Early afternoon in Halong Bay -- How to spend the time?

[dani negreanu]

Our Millie cruise overnights in Halong Bay, from 1PM on Dec. 18th, to 10PM on Dec. 19th.

We decided against traveling many hours to and from Hanoi, and booked a Halong Bay cruise for Dec. 19th, from 9AM to 4PM.

Any ideas how to spend the early afternoon in Halong Bay, assuming we'll be off the ship at 2PM?

We've been offered an excursions to a neighboring village, Yen Duc, but it amounts to 150$ pp for a party of 5. Wayyyy to much!!!

Thanks,

[ghstudio]

Our suggestion for that port is to hire a private guide (perhaps with others who want to do this from your roll call) who will schedule an afternoon cruise in halong bay and then drive you to Hanoi for dinner and overnight in a hotel. Then see Hanoi at night and next day. We did this when the highway was terrible...4 hours each way from ship to Hanoi. I understand there may be a new highway open which makes it a two hour journey...but still 4 hours on bus in one day to see Hanoi is a bit much.

[dani negreanu]

Our suggestion for that port is to hire a private guide (perhaps with others who want to do this from your roll call) who will schedule an afternoon cruise in halong bay and then drive you to Hanoi for dinner and overnight in a hotel. Then see Hanoi at night and next day. We did this when the highway was terrible...4 hours each way from ship to Hanoi. I understand there may be a new highway open which makes it a two hour journey...but still 4 hours on bus in one day to see Hanoi is a bit much.

 

Thank you for your kind reply.

May be I didn't explain myself clearly -- we're already booked for a cruise in Halong Bay, which is the highlight of this cruise for us.

We're wondering what to do in the early afternoon of the first day.

[ghstudio]

I understood...I was suggesting a different way to split your time to see both Hanoi and cruise Halong Bay. As far as I recall, there is very little to do where the ship docks. Best bet is probably to see if there is a ship's tour that afternoon.

[alwaysonaship]

We were on Silversea and decided to pass on the long trip to Hanoi, and just got off the ship walked around, and took some pictures. It was a good way to spend the day.

[ghstudio]

We were on Silversea and decided to pass on the long trip to Hanoi, and just got off the ship walked around, and took some pictures. It was a good way to spend the day.

 

I'm not sure the Silversea and the Millenium dock at the same locations.....I think the silversea may dock closer to hanoi.

[NantahalaCruiser]

Really nothing to do other than the excellent bay cruises that you are already doing. Just enjoy your afternoon on-board while many are on their way to Hanoi - little or no chair hogs!

[zanderblue]

There is another town called Hongai. It is the other side of the bridge and is an old town much less impacted by the tourist dollar. You can pick up a taxi/guide pretty easily where the tenders drop you off. It’s only about 20 minutes to get there.

There are a couple of temples and a local market. Also a very nice boulevard to stroll along at the edge of the bay.

The whole trip took us about 3 hours and cost about $25. We agreed price before we left.

[alwaysonaship]

I'm not sure the Silversea and the Millenium dock at the same locations.....I think the silversea may dock closer to hanoi.

Silver sea docked right in the bay. Short tender ride. It was at least 2 hrs to Hanoi. Many of the busses are not very cool, and Vietnam is quite hot.

[southernbreezes]

Authentic Asia offers 2 tours one a 4 hour the other a 6 hour for the 1st day in Halong Bay we are doing the 6 hours with them in March. The tour for a group of 5 is $62.00 - $65.00pp US. this includes the van, driver and tour guide. The tour is not listed on their website but you can email them ...ngoan.le@travelauthenticasia.com

This is the description of the tour we are doing:

OPTION 2 - Sacred Yen Tu Mountain & Truc Lam Buddhist Zen Monastery.

Notes: People with knee issue or heart issue are not advised to do this tour due to the amount of step hike up/down by yourselves on concrete paths.

