When the offices of Hanoi empty out at 5 PM, a second workforce clocks in — and travellers are among the main beneficiaries. A growing number of the capital's professionals are running structured side businesses after hours, and one of the most visible is freelance guiding: English-speaking office workers leading international visitors through the Old Quarter's street food stalls and heritage alleys on weekday evenings.
Take Vu Quang Long, a 27-year-old digital marketer who earns around 22 million VND (about $880) a month at an education company. To save for an apartment in Hanoi's expensive property market, he guides evening walking tours for a boutique operator founded by a friend, then heads further afield on weekends to Quang Ninh, Ninh Binh and Ha Giang. Each guiding day pays between 800,000 and 1,000,000 VND ($32 to $40), and a busy month can match his office salary — with tips from foreign guests covering his food and transport.
His story is part of a wider pattern. Vietnam's General Statistics Office counted 52.6 million employed workers in the first half of 2026, with average national income near 9 million VND ($360) monthly — yet consumer prices rose 4.38% over the same period. An ILO study found multiple-job holders spend an average of 13.1 hours a week on secondary work. The result: well-organised, genuinely professional evening services aimed partly at tourists.
What stands out for visitors is the rigour behind it. Long didn't just rely on conversational English; he completed coursework, passed Vietnam's official licensing exams to become a certified tour guide, and spent months studying local folklore, architecture and culinary history. Similar discipline shows up in other after-hours trades — insurance agents like Bui Thi Huyen, who consults clients on weekday evenings and weekends, must pass regulatory exams before advising anyone.
For travellers, this means the guide walking you through Hanoi's night food scene is often a credentialed, motivated local doing it by choice, not a casual gig. Expect small-group walks through the Old Quarter with guides who know which family has run a bun cha stall for decades, and weekend options stretching to Ha Giang's mountain roads. Tipping is appreciated but informal, and the energy of someone juggling two jobs tends to make for enthusiastic, well-prepared tours. If you're heading to Hanoi, booking an evening walking tour is both a great introduction to the city and a direct way to support the locals powering Vietnam's after-hours economy.
Story reported by Vietnam Insider.
