Vietnam Travel Tips & Experiences

Travel Tips & Experiences

Which is the best place to see the Golden Rice Field in Northern Vietnam?

Which is the best place to see the Golden Rice Field in Northern Vietnam?

Wetland rice farming is a very common farming method in Vietnam and you can find rice paddy fields everywhere among the country. In the mountainous areas, you will see mostly they cultivate terraced rice fields while in Red River Delta or lowlands, mostly they grow flat and spacious rice fields. This is because the rice needs a lot of water to grow and with terraced rice farming, peasants take advantage of the water flowing from the hillside into rice terraces, especially when they transplant rice seedlings. The Golden Rice Fields during harvest season is one of the most impressive views that any tourists going on their Northern Vietnam Tours would love to see. When the harvest season comes, the fields are covered with yellow color. The combination of blue sky, green mountains, and yellow paddy fields with ethnic houses will create a mind-blowing scenery for tourists. So where are the best places to capture these stunning golden rice fields in Vietnam?[incredible_toc] These glooming golden rice fields are breath-taking 1. Tam Coc Along with the famous World Heritage Site - Halong Bay, Ninh Binh is also one of the must-see destinations in your Vietnam Tour with amazing landscapes and a peaceful atmosphere. Located in Ninh Binh, Tam Coc is considered the most popular attraction besides Bai Dinh Pagoda, Trang An Complex, or Hoa Lu Ancient Capital for its picturesque paddy fields and scenic views from the mountains. With its cave system, limestone mountains, and spectacular rice paddy fields, it is also known by the name “Halong Bay on land”. This is a perfect place for travelers looking for an easy Hoa Lu Tam Coc Day Trip away from the hustle and bustle of Hanoi. We can catch bright yellow rice fields from mid-April to early June, which is the time for the perfect blue sky and not-so-sunny weather. The most common activity in Tam Coc is the boat ride in the Ngo Dong River. From the boat, you will see the magnificent view of the sky, the mountains and the shades of yellow rice fields are truly breathtaking. Along the road, you will see the hard-working peasants wading through the water to harvest the rice. Tourists can easily reach Tam Coc from Hanoi Capital via train, car, bus, or even motorbike. On your day trip to Tam Coc, you can also visit Hoa Lu Ancient Capital and Mua Caves. Therefore, there’s no doubt that Tam Coc is the first in the list of best places to see the Golden Rice Fields. Tam Coc is the easiest place to visit if you want to see the golden rice fields 2. Mai Chau Located about 140km from Hanoi and 65 km from Hoa Binh province, we will find the incredible valley of Mai Chau. Surrounded by mountains and covered with rice fields, the valley of Mai Chau is one of the best alternative destinations for Sapa if you don’t have much time but still want to admire the wonderful view of the golden rice fields. The main attraction in Mai Chau is undoubtedly to relax and enjoy the nature and tranquil atmosphere of this area. It is very easy to visit Mai Chau by bus or motorbike. Coming here, you will have a chance to try the tempting colorful sticky rice and local wine, and try one day to stay with locals in their stilt houses. Mai Chau is also considered the best place to see the Golden Rice Field beside of Tam Coc. After a short trekking tour, you will be amazed by its rice paddy fields cultivated by H’Mong and Tay's tribes stretching to the skyline. The best time to witness these famous golden rice fields will be between May and June when the rice just begins to ripen. Mai Chau is a choice for Sapa as one of the best places to see the golden rice fields 3. Bac Son Valley Bac Son Town is located about 70 km from Lang Son Province and 160 km from Hanoi. In the heart of this rural district, you will find Bac Son Valley surrounded by charming mountains and beautiful sceneries. Coming here, you will enjoy pleasant weather, beautiful place, inhabited by nice and friendly people and featuring some ancestral crafts. This is home to many ethnic groups in the mountain and people here mainly do farming for their daily life. Thanks to the flat land, beautiful weather, and rich soil, Bac Son Valley is an ideal place for planting rice. Tay people in Bac Son Valley cultivate two crops in one year: one at the end of July and one in mid-November. These are the two