Travel Review: Northern Vietnam Family Vacation, Hanoi, Sapa, Ha Long Bay Cruise

Review by traveler

Don D.

6.20.2012

General Info

Traveler Review

Which Country (Countries) did you visit on this trip?

Vietnam

Your overall comments on the trip and the travel company:

Ms Nhu of this Vietnam travel agency in Hanoi worked diligently to put together a 9 day tour pkg for 3 adults (father, daughter and son) of Northern Vietnam; including 1 day in Hanoi, 3 days in Sapa, 3 days in Ha Long Bay and arrival and departure. We asked for a deluxe level trip with private car and tour guide along with 4+ or 5 star accommodations. Our trip was planned for the middle of April 2012. Our thoughts were to do the sight seeing in Hanoi as an orientation, do the heavy trekking in Sapa next and then relax abroad a junk in Ha Long Bay. This worked out best for us; as we were all ready for the relaxing Ha Long Bay cruise. Some times weather can play havoc with a trip like this; however the weather was perfect. Ms Nhu had everything organized and well planned; we had talked a couple times as well as several weeks of emails; however talking is the best way to communicate when it's a lot of money and once in a lifetime.

What were the most enjoyable or memorable parts of your trip?

It was a great family trip that I had wanted to do for some time. Out in the counrtyside around Sapa trekking through local paths used by the local ethnic minority people. Trekking along rice patties terraced up steep hillsides. Visiting a home to have lunch with the kids around and a group of baby pigs invading the porch to steal some food. Our guide said we trekked about 24km in 2 days and the second day in Sapa we trekked through a route that our guide said maybe only 3 or 4 groups per month would take (we had asked to include a day of hiking "off the beaten track"). On our junk in Ha Long Bay, we had picked a smaller junk with only 5 rooms. Again the cruise, the food and activities made our time very pleasurable. Besides the scenery, I enjoyed the kayaking and jigging for squid at night.

If you could take your trip again, what would you do differently?

For us we all thought just one night, instead of two nights would have been enough on Ha Long Bay and then spend another day in Hanoi. Also, be careful of your tour provider booking for the train to Sapa. Many choice exisit; ours was Fanxipan and it wasn't deluxe.

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Travel Review: Northern Vietnam Family Vacation, Hanoi, Sapa, Ha Long Bay Cruise

General Info

Which Country (Countries) did you visit on this trip?

Your overall comments on the trip and the travel company:

What were the most enjoyable or memorable parts of your trip?

If you could take your trip again, what would you do differently?

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