Hanoi Jeep Tours
The Hanoi Jeep Tour has been ranked 10th in Tripadvisor’s annual Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best awards, based on votes from travelers worldwide. This recognition underscores its status as one of the most unique cultural experiences for visitors exploring Vietnam’s capital.
The founder of Hanoi Backstreet Tours, Tho, said that as an avid traveler, he is always eager to explore the local way of life and connect with people rather than simply visiting famous tourist attractions.
During his travels, Tho made foreign friends and invited them to his home in a small alley in Hanoi, along with lesser-known spots, which they found fascinating. This experience inspired him to create motorcycle tours for international tourists to explore the city. Noticing that many Southeast Asian countries have unique tourism experiences featuring their iconic vehicles, he came up with the idea of offering Jeep tours - using the legendary military vehicle once utilized by the Vietnamese People's Army.
Tho then began looking for and collecting these Jeeps. However, since regulations required vehicles to be less than 20 years old, he faced significant challenges in sourcing high-quality Jeeps that met licensing and registration standards. After overcoming these obstacles, the Hanoi Jeep Tour was officially launched in 2017.
We joined a group of tourists from the UK and Australia on a four-hour Jeep tour with Hanoi Backstreet Tours, priced at 37 US dollars per person. Departing from Hang Tre Street, our Jeep driver and tour guide led us to some of Hanoi’s most iconic landmarks, including the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Hanoi Opera House, St. Joseph’s Cathedral, and the Temple of Literature.
More than just visiting famous landmarks, the Jeeps also weaved through Hanoi’s narrow alleys, giving tourists a closer look at centuries-old houses, some as small as 15m2 as well as bustling traditional craft streets and hidden local markets.
Hanoi Backstreet Tours took visitors to the middle bank of the Red River, where they saw the agricultural lifestyle of local farmers living in this unique riverside community. A highlight of the tour was a stop at Long Bien Bridge, where visitors enjoyed a cup of coffee while watching passing trains and capturing stunning photos of this historic landmark.
Rita, a tourist from Sydney, Australia, said, "I learned about the Hanoi Jeep tour on TikTok and decided to do it with my son during our trip. I love observing my surroundings while traveling, and I was particularly fascinated by the houses in Hanoi’s Old Quarter that sell musical instruments despite their incredibly small spaces. Thanks to our tour guide’s explanations, the Jeep tour provided me with many interesting insights into Hanoi’s culture and its people"./.
Story: Ngan Ha - Photos: Khanh Long/VNP - Translated by Phuong Anh