Summer Travel

Ha Long Bay for flashpackers
Two night/three day mid-range tour

As with the budget tour, we kicked off with a packed minivan, but unlike the previous tour the staff were better trained, spoke better English, and were more informative. Again we stopped off at thecrafts centre for the victims of Agent Orange, but were spared the confusion of any more stops and delivered straight to the pier.

Once there we still had to climb over several boats to get to ours, but when we did, we found a beautiful, new woo

den junk. There was no top deck, but there were decks fore and aft with sun-loungers that actually had cushions! And tables to sit around, and a big pagoda thingy on the bow to shield us from the sun. More importantly, the boat set sail with a compliment of eight passengers, without packing it full of day-trippers.

The cabins were a vast improvement on the previous tour — cozy, well-decorated, with tile bathrooms — a pint-sized version of a midrange hotel room. And the food was a definite notch up as well — more fresh seafood, better presentation, and the staff were eagre to please.

We saw the Surprising Cave this time, which was a bit more interesting than it’s cousin, the

Dragon. We won’t give away the surprise. The beach we visited was a bit better than on the budget tour and there were no last-minute changes — we spent the first night on the boat. The small compliment of passengers we wound up with weren’t nearly as social as the budget group, and there was no top-deck on the boat to lounge on, so we hit the sack early.

We arrived in Cat Ba early in the morning, checked into our hotel — a two-star place, no better or worse than the budget tour, then piled into a mini bus and ventured out to explore cave arches in the bay by kayak, and a cavern that had only been discovered five years ago — the best cave yet. Afterwards we fished for our lunch at a local fish farm and ate what we caught. Following lunch we were given ‘free time’ to stroll on Cat Ba’s seafront promenade or visit one of the beaches. Not a bad day, all told.

When we boarded the boat again in the morning, we found some extra passengers there that had just spent the night on it, for a one-night, two day cruise — but just a handful. Cruising back to Ha Long Bay in the morning, we would have stopped for a swim, but the weather was against us, so we continued to the pier. Again we had to crawl across four boats to get from ours to the pier and some of the older passengers had a pretty rough time of it. Then there was lunch at Ha Long City, and the van back to Hanoi.

Ha Long Bay for flashpackers
Two night/three day mid-range tour
As with the budget tour, we kicked off with a packed minivan, but unlike the previous tour the staff were better trained, spoke better English, and were more informative. Again we stopped off at the crafts centre for the victims of Agent Orange, but were spared the confusion of any more stops and delivered straight to the pier.

Once there we still had to climb over several boats to get to ours, but when we did, we found a beautiful, new woo
den junk. There was no top deck, but there were decks fore and aft with sun-loungers that actually had cushions! And tables to sit around, and a big pagoda thingy on the bow to shield us from the sun. More importantly, the boat set sail with a compliment of eight passengers, without packing it full of day-trippers.

The cabins were a vast improvement on the previous tour — cozy, well-decorated, with tile bathrooms — a pint-sized version of a midrange hotel room. And the food was a definite notch up as well — more fresh seafood, better presentation, and the staff were eagre to please.
We saw the Surprising Cave this time, which was a bit more interesting than it’s cousin, the
Dragon. We won’t give away the surprise. The beach we visited was a bit better than on the budget tour and there were no last-minute changes — we spent the first night on the boat. The small compliment of passengers we wound up with weren’t nearly as social as the budget group, and there was no top-deck on the boat to lounge on, so we hit the sack early.
We arrived in Cat Ba early in the morning, checked into our hotel — a two-star place, no better or worse than the budget tour, then piled into a mini bus and ventured out to explore cave arches in the bay by kayak, and a cavern that had only been discovered five years ago — the best cave yet. Afterwards we fished for our lunch at a local fish farm and ate what we caught. Following lunch we were given ‘free time’ to stroll on Cat Ba’s seafront promenade or visit one of the beaches. Not a bad day, all told.
When we boarded the boat again in the morning, we found some extra passengers there that had just spent the night on it, for a one-night, two day cruise — but just a handful. Cruising back to Ha Long Bay in the morning, we would have stopped for a swim, but the weather was against us, so we continued to the pier. Again we had to crawl across four boats to get from ours to the pier and some of the older passengers had a pretty rough time of it. Then there was lunch at Ha Long City, and the van back to Hanoi.

