Among the most popular are night tours at major heritage sites, including the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, Van Mieu–Quoc Tu Giam, also known as the Temple of Literature, and Hoa Lo Prison. Using lighting systems, sound effects and projection technology, the tours create multi-sensory experiences that encourage visitors to engage more personally with historical narratives.
At the Van Mieu–Quoc Tu Giam Culture and Science Centre, the night tour "Essence of Philosophy" uses a lighting system and 3D mapping technology for visual effects. Key landmarks, including Khue Van Cac, the Doctors' Stele Garden, Thien Quang Well and the ceremonial halls, are incorporated into presentations featuring the significance of education in Vietnamese culture.
“The Van Mieu–Quoc Tu Giam night tour is designed to give visitors a fresh and more meaningful way to experience the heritage," said Nguyen Thanh Tung, head of communications for the "Essence of Philosophy" experience program. "The time-honored site becomes magical and full of emotion at night. Visitors walk along the same paths once taken by students of the ancient academy. Through the combination of guided storytelling, lighting, sound, and visual effects, they better appreciate the studiousness, the scholarly tradition, and the cultural values of Vietnam.”
At Hoa Lo Prison, the "Sacred Night" tour offers visitors a deeper look into a somber chapter of Vietnam's history. The nighttime program combines sound, lighting and stories about revolutionaries imprisoned by the enemies. Visitors can watch dramatized experiences of prisoners, enter reconstructed prison cells, touch shackles and other restraints, and explore simulated escape routes through underground sewers.
Pham Thi Lan, a visitor from Hanoi, said the tour helps her better understand the country's history. “I love history very much. After joining the program at Hoa Lo Prison, I learned much more about this period of our country's past. I hope more young people will have the chance to experience it,” Lan told VOV.
The "Decoding the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long" night tour has attracted visitors seeking to explore the capital's past after dark. Participants are introduced to archaeological remains, artifacts discovered at the citadel and performances of royal dances.
The tour concludes with an interactive activity in which visitors decipher the meanings of historical objects projected by laser technology onto archaeological foundations and waterways within the site.
"I am French, and this is very different from what we have back home. I think French visitors, and Western visitors in general, would really enjoy this experience," one visitor commented.
Another said the tour was very interesting. "I'm fascinated by Vietnamese history and have spent quite a bit of time studying it, so this experience was perfect for me," the visitor added.
Alongside historical sites, museums in Hanoi have also launched nighttime tourism products aimed at enhancing visitor experiences. They are the Vietnam Literature Museum's literary tour "Heart and Talent", the Vietnamese Women's Museum's art program "Legends of Youth", and the National Museum of History's cycling tour called "Thang Long–Hanoi Night".
