Quick answer
The Hanoi Female Riders Express City Tour is a 2-hour ride through Hanoi on silent electric scooters driven by Vietnamese women in áo dài. The compressed route covers St. Joseph's Cathedral, Old Quarter, Train Street and West Lake. Built for travellers with a tight schedule — cruise, layover, flight evening. Group $40, private $65.
Why we built this tour
We built the two-hour female riders version for the same reason we built the two-hour jeep version: readers kept asking if the tour was possible on a short day, and we kept telling them "not really, come back when you have longer." That answer stopped being acceptable. People fly a long way to Hanoi. The least we can do is make the two-hour version real.
Compressed does not mean rushed. The route is the compressed version of the half-day: St. Joseph's Cathedral, the Old Quarter at scooter pace, Train Street for the drama, West Lake for the quiet. No Banana Island — that needs the half-day. No family visit — that needs the half-day. What you get is the city on wheels, told by a woman, in two hours.
Afternoon and sunset departures are the most-booked. The light is softer. The city is more photogenic. If you have a cruise leaving at six and a free afternoon, this is the slot.
What this tour means
A two-hour tour is a trade. You give up depth; you keep the shape. The shape of a Hanoi afternoon with a female rider at the handlebars is already better than most ninety-minute city tours anywhere else in Vietnam. The ride itself — scooter in áo dài, quiet enough to hear the city — is as present in two hours as in four and a half.
If you are travelling with children too young for a long day, this is also the tour. Two hours is their patience ceiling. The rider will adjust the pace if the family needs to.
Key facts at a glance
| Operator | Eco Trip Asia |
|---|---|
| Vehicle | Silent electric scooters, female riders in áo dài |
| Duration | 2 hours door-to-door |
| Stops | St. Joseph's Cathedral · Old Quarter · Train Street · West Lake |
| Daily departures | 09:00 · 14:00 · 17:00 |
| Pickup | Free in Old Quarter |
| Group price | $40/adult (reg $47) |
| Private price | $65/adult |
| Rating | 4.9 · 233 reviews · 345+ booked |
| Best for | Layovers · cruise schedules · flight evening |
All prices VAT included · Children 5–8: 75% of adult · Under 5: free · Booking on ecotripasia.com
The experience
Two hours, four stops, one guide, one rider per couple. You will not be rushed. You will also not sit anywhere for forty minutes. The scooter does short in a way the jeep does not.
Train Street depends on the schedule. If a train is passing while you arrive, you will stop and watch; if not, we move on. St. Joseph's Cathedral is a photo stop. West Lake is a drink stop, usually egg coffee or iced lotus tea, with a view.
A day in the life
Minute-by-minute, in the order it happens.
- Meet your Green Sisters — Your female guide and riders pick you up at your hotel with helmets and a short briefing.
- Old Quarter & Hoan Kiem Lake — Discover the old streets and the stories of the families who have traded here for generations.
- French Quarter & Ba Dinh — Ride past the Opera House, colonial villas, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and the Presidential Palace.
- Tran Quoc Pagoda & the B-52 relic — Photo stops at West Lake's ancient pagoda and the bomber wreckage in Huu Tiep Lake.
- Long Bien Bridge — A last view over the Red River before returning to your hotel.
From the tour
Real photos from recent female riders tours.
Who it's for — and who it isn't
Yes, this is for you if…
- Travellers on a layover between flights
- Cruise passengers with a short window
- Families with young children
- Guests who want to sample the female-rider experience before booking the full half-day tomorrow
Probably not for you if…
- Travellers with a free full day (take the half-day)
- Food lovers — this is not a food tour
- Guests wanting Banana Island or the Red River crossing — needs the half-day
- Travellers wanting a sit-down meal within the tour
The soundtrack of this tour
Two hours of Hanoi on an electric scooter is Hanoi dialled to a listenable volume: motorbike bells, grandmothers calling, radios from tea stalls, your rider explaining a street name over her shoulder. At West Lake it drops to lake sounds. If you have never spent two hours this way the memory will stay sharper than you expect.
What's included — and what's not
Included
- Female English-speaking guide
- Electric scooter with a professional female rider
- Helmet
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in the Old Quarter
- Rain ponchos if needed
- Insurance during the tour
Not included
- Food and drinks
- Personal expenses
- Tips for your guide and riders/driver (optional)
- Anything not mentioned as included
Behind the scenes
Every vehicle on this tour is owned, registered and maintained by Eco Trip Asia — not rented from a third party by the hour. Daily pre-tour safety checks. Twice-yearly road authority inspections. One mechanic per fleet, who has been with us since before we had a licence number.
Your guide is on our payroll, not a freelance tour hunter picked up outside a hostel. Every guide completes a six-month training programme before leading a tour alone. The tour you take is the tour we would send our own cousins on.
Insurance: Eco Trip Asia's commercial passenger-service policy covers every guest for the duration of every tour (third-party and personal accident). First-aid trained guide. Emergency contact at the office +84 879 617 691.
Compare with sister tours
The Female Riders half-day is the full version of this tour. The Jeep 2h Highlights is the four-wheel short version.
For a specialist deep dive on the specific vehicle used on this tour, see our sister network sites: hanoijeep.com (UAZ-469 jeeps), biketourhanoi.com (VinFast VF DrgnFly e-bikes), hanoiatvtour.com (Sóc Sơn ATV & buggy).
Frequently asked
Who are the female riders?
Our riders are local Hanoi women trained and employed by Eco Trip Asia. Many guests — especially solo women travellers and families — tell us they feel relaxed and safe riding with them.
Do I need a driving licence?
No. You ride as a passenger behind a professional local rider, so no licence or riding experience is needed. Helmets are provided.
What is the difference between the group and the private tour?
On the group tour you may share the experience with a few other travellers. The private tour is just for your party, with your own guide and vehicle, and the timing can be adapted to you.
What happens if it rains?
Tours run in rain or shine. We provide rain ponchos, and your guide may adjust the order of stops to keep you comfortable. If we have to cancel because the weather makes the tour unsafe, you can move it to another date free of charge or choose a full refund. If the tour goes ahead and you decide not to join, the deposit is not refundable, but you can still change your date.
How do I book this tour?
Click the button at the bottom of this page. You will be taken to ecotripasia.com/hanoi-city-motorbike-tour-with-female-riders-2h/ — the operator's booking page. 15% deposit via PayPal (card or balance; 4% processing fee shown before paying). Balance in cash USD/VND or bank transfer on the tour day.
What if I need to cancel or reschedule?
Date changes are free, subject to availability — your deposit transfers to the new date. If you cancel outright, the deposit is kept but your date can still be rescheduled. If we cancel for any reason (unsafe weather, government closures), you get a full refund or a free new date — your choice. Full policies here.
Is this tour operated by Eco Trip Asia directly?
Yes. Every tour on this site is operated by Eco Trip Asia (Vietnam Green Travel Co., Ltd), the licensed international tour operator — not resold through a third-party agency. Same vehicle, same guide, same insurance whether you book through hanoitour.tours or any OTA.
Where exactly in Hanoi does pickup happen?
Free hotel pickup is included in the Hanoi Old Quarter. Guests staying outside the Old Quarter can meet us at 46 Nguyen Huu Huan Street (our office) or at Hanoi Opera House. Pickup time is confirmed by WhatsApp the evening before.
Book this story
You have read the story. The booking page is on ecotripasia.com — same company, same tour, same price.
Book on ecotripasia.com → $40 group · $53 private · VAT included · Children 5–8 at 75%