Sunny Weather - Outdoors
Fortunately we had taken the advice of our hotel reception and taken the outdoor trips to Halong Bay in sunny weather. you can take a one day trip, an overnight trip - two days one night; or three days, two nights.
We also walked around the outside of the lake. In the evening we sat at a top floor open to the air restaurant admiring the view. (Avalon BBQ.)
By day we visited the historic pagoda a few steps along a causeway into the lake. Small entrance fee. Stop to buy a ticket at one end, the start, because you will be stopped at the other end if you want to continue into the pagoda. Inside all lush red and gold.
Open Top Bus Tour
On the hop on hop off bus I suggest you start early, get a whole day ticket.
On a fine day we were able to do the temple of Literature, a series of exhibitions in successive courtyards. Again an outdoor event, although you could try to keep to the walkways.
Opposite it is another paid for attraction, so allow time to buy a ticket and make use of it if you want to do two places in one stop.
Indoors
We took a short hop on off bus tour, ending at the prison museum near home (our hotel). Glum and grim. Not the ideal place for honeymooners. It does explain the Vietnamese point of view, of history anti ('colonial' French, and anti-American). By the time you reach the end, about reconciliation, you are too tired to read and too overwhelmed by the emotion of the first half. (The alternative, opposite view is given in Wikipedia when you look up Vietcong.)
If it drizzles, you can take the lower, enclosed deck of the open top bus.
You can also do tours in mini-buses. Find out about your so-called English speaking guide and whether they will point out landmarks on the way. If not, get a map and do your own research and ask about the route.
On a dull and drizzly December day we looked for museums offering indoor experiences. We looked at the top ten things to do in Hanoi and The National Museum of history was one of them. It was easy to walk to it in the old city where many hotels are situated.
I have been on a training tour for London tour guides in London, England. They are extremely well-trained. They known the history of every building and statue and bridge you pass. If the bus is stuck in a jam, they have a series of card index card reminders of British songs, songs about London, anecdotes to keep you entertained.
However, leaving Hanoi for Halong Bay, our pick-up guide was busy organizing the route and checking off people being collected, including a couple missed.
We then switched to another guide who gave us a complicated history of a bridge and lake, with unpronouncable and unmemorable people and dates, in one ear and out the other. If we had read up on the Hanoi history and lakes and bridges in advance it might have made sense.
Your combined ticket takes you into two adjacent museums. We did the modern one first. (See earlier post.)
(more text and photos shortly.
Travel information
For hotels
booking.com
Comparison site:
https://www.clicktripz.com/rates/search/index
For airlines
travelok.com
vietJetair.com (Comprehensive list of budget airlines in Wikivoyage.)
For transport
https://www.grab.com/vn/en/
Language
Duolingo.com
(Remember to click on the sound symbol to hear how words are pronounced.)
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.
Fortunately we had taken the advice of our hotel reception and taken the outdoor trips to Halong Bay in sunny weather. you can take a one day trip, an overnight trip - two days one night; or three days, two nights.
We also walked around the outside of the lake. In the evening we sat at a top floor open to the air restaurant admiring the view. (Avalon BBQ.)
By day we visited the historic pagoda a few steps along a causeway into the lake. Small entrance fee. Stop to buy a ticket at one end, the start, because you will be stopped at the other end if you want to continue into the pagoda. Inside all lush red and gold.
Open Top Bus Tour
On the hop on hop off bus I suggest you start early, get a whole day ticket.
On a fine day we were able to do the temple of Literature, a series of exhibitions in successive courtyards. Again an outdoor event, although you could try to keep to the walkways.
Opposite it is another paid for attraction, so allow time to buy a ticket and make use of it if you want to do two places in one stop.
Indoors
We took a short hop on off bus tour, ending at the prison museum near home (our hotel). Glum and grim. Not the ideal place for honeymooners. It does explain the Vietnamese point of view, of history anti ('colonial' French, and anti-American). By the time you reach the end, about reconciliation, you are too tired to read and too overwhelmed by the emotion of the first half. (The alternative, opposite view is given in Wikipedia when you look up Vietcong.)
Ho Chi Minh statue in museum.
If it drizzles, you can take the lower, enclosed deck of the open top bus.
You can also do tours in mini-buses. Find out about your so-called English speaking guide and whether they will point out landmarks on the way. If not, get a map and do your own research and ask about the route.
On a dull and drizzly December day we looked for museums offering indoor experiences. We looked at the top ten things to do in Hanoi and The National Museum of history was one of them. It was easy to walk to it in the old city where many hotels are situated.
I have been on a training tour for London tour guides in London, England. They are extremely well-trained. They known the history of every building and statue and bridge you pass. If the bus is stuck in a jam, they have a series of card index card reminders of British songs, songs about London, anecdotes to keep you entertained.
However, leaving Hanoi for Halong Bay, our pick-up guide was busy organizing the route and checking off people being collected, including a couple missed.
We then switched to another guide who gave us a complicated history of a bridge and lake, with unpronouncable and unmemorable people and dates, in one ear and out the other. If we had read up on the Hanoi history and lakes and bridges in advance it might have made sense.
Your combined ticket takes you into two adjacent museums. We did the modern one first. (See earlier post.)
(more text and photos shortly.
Travel information
For hotels
booking.com
Comparison site:
https://www.clicktripz.com/rates/search/index
For airlines
travelok.com
vietJetair.com (Comprehensive list of budget airlines in Wikivoyage.)
For transport
https://www.grab.com/vn/en/
Language
Duolingo.com
(Remember to click on the sound symbol to hear how words are pronounced.)
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.
Please share links to your favourite posts. I have several more on Hanoi, Halong Bay and Vietnam.
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