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Help with tour ideas please


holidayhelen
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Hello

 

We are sailing on the NCL Jewel in March 2018 so we are starting to look for tour ideas. We are a group of 6 - our cruise calls are

 

Ko Samui- 8-5

Bangkok (overnight) - Not sure if we want to go to Bangkok

Ho Chi Minh City (Phu My), Vietnam 7-9

Hue/Da Nang (Chan May), Vietnam 8-5

Hanoi (Ha Long Bay), Vietnam -9-8

We are looking for private tours - we are not sure if we want to go to Bangkok - as its a very long trek I believe. What other options would be good?

We are also not sure we want to go to HCMC - for the same reason - we don't want to spend hours on a bus each way.

We would love a boat trip at Ha Long Bay

Anyone got any good recommendations?

Thanks in advance

H

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We are on the same cruise as you!

 

Our roll call is very active with tours already being organized for each port. If you haven't joined the roll call yet, take a look.

 

We initially planned on joining the the roll call tours, but as we don't know if we will ever get back to this part of the world again, in the end we decided to just book tours for the 2 of us. Gives us flexibility during the tour.

 

We used trip advisor and cruise critic to get ideas and then booked directly with the vendor.

 

It's more work than using a general travel company but then you know who the local tour company will be and what their actual reviews are.

 

It was overwhelming when we first started researching. Especially since we added China by land for 10 days at the end of the cruise.

 

My suggestion is research one port at a time. Once you find a tour you want to do, start the booking process and move on to the next ports research. The actual booking process may take a few days of email exchanges due to the time changes.

 

This is what we have planned:

 

For us, Ko Sumai was the most difficult to book as nothing really jumped out us. We ended up booking a private 4x4 keep trek where we don't have to share a guide and the elephant camp you go to is more humane (we may just skip that part all together).

 

Bangkok, we are staying overnight in the city. Booked a 2 day tour of the city.

 

From PhuMy, we booked a full day tour of Ho Chi Min City. We wanted to see the Chu Chi tunnels too, but after some discussion with our guide, decided that was too much to cram into one day.

 

From ChanMay, doing a day tour of HoiAn.

 

HalongBay, decided to pass on Hanoi and instead doing a full day junk tour (7 hrs)

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We are on the same cruise as you!

 

Our roll call is very active with tours already being organized for each port. If you haven't joined the roll call yet, take a look.

 

We initially planned on joining the the roll call tours, but as we don't know if we will ever get back to this part of the world again, in the end we decided to just book tours for the 2 of us. Gives us flexibility during the tour.

 

We used trip advisor and cruise critic to get ideas and then booked directly with the vendor.

 

It's more work than using a general travel company but then you know who the local tour company will be and what their actual reviews are.

 

It was overwhelming when we first started researching. Especially since we added China by land for 10 days at the end of the cruise.

 

My suggestion is research one port at a time. Once you find a tour you want to do, start the booking process and move on to the next ports research. The actual booking process may take a few days of email exchanges due to the time changes.

 

This is what we have planned:

 

For us, Ko Sumai was the most difficult to book as nothing really jumped out us. We ended up booking a private 4x4 keep trek where we don't have to share a guide and the elephant camp you go to is more humane (we may just skip that part all together).

 

Bangkok, we are staying overnight in the city. Booked a 2 day tour of the city.

 

From PhuMy, we booked a full day tour of Ho Chi Min City. We wanted to see the Chu Chi tunnels too, but after some discussion with our guide, decided that was too much to cram into one day.

 

From ChanMay, doing a day tour of HoiAn.

 

HalongBay, decided to pass on Hanoi and instead doing a full day junk tour (7 hrs)

 

 

 

Thanks for the advice. There are 6 of us so it may be better to arrange our tour privately too. Ko Sumai we fancied a beach day.

 

We dont' really want to go back to Bangkok - plus all the travelling it entails - so we thought we would try something else there.

 

Hcmc - same as above the travelling is very off putting and think we will try something with less journey time - maybe beachy.

 

Hoi an - we have not looked at at all

 

Halong Bay we really want a junk tour - who have you booked with?

 

Thanks

 

H

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Hi, Helen,

 

My thoughts, for what they're worth.......

