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More traditional and steeped in nostalgia than Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s capital city of Hanoi is well worth a short visit. Hanoi has a scenic and surprisingly serene center in Hoan Kiem Lake, as well as historic neighborhoods with gorgeous colonial villas and a buzzing Old Quarter, whose streets are lined with small shops and food stalls.
Work with Indagare to design the perfect itinerary for an immersive journey. Our travel experts know the destination inside and out, and they can make recommendations based on your travel needs and preferences.
Hanoi’s main sights can easily be explored in a half day, but it’s best to enlist an expert guide who can explain what you are seeing and keep track of the city’s ever-changing opening hours, as well as provide a good introduction to Vietnamese culture. Here is just one example of what our destination experts can create for you.
Spend your first day in Hanoi getting a sense of the city’s history. Tour the large compound of the Temple of Literature, where your guide can explain the symbolism behind the architectural details. Afterwards, see Hoa Lo Prison where American soldiers were held captive during the Vietnam War and Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and nearby home.
Those interested in the making (and eating) of authentic Vietnamese cuisine can attend an Indagare-arranged cooking class either at a culinary school or in a local home. Afterwards, experience a street food walking tour where a top guide is imperative for eating at the right stalls.
For those with an interest in tribal cultures, Indagare can arrange for an expert guide to introduce you to the traditions of Hmong women, see demonstrations of Taoist and Buddhist rituals with shamans from the northern mountain groups as well as participate in batik workshops to learn about the wax and indigo patterns on hand-loomed cloth. We can also connect collectors with a specialist on ethnic arts and crafts.
We only feature hotels that we can vouch for first-hand. At many of them, Indagare members receive special amenities, including upgrades, early check-in, breakfast, spa credits and more. Look for the Indagare Plus logo in the reviews.
Unless you’ve seen Lenin in his glass coffin in Moscow, visiting the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum will undoubtedly be one of the most bizarre travel experiences of your life. The massive building, clad in gray granite, is a lesson in...
The infamous Hanoi Hilton is a must for history buffs. Americans know it mostly from John McCain’s biography, but the prison was, in fact, built by the French in the late 1880s and used for political prisoners; one room still...
There are several places to take cooking classes in Hanoi ranging from upscale options to cocktail making classes to classes that help the local community by supporting programs aimed at getting kids off the street. Others focus on local seasonal cuisine...
At about three and a half hours each way, it’s too long and dreary a drive for a day trip from Hanoi, so either go by helicopter and rent a private junk for lunch and a cruise or spend the...
Part of this large compound, with four courtyards and a magnificent ornate main hall, dates to 1070, when it was built as a Confucian temple. It was also the site for some 700 years of Hanoi’s first university, founded in...
Everything we recommend is sourced first-hand by our well-traveled team and incredible network of insiders and resources around the world. Here are some the latest articles, interviews, and book and film recommendations not to be missed.
How a New York pediatrician and former health commissioner for New York under Ed Koch ended up as a foremost authority on the artifacts of ethnic minority groups in Vietnam could be a long story. But Mark Rapoport says it...
Indagare’s Missy Weil recently traveled to Vietnam. Here are some of her photographs. For help planning your trip, contact our Bookings Team.
Vietnam is home to astounding scenery, from the majestic limestone islands of Halong Bay to the sparkling waters of Con Dao. While so much of the country’s splendor is seaside (thanks to its long and varied coastline), some of Vietnam’s...
A trip here can easily be combined with these amazing destinations and more. Contact our team to craft the perfect itinerary.
Ho Chi Minh City, which most everyone calls Saigon, is a city that elicits an immediate love-it or hate-it response. It’s much more in-your-face than its serene sister city Hanoi, and unless you have a plugged-in guide, it’s more difficult...
A designated UNESCO World Heritage site, Luang Prabang is the former royal capital of Laos and abounds with cultural sites, including some thirty temples, called wats.
Although Vietnam is a relatively small country, its climates are mixed due to differences in latitude from North to South. Therefore, ideal times of travel vary throughout the country. Culturally, Vietnam is also quite diverse due to century old immigration...
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