Posted by
latta
19 yrs ago
Can anyone advise a Hanoi trip for 6 days? Is it too long? Where do people go for visit usually? Any suggestion is appreciated. Thanks.
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The nice thing about coming to Ha Noi for 6 days is that there is a LOT to do here (I live here) and there are one to three day excursions you can do outside of Ha Noi.
Lots of museums in the city proper. (Go to the museum of Ethnology, even if you have no intterest in museums!) You can spend a couple of days walking around the old town, "windows shopping" and looking at the interesting things - historically different streets specialized in different items and some of that continues over to today. Lan Ong is a medicinal herbs/creatures street, one street is religious articles, etc. There are lots of shops, old buildings, etc. There are lots of pagodas, neighborhood shrines - many are open to the public, some are not.
You could do a day trip to Ha Long Bay - if you ever saw the film "Indochine" with Catherine Denuve, the part of the film with the limestone mountains in the sea was set in that location. You can do a two day trip to Sapa - overnight train ride to Lao Cai then a 2 hour bus ride to Sapa. Reverse to come back - Sapa is a really interesting place to visit, as well as the surrounding ethnic minority villages. Tour agencies can set that up for you here in Ha Noi.
There is a pottery village (Bat Trang) just outside of town - a short taxi ride away. They have been producing pottery for centuries.
There is a lot to do and see.
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latta
19 yrs ago
Thanks emadin, will check it out.
Thanks Idldjr, we are thinking of spending 2 nights in town, 2 nights in Sapa and 2 nights in Ha Long Bay with the boat. Can u suggest an overnight boat? Or 2 nights is too long? We would also like to do a cycling tour, somewhere near by Hanoi, where do u suggest?
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I've traveled to Hanoi a few times for holidays...it's a fantastic city with heaps to do. More than anything I enjoyed wandering around the street of the Old Quarter. I really like visiting Ho's house too. I took one 2 night trip to Halong bay and I was pretty disappointed...we went with a reputable travel agency and we had a nicer junk (boat) than many other groups but it was still a bit yucky, they all seem to have rats living on them, not very romantic! The water was pretty dirty and full of rubbish, yes the limestone formations were attractive but not worth the 2 day trip. If limited on time I would personally skip that part of the country...quite overrated. However we did a day trip to the Perfume Pagoda which was great fun, you go down a river in these tiny little boats...we had a blast. I have not been to Sapa so can't comment on that.
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latta
19 yrs ago
Thank you for yr advice, Katiefran. I hate rats. We may then just go for a day trip to Halong Bay and to Perfume Pagoda. May be some cylcing round town instead. What I read about Sapa seems very nice, will take a overnight train and do some trek for 3 days. Does anyone know about the train condition. Any rats? ;)
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Latta - if stowaway rats weren't enough to put you off a trip to Halong Bay, I also got bitten by a rather aggressive monkey who tried to steal my bag and had to have anti-rabies shots! Pretty unlucky!!!
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I have taken the "common" overnight train - sleeper shared with either 3 or 5 other people - 6-person compartments have thinner matresses and are more cramped (2 more bunks). There is also a luxury train (or maybe just cars on the same train) that is affiliated with the Victoria Hotel (pricey). http://www.vietnamstay.com/hotel/victoriasapa/victoriatrain.htm
The regular train is a LOT less expensive.
My wife and her sister stayed at the Victoria in Sapa. I prefer cheaper, less refined accomodation. There are lots of reasonably priced hotels etc. in Sapa.
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latta
18 yrs ago
Katiefran, it's really terrible. But thank you for information and reminders to me.
ldldjr, tks, it's very helpful. What do think about Bamboo Hotel and Chau Long Hotel in Sapa?
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For those who wish to stay over night on boat in Halong bay pls have a look at this website for programs www.emeraude-cruises.com They are managed by French company so they offer high level of safety, clean food, very nice accomodation on board compared to local operated sailling companies. I have spent my summer break with them for 4 times so far and quite satisfied. Of course their trip isn't cheap but when you are in the middle of the ocean better go for good quality, specially when it's about safety and food cleaniness, right?
Latta, in my opinion Bamboo htl and Chau Long htl in Sapa are decent ones. If you get a room at high floor in Bamboo facing the valley you will enjoy a beautiful view on a nice day, do ask for rooms in newer wing as it's more cozy there than in the old wing
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latta
18 yrs ago
Kiwivn, tks a lot for yr tips. Looks forward to Sapa. Seems we need more days for this trip.
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yummy
18 yrs ago
i will be in hanoi on the 25/10 evening. Leaving at early morning either 30/10 or 31/10?
I will be staying in Hanoi till 28/10. On the 28/10 i'm thinking abt going to halong and return on the 29 or 30/10? Is there a more economic way to go to Halong, but no rats pls? I'm a lady travelling alone. Any recommendation for 3 to 4 star hotel in Halong?
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I have done a couple of day trips to Ha Long Bay and one overnighter. My inclination is to stay with day trips - but if you are into things like kayaking, maybe a longer trip would be of interest.
I am pretty sure I stayed in the Bamboo (Green Bamboo? I am not sure of the name, but Bamboo is part of it) at least twice and I would go back there again. There are cheaper places, but it is a nice, albiet simple place, and the view, when the fog/clouds are gone is spectacular!
Don't know about bicycling, but know you can rent bicycles and small motorcycles pretty much everywhere. VN driving practices are chaotic (to be extremely, EXTREMELY kind!) so be very careful, especially in bigger towns. You can walk around Sapa no problem! I can't recommend renting a motorcycle unless you are an experienced rider and can't stand the thought of not doing so in VN - but if you do, be VERY, VERY careful! The accident rate is horrific! (I ride a moto, but it took me a year in country before I started practice runs early on Sunday mornings!)
Check out the Ethnology Museum in Ha Noi, and the water puppets near Hoan Kiem Lake.
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The water puppet show is a must, cant find it elsewhere in the world
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What else is there to do for a gal travelling alone? (American, rather interested in history, not really shopping)
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