8:00: Our car & guide pick up at your hotel for Hanoi City Tour.

Firstly we will visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum & Museum: Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum, his house on stilt, the botanical garden and the Presidential palace while learning about his life and revolutionary activities. This used to be the residence of the Governor of Indochina. After 1954 it was named the Presidential Palace and became the place where Ho Chi Minh lived and worked until he passed away in1969.

On the way out visit One Pillar Pagoda. The pagoda was constructed in 1049 by King Ly Thai Tong according to his dream of Bodhisattva seating on a lotus flower and led him to the pagoda. In 1954, the pagoda was destroyed by the French before their withdrawer. After taking over the city on October 10th 1954, Vietnam Ministry of Culture restored the pagoda. The pagoda of today remains since this restoration.

Around 11:00:Arriving at the Temple of Literature. This is the combination of the Confucius Temple worshiping Confucius which was built in 1070 and the first Royal National university in Vietnam built 6 years later in 1076. Considered as “an escape” from the bustling city, this temple and its beautiful garden provide an opportunity to learn more about education in Vietnam since 1000 years ago until recent history.

12:00: Lunch time in local Restaurant with local Vietnamese traditional Cuisines.

13:30: Continue to visit the interesting Ethnology Museum. Located west of the city centre, this museum offer informative and well-documented display on the country’s 54 ethnic groups, include elaborate and colorful hill-tribe costumes, weaving designs, musical instruments, fishing implements, work tools and other functional objects. The display continues on to the garden outside with fascinating examples of minority housing from the King’s to the ones of the ethnic groups in Central Highlands. Then we will attend a traditional Water Puppet show. This art originates from rural festivals in Vietnam. The artists – men and women – stand waist deep in the water to manipulate the puppets, making them move about, talk and laugh and even dance on the surface of the water. The audience is meant to experience the atmosphere of a village festival

16:00: Visit Hoan Kiem Lake (Restored Sword lake) and Ngoc Son temple. Situated in the heart of Hanoi, the lake got its name according to a legend story. In the 15th century during the Ming Chinese invasion, general Le Loi was presented with a holy sword. With the help of this sword he expelled the Chinese from Thang Long, present-day of Hanoi and proclaimed himself as king Le Thai To. One day, when the king was sailing on the lake, suddenly a golden turtle emerged from the water and claimed back the sword which has been believed given to him by God. Since then, the lake has been known as Ho Hoan Kiem or the lake of the Restored Sword.

On as island at the northern part of the lake stands Ngoc Son or Jade Mountain temple, one of the most beautiful and religious site in the capital. The temple was established by a mandarin named Nguyen Van Sieu and is dedicated to the spirits of the soil, medicine, literature, and also to Tran Hung Dao, the general who defeated the Mongols in the 13th century.

17:30: Return to the hotel. Completely unforgettable day to visit Hanoi!

Note: Please kindly take note that Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (the inside) will be opened only in the morning. It will be closed every Monday and Friday. Besides the outside of Ho chi Minh Mausoleum, you can still visit Ba Dinh square, Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh’s House on stilt, One pillar pagoda as normal. Museum of Ethnography also closed every Monday