 

Bangkok

Especially with 2 days (or even the usual day-and-a-half) IMHO the effort to get to Bangkok is well worthwhile and I'd recommend you do what we did & deefer will be doing - book an overnight hotel in the city. Unless you want to be right on the river there are plenty of very reasonably-priced hotels in the city.

Travel time from Laem Chabang port is about 90 minutes, but you need to allow at least 2.5 hours to return to the ship because the city roads are often log-jammed. There's no suitable public transport, and cars & a few vans available at the port on-spec are in a cartel which will royally screw those who've not made travel arrangements, so its important to pre-book a private van transfer over the 'net.

The afore-mentioned city traffic jams will affect a van tour - in the city rather than using a van or taxis it's quicker (and cheaper and more fun) to use the Skytrain, river ferries and tuk-tuks - but research tuk-tuk negotiations ahead of your cruise or en-route you'll be visiting the driver's cousin's carpet emporium, his uncle's wood-carving workshop and his second-aunt's jewellery store.

So consider whether you want a van tour or just a van transfer.

Put the Royal Palace, Wat Arun and a long-tail boat ride through the klongs (canals) at the top of your list of things to do though there's lots of other attractions. The express ferries have stops near the Royal Palace and Wat Arun, and at River City Pier where you can take a long-tail boat ride (probably available at other piers too). Book it at the pier office - an hour is long enough - but to keep the cost down, if you want longer book just the hour at the pier & negotiate longer with the driver.

Overniting in the city avoids duplicating that boring ride from the port and gives you an evening in the city.

 

There are some quite limited alternatives near the port, such as an elephant park or Pattaya. Walking Street in Pattaya is a bit of an eye-opener in the evenings - not suitable for kids or for gents with a heart condition :D

 

HCMC (locals still call it Saigon)

Another port that's well worth two days and an overnite hotel. Your single day does limit you but again I urge you to make the effort.

As I understand it the road from Phu My has been drastically up-graded in the past few years and travel time is now 90 minutes or less. Again, esp with a group of 6, do book either a tour or transfer in advance.

The main city sights like Reunification Hall, War Remnants museum, HCM museum, Notre Dame and the nearby Post Office building, and Ben Thanh market are all walkable, so you can choose either a van transfer or a van tour. On a map, use the Rex Hotel as a central point.

Cu Chi is a further 60 to 90 minutes up-river, and I agree with deefer's guide that it's too much in your single day.

 

Chan May port is an hour north of Da Nang.

Best options are Hue (about 90 minutes north-west) or Hoi An (about 100 minutes south). Either (but not both) is well worthwhile. If you choose Hoi An you can visit Da Nang and China Beach en-route - both have US associations tho there's not a lot to see. Also, Marble Mountain is close to China Beach and no need for the tortuous climb - an elevator has been built since we were there.

 

Halong Bay.

Again you have a single day. :(

We chose not to go to Hanoi because of the long slow drive (about 3.5 hrs e/w) and because of the alternative of a junk cruise.

Getting lost in the watery moonscape amongst the limestone karsts of the Bay is an amazing experience. And IMHO the frequent mists, far from detracting from the experience actually add to the eeriness. You need a minimum of a four-hour cruise, a six hour one is better, an eight hour cruise probably won't fit your time in Halong Bay because the junks don't sail in the dark. Don't bother with a two hour cruise, that will do little more than get you across the open part of the Bay.

And an over-full ship-sponsored junk will not give you the atmosphere.

We booked junks on-spec when we arrived (booked in the afternoon for the next day). There were about 20 of us who'd met during the cruise & hung around together, and we split between a four hour cruise on one junk & a six-hour on the other. Ideal numbers, so we could all sit inside or lie on the saloon roof. I guess the junk would have held 30 or more, and similar-size junks arranged for ship-sponsored tours were doing just that.

I won't tell you how cheap the day was, cos I doubt you'd believe me. But it was a few years ago, and winging-it was taking a big chance on availability. Especially having only a single day you really need a guaranteed booking and an early start.

 

Sorry, can't help with Koh Samui

 

JB :)

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Hi, Helen,

 

My thoughts, for what they're worth.......

 

Bangkok

Especially with 2 days (or even the usual day-and-a-half) IMHO the effort to get to Bangkok is well worthwhile and I'd recommend you do what we did & deefer will be doing - book an overnight hotel in the city. Unless you want to be right on the river there are plenty of very reasonably-priced hotels in the city.