best periods for tourists to see the yellow paddy fields. The rice terraces in Bac Son are very unique, the yellow ripen paddies are dotted with green ones. This is because peasants here grow crops at different time and it’s also the reason why Bac Son Valley is one of the best places for the Golden Paddy Fields. Bac Son Valley has a unique view of the golden rice fields 4. Sapa If you love trekking through the mountainous areas, you would be so regretful if you don’t visit Sapa during your trip in Vietnam. Sapa lies in Northwestern Vietnam, near the Chinese border. This is one of the most outstanding attractions with phenomenal landscapes, not to mention significant cultural importance. Sapa is home to many ethnic tribes and ethnic people here grow rice and carve them into the hilly or mountainous slopes. Talking to locals, you will find out that some rice terraces here are hundreds or even thousands of years old and have been the main feeding crop of the region. The curving terraces perfectly fit the landscape across the valley, creating a splendid painting of Mother Nature. They make Sapa an ideal place for hiking and photo hunting. Besides the beautiful rice terraces, it’s also a good place for travelers seeking for local experience with the ethnic culture. The rice terraces in Sapa usually ripen from the last week of August to mid-September and can be found in Ta Van, Lao Chai, Ta Phin, Ta Giang Phinh, Muong Hum, and Cat Cat Village. Don’t miss this place if you are planning to visit Northern Vietnam – one of the best places to see the Yellow Rice Fields! Sapa is the most famous place for tourists to visit during harvest season for its gorgeous golden rice terraces 5. Mu Cang Chai If you are planning to visit the North of Vietnam, make sure you don’t miss Mu Cang Chai in your bucket list. With unspoiled nature and adventurous trails, the golden rice terraces in Mu Cang Chai were listed as one of the most magnificent landscapes in the world. The rice terraces here are created by the hard work of the H’Mong people, they have become significant in their culture and represent the indomitable spirit of locals here against their rigorous nature. To reach Mu Cang Chai, you can jump on a bus to travel from Hanoi to Than Uyen and from there you can go to Mu Cang Chai. Otherwise, you can travel to Yen Bai province, rent a motorbike and travel around. There are many exciting attractions besides the yellow rice terraces and Khau Pha Pass is among one of them. On the way, you will pass Tu Le, Cao Phuc Valley, Lu Thai, Lung Mong, etc. Rice in Mu Cang Chai ripens quite late, normally from September to the first week of October. During the harvest season, this area brings a marvelous beauty with Golden Rice Fields stretching all over the place. This is our top recommended place for tourists to see the golden rice terraces in Vietnam. Mu Cang Chai is very beautiful during the harvest season 6. Y Ty If Sapa and Mu Cang Chai sound awesome when we talk about the golden rice fields, check out Y Ty, you will find perfect tranquility here. Y Ty is in the northernmost region of Vietnam, about 70 km from Sapa and it’s among the poorest places in the country. This is an impeccable place if you are looking for “true north” of Vietnam where you can enjoy the pristine nature. People come to Y Ty for two main purposes: to hunt the clouds or to take photos of extraordinary rice terraces. With the background of white clouds, the rice fields here become gorgeous with unbelievable beauty. You will have a chance to take photos of the clouds moving over the field, which can’t be found anywhere else in Vietnam. The crop season in Y Ty varies depending on every year, but it’s usually from September to October. During this month, travelers coming here will be overwhelmed with the picturesque Yellow Rice Terraces which look like a staircase to heaven. These jaw-dropping rice fields attract thousands of tourists every year. Undoubtedly, Y Ty is the best place to see the beautiful golden rice terraces. From Hanoi, you can take a night train or limousine bus to Lao Cai province and then take another bus to get to Y Ty. You can also rent a motorbike in Lao Cai to go there but be careful because the road is quite dangerous. Y Ty with its pristine nature is one of the best places to see the golden rice fieldSo, are you impressed by the golden field in the Northern mountainous area in Vietnam? Contact Incredible Asia Journeys now to catch up with the harvest season for a Vietnam trip in this autumn!

