1 of the best side trips from Hanoi is to go to Halong Bay or Sapa. Halong Bay has been decreed as a UNESCO Heritage site so this was a no-brainer in terms of choosing between Halong Bay and Sapa. You have to book a tour for Halong Bay as all junks operating in the area belong to some tour group or junk company.

Simply put, the amount you are willing to pay for your trip to Halong Bay reflects the condition and type of service you will receive. For US$100, you may get a 1 storey junk and for US$140, a slightly better 2 storey junk with meals included. There are many tour agencies organizing trips to Halong Bay and you can walk around the Old Quarters looking for the best bargain or simply arrange for the trip with your hotel concierge (and with a better peace of mind knowing the junk probably won't sink). We decided to take the Dragon Pearl 2Day 1Night tour with Indochina Junks for US$140 all meals and activities included.

Indochina Junk has Hanoi's finest luxury cruises and we were to board the Dragon Pearl I on arrival at Indochina Junk's jetty. The Dragon Pearl I was launched on June 2010 and the Dragon Pearls are modelled on the traditional Chinese junks that used to sail the Halong waters.

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A typical itinerary will be as follows:-

Day 1: Hon Gai Harbour - Bai Tu Long Bay - Thien Canh Son Cave

07.45 Pick up at your hotel in Hanoi by shuttle bus.
12.00 Embark at Hon Gai International harbour.
13.00 Check-in, enjoy a welcoming drink and cruise briefing.
13.30 Have lunch while cruising in the magnificent Bai Tu Long Bay, admiring the fascinating rock formations in the bay.
15.00 Enjoy swimming in the crystal clear water.
15.40 Explore the secluded Thien Canh Son Cave.
16.45 Short cruise to Hon Co Island where you can relax on a white sandy beach, swim or kayak.
18.00 Back to the junk for relaxation.
19.00 Have dinner and stay overnight on board.

Day 2: Vung Vieng Fishing Village - Hon Gai Harbour

07.30 Enjoy the bay’s morning landscape with a cup of tea or coffee. Have breakfast in the open air.
08.30 Visit Vung Vieng fishing village in a rustic rowing-boat, meet the local people and pass through the floating school and fish farms.
09.30 More leisure time for swimming in the middle of the bay.
10.00 Cruise back to the harbour while an a la carte lunch is served.
11.45 Disembark. Farewell.
15.45 Arrive in Hanoi. End of trip.
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Pho 24


Many aspects of Beef and Chicken Pho

Good Morning Vietnam! This trip to Hanoi was completed with Tiger Airways from Singapore. Flight cost was S$338/pax and hotel was booked on Agoda for S$39/pax/night. As a side note. there are several "hidden" costs when flying with Tiger. Should you wish to sit in a specific seat, that will cost you an additional S$10-30. Early check-in aka BoardMeFirst will be S$6 (is there really a need to board first?) and convenience fees of S$28 are chargeable (I guess you need to pay to use the toilet on board and for them to roll out the stairs to the plane).

Hanoi is a mere 3h flight from Singapore and is 1h behind Singapore time. Upon arrival at Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi, you will be greeted by a decent immigration counter and do check if you should be checking out from Gate A or B on the screens provided. Your driver, should you have engaged one, will be waiting for you at the respective arrival gate. I'd arranged a driver from the hotel for US$18 (1-way) as the incidence of taxi touting in Hanoi is on a high. On average, the cab ride to your hotel should be US$10-16 for 40-50mins.

The cab ride to the Hanoi Elegance Diamond in the Old Quarters took 40min. At first glance, the Old Quarters seems like an old, derelict and smelly place. Do not be fooled by this first impression; there is much character and activity in this area. A word of advice: if you arrive early in the morning and intend to go to Halong Bay the next day, do book your trip as early as possible and buy tickets to the Water Puppet Show as they sell out early.


Map of The Old Quarters courtesy of Hanoi Elegance Diamond. Click to Enlarge.