2012 Aug 2-7 Hanoi, Halong Bay, Cat Ba Island & Ninh Binh - Part 3/3

Our last excursion in Hanoi is to Ninh Binh..... Going on a Hoa Lu - Tam Coc tour (USD 19). Tam Coc is often known as Halong Bay on land as the scenery is similar to Halong Bay. Frankly I prefer this place to the infamous Halong Bay where its over populated by people and pretty polluted too...... all too soon, we may not even have Halong Bay to enjoy anymore!

The travel to Ninh Binh takes about 2 hours with one stop.
The place has more to offer and one may even do an overnight trip to this place. There are public buses available to Ninh Binh but we have opted to go on a tour instead. This so to "save on timing" as we only had one day.

It started to rain!

Boat ride on Boi River

Gone are the days where we use hands to row.. they are skillful!

Amazing scenery

This completes my little travel diary in Vietnam

2012 Aug 2-7 Hanoi, Halong Bay, Cat Ba Island & Ninh Binh - Part 2/3

We went on a 3D/2N Halong Bay Tour + Cat Ba Island the next day - USD 129

There are many tours available for this and we settled for this one http://www.odctravel.com.vn/halong-tours.html

Travel to Halong Bay is approx 3.5 hours.
The tour company will pick you up from whichever hotel you are staying in and travel by "mini van" to Halong Bay... there will be one stop along the way.
The package includes all meals during the journey and pick up / return back to hotel. It is a full 3 days tour whereby you only get to return by 7pm or so on the third day.

The itinerary for this is :
Day 1
8.30am pick up from hotel and travel to Halong Bay
Lunch and dinner on board (cruise starts)
Activities - Cooking class, Squid fishing + Lazing around
Overnight on board

Day 2
Breakfast and lunch on board
Dinner at Cat Ba Island
Activities - Visit Caves, Beaches (not clean) + a peak (good view)
Overnight on Cat Ba Island, Hung Long Hotel

Day 3
Breakfast at Cat Ba Island
Lunch on board
Travel back to pier and return by land to Hanoi

Our cruise ship

The room, electricity available from 6pm to 7am

Upper Deck

Sunset on board

Kayak into the "hole" - if water level rises and we are inside it means we are trapped :)

Smaller boat to take us to shore

Arriving at Cat Ba Island

Hung Long Hotel at Cat Ba island

Just too many people at the beach (Cat Ba Island)

- To be continued - 

 

2012 Aug 2-7 Hanoi, Halong Bay, Cat Ba Island & Ninh Binh - Part 1/3

Yesterday I was asked - when was the last time you went on a holiday and I thought and thought and thought - I can't remember!
It seemed like so long ago...... only in the evening the thoughts of Hanoi came back. So here I am writing my travel diary in Hanoi.

Transfer to Hanoi City from Airport and Vice Versa
There is a public bus (#17) available which costs VND 5000 (RM 0.80) for a 2 hour ride into the Old Quarters of Hanoi (Air conditioned, mind you!)
In Vietnam the currencies accepted are : VND & USD
Usually VND is used when you purchase / spend in the streets. Hotels / hostels / tour usually takes USD currency.

Go to the 2nd floor of the Terminal and proceed out the doors. Turn left and walk down the ramp. The bus will pick up at the end of the ramp.

Looking back towards the airport from the ramp

The long ramp down - the bus stops at the end of the ramp

 

This is where the bus will stop near the Old Quarters - from here if you are staying at the Old Quarters, it should be accessible by foot. That's the colour of the bus

In Hanoi City
Hanoi city itself has nothing much (for me) - what one can possibly do in Hanoi is visit the Hoan Kiem Lake which is within walking distance to the Old Quarters of Hanoi and also the West Lake which is the largest one in Hanoi.
The other attractions include :
- Mausoleum
- One Pillar Pagoda
- Temple of Literature
- Hanoi Hilton (Hoa Lo Prison)
(Which I did not do any of them..... just did not feel like walking and tiring myself out)

 

Hoan Kiem Lake

One other thing which is highly recommended is the Water Puppet Show (The Puppets are performing in a little pool of water) - and this you will need to buy tickets in advance. This is at the Thang Long Theatre across from Hoan Kiem Lake and the tickets are for VND 100,000 (RM 15)

All the roads in Hanoi begins with the word "Hang" - see pic below.
Its very easy to navigate yourself around Hanoi as the road names are all clearly displayed.
The second word after "Hang" denotes what the street is famous for in the local dialect.

 
 For food, one should not miss:
- Beef noodles
- French food 
- Bread (even those sold on the streets are good!)
 

I can never get enough of beef noodles :)

This was the place that sold the beef noodles near the hostel

Cool down time!

On the streets

And we could not get enough of this too! (Chicken noodles)

Massive ingredients! Only open for dinner and by 9pm all sold out!

This is where we ate the chicken noodles

The "kitchen" is not visible on the streets... this is what you can see and many many tables and chairs + lots of people. (the locals). One can't help but to stop and try!

Accommodation
I stayed at Hanoi Hostel at Hang Vai street - the cost per nite for a double room with attached bathroom was USD 16 (RM 50) inclusive of breakfast.
The room had a double bed plus a single bed in it with white sheets.
The owner's name is Mike and together with his staffs, they made my stay in Hanoi a pleasant one.

- To be continued -