A print of Long Biên Bridge seen from below: the iron trusses drawn in black line and painted ochre, green and red, against bare paper sky.

A photograph of Long Biên Bridge seen from below: the iron trusses drawn in black line and painted ochre, green and red, against bare paper sky.

The iron bridgeOchre, Lake jade, Sappan red, Shutter green, key blockLong Biên BridgeLine drawn by FLUX.2 [klein] 4B, an image model, after a photograph by Amenoc, Photograph by Amenoc, CC0. Cropped for this site.

Small-group tours, walks and day trips in Hanoi.

Chapter I

Sông Hồng

Inside the river.

Hà Nội means “inside the river”. The Red River runs the colour of wet clay, and the iron bridge across it has carried trains since 1903. Cars are not allowed on it. Walk it at dusk, when the banana groves on the sandbank turn blue.

See the river walks

Chapter II

Ba mươi sáu phố phường

Thirty-six streets.

Every street in the Old Quarter was named for what it sold. Hàng Bạc still sells silver. Hàng Mã sells paper houses and paper money to burn for the dead. Hàng Trống stopped selling drums long ago and gave its name to a way of making pictures: print the line, then paint the colour by hand. This site is made that way.

See the street walks

A print of tall, narrow Old Quarter houses side by side: balconies and railings in black line, indigo shutters, red doors, an ochre gable and a green street tree under a tangle of wires. — Tube housesOchre, Sappan red, Shutter green, Indigo, key blockOld QuarterLine drawn by FLUX.2 [klein] 4B, an image model, after a photograph by Francisco Anzola, Photograph by Francisco Anzola, CC BY 2.0. Cropped for this site.

A photograph of tall, narrow Old Quarter houses side by side: balconies and railings in black line, indigo shutters, red doors, an ochre gable and a green street tree under a tangle of wires. — Tube housesOchre, Sappan red, Shutter green, Indigo, key blockOld QuarterLine drawn by FLUX.2 [klein] 4B, an image model, after a photograph by Francisco Anzola, Photograph by Francisco Anzola, CC BY 2.0. Cropped for this site.

Chapter III

Hồ Gươm

Five in the morning.

At five the lake belongs to everyone who is not asleep: tai chi in rows, a dance class with a speaker strapped to a scooter, two men playing badminton without a net. By eight it is a road again.

See the dawn walks

A print of people standing in loose rows for morning exercise on the lakeside path, in front of a temple gate under green and ochre trees. — Five in the morningOchre, Lake jade, Shutter green, key blockHoàn Kiếm Lake, by the Ngọc Sơn gateLine drawn by FLUX.2 [klein] 4B, an image model, after a photograph by Rudolph.A.Furtado, Photograph by Rudolph.A.Furtado, CC0. Cropped for this site.

A photograph of people standing in loose rows for morning exercise on the lakeside path, in front of a temple gate under green and ochre trees. — Five in the morningOchre, Lake jade, Shutter green, key blockHoàn Kiếm Lake, by the Ngọc Sơn gateLine drawn by FLUX.2 [klein] 4B, an image model, after a photograph by Rudolph.A.Furtado, Photograph by Rudolph.A.Furtado, CC0. Cropped for this site.

Chapter IV

Vỉa hè

Thirty centimetres up.

Hanoi eats close to the pavement, on stools made for children. Charcoal smoke from a bún chả grill, a glass of bia hơi brewed this morning and gone tonight, coffee whipped with egg yolk because, the story goes, in 1946 there was no milk.

See the food walks

A print of a pavement stall: a bowl of noodle soup with chopsticks across it on a low red table, two ochre jars and a bottle, a blue table and red stools behind. — Thirty centimetres upOchre, Sappan red, Indigo, key blockOld QuarterLine drawn by FLUX.2 [klein] 4B, an image model, after a photograph by Schellack, Photograph by Schellack, CC BY 3.0. Cropped for this site.