Ha Long Bay for budget-busters
One night/two day upper-range tour

Many of the luxury tours offer two nights on

the boat, and skip the whole Cat Ba Island experience, so we booked a two-day, one-night tour just to give us a taste of luxury.

The difference was apparent from the outset. Passengers were driven from Hanoi to Ha Long City in a large, comfortable tour bus, even though there was only a compliment of eight. As with all other tours we again swung through t

he crafts centre for the victims of Agent Orange.

Once at the pier, instead of hopping from junk to junk to get to our boat, we were picked up at the dock by a small ferry, and taken to where our boat was moored in the bay. It was larger, if not quite as new as the mid-range boat.

The key difference was the service and the

food. The staff on the mid-range tour were good, but seemed like novices compared to the staff on the luxury cruise. And the food was five-star all the way — some of the best food we’ve tasted in Vietnam, with a good selection of wines to go with it (at luxury prices, of course).

Oddly, the cabins weren’t quite as good

as the mid-range tour, but they made the best with what they had. There was no aft deck, and only the fore-deck was available for lounging, but with a small compliment of passengers, comfy sun-loungers and bean bag chairs, there was plenty of room. The air-con cabins were free of any generator noise, and we slept soundly.

We saw Surprising Cave again (and were not surprised) but the kayaking component was quite fun — coursing through more tunnel arches into a secluded lagoon, to be followed by swimming and plunging off the fore-deck into the water, which is always a crowd-pleaser.

The tour ended with another visit to a crappy beach (one passenger found a hypodermic needle floating in the water) and a slow cruise back to Ha Long City, where we were once again whisked comfortably ashore by ferry, for a return back to Hanoi on the big, roomy tour bus.

Ha Long Bay for budget-busters
One night/two day upper-range tour
Many of the luxury tours offer two nights on
the boat, and skip the whole Cat Ba Island experience, so we booked a two-day, one-night tour just to give us a taste of luxury.

The difference was apparent from the outset. Passengers were driven from Hanoi to Ha Long City in a large comfortable tour bus, even though there was only a compliment of eight. As with all other tours we again swung through t
he crafts centre for the victims of Agent Orange.

Once at the pier, instead of hopping from junk to junk to get to our boat, we were picked up at the dock by a small ferry, and taken to where our boat was moored in the bay. It was larger, if not quite as new as the mid-range boat.
The key difference was the service and the
food. The staff on the mid-range tour were good, but seemed like novices compared to the staff on the luxury cruise. And the food was five-star all the way — some of the best food we’ve tasted in Vietnam, with a good selection of wines to go with it (at luxury prices, of course).
Oddly, the cabins weren’t quite as good
as the mid-range tour, but they made the best with what they had. There was no aft deck, and only the fore-deck was available for lounging, but with a small compliment of passengers, comfy sun-loungers and bean bag chairs, there was plenty of room. The air-con cabins were free of any generator noise, and we slept soundly.
We saw Surprising Cave again (and were not surprised) but the kayaking component was quite fun — coursing through more tunnel arches into a secluded lagoon, to be followed by swimming and plunging off the fore-deck into the water, which is always a crowd-pleaser.
The tour ended with another visit to a crappy beach (one passenger found a hypodermic needle floating in the water) and a slow cruise back to Ha Long City, where we were once again whisked comfortably ashore by ferry, for a return back to Hanoi on the big, roomy tour bus.
source by halongngu

Hanoi - Halong Bay - Hanoi, 3-day tour with 1.5-day kayaking and overnight on Chinese junk, Kayaking grade: Moderate, From US$ 299 per person

Highlights Amazing limestone formations Inclusive junk for overnight Beautiful and different kayaking route Support boat all the time All meals included

