Highlights
- Explore the Temple of Literature and Hoa Lo Prison on a guided tour
- Learn about Vietnam’s history, culture, and education from your guide
- Discover the stories of colonial rule, revolution, and war at Hoa Lo Prison
- Wander through tranquil courtyards and ancient gardens at the Temple
- Enjoy a small-group experience with plenty of opportunities to ask questions
Full description
Begin your journey at the Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first national university and a symbol of the country’s enduring respect for education. Wander through tranquil courtyards, ancient gardens, and traditional architecture while learning how generations of scholars studied under the Confucian system. Discover the imperial examinations that helped shape Vietnam’s governing elite and the values that continue to influence Vietnamese society today.
As you walk through Hanoi, your guide will explain how Vietnam evolved from a traditional Confucian kingdom into a nation confronted by colonialism, revolution, and war.
Continue to Hoa Lo Prison with a short ride by electric car, one of the most important historical sites in the country. Originally built by the French colonial administration to imprison Vietnamese revolutionaries, the prison later became internationally known during the Vietnam War. Through powerful personal stories, historical events, and local perspectives, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the sacrifices, struggles, and resilience that helped shape modern Vietnam.
By the end of the tour, you’ll leave with a greater appreciation of the forces that have defined Vietnam’s past and the values that continue to guide its people today.
Know before you go
- As this tour includes visits to the Temple of Literature and the Hoa Lo Prison Relic, we kindly ask that you wear respectful clothing. Please avoid very short shorts, mini skirts, or revealing tops to help respect the cultural and historical significance of these sites.
Inclusions & Exclusions
Inclusions
- English-speaking local guide
- Entry ticket to Temple of Literature
- Entry ticket to Hoa Lo Prison
- Electric car transfer from the Temple of Literature to Hoa Lo Prison
- Bottled water
Exclusions
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Food
- Tips
Meeting point
Temple Of Literature
58 Quốc Tử Giám, Văn Miếu, Đống Đa, Hà Nội, Vietnam
Meet your guide at the right-side gate of the Temple of Literature main entrance
Paul
Very interesting and informative. I particularly liked the stories of the Temple of the literature and the Prison museum. If you are a history buff like me, then you might want to go back and visit the prison again to read and listen to the stories/videos/ paraphernalia provided by the Prison museum, as there was not enough time to do it all in one visit. I’m glad I went and would recommend.
Lily
Jasmine was so amazing!! so funny and definitely gen z. i brought my parents in their 50s, my partner and i in our 20s and my brother in his teens and we all highly enjoyed this tour and thought it was so informative and it was amazing to hear all of the different stories. you can tell that jasmine is passionate about sharing the history of Vietnam and it made the tour so enjoyable.
Michelle
I really enjoyed this tour with Cong. Visiting the Temple of Literature and Hỏa Lò Prison made for a fascinating day and offered a different perspective on Hanoi’s history and culture.
Cong was an excellent guide with a huge amount of knowledge, bringing each site to life with interesting stories and historical context. He was engaging throughout and happy to answer questions, making the experience feel much more personal.
If you’re looking for a tour that goes beyond the usual sightseeing and gives you a deeper understanding of Hanoi, I would highly recommend this one.
Alexandra
Jasmin was an amazing guide full of energy and knowledge! She’s super sweet and thoughtful and explains everything very well! The temple is very interesting and definitely worth a visit and the prison was very eye opening and I learned a whole lot about the history of Vietnam! This is definitely a tour I would recommend if you are not keen on looking things up yourself and getting some additional information on what is not being displayed in the museum or in the temple! 3 hours was also a good amount of time even though I was super tired and drained after the tour but that’s solely because it’s just a lot of information to process! I loved it!