A photograph of a pavement stall: a bowl of noodle soup with chopsticks across it on a low red table, two ochre jars and a bottle, a blue table and red stools behind. — Thirty centimetres upOchre, Sappan red, Indigo, key blockOld QuarterLine drawn by FLUX.2 [klein] 4B, an image model, after a photograph by Schellack, Photograph by Schellack, CC BY 3.0. Cropped for this site.

Chapter V

Xa hơn

Further out.

Two hours south, limestone stands up out of the rice. Thirteen kilometres east, a village has fired clay for centuries. We go early, come back for dinner, and never put you on a bus with forty people.

See the day trips

A print of limestone peaks rising straight out of a river, jade green with one indigo peak behind, and three small rowing boats on the water. — Limestone and riceLake jade, Shutter green, Indigo, key blockTràng An, Ninh BìnhLine drawn by FLUX.2 [klein] 4B, an image model, after a photograph by Vyacheslav Argenberg, Photograph by Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0. Cropped for this site.

A photograph of limestone peaks rising straight out of a river, jade green with one indigo peak behind, and three small rowing boats on the water. — Limestone and riceLake jade, Shutter green, Indigo, key blockTràng An, Ninh BìnhLine drawn by FLUX.2 [klein] 4B, an image model, after a photograph by Vyacheslav Argenberg, Photograph by Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0. Cropped for this site.

Four ways to begin

See all thirteen experiences

A print of the lake path under old trees: pink branches leaning out over green water, a pink paved path and a few early walkers.

A photograph of the lake path under old trees: pink branches leaning out over green water, a pink paved path and a few early walkers.

Before the city wakes

Hoàn Kiếm at dawn, then phở for breakfast.

Length: 3 hours
Starts: 05:15
Group: Up to 8
From: USD 45

A print of two ochre wooden cake moulds hung on a plank wall, each carved with a carp with jade fins.

A photograph of two ochre wooden cake moulds hung on a plank wall, each carved with a carp with jade fins.

Print the line, paint the colour

A woodblock and hand-colouring workshop with a printmaker. Your print comes home with you.

Length: 2.5 hours
Starts: 09:30 or 14:00
Group: Up to 6
From: USD 65

A print of the Red River in mist from high up: the long iron bridge in clay red across the distance, a few boats, and a green sandbank with a dark channel in front.

A photograph of the Red River in mist from high up: the long iron bridge in clay red across the distance, a few boats, and a green sandbank with a dark channel in front.

Over the iron bridge

Long Biên at dusk, then down to the banana fields on the sandbank.

Length: 3 hours
Starts: 16:30
Group: Up to 8
From: USD 39

A print of three glasses of beer with white heads on a red plastic stool, seen from above, on a deep indigo ground.

A photograph of three glasses of beer with white heads on a red plastic stool, seen from above, on a deep indigo ground.

The city eats on stools

Eight stops on an evening walk. Bia hơi included.

Length: 3.5 hours
Starts: 18:00
Group: Up to 8
From: USD 59

Begin with one street.

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Before you come

Last verified 29 October 2026

The best months

Late October to December, and March to April. November brings about 60 mm of rain, highs near 27°C and the smell of milk flowers. June to August is hot and wet: highs near 34°C and 250 to 275 mm of rain a month.

Láng station normals, 1991 to 2020.

Tết 2027

Tết (Lunar New Year) falls on Saturday 6 February 2027. Public employees have 4 to 10 February off, and many shops, stalls and restaurants close for several days. Book walks around it early, or come the week after, when the peach blossom is still out.

Crossing the street

Walk at a slow, steady pace and do not run or stop suddenly: riders steer round someone they can predict. Give way to buses and cars.

Read the practical guide

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Reserved for a guest

Reviews appear here only once real guests have written them. We do not publish sample reviews.

Reserved for a guest

Reviews appear here only once real guests have written them. We do not publish sample reviews.