My first trip to Vietnam

[richard]

Well, where to go????

One globe trotting daughter going to Goa and the other globe trotting daughter going to Cambodia and Vietnam Can I do both? No, not at my age. So out came the lucky sixpence and heads VN and tails, Goa. Vietnam won so off we go


Action list........Book a flight, get a re-entry permit, construct a plan and check-list. Have to do that now as getting old and wrinkly.

Right, all booked and away we go. First minor hiccup was a police stop at swampy airport for tea money (not from me though).

Flew with Vietnam Air and service and food were excellent. Veitnam immigration were so helpful and went overboard but of course, they had unloaded 45 $ from me. Baggage collection was a pain. 3 flights in at once and Hanoi airport ground to a halt. Ne’er mind. I’m on my hols

Transfer to the hotel in the ‘old quarter’ was a long slow journey and traffic was chaos. If you think BK is bad try Hanoi. Seems to work though. Name of the game seems to be a free for all. Honking horns, motorbikes all over the shop and basically if you see a gap go for it. You can even walk across a busy road and the traffic will go round you. Try that on Sukhumvit or Petchakasam

Hotel was comfortable and safe and buried right in the narrow streets. No car access so porters came out to carry your bags. The service was exceptional. Spoke English well and very inquisitive.

So first night we just sauntered round the corner to a hotel and had an excellent meal for three. Starters, Mains, Sweets and drinks a mere 50 US$

Next day was off to Halong bay. 4 hours of bumpy roads. Enjoyed it though as traffic manoeuvres were incredible and we arrived cold and thirsty at the cruise terminal

Got upgraded so happy bunnies

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Boat was luxurious and found out the normal price is close to 1000 US$ per night but my daughters partner is a stunt film director so strings had been pulled and we got it for an enormous amount less

Four deck boat and only 8 cabins. Each room had a private dining room for two, Jacuzzi, mega bedroom/living room and enormous fully fitted bathroom. In all, eight large portholes and French doors to the deck.

So day 1 was sunny but chilly for me. Lunched on the top deck. Andy splashed out so we drained a bottle of Champers along with exquisite food. Lotus soup, duck salad, plateau de fruits de mer and fruit. What the hell was dinner going to be like?

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The itinerary was in simple terms:

Cruise the bay of the Descending Dragon taking in the caves, floating villages and unique rock formations. Swimming and fishing when moored.

Join a Tai Chi session on deck at dawn

Visit the remote village on Cat Ba Island. Hiking, biking and nosing round the village and hills

Pics of bay and island

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Very quiet, no long tails boats and therefore travel is smooth and easy
Unfortunately all good things come to an end so it was off back to Hanoi for a couple days of hustle and bustle.


Hanoi was misty and cold but fascinating to wander round the old town streets trying to avoid being run over by a motorbike.

One morning it was off to see ‘thee man’. Ho Chi Min lying in his mausoleum. Very regimented process but quiet comical. You are ushered in small crocodile fashion units of 4 to 6 round the complex. You have to unload all your explosives, knives and cameras. Mobiles are ok cos they do not take pictures do they?

Well after some enquiries we found out it was quite a walk and many stairs too. So I, with my gammy leg was doomed. No, no, no. The military authorities found me a wheelchair. Well did things change? It was embarrassing. With a little man with medals walking ahead of my wheel chair I was pushed by state guards and we jumped all the queues. Now I was really very embarrassed . My daughter and Andy were pissing themselves with laughter. At the foot of each staircase more troops appeared and hoisted me and my wheelchair shoulder high and mounted the staircase to the next level.

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I’m sure Ho Chi Min winked at me as I was solemnly paraded past him
Joking aside the Vietnamese worship him and are very keen for you to share their experience of bowing to their embalmed idol. After we left I thought ’thank God I didn’t burst out laughing’

Next stop was the Hoa Lo prison but alas I was sadly inadequately prepared to appreciate all it’s history and vowed to read up on Vietnam when I got home.

