

Proceed to Tay Phuong pagoda to discover the wonderful collection of Buddhist statues dating back to the 17^th century.

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THANH CHUONG MANSION – home of a famous artist

Drive to the outskirts of Hanoi to visit the Thanh Chuong Mansion. Situated on a gravelly bare hill close to Hanoi’s airport lies this Realm of Vietnamese cultural legacy, “created by the dream, the will, the love and the great talent of Thanh Chuong, a leading artist of Vietnamese contemporary art.” Covering an area of nearly 10,000 square meters, Thanh Chuong Mansion is more than “just a museum” or a mere collection of Vietnamese ancient houses and antiques.

Set amidst lush green gardens with ponds, retreats, charming tea houses, ceramics, Buddha statues and art installations, the painter and owner himself has “erected a cultural space brimful of Vietnamese spiritual and rustic life.”

Thanh Chuong Mansion houses an impressive collection of ancient as well of contemporary art. The Thanh Chuong Gallery displays some of the masterpieces of this extraordinary artist, whose exhibitions have been showcased around the globe since 1974.

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WESTLAKE LIFE AND LACQUER WORKSHOP

This excursion will immerse you into the culture, fine arts and everyday life of the Vietnamese. Drive to the north end of the legendary Westlake, Hanoi’s biggest inner city lake. Your first stop will be a visit to the lacquer workshop of Mr. Tran Anh Tuan, Master of Arts and lecturer at the Hanoi College of Industrial Arts. You will be introduced to the history of Vietnam’s lacquer craft and get hands on practice in some simple stages of lacquer painting.

Then either take a walk (or drive) to “Dang Thai Mai”, (ca. 3 km) – a street of colourful and often bustling suburban Vietnamese life with street stalls and cafés as well as market gardens renowned for growing Kumquat trees. These trees are commonly purchased by the Vietnamese over ‘Tet’, the lunar new year. You will first stop at a “working” pagoda. Proceed to Tay Ho Temple, one of the most sacred temples in Hanoi dedicated to the worship of St. Lieu Hanh, one of the four immortals in the Vietnamese pantheon and a former “cult” Goddess. You may want to try some local delicacies at the nearby market, such as the famous Westlake shrimp cakes or a bowl of snail soup before returning back to central Hanoi.

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