Private Tour Hanoi Highlights - Bat Trang Village - Pottery Class

8:00 am Tour guide and car from Paradise Indochina Travel come to pick you up at your hotels and start the tour with a visit to Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldest of its kind dating back to the 6th century during the reign of Emperor Ly Nam De Dynasty (544 - 548). The Buddhist shrine has undergone several changes throughout the years, particularly its renaming from An Quoc to Tran Quoc (protecting the country) by Emperor Le Huy Tong in the 17th century.

Although it’s now set on an islet within West Lake, the pagoda was originally located on banks of Red River before it’s relocated in 1615due to the river’s encroachment. Surrounded by lush greenery, Tran Quoc Pagoda was a favourite amongst the kings and royal families for festivals, full moons, and Tet Festival.

Your next stop is Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex and explore the architectural, historical aspects of Uncle Ho’s final resting-place.

It is the final resting place of Ho Chi Minh, the most iconic and popular leader of Vietnam, known to his people as ‘Uncle Ho’. His body is preserved here in a glass case at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in central Hanoi (albeit against his wishes).

For visitors, a trip to Uncle Ho’s final resting place can be an extraordinary experience as it is not just an average attraction; it’s a part of a unique history.

Started in 1973, the construction of the mausoleum was modeled on Lenin's mausoleum in Russia and was first open to the public in 1975.

Security is tight and visitors should dress with respect (no shorts, sleeveless shirts and miniskirts) and everyone has to deposit their bags and cameras before getting in.

Continue the trip is historical site, Presidential Palace Hanoi. It was constructed in 1900 by French architect Auguste Henri Vildieu, was intended to be Ho Chi Minh’s official residence but the Vietnamese leader had opted for a traditional Vietnamese stilt-house instead. The three-storey, mustard yellow building features 30 rooms built in colonial French architectural style, an orchard, carp pond, and a 91-metre long boulevard surrounded by lush gardens.

As political gatherings are still held at Presidential Palace Hanoi, visitors are only allowed to explore the gardens and Ho Chi Minh’s stilt home. The peaceful grounds surrounding the palace are home to well-kept botanical gardens and lush fruit groves, making it an ideal place for those looking to escape the bustling Old Quarter during their holiday.

This humble, traditional stilt house where Ho lived intermittently from 1958 to 1969 is set in a well-tended garden adjacent to a carp-filled pond and has been preserved just as Ho left it. The clear views through the open doorways and windows permit insights more fascinating than many museum displays. The stilt house is now used for official receptions and isn’t open to the public, but visitors may wander the grounds if sticking to the paths.

From here, you look out on to the opulent beaux-arts Presidential Palace. There is a combined entrance gate to the stilt house and palace grounds on P Ong Ich Kiem inside the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Complex.

Legend claims that The One Pillar Pagoda was built following a dream by the fatherless emperor in which the enlightened being Avalokiteshvara gave him a baby son resting on a lotus flower. Emperor Ly Thai Tong commissioned the pagoda to be created in resemblance of this lotus flower which is also the Buddhist symbol of enlightenment. The Emperor remained in gratitude to the bodhisattva and subsequently to to Quan Am, the Goddess of Mercy following the birth of his son. Inside the temple a richly gilded statue of Quan Am takes centre place at the main altar.

After the temple was completed loyal followers flocked daily to give thanks and support to the emperor, praying to Quan Am for a long and successful sovereignty.

The Temple of Literature is often cited as one of Hanoi’s most picturesque tourist attractions. Originally built as a university in 1070 dedicated to Confucius, scholars and sages, the building is extremely well preserved and is a superb example of traditional-style Vietnamese architecture.

This ancient site offers a lake of literature, the Well of Heavenly Clarity, turtle steles, pavilions, courtyards and passageways that were once used by royalty. Visiting the Temple of Literature you will discover historic buildings from the Ly and Tran dynasties in a revered place that has seen thousands of doctors’ graduate in what has now become a memorial to education and literature.

Originally the university only accepted aristocrats, the elite and royal family members as students before eventually opening its doors to brighter ‘commoners’. Successful graduates had their names engraved on a stone stele which can be found on top of the stone turtles.

This is a "must-see" one while in Hanoi City. Tourists will be amazed at the great artifacts carefully displayed here such as: clothes, tools and models of rituals, funerals, weddings, etc. Everything are displayed as a small corner of life and traditional culture of ancient ethnic people.

After the lunch (tasting a special noodle soup in Hanoi Old Quarter) we continue to visit Bat Trang Ceramic & Pottery village. Here you will see a massive of product trading. Also,you can take part in the Pottery Class and learn how to form and make hand products by hand.

Bat Trang Ceramics Village is a 14th century porcelain and pottery village near Hanoi, housing local artisans who combine both traditional and modern techniques to create beautiful porcelain artworks. Not only are you able to purchase some of the finest handmade ceramic products in Vietnam, you can also see them made right before your eyes during your visit.

Located next to the Red River within the Gia Lam District, Bat Trang Ceramics Village Hanoi holds an important place in history of the ceramics industry in Asia, as it’s close to trading ports Thang

Long and Pho Hien. Today, visitors can explore its many ceramic stores and workshops to browse through a vast selection of vases, bowls, cups, and plates.

The rest of the time you take a walk to Long Bien bridge for a visit of a historical site. From here you overlook on Eco-farm such as: Garden Guava, banana and corn, etc... Long Bien Bridge (also known as Paul Doumer Bridge) was constructed between 1899 and 1902 and designed by Gustave Eiffel, the father of Eiffel Tower in Paris. Because of the strategic position in connecting Hanoi Capital to the coastal Hai Phong city, Long Bien Bridge had to be severely bombed during the American war of Vietnamese people against invaders. Nowadays, this bridge is still alive and used for trains, mopeds, and pedestrians crossing the romantic Red River. The unique architecture with the festive life of locals here makes Long Bien Bridge Hanoi become a symbol of the desire for a peach of Hanoians. A visit to Long Bien bridge definitely marks good impressive in your minds!

The Hanoi Opera House was erected by the French colonial administration between 1901 and 1911 (you are allowed to visit the outside of the building). It was modeled on the Palais Garnier, the older of Paris's two opera houses, and is considered to be one of the architectural landmarks of Hanoi. The main architectural style of the Opera House is Neoclassicism. After the departure of the French the opera house became the scene for several political events. as well as the scene of street fighting during the fight for Hanoi. After this place, our car and driver will drop you off same pickup place. End of the service!