A final saunter round the streets and a bowl of noodles (locust and frog leg snacks too)

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and some novel souvenirs

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Airport and back to Swampy to be greeted by grumpy immigration

So although it’s same same but different what struck me as different in my 1week stay there

Food...........I preferred it to Thai. Lot’s of French fusion dishes
Poverty.......Few cars, many motorbikes and hordes of bicycles
Traffic.........Absolute chaos. A free for all. Easy to cross the road as they will go round you
Bars...........There but not the same number as in Thailand and no visible B/Gs
Climate.......Colder and smog in Hanoi
Culture.......No royalty and communist but not a significant difference
Service and attitude to visitors...........excellent


Will I go back? For sure once I have read up on it AND I've got the t-shirt

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[cookie102]

Nice report. Have been wanting to go to Vietnam for quiet a while and this has reignited my desire.

[pharvey]

Nice report. Have been wanting to go to Vietnam for quiet a while and this has reignited my desire.

Yes, would 2nd that. Might just try to get over later this year - as you say though Richard, must have a read up on the place first. Don't think we'll be doing the 1,000 USD/night cruise though!!

[Big Boy]

You've definitely put me off with your pricing structure. That's one place off my 'to do' list.

[Jimbob]

Richard, you dryly say: Next day was off to Halong bay. 4 hours of bumpy roads. Enjoyed it though as traffic manoeuvres were incredible.
I consider that two lane highway to Halong Bay, with a continous passing land down the middle, to be the 'highway of death' with so many juiced-up mini bus drivers behind schedule. That coal mining town on the way remind of anywhere in the UK in the 50's ?

[Dr Mike]

I was passng a KFC in Hanoi, couldn't help noticing that Ho Chi Min and Colonel Saunders could be brothers.

[Big Boy]

richard, going back to your pricing for this trip, can you please re-confirm that it would cost $12,000 for a family of 3 to take the cruise?

[buksida]

Seems excessive to me, though there are many different cruises available.

The one we went on cost around $400 for 2 adults, 2 kids, over night cruise. Food was included and outstanding, cabins were nice and service excellent:
http://alovacruise.com/alova-cruise-2-days-1-night.html

Photos: http://ontheroadasia.com/halong-bay.php

[richard]

richard, going back to your pricing for this trip, can you please re-confirm that it would cost $12,000 for a family of 3 to take the cruise?

Don't yet know what Andy paid for the three of us as he's currently in Switzerland. Check this link.

http://paradisepeakcruises.com/paradise ... -rate.html


This is the boat we were on.

They have several boats all a bit cheaper I believe but we got a free upgrade to this boat to balance the loading. The upgrade suited their organisation and we were on a better boat with only one balcony instead of two. Their pricing I assume, is likely to be undercut considerably by an agent who wraps a package together. I think Andy booked direct with the hotel on the internet and they built a cruise into the packaged price for the complete week including airport transfers

When Andy gets back to the UK I'll get a complete breakdown of what we got for what. Our cost also included 3 nights in Hanoi

[richard]

Well BB you aint going to believe it (I didn't at first)

4 days (3 nights) in a hotel in Hanoi and 3 days (2 nights) on Paradise Peak boat cost a total for three of us £1030. For that we got:

1) 2 rooms in a very comfortable hotel in the heart of Hanoi's old quarter. Excellent service and their breakfast would put many Thai places to shame

2) 2 cabins on the top of the fleet Paradise boats. Inclusive of all meals, trips and transfer fees

3) Transport to and from the airport

The booking was done by Andy who is a frequent traveller (his job demands it) cut the hotel/boat deal direct with the hotel chain in the old quarter in Hanoi after some negotiation. Part of his job as a film stunt director includes finding appropriate film locations (say no more)

[georgie]

Prices in Hanoi are very, very low, and can always be negotiated a bit lower. A nice room in the old quarter with a good breakfast should be around $25-$30/night. There are loads of well-reviewed places like this on booking dot com or whatever.

Glad to hear you were happy with your Halong bay cruise - I shopped around quite a bit and still ended up on a crappy boat that looked nothing like the pictures or any of the reviews. At least it was cheap.