Hanoi War History: Monuments' Dark Side

Uncover the hidden stories of Hanoi’s Vietnam War monuments on a unique walking tour. Explore the dark side of famous landmarks, learn about life under the planned economy, and discover the untold tales of the city’s locals. Join us for a conversation-filled stroll that supports a worthy cause.

Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Train Street - This historic area of Hanoi was visited to hear stories from veterans and learn about the lives of local residents. It’s an excellent spot to relax after absorbing a wealth of history and war insights.
  • Kham Thien - Kham Thien B52 Memorial: More Than a Memorial - A Profound Lesson from History.
    This memorial is visited not only…
What's Included
  • Private transportation
  • Tea and coffee
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Hanoi during the Vietnam War: uncovering the hidden stories behind its renowned landmarks.
Explore life under the planned economy, the experiences of local people from both the North and the South, and the tale of Vietnam’s unification—a nation once split between communism and anti-communism, teetering on the edge of the Cold War.
This “stroll” will take…

Location
24B P. Chùa Vua
Phố Chùa Vua
This is the gate of a school named Doan Ket school
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(18 Ratings)
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Toughralph
Jul 22, 2025
A True Highlight of our Time in Vietnam - This was a special experience with Kien, learning about the culture of Hanoi and a history of the war from a North Vietnamese perspective. We opted for a private tour and are very happy we did. We spent a morning in conversation with Kien and took away more than we could have hoped. Our morning started with coffee in a local café. Over coffee, Kien shared a thoughtful overview of Vietnamese history and culture – all leading to the neighborhoods we would soon see. The “black market” and the alley neighborhoods are not on most tourist Hanoi agendas, but we would highly recommend you do. Kien brough to life the history of the market, its current merchants, and how it reflects broader cultural dynamics in Vietnam. We learned a great deal. Other neighborhood visits included the memorial of B-52 bombings. With Kien you learn the history and how it is perceived by local people. It is a moving experience. We concluded our time with a visit to an off-the-beaten path train street. We had another beverage at a local café and then were so very close to a passing train! This experience would be first on our list of recommendations in Hanoi. Even better, a portion of your tour cost goes to the Blue Dragon charity to help Vietnamese children.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lucacf592xn
Jul 19, 2025
- Doing this tour filled me with new perspectives. I feel immensely privileged to share the beautiful streets of Hanoi today 🌹 I'm grateful for Kien and feel anyone visiting Hanoi would benefit from the contextualisation this tour provides.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Saras358
Apr 23, 2025
Really enjoyable! - I booked this tour at the last minute after it was recommended by someone I met in a different tour. It was very interesting in that you went outside of the Old Quarter and you saw areas that you otherwise wouldn’t go to. I would say it’s not really a history tour (despite what the name may suggest) but an illustrated commentary on Vietnamese culture and way of life outside of the touristy areas of Hanoi - although it does involve a brief historical overview, I felt the tour was more focused on people’s stories and this made it really interesting. A nice bonus is that we went to a quieter part of Train Street just in time for a train passing through and we were able to sit down and have a coffee with the train rushing by.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Eli_b
Apr 1, 2025
Fantastic tour - Excellent tour! Kien was lovely and very knowledgeable, his passion for his culture and job is infectious. Would definitely recommend to anyone
Review provided by Viator
Janab814
Mar 19, 2025
Great History Tour - Our tour guide Kien was fantastic. He has a great view of history and gave a great presentation with visuals. His English was flawless and he clearly has a passion for Vietnamese history.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Keefpringle
Dec 25, 2024
A unique and fascinating glimpse of a slice of otherwise inaccessible Hanoi life. Get off the beaten track with Kien!! - What an awesome tour! Definitely for those visitors looking for something off of the beaten track. Kien gave us insight into a neighbourhood that foreigners would otherwise never get to see. The first 45 minutes were in a local cafe getting acquainted and learning 2000 years of history! This may sound like a lot, but it is key in contextualising and understanding the tour that follows. Plenty more to say and I will leave it there for others to discover. Very highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Thomasmayerleipzig
Nov 15, 2024
A must-do in Hanoi! - As many other reviewers have mentioned, this is such a unique experience. Kien is able to run this tour solely because of his personal relationships with the locals in the black market. You get to see a unique glimpse into the life of locals in Hanoi. Great storyteller. Amazing learnings about the history of Hanoi and Vietnam. Must do!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mayer_t
Nov 6, 2024
I’d rate this 6 stars if I could - I loved how Kien brought us through history lesson at the start to provide context and he is knowledgeable as well! I wouldn’t have known much more abt Vietnam war and its impact without his insights and experiences. We ended at the train street and experienced the train passing by which was amazing! I highly recommend this tour to everyone to not only know more about Vietnam but you can also make new friends as well :) Thank you Kien!!
Review provided by Viator
Nicoleg46
Oct 21, 2024
Put this tour at the top of your list! - I’d highly recommend this tour for people wanting and authentic and eye opening tour of the real Hanoi. Kien shared stories about the history of Hanoi, his own family, and local communities. Kien has built relationships with the locals which meant we had access to areas not frequented by tourists including black market shops and local residential buildings. Kien himself is a fascinating individual and talking to him was insightful and an absolute pleasure. I’d definitely put this tour at the top of your list.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ishan
Oct 4, 2024
Behind the scenes Hanoi history - This tour was the perfect way to learn background and below-the-surface history of Vietnam and Hanoi. Kien was a fantastic and knowledgeable guide, taking us through the Cho Gioi market and explaining the subsidy era that led to its creation. He also gave us extensive history on local commerce, living situations and talked about Vietnam’s many conflicts with large powers and its neighbours. Highly recommend this tour for visitors to Hanoi who are interested in getting a bit off the beaten track and learning about Hanoi’s rich history!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $30
up to 10 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).