Walking tour helps visitors discover Hanoi

A French-style building in the Chu Van An School. The FVH walking tour on April 20 will start at this school, which is one of Vietnam’s most beautiful schools (Photo: worldkings.org)

This English-speaking walking tour gives an overview of the changes to Hanoi that started in the French period (1869-1954). The tour will touch on the development of the education system, town planning and architecture and other aspects of past and present Hanoi.

Starting at Chu Van An School (established by the French and now one of the oldest high schools in Indochina), tourists will make their way to Hanoi’s iconic Ba Dinh Square and focus on a few of the Government buildings in the area, including the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam – formerly the Lycee Albert Sarrault High School, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Then along Chua Mot Cot street and strolling the surrounding avenues passing former villas now home to embassies, the walk will take tourists to Dien Bien Phu street and Hoang Dieu street before ending the tour at Cua Bac (The North Gate) and Cua Bac Church on Phan Dinh Phung street.

Those who would like to stay for lunch after will be taken to nearby Ngu Xa Island for some pho cuon.

The tours costs VND70,000 (excludes refreshments and lunch if you decide to stay on for a bite to eat) with a limit of 12 people. Contact Stella stella@fvheritage.org for reservations.  The tour will start at 9.30am and finish about noon.