Read more
The Legacy of Green Spirit: Scholarships for Van Gia Floating School

The Legacy of Green Spirit: Scholarships for Van Gia Floating School

One of the members of Incredible Asia Journeys, V’Spirit Cruises, headed out to Cua Van fishing village on a windy autumn day in 2014, intent not only on showing our passengers a beautiful and unique fishing village but also making a very special stop to Van Gia School. The children who attend Van Gia School are completely unaware of its uniqueness on a floating raft in the middle of Vietnam’s number one tourist attraction. Despite the huge amount of wealth that the bay generates, its schools, hospitals, and residents’ homes see very little of it, with Van Gia School especially getting by with poor lighting and low-quality amenities. Small gifts for Van Gia School's studentsAbout 600 residents of Cua Van fishing village earn small incomes on fishing and minor concessions by the Halong Bay government authority to keep them afloat, so to speak. Despite the long history and utterly unique culture of this floating village, its distance from the mainland is a massive drawback as it means that necessities that people have access to on land never reach Cua Van. Van Gia School's students and V’Spirit Cruises teamAt Van Gia School, the students make do with the materials available. Sometimes, this means learning on the floating rafts outside, as the school itself can have too many students to house in its four classrooms. This is where we met Ngọc, a 3rd grader who was practicing her writing skills in the sunshine. Despite her young age, Ngọc is incredibly brave, given that her father regularly goes away on long fishing expeditions and her mother suffers from a disease that leaves her at home. This makes 8-year-old Ngọc the sole guardian of her mother and two small brothers.Confectionary for Van Gia School's studentsUnderstandably, Ngọc has dreams of becoming a doctor, caring for her mother, and making enough money to support her family. With the current state of Van Gia School and the dire situation in her family, the chances of her being able to leave Cua Van and head for the Vietnamese mainland are very low. Heartbreakingly, Ngọc’s story is not unusual in Cua Van, where many children fail to see their dreams realized because of poor funding and a lack of quality education.Booksheft of Van Gia SchoolThe team from V’Spirit Cruises’ charity initiative, Green Spirit, was touched by Ngọc’s story and wanted to help. We arrived at Van Gia School in October 2014 while our passengers enjoyed a sampan boat ride around Cua Van, with the whole Green Spirit team ready to give back to the local community that has supported our tourism endeavors for many years. To Ngọc and a few other students, we presented a scholarship and the chance to go to a school on the mainland, where their various dreams might become a reality. For other children, we presented gifts in the form of school supplies and candy, while ensuring that teaching materials in the four classrooms were adequate.Van Gia SchoolWe left with a monetary contribution to the electricity bill of the school; a deed that we plan to repeat regularly. We believe that every child deserves the chance to follow their dreams, and with the help of other tour operators and tourists who come to Halong Bay, we can surely make a significant difference in every family’s life in Cua Van.

Read more
The Legacy of Green Spirit – Supporting a Local Family after a Traffic Accident