Travel time from Laem Chabang port is about 90 minutes, but you need to allow at least 2.5 hours to return to the ship because the city roads are often log-jammed. There's no suitable public transport, and cars & a few vans available at the port on-spec are in a cartel which will royally screw those who've not made travel arrangements, so its important to pre-book a private van transfer over the 'net.

The afore-mentioned city traffic jams will affect a van tour - in the city rather than using a van or taxis it's quicker (and cheaper and more fun) to use the Skytrain, river ferries and tuk-tuks - but research tuk-tuk negotiations ahead of your cruise or en-route you'll be visiting the driver's cousin's carpet emporium, his uncle's wood-carving workshop and his second-aunt's jewellery store.

So consider whether you want a van tour or just a van transfer.

Put the Royal Palace, Wat Arun and a long-tail boat ride through the klongs (canals) at the top of your list of things to do though there's lots of other attractions. The express ferries have stops near the Royal Palace and Wat Arun, and at River City Pier where you can take a long-tail boat ride (probably available at other piers too). Book it at the pier office - an hour is long enough - but to keep the cost down, if you want longer book just the hour at the pier & negotiate longer with the driver.

Overniting in the city avoids duplicating that boring ride from the port and gives you an evening in the city.

 

There are some quite limited alternatives near the port, such as an elephant park or Pattaya. Walking Street in Pattaya is a bit of an eye-opener in the evenings - not suitable for kids or for gents with a heart condition :D

 

HCMC (locals still call it Saigon)

Another port that's well worth two days and an overnite hotel. Your single day does limit you but again I urge you to make the effort.

As I understand it the road from Phu My has been drastically up-graded in the past few years and travel time is now 90 minutes or less. Again, esp with a group of 6, do book either a tour or transfer in advance.

The main city sights like Reunification Hall, War Remnants museum, HCM museum, Notre Dame and the nearby Post Office building, and Ben Thanh market are all walkable, so you can choose either a van transfer or a van tour. On a map, use the Rex Hotel as a central point.

Cu Chi is a further 60 to 90 minutes up-river, and I agree with deefer's guide that it's too much in your single day.

 

Chan May port is an hour north of Da Nang.

Best options are Hue (about 90 minutes north-west) or Hoi An (about 100 minutes south). Either (but not both) is well worthwhile. If you choose Hoi An you can visit Da Nang and China Beach en-route - both have US associations tho there's not a lot to see. Also, Marble Mountain is close to China Beach and no need for the tortuous climb - an elevator has been built since we were there.

 

Halong Bay.

Again you have a single day. :(

We chose not to go to Hanoi because of the long slow drive (about 3.5 hrs e/w) and because of the alternative of a junk cruise.

Getting lost in the watery moonscape amongst the limestone karsts of the Bay is an amazing experience. And IMHO the frequent mists, far from detracting from the experience actually add to the eeriness. You need a minimum of a four-hour cruise, a six hour one is better, an eight hour cruise probably won't fit your time in Halong Bay because the junks don't sail in the dark. Don't bother with a two hour cruise, that will do little more than get you across the open part of the Bay.

And an over-full ship-sponsored junk will not give you the atmosphere.

We booked junks on-spec when we arrived (booked in the afternoon for the next day). There were about 20 of us who'd met during the cruise & hung around together, and we split between a four hour cruise on one junk & a six-hour on the other. Ideal numbers, so we could all sit inside or lie on the saloon roof. I guess the junk would have held 30 or more, and similar-size junks arranged for ship-sponsored tours were doing just that.

I won't tell you how cheap the day was, cos I doubt you'd believe me. But it was a few years ago, and winging-it was taking a big chance on availability. Especially having only a single day you really need a guaranteed booking and an early start.

 

Sorry, can't help with Koh Samui

 

JB :)

 

Thank you so much for the info. I will investigate further

 

H

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John Bull's info is great as usual - here's a bit extra from our experience from two cruises on the Volendam.

Laem Chabang.

The first visit (2015) we stayed local and did two separate tours (with four other people from our roll call) by pre booking a local taxi. On the first day we visited Nong Nooch Gardens; Viharnra Sien Sattahip (Chinese Temple), Pattaya Floating Market. On the second day we visited Pattaya, Pattaya View Point at Khao Pratumnak, Big Buddha at Wat Phra Yai, Sanctuary of Truth. The taxi cost us 3000baht each day.

