Delve into Hanoi’s tumultuous war and colonial history today with your private driver and English-speaking guide. Visit Hoa Lo Prison, constructed in 1896 by the French to house Vietnamese political prisoners. Under the French regime, it was known as the Maison Centrale, and was an important symbol of colonialist exploitation of the era.
The Vietnamese took it over in 1954, and the prison was subsequently used to house prisoners of war from 1964 to 1973, where it came to be known sarcastically as the Hanoi Hilton by American POWs. It is bound to be a moving visit. Afterwards, continue to the Vietnam National Museum of History, which contains artefacts dating back through Vietnam’s 1000 years of history (if visit on Monday, we will visit Women museum or Fine Art museum instead if you want).
Continue to Ngoc Son Temple, a pagoda situated on a small island in Hoan Kiem Lake accessible by a classically painted wooden bridge. The view of the city from the pagoda is particularly popular with the locals. End your visit of the city with a stroll through the Old Quarter as historical buildings unfold in front of you and then stop at Giang Café that was founded by Mr. Nguyen Giang in 1946, when he was working as a bartender for the famous five-star Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi hotel.
