Recently in Hanoi, many free walking tours of the city are organized by organizations and agencies to provide visitors with interesting experience about the capital city. This is considered a special tourism product of the city, this is really meaningful in the condition that Hanoi hasn't got many typical tourist products.

Experience walking tours
On an afternoon at the Tourist Information Center 28 Hang Dau street, Hoan Kiem District, three Irish tourists chose a walking tour of Hanoi including: Cau Go, Dinh Liet, Hang Bac, Hang Ngang, Dong Xuan streets in with 1.5 hours.

Hanoi walking tour is one of two free tours built by Tourism Information Center to serve tourists.

Gemma, a tourist who participated in the tour, said that since her time in Hanoi was limited, her group wanted to visit the old quarter, because she saw the old town with many interesting features.

Along the streets, guide Pham Thi Ngoc, 4th year student from Open University in Hanoi enthusiastically introduced to visitors historical values, traditional culture of the streets of Hanoi as well as the habit of the people living in the old town.

Stopping at a shop on Hang Bac street, Ngoc shows visitors traditional handicrafts that have been preserved for hundreds of years.

At a house with French architecture on Hang Ngang Street, Ngoc also explained the reason for the appearance of French architecture in the Old Quarter, the interference between the ancient architecture here. The visitors are delighted to be fully aware of the hidden values behind the ancient houses.

On the journey to discover the old town of Hanoi, one of the attractions that draw many tourists is the house at 48 Hang Ngang street where Ho Chi Minh wrote the Declaration of Independence. The whole second floor of the house, where Ho Chi Minh lived and worked, is kept intact of the objects related to him.

After the historical house, the journey to discover the old town of Hanoi continues with many streets and features typical of the old town.

Spread the joy
Hanoi Tourist Information Center is a joint venture between the Hanoi Tourism Department and Vietnam Tourism company to organize a free walking tour to discover the old town and the area around Hoan Kiem Lake. The tour guide team is students of Hanoi Open University.

In operation since the beginning of October, 2016, over a year, free walking tours are popular, especially for foreigners. Although only working from Wednesday to Sunday, but on average every day two or three groups registered to participate in the tour.

Also from October, 1917, Vietravel Hanoi Company launched five free walking tours to Hanoi, operating on Friday, Saturday, Sunday every week for tourists to Hanoi.

Free walking tours of Hanoi last 2 to 3 hours, with 2 tours for foreigners, including: "Early morning with the people of Hanoi", "Romantic West lake on an Autumn afternoon" and 3 tours for domestic visitors such as "Kinh Bac folk art", "Weekend with the people of Hanoi", "Weekend experience for the youth in Hanoi".

In addition, many organizations, groups, clubs also provide free walking tours for foreign visitors to Hanoi such as: Hanoi Free Walking Tour, Hanoi Free Tour Guides, Backpacker Hostels...

With many foreign tourists, free walking tours to Hanoi are interesting travel products that give them the opportunity to experience the destination, so many visitors to this tour.

Amy, the Irish tourist participating in the tour of the Tourist Information Center said that her group easily learned about Hanoi. Moreover, the guides are very enthusiastic, friendly and makes you feel very comfortable.

And Mai Van Dung, a tourist from Hai Phong, participates in the free walking tour of Vietravel expressed that, when the company organized a free walking tour, he registered and felt very happy to be guided to the attractions, the introduction of culture, the history of those places.

With travel agencies, the creation of free walking tours have enriched Hanoi's tourism products, creating a good impression for visitors at home and abroad.

For organizations, volunteer groups, the organization of this tour provides opportunities for people to exchange and improve their ability to speak foreign languages. Visitors will also enjoy interesting tours with the friendliness of the guides.
Because of that, free tours in Hanoi are becoming more and more popular.