Hanoi's French Quarter Walking Tour Review

There are tons of tours and walking groups in Hanoi, and sometimes it can be difficult to find one that’s actually GOOD. That’s why it’s so important to read reviews and get recommendations from other travelers!

Luckily for you, I’m a pro at going on tours and writing reviews– it’s one of my favorite things to do. 😉

I spent some time in Hanoi, Vietnam last year and went on several tours. This post is a write-up of my experience going on the Coffee, History, and Architecture of the French Quarter group walking tour with OneTrip with Local in November 2023.

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What's In This Post

Tour Quick Facts

Hosted by OneTrip with Local tour company, a local group run by, well, locals!
Small group, under 10 people
English-speaking guides
Book here at GetYourGuide

My Tour Experience

This tour focused specifically on architecture and food in the French Quarter, which is a smaller area within the large Old Quarter in Hanoi. Our tour guide was Kien, who spoke really excellent English and was very knowledgeable about Hanoi and the history of Vietnam in general.

A French style building with plants growing along the windows in Hanoi, Vietnam. — Hanoi cafe

We met just outside of the St. Joseph’s Cathedral and went over to a nearby cafe to have a cup of Vietnamese coffee. I tried a peach mint ice tea as I’d already had a huge cup of coffee earlier in the day and didn’t want to give myself jitters– Vietnamese coffee is super strong! The cafe also does an excellent egg coffee, and some of the others in the group tried it out.

While we sat drinking our refreshments, Kien explained the history of Vietnam/Hanoi in a comprehensive but succinct way. He covered from the early days of Vietnam (before it was really Vietnam) and went up to the 90s when Vietnam started to become a tourist destination. He had a binder of maps and other visual aids, which helped show the fluctuating lines of the country throughout history.

He also went over a little of the specific history of the French Quarter itself, and the people who live here.

After that we started roaming around the neighborhood. We saw a bunch of lovely old buildings and important cultural sites, and Kien explained how they all tied into the Vietnamese lifestyle.

We stopped several times to get drinks or a small snack (included in the tour price), and sit in the shade to rest from the heat. Our final destination was Hanoi University of Pharmacy, where we saw some students doing tai chi exercises (just by chance). To get over there, Kien took us across a HUGE traffic circle in the local style, e.g. without running or even LOOKING at oncoming traffic. I might’ve been nervous about crossing the street before, but after that experience I was practically a pro!

Overall it was a very fun, and Kien was an excellent guide. I learned a lot about Hanoi and the French Quarter specifically, and I highly recommend this tour as it’s a great value for what you pay for.