“Fantastic Kayaking and Cruise in Halong Bay” This tour offers you a great chance to discover Halong Bay, the wonderland of karst topography with 3,000 limestone and dolomite islets sprinkled over an area of 1,500 square km. The calm sea provides an ideal location for sea kayaking as we paddle through a maze of islets amid dramatic natural scenery. With our modern kayaking equipment, we are able to maximize on speed and maneuverability as we explore the open sea and the many hidden lagoons and stalagmite caves that are difficult to access by any other means. As with our other kayak tours, this tour offers flexibility in activity levels while still combining the best of sea kayaking. Designed with this in mind it is a good tour for both novice and experienced kayaker alike with a little more time to spare. Validity: 1May,2010 – 30Sep,2010 ATA blazing hot promotion offers great kayaking adventure into the majestic Ha Long Bay and also a glimpse into culture of the Vietnamese. - Free-of-charge 01 cooking class at Hidden Hanoi Restaurant (joined class) - Free-of-charge 01 Water Puppet Show - Free-of-charge silk sleeping bag

Itinerary at a glance

Day 1: Transfer/kayaking Halong Bay
Day 2: Kayaking Halong Bay
Day 3: Halong Bay - Hanoi

TRIP NOTES

Duration: 3 days, 2 nights
Group size: 08 persons
Depart from: Hanoi
End at: Hanoi
When: Year round - best time is from Oct - Jun
Activities: Kayaking, Cruising
Kayaking grade: Moderate
Transportation: AC vehicle, Junk, support boat, kayak
Accommodation: 02 nights on junk
Tour guide: English or French speaking guide

Meals
- Day 1: Lunch, Dinner
- Day 2: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 3: Breakfast, Lunch

Food
All meals, which are indicated in the itinerary, are included in the price of this trip. Since we are in the sea our meals are mainly dominated by fresh seafood. Please inform us if you have any special dietary requirement.

The junk
The beautiful Chinese junk functions as a hotel and we would share it with other travelers. We will get twin shared cabin with AC and restroom.
The next day when we go kayaking a smaller wooden boat will support us the whole day.

ATV tour guide
The tour will be guided by one of our tour guides who are experienced in guiding kayaking tours in Halong Bay. He has been carefully trained in this field and is fully licensed in tour guiding by the government. In addition, he has been trained in first-aid by SOS International and he knows how to deal with difficult situations. You will have a great time traveling with him.

The kayak
On this trip we use hard-cell, tandem kayak. Paddle, life-jacket and dry bag are available

The kayaking day
A typical kayaking day starts at about 8.00 am after breakfast. Lunch will be served on support boat. At the end of a kayaking day, we would return to the junk by 5 pm or 5.30 pm.

What to bring
Sun block, hat, anti-insect repellent, sunglasses, rain coat, original passport,

Note on client safety
We reserve the right to deviate from this itinerary for any reasons, including weather conditions or for any other factor which may influence client safety.

Hanoi - Halong Bay - Hanoi, 3-day tour with 1.5-day kayaking and overnight on Chinese junk, Kayaking grade: Moderate, From US$ 299 per person

Highlights Amazing limestone formations Inclusive junk for overnight Beautiful and different kayaking route Support boat all the time All meals included

“Fantastic Kayaking and Cruise in Halong Bay” This tour offers you a great chance to discover Halong Bay, the wonderland of karst topography with 3,000 limestone and dolomite islets sprinkled over an area of 1,500 square km. The calm sea provides an ideal location for sea kayaking aswe paddle through a maze of islets amid dramatic natural scenery. With our modern kayaking equipment, we are able to maximize on speed and maneuverability as we explore the open sea and the many hidden lagoons and stalagmite caves that are difficult to access by any other means. As with our other kayak tours, this tour offers flexibility in activity levels while still combining the best of sea kayaking. Designed with this in mind it is a good tour for both novice and experienced kayaker alike with a little more time to spare. Validity: 1May,2010 – 30Sep,2010 ATA blazing hot promotion offers great kayaking adventure into the majestic Ha Long Bay and also a glimpse into culture of the Vietnamese. - Free-of-charge 01 cooking class at Hidden Hanoi Restaurant (joined class) - Free-of-charge 01 Water Puppet Show - Free-of-charge silk sleeping bag