The Legacy of Green Spirit – Supporting a Local Family after a Traffic Accident

The danger of Vietnamese traffic is immediately apparent to everyone who visits its major cities. There are few enforced rules and regulations for the tens of millions of motorbike and car drivers who head out onto the roads of Vietnam every day; most simply operate under generally shared views on how traffic should work. Because of this, Vietnam’s traffic-related death rate per capita is amongst the worst in Asia, and in February 2014, Đỗ Viết Hoa almost became another one of these statistics.Đỗ Viết Hoa's houseAs part of a charity drive by V’Spirit Cruises, a member of Incredible Asia Journeys, our team, Green Spirit visited the home of Đỗ Viết Hoa and his wife, Ms. Le Thi Vui, who we had heard about in the local news. Ms. Vui was just 19 years old when we met her but was married and had a 2-year-old son, with another one expected the following month. Her husband, lay largely unresponsive on the bed during our visit, the result of a traumatic brain injury that has almost claimed his life.Have an intimate conversation with Ms VuiTwo months before our arrival, Mr. Hoa had left the house on his motorbike, neglecting as so many do around Vietnam, to wear a helmet. Just 10 minutes later, Ms. Vui received a phone call from a stranger using her husband’s phone, informing her that he had been in a horrific accident that no one had seen, only heard.Mr. Hoa After Severve IncidenceIn the difficult time since her husband’s hospitalization, the very young Ms. Vui had been struggling to cope with raising a young baby on her own while expecting another one soon. Green Spirit visited to offer our support and gifts, to go some way to making this difficult time for Ms. Vui a little more bearable. We talked to her for many hours and she wanted to share the same message that we do, that road safety is incredibly important and failure to adhere to the rules can see your life changed in an instant. Mr. Hoa Serious SituationAround the family’s village of Hoai Duc, just 20km from Hanoi, young people driving fast without helmets is still as much of a problem as ever, with factors like alcohol and general lack of awareness affecting drivers and the drivers around them. The development of Vietnam happens at a local level; Green Spirit will continue to spread our message of safety.Wearing a helmet could be a small habit, but a big prompting to the mind about one self’s responsibility to both family and society.

Read more
The Legacy of Green Spirit – The Lan Ha Preservation Zone

The Legacy of Green Spirit – The Lan Ha Preservation Zone

It is the wild and deep colors of green that repeatedly bring tourists to Halong Bay. Images of mountains covered in forest and islands of untamed jungle jutting directly out of the emerald sea can be found across the walls of every tourist agency in Vietnam. They promote the image of a very healthy bay and entice foreign and domestic visitors to book one of the many Halong Bay tours that head into this evocative land.The Legacy of Green Spirit – The Lan Ha Preservation ZoneOf course, the benefits of mass tourism to the bay are huge. Thousands of jobs have been created in Vietnam’s northwestern corner, and many more throughout a country that promotes the bay constantly. As with all good things, however, there is another side to the coin that many passengers are confronted with when arriving at the bay – the masses of floating rubbish.Much of this can be found on the cruise routes that cut between the limestone spires of Halong Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay, and Lan Ha Bay, as well as on the beaches and around the fishing villages. This is a product of the speed at which tourism has grown in the bay and the inability of many cruise companies to deal with the influx of visitors. Of course, no one sets out to deliberately pollute the bay with rubbish, but current, careless practices have gone unchanged for too long, threatening the image of Halong Bay as a bastion for the green and fresh.Cleaning the Lan Ha BayAt V’Spirit Cruises, one of the members of the Incredible Asia Journeys group, we are determined to put a stop to this. We were amongst the first companies to say ‘no’ to the thoughtless destruction of Halong Bay’s unique landscape and take steps to prevent its deterioration. Our company began with a long-term interest in the bay and has developed a devotion to its long-term protection. Our Green Spirit program was born of this vision, with an aim to clean up and preserve the natural beauty that we have been so blessed to receive.Green Spirit CertificationGreen Spirit encapsulates responsible tourism perfectly. Throughout northern Vietnam, the wonderful members of the Green Spirit team have left their mark, but none more so than in Halong Bay. Our clean-up efforts and community outreach initiatives have improved the quality of life for many residents of the bay, as well as the tourists who visit it, but we understand that there is a long way to go.February 2016 saw V’Spirit Cruises’ largest change to its itinerary. Overcrowding in Halong Bay has long irritated tourists and produced more pollution across its routes and attractions, leading us to consider an alternative route that would ease the pressure on the bay. After months of scouting and a host of test runs, we settled on a move to the Lan Ha Preservation Zone, an area of Halong Bay far removed from the traditional tourist routes, with the same idyllic picture of paradise strewn across the islands and the isolated floating houses of its verdant area.Collecting rubbish in Lan Ha BayOne such community contains the house of Mr. Lap, father to four children and lifelong resident of Lan Ha Bay. In communities such as these, stopping pollution of the bay is very low down on the list of priorities, as day-to-day life is a struggle in itself. On a visit to the Lan Ha Preservation Zone, members of the Green Spirit team sat down with Mr. Lap and described the impact of his everyday actions on the polluting of the environment. Before leaving, we had arranged a new deal whereby Mr. Lap’s green cooperation would be rewarded with an important role in our new itinerary. In the following months, Mr. Lap’s new commitment to the environment and his active role in persuading other residents to abandon their polluting practices blew us away. We awarded him a Green Spirit certification for his efforts and are immensely proud to still have him working in cooperation with us today.With the strong currents of the Lan Ha Preservation Zone, rubbish occasionally drifts into here from other areas around the bay, meaning regular clean-ups are still necessary. Our biggest clean-up took place on March 16th, 2016, when every member of the V’Spirit Cruises staff was employed to collect the rubbish around the zone, promoting a healthier overall image of Halong Bay as we did so. Our largest clean-up was still a small action in the overall scope of Halong Bay, but the significant image of green living that it sent out was overwhelmingly positive for the bay and the actions of other companies, passengers, and management authorities. As awareness is raised, more and more passengers ask us if they can help the bay in any way. We carry several collection nets and rubbish bags on each one of our cruises, giving willing tourists the chance to make their small mark. Through small actions like this, V’Spirit Cruises and its wonderful passengers can make a big impact in Halong Bay and ensure its wild and evocative beauty is forever untainted.

