Hanoi, Hai Long and Sapa trip
Replies: 8 - Last Post: Jul 19, 2012 10:01 PM Last Post By: indochinatravel...
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Hanoi, Hai Long and Sapa trip
Hi, I would like to get advise on Hanoi, Hai Long and Sapa trip for 5D4N. Anyone please advise if this is possible?Hanoi - 1 Day
Hai Long - 1.5 Days (Overnight stay in the cruise, from morning to next day afternoon)
Sapa - 2 Days (travelling at the night, after hai long trip, 2 overnight stay in the train)
Any recommended tour agency? Thank you.
2
Yes I agree with #1 - it is all a bit rushed. I would be inclined to drop one of Sa Pa or Ha Long Bay and spend more time in Hanoi as you are trying to cover a vast amount of distance and road travel in VN is not a relaxing pastime at all. There is quite a lot to see in Hanoi and you can easily spend a whole day wandering the old quarter.3
Most things are "possible", but - you won't really see anything. After arriving in Lao Cai what are you going to do? Get a bus to sapa, walk around the town, get a bus back to lao cai, get the train to hanoi. You won't have seen anything of the area.Better to cut sapa out - book four nights in hanoi, on the third day do the halongbay cruise, arrive back in hanoi the following afternoon around 5.00pm. Check out the following (5th) day. I can recommend Vega Travel - they will pick you up around 7.30/8.00am from hanoi and drop you back at your hotel around 5.00pm the next day.
While you're in hanoi, do make time to see the water puppets, they're fabulous.
4
Surely OP you can fit in the Perfume Pagoda as well.As the others said this is too rushed. Pick one or the other and as maureenm stated have a good look around Hanoi. Hell, it takes me at least 6 days to look around Hanoi every time I go.
5
Sound advice from Captain CourageousSpend more time exploring Hanoi and organise your
Halong bay trip
6
Hi,you can make 5days/4nights as follow:
D1: Hanoi arrival & city tour (your flight must be in the morning or at noon). Night train to Sapa
D2: Sapa trek
D3: Sapa trek - night train back Hanoi
D4: Hanoi -halong bay
D5: Halong - Hanoi & depart. The time end tour Halong at around 4.30pm in Hanoi. Your flight depart must be at night. Or you can choose Halong 1 day trip. The last day you make more Hanoi city tour before depart
Nice trip!
7
I also think you'd be doing yourself a favor not to try all of this in so short a time. Can you do it? Yes. But would it be enjoyable.I did all those trips on my visit 6 months ago.
-The drive from Hanoi to Hai Long is about 3-4 hours each way.
- We boarded the train around 10pm, were awakened at 4:30am to get off. Between the excitement of boarding and the disorientation of early wake-up, it wasn't that restful.
-The drive from LaoCai To Sapa is another hour or so each way.
...so right there you're looking at 24 hours in motion. Combine that with doing a trek after a bumpy night on a train, and I think you'd be happier to pick 2 of the 3 options and spend more time enjoying the experience. All 3 are good times though, so you can't go very wrong with your choices i.m.o.
8
i agree with the route of #6. despite such rushing time, you can still cover some highlights in the three sites. you can also refer to part of this itinerary to see what to visit. good luck on your trip.
