Bicycle tours involve a rented bike or a guided bike tour to see the city by bike. These tours take you through the Old Quarter, from where you cycle through historic streets, parks, and rice fields while stopping at scenic viewpoints, markets, and religious sites along the way. Those looking for an authentic experience may cycle toward Halong Bay or visit a local village.
Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, is a mysterious maze of attractions and excursions. Signals of different sorts point out some of the top experiences that should please any visitor:
1.Inside the Old Quarter: Quaint little shops line narrow streets, selling everything unique to this area. This would be perfect for walking, shopping, and tasting street food.
2.Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple: The picturesque lake with a fascinating blue-red bridge leading to the temple, right in the heart of the city, would be a perfect romantic scene. The lake is a popular venue for local people, who tend to meet there for a stroll or some exercise, joining the crowds for festive gatherings during weekends.
3.Street Food: Hanoi is known for its delicious mouthwatering street food. Among others, it is worth trying pho, banh mi, and bun cha.
4.Museums and historic artifacts: Going to the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, and Imperial Citadel of Thang Long and others would give one more insight into the history and culture of the country.
5.A Cookery Class:A cookery class will show you how to prepare traditional Vietnamese food. Most cookery classes typically offer market tours for students to purchase ingredients, thus providing a fabulous cultural experience.
6.Puppet Show:An interesting entertainment performance unique to Vietnam, it is a traditional art in which puppet actors manipulate marionettes over a water stage at the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre.
7.Parks and Gardens:A plethora of parks and gardens dot the city, including the Botanical Garden and Lenin Park, where you can enjoy peaceful walks or picnics.
8.Night Markets:Every weekend is busy with night markets selling anything from clothes to souvenirs to street food in the Old Quarter.
9.Café Culture:An incredible café culture thrives in Hanoi; just hang out in one of the charming cafés with a cup of Vietnamese coffee or tea.
10.Day Trips:You might also consider excursions to Perfume Pagoda, Bat Trang Ancient Ceramic Village, or far to Halong Bay.