Backstreet Alleys: A Nostalgic Tour of Hanoi

Uncover Hanoi’s hidden secrets and treasures on a tour filled with insights and stories told by insiders.

Uncover Hanoi’s hidden secrets and treasures on a tour filled with insights and stories told by insiders. This tour features the city’s everyday people and places that visitors often overlook or barely glance at, as they are not typically included on any Hanoi must-visit list.

The tour starts with a leisurely walk from your hotel. We see a gentle and quiet Hanoi at the break of dawn when many local people exercise, and street vendors start their morning selling around Hoan Kiem Lake - the heart of the city. From here, we will continue walking to a market in the middle of the Old Quarter. Despite its small size, this market is dubbed the market for the rich as it sells the most expensive, yet delicious, pre-cooked food for busy housewives. Enjoy Pho and Vietnamese coffee, both Hanoi delicacies, before we travel to the city’s backstreet alleys to see tiger-cage apartments that reflect the life of Hanoians in the subsidy period. Regardless of its dilapidated appearance, it recalls a nostalgic Hanoi for many people. Nearby is a 70-year-old notorious black market that used to be a place to buy/ sell stolen goods a few decades ago. The tour ends at a historic street - a witness of the Vietnam War where you will meet a Hanoian family and talk over tea before listening to the father, a passionate amateur artist, play traditional Vietnamese music.

Recommended for people who: 

• Want to discover Hanoi beyond the typical must-visit landmarks
• Enjoy slow walks filled with stories and local encounters
• Be curious about everyday life and the nostalgic corners of the city
• Seek authentic experiences guided by insiders