Hanoi cyclo tour

The tinkling sound of cyclos has been associated with people in Hanoi since the early years of the twentieth century. Cyclos engaged in many parts of Hanoians’ life from daily tasks such as commuting to the market to important things like engagement ceremony, wedding ceremony, etc. It can be said that cyclo contributed to the creation of traditional culture for Hanoians in the past.

Cyclo took an important role in Hanoians' life

Nowadays, along with the development of science and technology, modern vehicles have gradually replaced cyclo. Thus, Hanoi people do not use cyclos for commuting as before. However, with the aim of maintaining the city’s cultural beauty, travel agencies have developed Hanoi cyclo tours making a unique experience to tourists all over the world when coming to Hanoi.

Where can you find a cyclo in the old town? You can easily find cyclo-riders on weekend afternoon next to the fountain at Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square, on Hang Ngang, Hang Dao Str, in front of Thuy Ta ice cream shop. They are friendly, polite and able to speak a few basic English words to foreigners.

Hanoi cyclo tours normally last for 1 hour with prices ranging from 100,000 VND (around 5 USD) to 150,000 (around 5.5 USD) per cyclo. The price for cyclo tour depends of the route and bargaining ability of tourists. Each cyclo fits one adult or might be two if you are thin. Visitors can take a cyclo to travel around Old Quarter like Hang Trong Str, Hang Bai Str, Hang Gai Str, Hang Thiec Str or visit highlights of Hanoi such as Hanoi Opera House, Dong Xuan market, Hoang Kiem Lake.

Where to try Hanoi cyclo tour?

Traveling by cyclo, visitors can take beautiful pictures, freely admire the ancient beauty of historical relics as well as immerse in the busy life of locals in the Old Quarter. The most convenient thing when taking Hanoi cyclo tour is that tourists can easily stop to visit places or take photos whenever they want. Besides, some friendly cyclo-riders will share tourists funny stories or introduce some good places to eat and do shopping in the Old Quarter. Especially, if you want to enjoy the tranquil atmosphere of Hanoi, you had better taking Hanoi cyclo tour in the early morning. What could be more fascinating then sitting on a cyclo, admiring another Hanoi with peaceful beauty, inhaling fresh air and seeing locals doing exercise or cycling around Hoan Kiem Lake? It is a truly incredible experience you should try once coming to Hanoi.

What to expect when joining Hanoi cyclo tour?

If you are first-time travelers to Hanoi, you might wonder some tips when taking part in Hanoi cyclo tour. Here are some tips for you.

Tips and experience when joining Hanoi cyclo tour

The first and most important tip is that you should negotiate the price with cyclo-riders before getting on it. Normally, one-hour cyclo tour in Hanoi costs around 5 – 5.5 USD per cyclo. If you get on the trip alone, the price might be cheaper. However, since Vietnam is a low-income country, you had better not bargain too hard. Besides, you had better inform clearly with cyclo-riders about the places you want to visit before setting out. Making clear about the price and the route in advance is much better for both you and cyclo-riders. Some cyclo riders might cheat you by giving an expensive price. In other cases, the cyclo riders might ask you to pay 5 USD for only 30 minutes on the cyclo. If you don’t want to be cheated, you can ask the receptionist at your hotel to support you to book a cyclo.

The second tip for you when joining Hanoi cyclo tour is to pay the correct rate for your trip as the cyclo-riders often seem not to have change. You can exchange some 50,000 or 100,000 dongs before taking cyclo tours.

The next tip for you is to check the weather forecast in advance to avoid heavy rains. Your cyclo tour might be depressing because of the rains. Thus, checking the weather condition in advance is a good way for your trip.

The last tip for you is taking a deep breath and being calm. The reason is the traffic jam happens in rush hours. Thus, you cyclo trip might not be smooth. However, it is still great to see things around you on a cyclo when having traffic than sitting on a taxi, isn’t it?

In conclusion, Hanoi cyclo tour is one of the greatest options for visitors to visit highlights of Hanoi like a local. If you have a chance to visit Hanoi, don’t miss this interesting activity.

Vana Pham 

Image source: Internet