Hanoi Tours
French culture & Maison Centrale
4

French culture & Maison Centrale

By Duc Nguyen
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
About
Established in the late 19th century by the French Colonial administration, the building's faded yellow façade and opal green shutters mask the horrors of imprisonment that occurred behind the walls. View the small cells, 6 feet by 6 feet (1.8 meters by 1.8 meters), and see the bed frames and straw mats where prisoners slept. Window shutters were kept closed and the prison was usually overcrowded. A prison guard, say “it is easy to die but hard "
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation

Ages 0-120
Duration: 3h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More


  • Eggs coffee and Tibet tea the most wanted in Hanoi
  • Pho Bo/ Ga and Banh My is a fantastic food in Hanoi.
  • Air-conditioned vehicle


Start:Multiple pickup locations offered.
    Pickup details
    • We pick up from any hotel in Hanoi.
    Hotel pickup offered
    During checkout you will be able to select from the list of included hotels.
      End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

        • Wheelchair accessible
        • Stroller accessible
        • Service animals allowed
        • Near public transportation
        • Infants must sit on laps
        • Infant seats available
        • Transportation is wheelchair accessible
        • Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
        If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 124751P9

        • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
        • Not recommended for travelers with back problems
        • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
        • Most travelers can participate
        • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
        • This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
        • This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

        • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

        If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 124751P9

        From
        $39.47
        per group (up to 6)
        Select date and travelers

        Similar experiences

        About the operator
        Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
        • Duc Nguyen
          15
          Hanoi, Vietnam
          Joined in June 2019
        • SaDaKoUK
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Amazing day
          Really cool experience. Duc picked me up from my hotel and took me on a bit of a tour, getting the best local food and drinks, which was great. He’s a great guy and really looked after me, telling me the history of the places we visited. When we got to the blacksmiths they were all fantastic and really welcoming. I got taught how to use all the tools and create my knife and got to take it back with me too! Utterly fantastic day and I would highly recommend it to anyone. Thanks again Duc!!
          Written September 7, 2024
        • Adventure18000180210
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Enjoy the beer and the jazz!
          This is really amazing tour! There is a friendly tour guide to take care of you all the time And jazz club performance really great, it is unforgettable tour!
          Written December 25, 2023
        • romylynm200
          0 contributions
          4.0 of 5 bubbles
          Go for the Binh Minh experience
          The selected dishes, coffee, and beers were all great. The tour gave a taste of the nightlife in Hanoi. The stop at Binh Minh jazz club was the highlight for me. Duc was a gracious guide, but he could give more info about the food and drinks we had (which I learned from another tour). He could also assist and guide guests in navigating the busy streets of the Old Quarter during the tour.
          Written October 16, 2023
        • MerryFerry
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Pleasantly Wonderful Discoveries
          Getting to know Hanoi through Duc was fun, the experience full of learnings. We appreciate how accommodating he is. Enjoyed the drive to the countryside to visit the incense village and even tried our hand at dyeing the sticks and setting them out to dry. Loved the egg coffee in a cafe in one of the oldest houses of Hanoi. Overall enjoyed the day.
          Written June 18, 2023
        • localexpatvn
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          The fun tour guide and beautiful village
          The weather is very hot. They pick up us a car and drink eggs coffee and pho. We enjoy outdoor village and handmade hat and incense village
          Written June 3, 2023
        • briansarahgray
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Incense village tour Vietnam
          Great trip with our tour guide he was very informative. We travelled by car to the village from Hanoi which I would recommend over a bike due to distance. The Pho breakfast was delicious & the egg coffee was too surprisingly. All round a great day thank you. Would highly recommend.
          Written January 28, 2023
        • H8581PNmiguelc
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Cool, great for real travellers
          Quite simplistic but better than I thought. Recommended! The host has a great vibe and knows the areas and stories very well!
          Written December 16, 2022
        • F4744KYtomm
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Brilliant Experience
          The trip was well planned and we ate in places that we would never have found. Duc was a great guide and explained to us lots about the history, culture and religions of both the North and South. The food and beer was local and authentic and we ended with a visit to the oldest jazz club in Hanoi where the music was awesome. The 74 Yr old owner also joined in with some excellent sax playing. Can't fault the experience and Duc's enthusiasm. A great evening.
          Written November 20, 2022
        • Escape31775698104
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          A brilliant tour to show you the real history & culture of Hanoi
          We decided to take this tour on our first night in Hanoi, knowing nothing about this large city. However, we left the tour feeling confident around Hanoi, loving the food, culture and people. This great tour showed us all the local food and beer with spots like the atmospheric beer street. Not only that but we managed to learn about the history around the culture of the city between our stops. We could not have asked for a better host, as he was easily understandable but also became part of the experience with his great conversation! This is a tour we recommend you take to experience Hanoi in a different light! Not one to miss!
          Written July 6, 2022
        • nikkihut
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Come on this tour hungry!
          Come on this tour hungry! Duc took us for egg coffee, street snacks, pho, 2 different beer stops, dessert and then the Jazz Club. He even brought Banh Mi to meet us with as the place he wanted to take us was closing early. A fun way to explore many different parts of Ha Noi
          Written June 17, 2022
        • DeeEllJee
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          Brilliant tour!
          I visited Hanoi with two of my friends, and we were so lucky to find Dien. He took us through old town to have some amazing food and coffees in places we never would have found without him. Finally, he took us to the train tracks to have some drinks and watch the trains go past. It’s an experience I’ll never forget, and I was so glad that I came across Dien. A really great guy who felt more like an old friend than a tour guide. I’d recommend him to anyone.
          Written December 3, 2019
        • rachael877
          0 contributions
          5.0 of 5 bubbles
          So worth it!!
          I had the best time with Duc! The food was delicious, the beers were good and the company was even better. Also, as a solo female traveler I was more than comfortable with him and walking around town at night was a buzz, especially beer street! The Jazz bar at the end of the tour was exactly what I needed too!! Next time I'm in Hanoi I'll be sure to contact Duc again.
          Written November 30, 2019
        See all 15 reviews
        These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

        Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

        Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.


        4.0
        4.0 of 5 bubbles1 review
        Excellent
        0
        Very good
        1
        Average
        0
        Poor
        0
        Terrible
        0

        bernibos
        Domodossola, Italy54 contributions
        4.0 of 5 bubbles
        Nov 2022
        Non so come valutare questa esperieza ma è da fare.
        Sono uscito da quelle mura con un qualcosa che mi girava nello stomaco. non era fame ma disgusto. Disgusto sul come possa trasformarsi un essere umano. le atrocità che si ascoltano tra quelle mura sono terribili.
        Tempo del colonialismo che ha utilizzato questa prigione per i vietnamiti dove venivano imprigionati, torturati ed eliminati utilizzando anche la vecchia ghigliottina.
        Written November 27, 2022
        This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
        Thank you so much. See you in Hanoi again.
        Written January 10, 2023
        This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

        Buy it with

        Top rated

        French culture & Maison Centrale provided by Duc Nguyen

        All Hanoi HotelsHanoi Hotel DealsLast Minute Hotels in Hanoi
        All things to do in Hanoi
        Day Trips in Hanoi
        RestaurantsFlightsVacation RentalsTravel StoriesCruisesRental Cars