Lan Ha Bay & Cat Ba Island
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I still remember that day when my boat was approaching the island at the sunset. I saw some simple buildings along coastline and rock mountains behind them. At that time there was no electricity on the island yet and the locals had to use generators at night. Today Cát Bà island is a very popular tourist destination and it has changed a lot. The purpose of my trip this time was to visit Lan Hạ bay which is located south east of the island. I planned to do this tour 3 years ago on my last visit but I missed it.
As soon I stepped out of my bus, a Vietnamese man approached me to introduce his hotel at the center of the island. I chose to stay at his hotel and had a room on the 5th floor. It was not pleasant to walk and down stairs, but I had a great view of the bay and fishing boats. It was the same view that I got at this place 20 years ago. When I woke up in the morning, I saw fishing boats and islands in the mist. March is in the low tourist season, so I got a cheap room. During the summer time, the same room can be 5 times more expensive. The one day tour to Lan Hạ bay costs USD20. It starts at 8am and finishes at 5pm.
The first destination on the tour is Monkey Island and I saw about 10 monkeys there. Tourists can get a great view of the bay from the top of a mountain. I gave up climbing up this mountain in the middle of the way as it was very hard to walk up and down narrow rocks with my sandals. After that our boat went up to Hạ Long bay for tourists to do kayaking. I didn't do kayaking and planned to stay on boat, but a Vietnamese guy working on our boat was very kind to show me around the area by a little boat. I was disappointed to see some parts of Hạ Long bay was quite dirty. It was very different with 10 or 20 years ago.
After having lunch on boat, tourists could swim for 30 minutes in a clean area of the bay and it closes to some nice beaches. The most exciting part of the day was to watch tourists jumping down sea water from the top of a rock island. It's 15m high and for some tourists it was quite scary and it took them a lot of time to think if they could jump down or not. There was only a girl doing this, while there were about 10 young western guys. They needed good shoes to climb up rock and braveness to jump down. It was good fun for everyone and in some cases we as audiences had to give them encouragement by counting "1, 2, 3, jump!".
The tour finished at 5pm and we went back to the center of Cát Bà island. The weather was not good so my photos didn't look great. As always, it's good to get out of Hanoi for a few days to get some fresh air of the sea, enjoy seafood, see new places and meet new people.
Travel tips: You can travel at cheap costs like I did. Bus and boat ticket from Hanoi to Cát Bà island at Hoàng Long bus company VND 220,000 (USD 11). Hydrofoil from Cát Bà island to Hai Phong city VND 150,000 (about USD 7.5), bus from Hải Phòng to Hanoi VND 70,000 (USD 3.5). Tour to Lan Hạ bay VND 420,000 (USD 20). If you book this tour at Alibaba hotel, it will be cheaper as this is the original place where they organize the tour.
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Reviews from Customers
Please take a look at the following reviews from our customers
James Madison
08/31/2018
Excellent experience
It was an experience, that you will never forget, how it would have been during the war, with no light, food and much air and space. If you are able it is definitely worth going in the tunnel. It is not very long and a little bit of light and air. We will come back Cu Chi Tunnels again
James Madison
08/31/2018
Excellent experience
It was an experience, that you will never forget, how it would have been during the war, with no light, food and much air and space. If you are able it is definitely worth going in the tunnel. It is not very long and a little bit of light and air
Sow Fung
07/15/2015
Great time with the Halong bay & Bai Tu Long bay
Hello Hung ! A big hello from the us. We are checked into Queen hotel and also have been given free access to the internet for 1 night! Thank you for getting a wonderful trip - we had a lot of fun with the Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay cruise, as well since the memorable "picnic" on the actual private beach with white We will have some more days to explore this particular exotic city you known as home, and will be bringing back around many fond of reminiscences Take care Sow Fung & Laurence.
Lucie & Ruud
07/15/2015
Memorial trip Vietnam
Hi Nam, As promised some pictures from the great trip to Vietnam. We'd a marvelous time and also have good memories to your countrie and also the people there. We enjoyed the trip greatly, you did a great job. Say hello towards the driver. Greatings from Lucie as well as Ruud.
Martin - Denmark
07/15/2015
Thank you
Hello Giang What a nice surprise to know from you. Here in little Denmark we're approching the authum and also the weather is not such as in Vietnam: -( the sun i shinning however the tempeture is only 5 C so it's the beginning to obtain colder.As you know the two of us started on our brand new jobs on September 17 and sofar it's been a very good but additionally very busy period for that both of us. We really enjoyed our vacation in Vietnam and much because of your effort in telling all of us about Vietnam and bringing us nearer to the local Vietnam lifestyle. I promised you an image of our house as well as I enclosed one within this mail. Next week we are experiencing some very good buddies visiting us and by then I must finalize the "video" of all of the about 1100 pictues that people took during our journey. But right now it's a video lasting over two hours so I will need to shorten it for almost 1 hour. But we have some excellent memories connected to nearly every picture - so that isn't a very easy job. I took the freedom to send two of those to you here additionally. We are "in our minds" ready planing the next day at Vietnam but we don't know when it will end up being yet - but if it rises north don´t worry we will demand you. I hope this particular mail goes well. We both whish you best wishes for the future and we don't doubt that you together with your skills will acchive your own goal. Yours sincerly Helle as well as Martin.
Mr. James Duffy - Program Manager - Indian
07/15/2015
Thank you for your sense of responsibility, courtesy and your hospitality
Dear Mr. Dzung Nguyen, Regards. I must thank you for the sense of responsibility, courtesy as well as your hospitality, which enhance image of the country. I started loving your country as well as your countrymen. When I investigated your vietnam history, I'm really amazed. Covey my thanks to your company for having provided a great service for my vietnam visit. I have not given anything great like a quantity of business. However, You respected me and encouraged me to return again to Vietnam, after i first time could not enter your country. I would always remember you and getting excited about your visit to Indian. Thanks a lot. Your own truly,
Chin Choo
07/15/2015
Wonderful time in Hanoi and Halong Bay
Dear Phu Hope this postal mail finds you well. I returned to Malaysia last 7 days. I had a wonderful amount of time in Hanoi and Halong Bay. Thanks to the nice people who I met during the trip in addition to thanks to you to be such a wonderful visit guide. I will certainly visit Hanoi again. I attach a few of the photos which I took throughout the Halong Bay trip that you should see. How are things along with you? That's all for right now. Regards Chin Choo.
Alicia
07/15/2015
Thank you for wonderful Hanoi & Halong Bay trip
Hello Giang, Just wanted to give you thanks for taking our team (St John Bosco) close to Hanoi and Ha Long Bay. You taught us a lot and we all skipped you after we remaining for Sapa. There is really a photo attached to this email for you personally. Hope you are nicely, from Alicia.
Erika and Bruno.
07/15/2015
Good time in Vietnam
Hi Sing! Hello Chochichäschtli! (The new word that you simply lerned about the furniture within the kitchen) Howe are you? We had a excellent time in Vietnam. The north part as well as the area in the southern was very interesting. Concerning the weather we are lucky because we'd always sunny days as well as hot. Now we're in the cold Switzerland. Any days ago we'd for this wintertime the first snow. Best regards and a great time whithout rain!! Silvia as well as Pius Erika and Bruno.