Yen Tu Mountain is located about 50 kilometers from Ha Long City. The heritage site is mostly situated in a mountainous region which is about 600m above sea level. With its peak at 1,068m above sea level, Yen Tu is famous for its beautiful natural landscape and cultural heritage called the ancestral land of Truc Lam Zen Buddhism in Vietnam. With the unique landscape, architecture, culture and history, Yen Tu Relic and Landscape Complex has been recognized as a special national relic and a dossier is being prepared to submit to UNESCO for its recognition of the complex as a World Heritage Site... More information about Yen Tu sacred mountain: see here

• Pick up at 12:30 pm and drive 1,5 hrs to the foothill of the Yen Tu Mountain (also The Yen Tu historical relic), you‘ll drive past the scenic countryside of Halong, crossing many villages surrounded by bamboo fences and lime stonewalls.

Transfer by the electric car at the foothill, then take some walk up to the cable car station for a ride up to Yen Tu Mountain.

• Enjoy the splendid view from cable cars, you can see the entire landscape of Yen Tu Mountain

with ancient pagodas, temples and towers lying in immense primitive forests.

• Visit one of the Yen Tu pagodas, temples and towers are located on nearly 2,800 hectares in the Yen Tu Forest Natural Reserve which boasts a diverse tropical ecosystem. Have your cameras ready for a photo stop at the Limestone Mountains.

• We continued then hike up/down by yourselves on concrete paths for 500m higher (about 250 steps) and then walking along a path shaded by green pine trees and reached Hue Quang Tower Garden. It is the place where a tower with the statue of Buddhist King Tran Nhan Tong inside is situated. The statue is 62cm high and made of marble, featuring a monk in a meditative pose.

• Continue to walk up steps (150 steps) to Hoa Yen Pagoda which was built during the Ly Dynasty (the 11th century). Visit Hoa Yen pagoda, then return to cable car to get back to the foothill

• Electric car back to the Van and then you drive to visit to the Truc Lam Monastery which has been considered the headquarters of Truc Lam Zen Buddhism Sect in Vietnam. (Truc Lam Buddhism Zen Sect was founded by King Tran Nhan Tong (1258-1308). After successfully leading the Tran Dynasty to it final victories over two Mongol invasions (Kublaikhan troop), King Tran Nhan Tong gave the throne to his son and went to Yen Tu in 1299 to create the place, which had a significant impact on the development of Vietnamese Buddhism.

 

• Then walk to the village made up of small roads, house, village temples, street barbershops, and village coffee shops. Interact with local people and find out how they live and why they worship their ancestors. In this area, you can breathe and touch the culture of the Vietnamese community of the north.

[dani negreanu]

There is another town called Hongai. It is the other side of the bridge and is an old town much less impacted by the tourist dollar. You can pick up a taxi/guide pretty easily where the tenders drop you off. It’s only about 20 minutes to get there.

There are a couple of temples and a local market. Also a very nice boulevard to stroll along at the edge of the bay.

The whole trip took us about 3 hours and cost about $25. We agreed price before we left.

 

Thank you, it might be a good idea. Appreciate the time you took to reply.

Authentic Asia offers 2 tours one a 4 hour the other a 6 hour for the 1st day in Halong Bay we are doing the 6 hours with them in March. The tour for a group of 5 is $62.00 - $65.00pp US. this includes the van, driver and tour guide. The tour is not listed on their website but you can email them ...ngoan.le@travelauthenticasia.com

• Pick up at 12:30 pm

 

The ship docks at 1PM, and since we're not in suites and, for the moment, don't have a ship excursion booked, I imagine we'll not be out until 2PM.

 

Thank you too. Your time is very much appreciated.

We're already booked with Ngoan for the cruise in Halong Bay on the 2nd day.

She quoted almost 150$ pp (!!) for a 4 hours tour of Halong Bay city and Yen Duc village.... That's why I'm asking for other alternatives :(.