Review: Hanoi Half-Day City Tour & Water Puppet Show

Okay, so you’re thinking of checking out Hanoi, right? Maybe you don’t have much free time, or maybe you just want a quick taste of the city before moving on? A Hanoi half-day city tour, often paired with the Thang Long Water Puppet Show, seems to be something you’re considering, and you want to know what’s what before booking. Hopefully this helps.

A Whirlwind Adventure Through Hanoi

The tour usually crams a good mix of historical spots and cultural gems. You often see spots like the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (at least from the outside, it just depends on whether it’s open), the Presidential Palace, and the One Pillar Pagoda, and the schedule seems stuffed, yet comprehensive in what it intends to provide. The guides are pretty informed, or they appear to be, sharing background info on each location, yet sometimes the tour group may feel like it is herded from one location to another. If you aren’t the kind to stop and stare, you might appreciate the fast pace, and you probably wouldn’t say you were left bored!

If you get easily bored, the itinerary does seem pretty ambitious, which is nice, yet might mean you only get, like, a surface level glance at each place. If you plan to learn every small detail about the destinations the bus will take you to, well then you could leave slightly disappointed. It’s good for, say, an overview though, a ‘taster’ of Hanoi, that would hopefully encourage a future return.

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Ba Dinh Square

The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is one of those spots that oozes gravitas. This, in some respects, is where the preserved body of Ho Chi Minh rests. Viewing is, often, a pretty solemn experience. If you want to view it in person you might want to research opening hours ahead of booking a tour. Most of the tours only take you to the square where it resides (Ba Dinh Square), for photographs.

That being said, the mausoleum and the square that surrounds it, stand out with incredible, moving stories of past Vietnam leaders. If you choose the specific Hanoi half day tour, make sure you research whether they actually take you inside or just allow you some free time outside. It’s actually rather a let down when you assume you will see a historical destination, only to arrive and realize that you’ll simply just have an opportunity to walk by!

One Pillar Pagoda: A Symbol of Luck

You could visit the One Pillar Pagoda, which is a cute little temple standing on, very literally, one pillar. Its story is charming – that it was built in tribute to a dream of a childless emperor, it is said that this place is lucky for folks trying to have kids, too it’s almost like a shrine with hopeful parents circling it praying.

Though it’s pretty small, or very small if you’re not a fan of little temples, the architecture is pretty remarkable. Standing in such a strange position on that one singular pillar gives it that bit of something ‘extra’. Also, the surrounding gardens can add a little bit of zen to your Hanoi sightseeing, or in some respects it might, anyway. It might be, perhaps, that they offer a little breather amongst the usual crowds.

The Thang Long Water Puppet Show: Unique Art

You would attend the Thang Long Water Puppet Show, and this alone seems worthy enough. The water puppet show might strike some as just another touristy attraction, that being said it remains one of the really, truly unique things about Vietnamese culture that is available for foreigners to easily experience. You’re seeing, like, puppets dancing on water, set to live music…it sounds ridiculous as you put it into words. What’s more, is that most tour packages already offer these in one – so don’t worry about planning your day twice!

You could say that each short skit tells a story of Vietnamese country life or folklore, and if you sit in the front rows you are actually very likely to get splashed! Even if it seems odd or kind of touristy, seeing the skill of the puppeteers is rather beautiful, not to mention pretty amazing, plus it is rather something you definitely won’t catch back home.

What Makes It Special?

Basically, you won’t see water puppetry just everywhere you go! Its traditional stories are interesting enough. Its visual appeal might be attractive for people of all kinds – no matter where they’re from, yet more than likely it’s because it looks incredibly bizarre!

Consider also that it’s not only the puppets doing their thing, that there are real musicians backing the whole performance too. If you decide to appreciate the artistry as opposed to dismissing it as odd then, potentially, the show can be very touching and thought provoking.

Potential Perks

So the big upside, obviously, is saving precious moments! These tours compress a ton of popular attractions into, such as half a day, so you can maximize your explorations and have time to appreciate other spots of the city! This can also reduce having to get an organized transport yourself.

Having a guide could prove another plus; typically they know a lot about the places you’re seeing, potentially enriching the trip a good deal with the historical backgrounds and local stories, too it’s almost like an additional audio book! So you do not have to prepare and do a bunch of research ahead of time.

Things to Think About

These trips are pretty tight and follow quite strict schedules. In that case, if you ever want to just sit a bit, taking it slow somewhere, perhaps soak up an area more, you probably will be out of luck, that is to say it won’t be so easy. Maybe, like, if you find a particular sight particularly amazing then prepare to get whisked away! Remember these trips typically will cram a few tourists from many backgrounds together, which means people from several backgrounds may prefer very separate experiences and methods of travel. It could also take you to restaurants that your group prefers – that being said, there could be great street vendors waiting to serve a delicious traditional dish in an environment a little less catered!

Moreover, places, say like the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, might have different opening days/ hours; the tour probably wouldn’t change the whole plan for one attraction, which may mean only viewing that from afar! Always make a point of studying tour itineraries rather closely; make sure it aligns to your precise wishes!

Is the Half-Day Tour and Water Puppet Show Worth It?

If you have very little time, that, arguably, might be your best ticket for, basically, a crash course through Hanoi’s treasures. A balance could be found in the speedy sights, combined with that really peculiar water puppet art show too; which you are quite unlikely to find back home.

Basically, the value comes from what you need. When you wish a quick dip in the sights along with getting cultured, while still getting that ‘big ticket’ Hanoi water puppet show too, it’s good. In any other case you could benefit far better, as an example, just by getting a travel book plus arranging the visits!