Tour type: Private
Transfer distance: around 12-13km inside city center
Duration: around 10 hours (08:00 hrs – 18:00 hrs)
Meals: Lunch & Dinner
Best time to do: Year round possibly, but the best time is from October to April.
Following breakfast at hotel, board your car to the Hanoi Hilton, built by the French in between 1886 – 1901 to hold Vietnam political prisoners, later by the North Vietnam for POW during the Vietnam War. Most of the prison was demolished in the mid-1990s to make space for the Hanoi Tower, an office and serviced apartments complex, only the small southern section of the entire prison complex was converted into a museum. Hoa Lo prison can be creepy, but worth for the experience. Be prepared yourself for untold stories or the feeling of disgust, sorrow, or chilling when walking through silent walls, seeing the guillotine room, still with original equipment, shackles on display. Have a friendly meeting with Nguyen Hong My, a former fighter pilot who shot down the first American aircraft in the Operation Linebacker II (often known by the Vietnamese as Dien Bien Phu in the air). With memories of the brutal war still alive in his mind, hear he share incredible stories of how destructive was each kind of bomb that the Americans dropped in North Vietnam or his fierce fighting on the sky. But it is not the most exciting part. His post-war meetings are even more amazing. Listen to the fascinating stories of unlikely reunions between fighter pilots and ex-enemies, after nearly four decades now become close friends.
Afterwards, head to Truc Bach Lake where you’ll see Senator John Mc Cain monument and listen to the stories about how he parachuted and captured here. Then, drive to Thang Long Royal Citadel. In that compound visit the deep underground war bunker which played an important role in the Vietnam war, especially in the 12 days and nights of the Ha Noi – Dien Bien Phu air battle during Christmas 1972.
In the afternoon, continue your visit to the extensive Army Museum. This repository of Vietnam’s military history includes rooms full of war propaganda, photographs, and historical documents from Viet Nam’s wars defending the nation against China, France, and the US. End afternoon with a short stroll around Kham Thien Street, which was a main target of American carpet bombing and was seriously damaged during the 12 days and nights of the “Dien Bien Phu of the Air” battle in 1972. Meet up with a veterans family to know more about those days from their stories.
This evening, enjoy a special dinner hosted by a family at Ngoc Ha Village where a B 52 wreckage which was shot down lies partially in the nearby Huu Tiep Lake. The hosts will share about their life, the city development and what happened in the war time.
