Hanoi and Halong Bay (8-11April 2012)

Quick facts

Holiday type : foody, quick, sight-seeing, easy

Duration : 4 days

Flight path : Singapore - Hanoi/Hanoi - Singapore

Airlines : Jetstar, Singapore Airlines

As promised, here is the write-up for my Hanoi trip in April. It was a real quick escape with my wife to see Halong Bay and taste the streets of Hanoi.

The plan
The plan was to fly in to Hanoi for a night and then head to Halong for an overnight cruise. We read that you should sleep over in the bay.  We worked in a tight night back in Hanoi and then fly back home the next day. Quite a rush but was short and sweet.

4D3N stay
8 April Sofitel

9 April Halong Bay Cruise boat – Emotion

10 April Sofitel (Back from cruise at 5pm)

11 April Departure

Flights

We flew in with Jetstar and returned with SIA as there were no Jetstar flights on Wednesdays. So paid quite a lot for the flights.

Going  - Jetstar  (08 April 1000-1225 : 3hr25) S$272 for 2.

Return – SIA  (11 April 1315-1740 - SQ175) Han-Sin S$472 for 2

Hotel/Cruise
Sofitel Hanoi was chosen as we had a taste of Sofitel Ho Chi Minh City and it was a great hotel. We heard that Hanoi is a bit rougher and tougher and wanted a nice comfy place to crash. We got the luxury room for USD160 per night.

The Emotion Cruise was booked through Impress Travel. Was rather expensive for a 2D1N stay but in the end worth the $$$ (USD371).

The trip and photos...
We'll start with the highlight of the trip and end with Hanoi City.

Ha Long Bay Cruise

The pick up was at 700am at our hotel and a 4-hour journey in an 8-passenger van took us to the shores of Halong Bay. We were the first to be picked up. The van meandered through old Hanoi to pick up another 3 couples so if you missed old Hanoi the night before still have a chance to see and feel the busy crazy streets of Hanoi.

There was a stopover at one tourist ‘trap’ art and craft centre. Can try the coffee but you'd have use caution to buy anything else. I don’t enjoy bargaining and didnt see anything I like so I didn’t buy anything.

The road trip was an experience. The pace was slow, overtaking was slow, and so you can take in the view with some excitement especially when you estimate the collision distance with the oncoming truck when driver overtakes. Somehow, they don't believe in dropping gears or accelerating to overtake.

The jetty area was bustling with activity; lots of local and overseas tourist waiting to board the cruise boats.  We were met by the Emotion Cruise guide and crew who took over our bags and after a short wait was on a small boat on route to the mother cruise boat.

In about ten minutes we arrived at the Emotion for a nice lunch after checking into the rooms. We were upgraded to the President Suite as the guide found out that we were from Singapore and had a soft spot for us; he used to work on Star Virgo and loved Singapore. There was a bottle of wine and fruit basket for us. How nice.

Our presidential suite

View from the room

The lunch was great and as a couple we had a table to ourselves but you are free to sit as you please if you like to mingle. There was ample room and it didn't feel crowded. I think there were about 20 on board the cruise, so it was a comfortable number. We read about overcrowded ones so we chose this one which was a little pricier but I think worth it.

 After lunch, it was free and easy as we cruised through the bay area and enjoyed views from the top deck. The top deck was laid out pretty well with sun deck chairs to take in the nice surrounding and laze about.

We got ready for the late afternoon cave tour which was great but really crowded.  




A single one-way narrow path from the foot of the hill takes you to about 300 feet above sea level to the cave opening. It was rush hour and at times, we waited to move up a few feet then wait again like a traffic jam.

Midway views of the bay. No wonder it's crowded. Look at the boat arrivals.

But in the end the hike up and waiting was worth it as the Cave of Surprises (Hang Sung Sot cave) didn't disappoint. It was huge. 

The immense opening to the Cave of Surprise

After the about 2-hour long cave tour, we went to an island for another climb up to the top of a hill where there was a 360 view of the bay but we were too lazy so we just relaxed by the beach and waited for the boat ride back to the mother boat.

We got back to the boat and had dinner as the boat parked at a quiet spot by an island. The weather was cooling down as the sun set and it was nice to go up deck to catch the sun set.

There was squid fishing after that but I was the only one doing it. No squid in sight, out of season – just saw lots of jellyfish.

Day 2 of the cruise met us with a so-so buffet breakfast and a short Vietnamese deep fried rolls cooking demo. Then we set off for a fish farm visit. We met a Chinese American couple who loved fish and they wanted to buy a nice fish for lunch. But the prices were crazy, so I advised them accordingly.

We made our way back to Hanoi after checking out and paying for the extras like drink during meals and massages.  They certainly are not shy about asking for tips.  There was a large acrylic box placed in the middle of the dining area for your generous contribution.

We reached Hanoi about 5pm and had time to wash up and get ready for dinner at places on our list of must-eats.

The streets and night markets of old Hanoi

We had explored the streets of old Hanoi the day before our Ha Long Bay cruise.  The street shops and markets there are really quite interesting and the sights in old Hanoi are really good photo opportunities. My wife and I always love market though. 

Old Hanoi seemed to be divided into different sections according to merchandise or trade. As we walked past different streets, we noticed one street would have shops on both sides selling only soft toys, another street selling only funeral items and the next cooking utensils or stickers, lanterns and so on.

We read that in the night markets, you need to be careful with your bags but I was more concerned about the crazy traffic and people setting up their stalls. We were almost run over by a workers carting boxes of iPhone covers.

Sell anything anywhere you like. Park anywhere you wish too.

Food, food, foooood!!!

We were also on a foody trip and were eating our way through Hanoi. Here are some of the places we enjoyed eating and worth the hunt and risk trying..

Bun Bo Nam Bo at  67 Hang Dieu Street. This is my favourite of all the 'pho bo'. They stir fry slices of beef and serve them on rice vermicelli topped with fresh herbs, bean sprouts, fried garlic, chopped roasted peanuts

Tasty stuff and great value!

Pho Bo (Beef Noodles) at 45 Bat Dan -

Soup version

Or gooey version. Can't find the noodles?!!

Pho Ga Ba Loc (Chicken pho) at the junction of Mai Hae De Street and To Hien Thanh Street.  Was told the old lady has been selling same dish at street corner for 40 years. But no old lady there…I suppose she passed on the business. The chicken used are free-range chicken, very tasty and muscular meat.  Order 'yew char okay' (fried flour fritters) to soak in the soup.  If you are game, be ready to bend your knees a little as you have sit at 2-feet tall table and short stools.

Yes we love noodles...

- Updated 19 Nov 2012


Next Ho Chi Minh City....