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What happens when a team race designed for Ho Chi Minh City suddenly gets rerouted to Hanoi’s Old Quarter for Hanoi team building? A brand-new adventure is born. With just a few weeks to reimagine the experience, Jackfruit transformed TSAO’s original idea into a lively, culture-filled Hanoi team bonding through narrow streets, hidden temples, and local treats while keeping the spirit of teamwork and communication. Let’s dive into how we turned this challenge into a vibrant journey of culture, connection, and fun.
The challenge
TSAO Family first came to Jackfruit with an exciting idea of a team racing for 19 pax through the city blended with problem-solving, creativity and cultural exploration right in the heart of Ho Chi Minh city. All of sudden, the plan took a twist when an activity moved to Hanoi city. Not only was this our very first team building in Hanoi, but the team also wanted the bonding activity to kick off right after their landing, starting straight from their accommodation nestled deep inside Hanoi’s Old Quarters.
For us at Jackfruit, it was a challenge with that much burst of energy we couldn’t resist.
How we helped
We began tailoring TSAO’s experience with our signature Saigon Cultural Journey and Saigon City Quest, which they absolutely loved. Therefore, TSAO want us to bring the same spirit into their program in Hanoi city. The brief was clear: soft walking adventure filled with cultural challenges and fun team oriented games in Hanoi’s Old Quarter.
Jackfruit Adventure designed Hanoi City Quest, inspired by its version in Ho Chi Minh team building but carefully adapted to TSAO’s preferences. The route was built to highlight Hanoi’s iconic landmarks and hidden gems while ensuring the weariness of flight landing wouldn’t outweigh the excitement of the journey ahead.
After the airport pickup and transfer to their hotel, participants had about an hour and a half to enjoy team lunch and freshen up before our event team greeted them in the hall of Grand Peridot Luxury Hotel. There, our host swiftly briefed about the Hanoi team building journey then handed over a set of quests for both TSAO’s teams.
Armed with maps and clues, Team 1 began their adventure of exploring stories at Bach Ma Temple – the building from the 11th century to honor White Horse spirit, the guardian of the capital, a series of Q&A to test their knowledge was followed to test their knowledge. Meanwhile, Team 2 must navigate to the hidden corner in the Old Quarters to purchase and taste one of the iconic sweet treats there – Banh Ran, crispy golden rice balls filled with sweet mung bean or savory minced pork.
For the next round, the teams switched routes, each tackling the other’s challenge before both heading to O Quan Chuong, Hanoi’s last remaining ancient city gates, built in the 18th century to guard the Old Quarter. There, the scores were revealed to see who’s on the winning side and they got ready for friendly competition as they now continue the journey side by side.
The third stop brought both teams to Ta Hien Beer Street Alley, where they learn Vietnamese soul by singing a Vietnamese song. Their rewards? A shared moment of laughter while sipping a cup of refreshing Hanoi’s signature iced tea. The following stop is Hoan Kiem Lake, where teams will learn another Vietnamese lesson by testing their tongues on speaking quirky Vietnamese phrases.
Onward, teams passed through narrow alleys to reach St. Joseph Cathedral, a striking neo-Gothic architecture from the French colonial era. Their final challenge is to learn the rules and play the Vietnamese folk game called Banh Dua – a joyful cultural way to end the day before gathering again for a cozy ceremony at a local coffee shop. From start to finish, the journey was built to naturally blend cultural storytelling, exploration, and teamwork into one seamless experience through the heart of the Old Quarter.
The results
The team building in Hanoi left TSAO an unspeakable series of surprises about the rich heritage in Hanoi and cultural challenges. Participants described the journey as fun, thoughtful and connected to Vietnamese culture.
Beyond the educational insights into Hanoi’s historical landmarks, the Hanoi City Quest encouraged teamwork and coordination at every game station that brought the TSAO members closer together. The shared moments of discovery and collaboration turned the Hanoi City Quest into more than a game, it became a memory of unity and connection.
