Private Tour
Hanoi Hoa Lo Prison and War museums Tour
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
With its unique location at the crossroads of East and West and abundant natural resources, Vietnam has long been a focal point of conflicts between major world powers. The country has witnessed numerous wars, most notably the Vietnam War, which involved the United States and significantly impacted 20th-century global history and the post-World War II world order.
Join this journey to gain a deeper understanding of Vietnam’s war history and the resilience of its people. Highlights:
- Vietnam National Museum of History: Explore Vietnam’s history during the French colonial period, the Vietnam War (Resistance War against the U.S).
- Hoa Lo Prison: A dark prison used by the French to detain Vietnamese revolutionaries, later holding American pilots during the Vietnam War, famously nicknamed the "Hanoi Hilton Hotel" by U.S prisoners.
- B-52 Victory Museum (Optional): Witness the wreckage of a B-52 bomber US with missiles used to shoot down B-52s, fighter jet... of the Vietnamese military.
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Vietnam National Museum of History
- Vietnam National Museum of History – Explore Vietnam’s history during the French colonial period, the Vietnam War (Resistance War against the U.S.), and conflicts with the Khmer Rouge and China.
Hoa Lo Prison
- Hoa Lo Prison – A dark prison used by the French to detain Vietnamese revolutionaries, later holding American pilots during the Vietnam War, famously nicknamed the "Hanoi Hilton Hotel" by U.S. prisoners.
What‘s Included
Private transportation
Admission fee
Bottled water
Coffee and/or Tea
Options
Hanoi Hoa Lo Prison and War museums Tour
Reviews
15 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Great tour!
Onholsingreece,,Dec 12, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Excellent tour of Vietnam National Museum of History, Hoa Lo prison, French Quarter Nam, our tour guide was excellent, providing our party with a balanced over view of Vietnams history and how many countries tried to influence and control its people for their own gains, only for the people to fight and fight again for their independence. A truly fascinating overview and well worth taking the time to learn about the countries history.
Best foodtour with the best tourguide!
nicolascE5102GE,,Dec 1, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The best tourguide ever! Julia made me try so much - too much haha - food, some that will stay among my favorite shops in Hanoi (especially the Banh bao Binh Mo). But not only the food was tasty, Julia was also really enthousiastic, energitic and taught me a lot, including Vietnamese. I even booked a 2nd foodtour! Hope to see you again one day!
Great guided tour
GrandTour554663,,Dec 1, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Nam was a super guide. He is a volunteer at the museum as well. His interest in the subject has caused him to do a great deal of research which he so nicely shared with our group. His English is excellent! Such a nice young man! He extended beyond the time allotted to make sure we were able to see the highlights. It was our favorite tour in Vietnam.
Amazing overview of Vietnam’s history and culture!
daverK9630SO,,Nov 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a private tour with Nam and thoroughly enjoyed the level of detail he provided. The tour was informative and somewhat customized to our interests with Nam asking questions about what we what our interests were and providing several options. He also went well above and beyond by extending the tour by 30 mins to answer questions. I would definitely recommend this tour to any history fans who want to get an overview of Vietnam’s history and culture. Ask for Nam. His passion for the topics is clear and it adds to the quality of the tour.
Must see tour!
Tracee G,,Nov 29, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Nam was a fantastic tour guide with a wealth of information! He was polite and courteous and even went over on the tour time to ensure we didn’t miss anything!
An Outstanding Tour to Understand Vietnamese History
Ronn49856,,Nov 15, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I had an exceptional experience on the Hanoi Hoa Lo Prison and War Museums Tour. My guide, Vân, was absolutely outstanding. She has deep knowledge of the country’s past and explains even complex historical topics with clarity, sensitivity, and passion. This tour was incredibly helpful for me to truly understand Vietnamese history. Vân took the time to answer all my questions and provided rich context that made each site even more meaningful and eye-opening. Her warm personality and engaging storytelling created the perfect balance of education and emotion. I can highly recommend this tour!
Tour of the Vietnam museum of history and the prisoners of war museum
Passport614783,,Nov 13, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Nam Tran was a great and very knowledgeable guide. We learned so much about the history of Vietnam and he was able to provide answers and insights to all of our questions. Recommend to any travelers wanting to learn more about the history of Vietnam.
Best way to visit the museum for sure
tranz2022,,Oct 6, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Van was amazing and knowledgeable and able to tailor the tour to fit your knowledge and interests. I highly recommend this tour as you will miss a lot of the context of the exhibits without a guide. Highly recommend Van to make the museum experience top notch.
Best museum tour
Eric b,,Oct 6, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Van was amazing and knowledgeable. This is the only way to tour the museums. You will miss so much otherwise!
Vietnam History Tour
KennyP K,,Sep 20, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00A well planned guide by Nam , very knowledgeable and passionate about the rich history of Vietnam. We enjoyed this guided tour by Nam. It gives you much more insight than being on your own . The guide takes you through a well detailed history of Vietnam explaining events in detail and how they align to the present history. Being a self taught student of history myself i found Nam's guided tour excellent . We arrived at the B52 Victory museum a bit late because we did spent a considerable time at the Maison Centrale but we will make a day trip to the B52 Victory Museum another day .What a great day
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Operated by JA Vietnam