Does anyone know the name of a good guide in hanoi?

yes I know I can do it on my own, and just might, but I'm interested in some in-depth history and good local places to eat.

If anyone has used someone before and knows contact info, I'd be obliged.

I used a guide named Hung earlier this year - he was very good and his english was excellent.
Here is his email address:

[email protected]

dperry I have emailed Hung and am waiting to hear. Thanks

Any other recommendations?

that's the only guide i know, but do you mean hotels, restaurants, site, etc? i have been to hanoi twice (most recently april 2006) and loved it!

dperry

any and all recommendations!

Will only have 3-4 days so want to make the most of it.

Thanks

This was my guide in Hanoi
[email protected]
Can't say he will be available as he Also work for Indo-China Services,but he is the very best.
First time I visited Hanoi he was my guide through their servies,but the next time when I was alone he had someone meet me at the airport, went riding on his motor scooter behind him through the streets of Hanoi to eat pizza, arranged a tour for me to Halong Bay and gave me a ticket to the water puppet show. This was because I was a friend by this time.
A charming young man who speaks excellent English.

thanks ~ I will try to contact Sonny

hey Lori,

We used a guide for one day in Hanoi... My wife and I both agreed that while it was sometimes informative, it wasn't really necessary - although it was very interesting when touring the Temple of Literature, and the prison... as far as local places to eat, we actually had some of the best local food just wandering around and stopping into places that looked busy (read my trip report 'Honeymoon in SE Asia trip report' for the location of a great place for Pho Bo...) Yes, they spoke no English, but since most places only make 1 or 2 dishes, it's amazing how much you can get done by pointing.

In fact, the day we were with our guide, he was reluctant to take us to a local place for lunch... he kept trying to dump us off on a tourist restaurant, and then he'd meet us afterwards... but we persisted and wound up with a FANTASTIC Bun Cha that I've never had the likes of since - and we couldn't even find the place again the next day!

We hired our guide through the Metropole since we had no names of any before we got there, and consequently paid (relatively) through the nose... in fact, at one point he asked how much we paid and he was shocked...

Our guide was a nice guy, but he had a different attitude than someone like Tong - he was very professional but not nearly as open and warm... He was very knowledgable, but many times I felt like he was reading from a script...

I don't have his info with me (it's at home, and I"m at work) but I'll try to find his card when I get home and post it tomorrow....

Ken

Ken will you email me offline so I can ask a few questions?

[email protected]