1

No idea. Please post back how it went.

2

A lot of tour companies fill the time with "backup stuff", often in Hanoi since the shuttle buses don't even leave the capital when the weather on the bay is bad. I assume that by now Eddie_S is familiar with the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Temple of Literature and a gaggle of (admittedly very nice) temples and pagodas.

3

Hi
All tour agencies operates in so,,,hic hic professional way. Bad wheather in the bay, no boats are allowed to cruise, all infomations are announced in wheather forcast system for couples of day in advances, and the tour buyers coming in some travel agencies are still welcomed by such sexy smiles from female staff. " Yes the wheather in the Bay now so good," meanwhile the radio keeps updating such bad sea situation in the area. the buyers are stuffed in bus driving to halong bay with extremely twinkling heart, only to be told that " sorry today you cant go out to sea on boat because of bad wheather, and you got to go back to Hanoi, our travel company will refund some of your money....." and you know what ???
the refund money amount sounds so tiny and tooooooooooooo blasphemy. some tourists are so angry at not being told of bad wheather in advances, should accept some explanation from such nice lovely female staffs like " The wheather are not included in your halong tour package, so sorry my friends" .
I advice all tourists search for the weather forcast in some international system before you buy the tour, other while you will take a bitter taste in mounth
Have good trip around
Danny, Sapa local tour guide , mail: danny_niceboy@yahoo.com