Itinerary at a glance
Day 1: Transfer/kayaking Halong Bay
Day 2: Kayaking Halong Bay
Day 3: Halong Bay - Hanoi
TRIP NOTES
Duration: 3 days, 2 nights
Group size: 08 persons
Depart from: Hanoi
End at: Hanoi
When: Year round - best time is from Oct - Jun
Activities: Kayaking, Cruising
Kayaking grade: Moderate
Transportation: AC vehicle, Junk, support boat, kayak
Accommodation: 02 nights on junk
Tour guide: English or French speaking guide
Meals
- Day 1: Lunch, Dinner
- Day 2: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 3: Breakfast, Lunch
Food
All meals, which are indicated in the itinerary, are included in the price of this trip. Since we are in the sea our meals are mainly dominated by fresh seafood. Please inform us if you have any special dietary requirement.
The junk
The beautiful Chinese junk functions as a hotel and we would share it with other travelers. We will get twin shared cabin with AC and restroom.
The next day when we go kayaking a smaller wooden boat will support us the whole day.
ATV tour guide
The tour will be guided by one of our tour guides who are experienced in guiding kayaking tours in Halong Bay. He has been carefully trained in this field and is fully licensed in tour guiding by the government. In addition, he has been trained in first-aid by SOS International and he knows how to deal with difficult situations. You will have a great time traveling with him.
The kayak
On this trip we use hard-cell, tandem kayak. Paddle, life-jacket and dry bag are available
The kayaking day
A typical kayaking day starts at about 8.00 am after breakfast. Lunch will be served on support boat. At the end of a kayaking day, we would return to the junk by 5 pm or 5.30 pm.
What to bring
Sun block, hat, anti-insect repellent, sunglasses, rain coat, original passport,
Note on client safety
We reserve the right to deviate from this itinerary for any reasons, including weather conditions or for any other factor which may influence client safety.
source by halongngu

ACTIVETRAVEL ASIA (ATA ) aims to advise travelers places to kayak and cruise in Vietnam. Travelers have the chance to discovery the breathtaking landscapes, remote scenery and get exciting experiences.

Kayak Halong Bay, Vietnam

In the northern Vietnam, Halong Bay is the most spectacular sea kayaking destination. The bay’s name means “descending dragon”, and the mythical beasts are said to have created the rocky islets that form a maze of protected waterways. Guests will explore the sea arches, caves and hidden lagoons in this vast archipelago, swim in the jade-colored water and relax on beautiful sand beaches.

The scenery isn’t the only thing that makes Halong Bayamazing. It is home to Cat Ba langurs, the rarest primate on Earth. There are only a few dozen of them left, but sometimes they emerge to feed in a hidden cove, and we catch a glimpse of them from travelers’ kayaks.

Kayak Babe lake, Vietnam

The next destination is Babe Lake. Ba Be is Vietnam’s largest natural lake and is now the centerpiece of an extensive National Park. The park and the surrounding area is limestone country, so lakes, waterfalls, caves and unusual rock formations abound. The whole area is richly forested and is home to many ethnic minority communities. Ba Be National Park has been recognized as a Natural World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Kayakers will explore peaceful river, beautiful lake, daily life, local market…

Mekong Delta, Vietnam - Float market

In the southern Vietnam, cruising Mekong River means exploring narrow channels, floating markets, daily life, and orchards in the Delta. Floating markets, magnificent sunrise and sunset are highlight for cruising in Mekong River. The favorable conditions of calm water, light current, good mother-boat are also to enable to build kayaking tours in Mekong River.

These are some main destinations for kayaking and cruising in Vietnam in which tourists definitely have fun and challenge!!