Read more
The Legacy of Green Spirit - “Halong Bay in My Eyes 2014”

The Legacy of Green Spirit - “Halong Bay in My Eyes 2014”

Since it opened for tourism at the end of the 20th century, Halong Bay has seen an immense rise in popularity to become one of the most sought-after destinations in Asia. Many tourists come daily to the bay in search of the ideal paradise that is advertised heavily throughout the country, and many find it aboard a cruise ship as they sail serenely through placid waters, out of which rise limestone towers in utterly unique shapes and sizes."Halong Bay in My Eyes" exhibitionThe side that many tourists don’t see, however, often lies below the surface or in the mangroves of its untouched islands. Rubbish cast off from boats left behind at tourist attractions, and discarded into the sea by the locals all add up to a polluted bay with piles of rubbish that amass daily, destroying entire systems that have been in place since pre-historic times.Adorable pictures drawn by childrenTo highlight the impact that such careless practices have, V’Spirit, a part of Incredible Asia Journeys, developed Green Spirit, an initiative that aims to keep Halong Bay clean and free of the pollutants that threaten the beautiful and ancient way of life here. In cooperation with Hanoi’s Foreign Trade University and the Université de Nantes in France, Green Spirit held a children’s art exhibition on Soi Sim Beach, one of the beautiful white-sand offerings in Halong Bay.Visitors enjoy the exhibitionThe exhibition, hosted on the 16th of April 2014, was called ‘Halong Bay in My Eyes’. Local children from Quang Ninh province were asked to participate, and we were blown away by some of the insightful submissions that we received. It seems that even in the eyes of a child, Halong Bay’s problems are severe and need to be shared with its visitors. Their drawings expressed a love for the environment and a clear desire for more environmentally friendly practices, such as correctly disposing of litter, helping to clean up existing rubbish, and refraining from overfishing.A masterpiece in the exhibitionThis was just a small exhibition, but many visitors, locals, and even the media made the effort to see it. We are very proud of the kids’ contributions and their desire to see a cleaner, greener Halong Bay in the future. ‘Halong Bay in My Eyes’ showed us that the future is brighter for Halong Bay if its little ambassadors are as passionate as the members of Green Spirit!

