Hanoi Hidden Gems Bike Tour

Hanoi from the handlebars

Take the day tour that opens the treasure chest of Hanoi’s hidden sightseeing gems! This unrivaled biking adventure in Vietnam’s vibrant capital brings you an unforgettable experience brimming with beauty and historical intrigue. In 3.5 hours, your fascinating, family-friendly tour takes in the Stone Lady Pagoda, St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Hanoi Train Street, Long Bien Bridge, and Banana Island, a scintillating series of sights that unlock the true essence of this stunning city.

Your sensational bicycle tour starts with a stop at the Stone Lady Pagoda, or Ba Da Pagoda, built during the Ly Dynasty (1010–1225) and then rebuilt several times. The legend of Ba Da tells of a stone statue of a lady being discovered and interpreted as a sacred sign delivered by the Earth Goddess. The grateful locals resolved to erect a pagoda in honor of the ‘Stone Lady’, and these days, although the statue was unfortunately lost to a fire in 1900, the pagoda is the seat of Buddhist association in Hanoi.

Just a short cycle away is the spectacular St. Joseph’s Cathedral, an elegant masterpiece in the neo-gothic style built during the era of French colonization. Park your bike up in the looming shadows of the twin-towered facade and note the architectural similarities with the Notre Dame de Paris, as well as the glittering of the sunlight in the gorgeous stained glass windows. Known affectionately by locals as ‘The Big Church’, St. Joseph’s Cathedral is the holy space of more than 4 million Catholics in Vietnam.

Your day tour takes you on to Hanoi Train Street, the hundred year-old train tracks that snake through the center of Hanoi’s Old Town. Weave your bicycle through these incredibly narrow streets and observe the unique way of life in this sector of the city, where the locals have learned to live side-by-side with the significant presence of the railway.

Biking onwards to Long Bien Bridge, discover a structure standing as a symbol of the resilience of Hanoi during the two resistance wars, as well as of the dedication of Vietnam to constant innovation, ambition, and invention.

Your inspiring itinerary is completed with a trip to Hanoi’s Banana Island, a real hidden gem right in the middle of the Red River and known by locals to offer the most luscious natural beauty, an arresting agricultural landscape amidst the hubbub of Hanoi. Banana Island offers you the chance to gain an authentic insight into an alternative aspect of life in Hanoi, gaining understanding around a lesser-known community of native dwellers whose lives are lived in time with the Red River tides. It’s a fascinating finale for your fantastic city day tour.