HÀ NỘI — The Friends of Vietnam Heritage (FVH) will host a walking tour to discover the Ba Đình area and the ‘French Colonial Quarter’ tomorrow.

This English-speaking walking tour gives an overview of the changes to Hà Nội that started in the French period (1869-1954). The tour will touch on the development of the education system, town planning and architecture and other aspects of past and present Hà Nội.

Starting at Chu Văn An School (established by the French and now one of the oldest high schools in Indochina), tourists will make their way to Hà Nội’s iconic Ba Đình Square and focus on a few of the Government buildings in the area, including the Central Committee of the Vietnamese Communist Party – formerly the Lycee Albert Sarrault High School, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Then along Chùa Một Cột Street and strolling the surrounding avenues passing former villas now home to embassies, the walk will take the group to Điện Biên Phủ Street and into Hoàng Diệu street before ending the tour at Cửa Bắc (The North Gate) and Cửa Bắc Church on Phan Đình Phùng Street.

Those who would like to stay for lunch after will be taken to nearby Ngũ Xã Island for some phở cuốn.

The tours costs  VNĐ70,000 (excludes refreshments and lunch if you decide to stay on for a bite to eat) with a limit of 12 people. Contact Stella stella@fvheritage.org for reservations.  The tour will start at 9.30am and finish about noon. — VNS