Read more
Which Airport is Closest to Halong Bay

Which Airport is Closest to Halong Bay

With Halong Bay continuing to find massive appeal amongst domestic and international tourists, the government has needed to find a way of improving transport links to the one, pot-hole-ridden highway that used to connect Halong City to Hanoi.[incredible_toc] Improved roads and an added highway were a good start to a better quality of travel, but with visitors flying from all over the world, many are asking which is the closest airport to Halong Bay. The two airports that serve Halong Bay can be found in its neighbouring major cities of Hanoi and Hai Phong, both of which offer transfers directly to the bay.Airport picking up1. Cat Bi International Airport – Hai PhongWith just 45km between them, Cat Bi International Airport is irrefutably the closest airport to Halong Bay, with a travel time of about an hour required to transfer along the beautifully scenic road between the two. The airport is rather small, but given the popularity of Halong Bay, still receives about 17 flights a day – mainly from Ho Chi Minh City, but also from Nha Trang, Da Nang, Pleiku, Phu Quoc and nearby international airports like Seoul, Shenzhen and Bangkok.Hai Phong Airport Transfer to Halong BayAlong with Halong Bay, Cat Bi is also the closest airport to Bai Tu Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay. Information about the various distances and time requirements for a transfer to all of the Gulf on Tonkin’s bays are laid out below.Harbour and BayDistance from Hai Phong AirportTime RequiredTuan Chau Harbour - Halong Bay45km60 - 70 minutesHon Gai Harbour - Bai Tu Long Bay55km80 – 90 minutesGot Harbour - Lan Ha Bay30km40 - 45 minutes2. Noi Bai International Airport – HanoiWhile not the closest, it could be argued that Hanoi’s Noi Bai airport is the most convenient airport for Halong Bay, as the vast majority of people arriving to see one of the New7Wonders of the world do so from the capital. The fact that almost all of cruise companies’ daily passenger arrivals come with a tour from Hanoi means that most of the government’s efforts in improving transportation links have been focused on the highway between Hanoi and Halong City. Along with this, there is much more to do in Hanoi than there is in Hai Phong, making Hanoi’s airport the main airport for Halong Bay. Contact Incredible Asia Journeys to find out more information!Hanoi Airport Transfer to Halong BayImproved highways to both Halong and Hai Phong from Hanoi have ensured that travel from the capital to Halong Bay is easy. Most cruise companies offer a direct transfer from Hanoi airport to Halong, Bai Tu Long or Lan Ha Bay, but it should be noted that times are longer if going with a tour company compared to going with a private car because of various stops that these companies make on the way. Consider booking our tour 4 Days From Hanoi to Halong Bay to exclude any hassle!Harbour and BayDistance from Hanoi AirportTime Required (without tour)Tuan Chau Harbour - Halong Bay170km3 – 3.5 hoursHon Gai Harbour - Bai Tu Long Bay180km3 – 3.5 hoursGot Harbour - Lan Ha Bay160km2.5 – 3 hours