On our second visit (2016) we went into Bangkok overnight - again we shared a taxi minivan with four others from the roll call and stayed in the same hotel to make the transfers easier. We did our own thing in Bangkok as we have been there before, but early on the second day we all rented a long tail boat and did a canal tour which was good fun. The minivan was booked with Pattaya 4 Leisure and cost 3000baht each way. We stayed at the Mode Sathorn and paid 2913 baht (room and breakfast). We chose this location as it is next to a Skyrail station and one stop from the river for the excellent river boat service. As JB says, Bangkok roads are usually gridlocked.

So in total we paid approx 5000 baht ($150) for accommodation and transport - the whole two days, for two people, was about $250 for everything. This was significantly cheaper than anything HAL had to offer.

Phu My.

The first visit we did a tour of HCMC with Dung Zoom with other members of our roll call. On our second visit we didn't want to travel as far so I organised a tour through Dung for members of the roll call. This is what I posted:

Having visited Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) before, we have been looking for a tour that avoids the hustle and bustle of the big city and is closer to the port of Phu My. We have always wanted to visit the Cu Chi tunnels but realise they are too far from the port for a worth while day visit. So, after much searching we have booked a full day tour with Dung Zoom to the nearby Long Phuoc tunnels and the seaside community of Vung Tau. Zoom provided our successful tour to HCMC on our last visit to Vietnam and is highly rated by Cruisecritic members.

The tour, in a 12-seat a/c van includes an English speaking guide, local guide in Long Phuoc, permit and tickets and bottled water .

The tour will commence at around 8am from the port of Phu My and will travel around the southern side of the Long Hai mountains, through the community of Ba Ria to Long Phuoc. The journey is around 30km through typical Vietnamese countryside with lush rice fields, market gardens and farm houses that line the road.

The Long Phuoc tunnels were originally dug for use against the French and were extended for use in the Vietnam War. The tour allows access to the tunnels, including a life-sized hospital room, kitchen and bedrooms. These were the first tunnels in Vietnam, they are original and not dug (or widened) especially for tourists. (May also include a visit to Long Tan Cross - Australian war memorial).

From Long Phuoc, the tour continues to Vung Tau, approximately 25km. Vung Tau is a favourite weekend beach escape destination for family vacations from Ho Chi Minh City. Vung Tau was known as Cap Saint-Jacques under French occupation and was a popular beach resort for French, Australian and American service personnel. The tour includes visits to:

*Nui Nho (Nho Mount) leading to the spectacular Statue of Jesus. Standing at 32m in height with 18.3m long arms (the locals claim it is 6m larger than Rio’s Christ the Redeemer), this statue serves as an excellent vantage point to admire the whole city and shoreline. The visit to the statue involves approx 900 steps, but it can be viewed from lower down.

*Niet Ban Tinh Xa (Nirvana Pagoda), the majestic statue of a recumbent Buddha, where visitors strike the giant bronze bell for luck.

*The White Villa (Bach Dinh) – once the weekend retreat of French Governor Paul Doumer (later French President). The villa is a beautiful colonial-era residence with extensive gardens.

*The Whale Temple (Thang Tam), which worships the remains of a whale washed up onto the Vung Tau shore over 100 years ago.

*Vung Tau Lighthouse. With its peak located 170 meters above sea level, the lighthouse offers panoramic views of the city - this stop depends on time available.

Return to the port of Phu My with plenty of time before the ship departs.

 

The cost of the tour is $45pp. Lunch will be taken at some point during the day but is not included in the price.

It was a wonderful day.

Koh Samui - on the two occasions we visited the island we got a taxi at the port (for 6) and went to the Imperial Boat House Hotel for a relaxing day on the beach. There is a fee of 500 baht ($15) pp but it includes towels, loungers and umbrellas on the beach and by the pool, changing/shower facilities, wifi, and a simple lunch from the bar menu and a drink. A short distance down the quiet beach are beach bars and Thai massage. The taxi picked us up at a pre-arranged time - journey time about 40 mins.

Hope this helps.

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Halong Bay we really want a junk tour - who have you booked with?

 

Thanks

 

H

 

We chartered a small junk with indochina junk for the day.

 

We booked a few months ago, at the time they only had 2 junks for us to pick from. Most junks were for overnight.

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