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Nemis
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For Halong Bay: take at least a two day tour, preferably three, with one night on a junk and one night on Cat Ba Island. If you have time, end the trip on Cat Ba so you can decide whether you want to stay a day or two there to explore the island or head back to Hanoi; organizing this from the island is not a problem at all.
For Sapa: make sure you book a tour that includes a 'homestay' with a local family, these are usually three days, two nights or four days, three nights. The shorter tours may only have some semi-disappointing short treks. Look for Hmong guides; tip generously. Do NOT get angry you feel the locals are too pushy in selling you stuff, they are poor and discriminated against and respond the only way they can to the increasing tourism. When a wealthy tourist meet a poor local, you are not the victim. |
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l d
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Ha Long Bay can be a day trip, it depends on how much time you want to spend and what you want to do.
Sapa is an overnight train trip from Ha Noi to Lao Cai, then a 1 1/2 hour bus ride to Sapa town. Definately go to Sapa!!! It is well worth the time and minimal effort required. Spend a couple of days.
Do a bit of google research and figure out what you would like to do, and set aside the time for it.
Definitely set aside a few days to explore Ha Noi too! |
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Tinamou
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Halong will be rushed if you go on a day-trip and Sapa will be virtually impossible to do in a day starting in Hanoi.
Both places have cheap backpacker accommodation, but go on a tour if you are not adventurous. Otherwise, especially Sapa is easy to get to/from (train) and to find accommodation & trekking tours in. |
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Izzy_Cool
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If you want to go to Sapa, you have to stay overnight.
Ha Long Bay can be a day trip, but its more fun to stay there overnight as well.
My advice is to take more time and enjoy yourself instead of rushing around.
Vietnam has been here for over 2000 years, so relax...we'll be here a while longer. You won't miss anything. |
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BOB
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i went on the a three day junk cruise on halong bay, one of the best vacantion experience of my life. i think there is one where u can stay on the boat and then stay on the island with the hotel and the jungle walk in the back. only bad part of the trip is the bus ride out to halong bay. very long and they stop at lots of places trying to get u to buy stuff, coming and going, but didn't seem like the kind of drive u could do on ur own. good luck whatever u do will be amazing |
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wellmaintained
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if you want to go to halong bay and sapa, go to kangaroo travel in the french quarter of hanoi, they have a budget hotel there at good prices, and if you make booking there they also give you a discount on ACCOMMODATION. they sell a 2night 3 day trip to halong bay for less than $50 us, be care full the prices range from $30 -$100,BUT DONT PAY MORE THAN $50. he also sells a 4 day 2 night package to sapa for about $100-$120 all included, do not pay more than this, i was quoted prices from $100- $250. i think both packages that i took were well done, i had a night on the junk and a night in a hotel at cat bao island on my halong bay trip. the trip to sapa on the train leaves a lot to be desired unfortunately i was on an old train , it was dirty, not well maintained, and for the eight hours i could no sleep well in the sleeper provided, the accommodation in sapa was good and good basic meals that were included. I WAS THERE IN VIETNAM TRAVELLING FOR 2 MONTHS RECENTLY |
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