Read more
The Legacy of Green Spirit - V’Spirit Cruises’ Green Office

The Legacy of Green Spirit - V’Spirit Cruises’ Green Office

At V’Spirit Cruises, one of the members of the Incredible Asia Journeys team, we believe that environmentally friendly living starts at home. To that end, our Green Spirit philosophy emanates from our efficient office, where we have researched and enforced the greenest of initiatives in order to keep our carbon footprint to its absolute minimum.[incredible_toc]Our task force of green-minded staff is always motivated to find new ways in which to save energy. This is not only good for our business, but also good for our souls, as every little thing that we contribute helps our minds, our country and our planet.Green Spirit Motto1. Energy ConsumptionElectricity consumption is the largest carbon expenditure in any office. Throughout the V’Spirit Cruises office, we have several ways to save energy, including highly efficient light bulbs in every room and stickers that remind staff to turn off equipment that they are not using. The heat of Vietnam makes it highly uncomfortable to live without a fan or air conditioner, but we use these sparingly and always turn them off when we’re not in the room.Electricity consumption is the largest carbon expenditure in V’Spirit Cruises office2. Paper ConsumptionWhile not quite the ‘paperless’ office we would like to be one day, V’Spirit Cruises is proud of the way in which we operate our paper policy. We always discourage printing and use electronic means whenever necessary. For the times that we do need to print, we ensure that the paper is recycled and that the printer is on duplex mode, allowing printing on both sides.Paper is recycled on V’Spirit Cruises3. Water consumptionAs with every office that operates for the vast majority of daylight hours, the V’Spirit Cruises office consumes a fairly large amount of water. However, some small steps have led to an overall decrease in water usage by both our building and our staff. Any leaks that we find around the office are a matter of urgency and will be dealt with swiftly while cleaning the office is done less often than before our switch to the Green Spirit attitude. At ground level, our staff is encouraged in every space with taps to use less water, while the water we do use in the staff canteen is reused as water for the garden. Artworks from recycled materials4. RecyclingAlong with the paper and the water that we mentioned earlier, our recycling efforts also incorporate whatever other materials we have. This can be plastic, glass, tin, and even wood, with each material going in specially marked boxes addressed to their eventual recycling destinations. We even up-cycle much of our office equipment such as penholders and filing cabinets from materials that would otherwise have been thrown away.Recycling in V’Spirit Cruises office

Read more
At Which Port do International Cruises Stop in Halong Bay?

At Which Port do International Cruises Stop in Halong Bay?

