Ahoy! Hanoi! I am coming!

01 March to 08 March 2009 - 8D7N

It was initially a customised (by me) private group tour but after my dear friends (you know who you are!!) all put me aeroplane leaving me with less than ideal number of people travelling together, it is going to be a free & easy tour.

Hanoi, Vietnam's most interesting city, has a grand total of like 1 million and counting number of travel agents along with their equally massive number of motorcycles. The prices quoted online vary a lot and there are a WEALTH of well-meaning advice out there on what to do, what tours to join and which to avoid - all peppered with cleverly disguised travel agents not-so-subtly trying to promote their own tours.

I expected to put myself through hours and hours and hours of research online, but like many days of intensive research later, I still feel like there's more information to be found - so much so that I felt like I was going to be handicapped and nothing would be worth living for if there was no such thing as the internet.

I will share all that I found out in the coming posts but first I want to recommend the sales guy (I assume is guy) whom I've been working very closely with for the private group tour till last minute I have to drop him and go the free & easy way.

Here's a rough itinerary he proposed for me!



Day 1: Arrive Hanoi, Check in to Kim Tuc Hotel, F&E
Day 2: Be picked up early in the morning for drive to Halong dock for the 3D2N picturesque Halong Bay cruise! Kayak and explore Luon Cave. Overnight onboard the Superior Pheonix Cruiser.



Day 3: Cat ba Island and up the National Park and climb to the top to enjoy the amazing view
Day 4: Cruise around till noon before we disembark and drive back to Hanoi. Take overnight train to SAPA in A/C soft sleeper 4 person cabins