Vietnam (Hanoi-HalongBay-Sapa): 25Oct-4Nov


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MLSK

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Finally found some time to do a phototrip to Vietnam with wifey. Wouldnt mind if a couple more join us...

Hope to get some comments from the seasoned Vietnam travellers on my travel plans.


I got this travel agent contact and the estimates are:
Hanoi City Tour (Full Day) : US$17
Included: Meal, Tour Guide Service and Entrance Fee

Hanoi - Halong Bay (2D/1N) : US$35
Included:Transportation, Hotel Accommodation, Meal, Junk Boat Ticket and Tour Guide Service

Hanoi - Sapa (2D/3N) : US$80
Included: Train Ticket, Hotel Accommodation, Meal, and Tour Guide Service

As for the hotel in Hanoi, mini hotel in the Old Quater: US$12 - 18 , which is the central district of the city.
3 star hotel: US$40 - 60, which is near the lake with beautiful view and quiet environment.

Taxi from airport to hotel is US$10, which is about 1 hour journey.

The rough itinerary:
Day 1. Arrival Hanoi On arrival at Hanoi's Noi Bai International airport, you will be greeted by our guide and transferred to your hotel in Hanoi. Free to leisure. O/N in Hanoi.
Day 2: Hanoi- Ha Long Most Vietnamese and Westerners are familiar with the phrase "Ha Noi ba muoi sau Pho Phuong" or "Ha Noi 36 districts". This phrase often causes much confusion for most people since, on the one hand Pho means a street or a place for merchants to gather to do business, on the other hand Phuong means a district or a guild of artisans specializing in a particular trade (phuong cheo, phuong tho, etc.). In any case, there is some truth to the use of both descriptions.
A.M : At 8.00 Meet you at your hotel then our guide will take you on the city tour to visit the most beautiful sites in Hanoi such as: Hoan Kiem lake, Ngoc Son temple, Ho Chi Minh complex, Temple of literature Have lunch. P.M: take a 3 hour bus trip to Ha long city. Have dinner & O/N in Ha Long city.
Day 3: Ha Long - Ha Noi , A.M: At 7.30 Get on boat to visit Thien Cung- Dau Go, the most beautiful caves in Ha Long bay which is recognized by UNESCO as the world heritage. Have lunch on boat on the way back to harbor. Come back to Hanoi. About 4.00 P.M arrive Hanoi. .
Hanoi - Sapa (Overnight depart from Hanoi)
Transfer from your hotel in Hanoi at 8:30 PM, by bus to Hanoi Railway station take the overnight train to Lao Cai - Sapa ( First class soft sleeper - 4 beds compartment - Air-Conditioning)

Day 4 : Sapa (Breakfast, Lunch included)
Meet at Lao Cai station after arrival at 7:00 AM, transfer to Sapa by bus, check into Hotel and having breakfast.
Today we start by getting some exercise with a walk to Cat Cat. As we walk to the village nestled in the valley below Sapa, we will meet some of the local minority people on their way to and from Sapa. These minority people walk to Sapa to trade at the markets. In the afternoon there will be free time to explore the township. Tonight we spend a second night in our hotel at Sapa town.


Day 5 : Sapa Hill tribe Villages (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner included)
We have breakfast at 0800 and set out on our 6-hour trek along buffalo paths and trails at around 09:00. We trek through several hill tribe villages named Lao Chai, Cau May & Ta Van. This is one is a absolutely spectacular walk through some stunning scenery. We have a picnic lunch on the way and stay overnight with a family in Ta Van village.

Day 6: Sapa (Breakfast, Lunch included)
We have breakfast at 0730 and leave the village at 08:30 for a 2-hour trek to Su Pan village. Here there will be a vehicle waiting to take us back to Sapa. We will arrive back at Sapa by around 11:30. This afternoon there is free time to relax or wander around for further exploration of the town. We spend tonight at a local guesthouse.

Day 7: Sapa - Hanoi (Overnight train )

Extension days will be Free&Easy .....

 

Amazing. Your wifey also into photography?
 

wifey not into photography .... in fact she commented that its competing with her for attention half the time ... hahaha!

Was told sapa is pretty cooling in end Oct, and that makes the trekking quite bearable ..... hmmm
 

Then you'll have a lot of trouble during the trip. She'll be impatient to move on while you want to do more shots, she won't wake up early enough to catch the golden light, she won't stay to catch the evening sun, she'll want to go shopping, etc.
 

hehe .... no lah, how can wifey be trouble?? .... I try to keep her pleased with good food, spa, and shopping (of cos) - spread out in a timely manner to compensate with the idiosyncrasy of a wanna-be-a-photog.
 

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