The draw of Halong Bay has long since reached international levels, with visitors coming from the opposite side of the world to experience its picture-perfect setting. Regardless of their origin, the millions of tourists who visit Halong Bay every year find a magical destination of forested limestone spires and the exquisite caves formed within, all sitting in an emerald sea that rolls up to remote islands’ shores.[incredible_toc]For cruise passengers on many international cruise lines, Halong Bay represents a wonderful starting destination or a beautiful conclusion to tours to and from Hong Kong or Singapore. Before departing on such a cruise, many potential passengers research which port international cruises stop at in Halong Bay, in order to assess their time and distance allowances for their one day on land. For the benefit of passengers eager to explore the north of Vietnam, here is the Incredible Asia Journeys list of day trips from Halong Bay’s cruise liner port.1. Sun Group Halong International Cruise Port - Updated 2024From 3rd May 2019, Sun Group has announced the opening of the Sun Halong International Cruise Port at Bai Chay Commune in Halong City. The Sun International Port officially opened on 28th April 2019 with top-of-line facilities designed to serve the international tourists visiting Halong.The Sun International Cruise Port can hold up to 300 ships and the facilities can serve the high-speedboat, yachts and overnight cruises. It is very convenient because it is close to the Halong City, Market, restaurants and Sun World Entertainment Complex.Halong International Cruise Port2. An Introduction to Cai Lan Port, Halong BayInternational cruise passengers touch down every few days at Cai Lan port in Vietnam’s northeastern corner. The port lies in the north of Halong City, just above Halong Bay, facing onto the Cua Luc harbour where cruise liners anchor for the day. On a typical itinerary, cruise liners arrive at Cai Lan at about 07:00 or 08:00, leaving at some point between 20:00 and 22:00 to head back into the open sea.The large time allowance gives visitors plenty of options for day trips from Cai Lan port. Many passengers opt to stick to the immediate shoreline and enjoy some of the famous attractions of the coast for which Vietnam is known, but many search for excitement further afield in the country’s highly cultural capital, Hanoi.As with everything around Halong city, Cai Lan port is surrounded by jutting limestone karts, providing a resplendent first impression of Vietnam as international cruise passengers pull up to the shore. After passing under the Bai Chay bridge, which connects the two halves of Halong City, tourists will be left for the day on land and the chance to join an organised tour from Cai Lan port to anywhere within a few hours’ driving distance.2.1. Cai Lan Port to Halong BayOf all the things to do around Cai Lan port, the most popular is certainly to visit Halong Bay, a seascape unlike any other on Earth. The distance from Halong City’s cruise liner port to Halong Bay is a very minimal 14km and its route cuts through the western half of Halong city, with readily available taxi services at the port taking about 20 minutes to complete the journey. The destination port is Tuan Chau Harbour, from where all-day and overnight cruises to Halong Bay leave. Both private tours and group tours are available from Tuan Chau, but cruises should be booked beforehand with a reputable tour company in order to get a reliable deal, as some of the more unscrupulous practices at the harbour prey on tourists looking for a bargain.At Tuan Chau harbour, your cruise will leave into the breathtaking world of Halong Bay and take you to many of the sites available for exploration here. These include a multitude of caves with astounding rock formations within, vibrant fishing villages where families live directly on floating rafts atop the water, and a host of magnificent tree-clad islands containing white sand beaches at their bases. Tours last either 4 or 6 hours cruising in Halong Bay and can be booked with Incredible Asia Journeys here.A Halong Bay cruise is waiting for you to experienceTours will end in the late afternoon or evening time, giving you a chance to either head back to the international cruise port or explore the wonders of Halong City. Finishing your Halong Bay day trip from Cai Lan port before sunset presents the opportunity to watch the magical spectacle from atop the Sun World Ferris Wheel or, for the more active cruise passengers, from the top of Bai Tho Mountain.2.2. Cai Lan Port to Lan Ha BayJust below Halong Bay lies a seascape of similar contoured rocks and their rain-eroded facades – Lan Ha Bay. For tourists looking for a quieter alternative to the occasionally crowded Halong Bay, Lan Ha Bay presents the perfect package with serene waters, quiet coves and the tranquil advantages of its indistinguishable appearance from its famous neighbour. Heading from Cai Lan port to a Lan Ha Bay daytrip is one of the less explored options for passengers on international cruises, but one that can reap a lot of benefits for those who undertake it.Once such benefit, along with the quieter waters, is an increase in cruising time. Around 7 hours is usual for a Lan Ha Bay day trip, offering one of the best options for things to do from Cai Lan port. The longer travel time of 1 hour to the departure terminal, Got harbour, means that you will get back to Halong city later, but still with plenty of time to explore before returning to your cruise liner in the evening.The magnificent scenery of Halong Bay2.3. Cai Lan Port to HanoiEspecially towards the end of an international cruise, passengers can arrive at Cai Lan Port with cruising fatigue, eager to head out for some land-based action. For this, Hanoi is well positioned, requiring a 3–3.5 hour drive from the cruise port and providing a fantastic account of Vietnamese culture, history and architecture. Customisable day trips to Hanoi from Halong’s harbour will show you the best of the capital through its beautiful attractions, starting in the Old Quarter. This is the historic and bustling centre, where street food stalls sit in front of layers of historical architecture, dating from as far back as the 6th century and spanning the dynasties and colonial rulers that have taken residence there since. Museums such as the Museum of Ethnology and Hoa Lo Prison Museum take you through the turbulent history and prosperous current state of Vietnam, while religious sites such as the Temple of Literature, Tran Quoc Pagoda and Ngoc Son Temple offer gorgeous aesthetics as well as a window into current culture.On a full-day tour of Hanoi from Cai Lan port, cruise passengers will return to their international liner with plenty of time to spare until their departure. If this sounds like an appealing option, then click here and opt to create your own tailored trip with Incredible Asia Journeys, including transport, lunch, all entry fees and a professional tour guide.

Read more

Categories Blog

CREATE MY TRIP
Planning your perfect Tailor-Made trip

[email protected]

Thank you for submitting your booking request with us. Please kindly check your email!

24/7 Customer Support
Incredible Asia Journeys - Trusted Vietnam Tour Operator

Incredible Asia Journeys - Trusted Vietnam Tour Operator

Build
WhatsApp
© 2024 Incredible Asia Journeys. All rights reserved DMCA.com Protection Status
Build Enquire WhatsApp