Halong Bay

[weliketocruise86]

 

Amazing video, thank you for sharing

[emileg]

Thank you for posting this fascinating video. My mouth is watering for our cruise through SE Asia next month.

[sing]

Hi, would you mind telling us who you used to book your full day Halong Bay tours? Can't seem to find any providers originating from Halong Bay (rather than Hanoi).

 

We will be on the 2/17 sailing arriving in Halong at 7am and would like to do a single all day tour and skip Hanoi.

 

We visited Halong Bay for one day on HAL's ms Volendam in December.

 

If you're interested in a private charter, we were very happy with our choice. We went with "Life Heritage Resort Halong Bay" - they have very new private boats for two passengers (overnight) or four (day tours). We paid US$290 for a four-hour cruise, which included transfers from the tender pier, a crew of three on the luxurious private junk, lunch on board, and use of their life jackets and kayaks. We didn't visit any caves because we preferred to kayak. We thought it was good value, and the highlight of the cruise. We emailed the resort directly and organized everything via email, and paid at the resort of the day.

[nanwel]

I loved that HalongBay has not changed in many years, the families went about their fishing and life and for the most part, did not seem to notice us. But, there are some families that make it a buisness to forage from the tourists.

The children are beautiful, but some have been taught to scale the side of our tour boats, and steel anything they can get their hands on and disappear very quickly - be very cautious not to take out any wallets, or leave money or cameras on the seats, table etc - the guides try to shoo them off, but some tourists encourage them with candy and small change - a very bad decision. If you take their pics, they demand $$$

It was a very earily foggy day with light rain in early Feb when i was there, and a light wateproof jacket was necessary, not cold, but damp. If you go to the caves, wear good shoes, sandals would be very slippery getting on and off the boats/docks and rocks - not really proper steps, very rustic.

Truly an adventure I loved!!

[sandancer]

Thanks for the advice. I had planned to take some goodies to give to the children at the fishing village but it sounds like that might be a mistake. I would appreciate any other input on this subject.

[sandancer]

It wasnt particularly cold but foggy all day, I think it could be much colder some days. If you have long pants and a wind/waterproof warm jacket you should be fine. If its cold upstairs on the deck you can always go downstairs and sit inside.

 

You will soon warm up climbing up to the cave, then climbing even further up to the lookout they stop at!

 

Most people got a bit wet kayaking, take a towel and change of clothes in your backpack!

 

And don't expect deluxe to have the same meaning in Vietnam as at home ;)

Could you please confirm the dock used by Celebrity. When I called them they told me it would be Bay Chai ferry terminal. I have arranged to meet our guide there but would prefer confirmation from someone who has actually been there. I find if you ring the cruise line 3 times, you will get 3 different answers. Thanks a lot

[nanwel]

Please do not take "treats" for the children - think third world - they usually live on their fishing boats, and although they live on the ocean, they do not have potable water to do things like brush teeth.

If you want to give note books, pencils, little toys - they could use them. Also, their palate is very different from ours, usually our sweet is not one they are used to. Some of the children live on a boat city - never go to land, and even the school is on a boat, they only go until they reach grade 3 - then they work. Most of the children we saw were very young, and still with mom - but, they sure new how to put on the charm and beg for money. (remember the stuff we buy here came from there, and is much cheaper over in asia).

[sandancer]

By treats I meant pencils and crayons - not sweets.

[nanwel]

Great!! - i am sure they will love that!

[LdyDDS]

Hi, would you mind telling us who you used to book your full day Halong Bay tours? Can't seem to find any providers originating from Halong Bay (rather than Hanoi).

 

will be on the 2/17 sailing arriving in Halong at 7am and would like to do a single all day tour and skip Hanoi.

 

We did not have a full day tour in Ha Long Bay...It was only a few hours. We did not book a separate tour for Ha Long Bay. Our Saigon tour operator met us at Ha Long Bay and took us on that tour and then to Hanoi.

[tiggerman101]

 

Thank you. So looking forward to our upcoming Asia trip in March.

[lou51]

Also interested in a day cruise with no overnight since we are only there for a full day. Willing to join up with another group. We are a party of 3.

Any contact details or recommendations would be most welcome.

[sandancer]

Hello Lou. Can I suggest that you post this on the rollcall for your cruise if you want to share a tour. Also welcome to Cruise Critic.

[patca]

Could you please confirm the dock used by Celebrity. When I called them they told me it would be Bay Chai ferry terminal. I have arranged to meet our guide there but would prefer confirmation from someone who has actually been there. I find if you ring the cruise line 3 times, you will get 3 different answers. Thanks a lot

 

Just returned from our Holiday cruise on Celebrity. We did tender into Bae Chay Ferry terminal. We were able to obtain priority tender passes for our group of 12 from Guest Relations and were on the first tender. This is a very "rustic" terminal - an old ferry boat tied up to the shore. Our guide was waiting for us upon arrival. Some operators are charging $25 port fee, but this is no port - no fee required. Any other questions, let me know.

Pat

[sandancer]

Pat, we are meeting our guide at the Halong Plaza hotel at Bae Chay gate 8. Do you recall seeing this hotel, they tell me it is very close to the tender dock. Thanks

[patca]

There were several hotels in the area. Sorry, I did not notice the names of them. It was about a 10 minute ride to the junk. Pat

[soxycastle]

We are also taking the Halong Bay option. After reading on here about the journey into Hanoi by bus we took the easy option and booked a junk for an 8 hour private cruise. We ended up paying $55 each for a de luxe junk including lunch. It took me many months to fill the spots as most of the rollcall seem to prefer Hanoi. In the event we now have a group of 12 sharing a junk that takes 30. Perfect.

 

 

Hi sandance,

 

Are you booked on Feb 3rd Northbound cruise? We are very new to this and are dying to do a Halong bay tour...any chance u feel like squeezing two extra honeymooners to this one since the junk takes 30?? We would appreciate it so much!

 

please let me know!

 

Evi and Tim

[david181]

:)

You can choose to get on small boat to visit Halong Bay 1/2 day

 

If you have full day, you leave Halong to visit Hanoi city. It is worth to visit this rich history city

 

13th Feb is on Tet Lunar New Year in Vietnam, everything is more expensive than normal days. Make sure book tour inadvance to have trip as your expectation

[soxycastle]

:)

You can choose to get on small boat to visit Halong Bay 1/2 day

 

If you have full day, you leave Halong to visit Hanoi city. It is worth to visit this rich history city

 

13th Feb is on Tet Lunar New Year in Vietnam, everything is more expensive than normal days. Make sure book tour inadvance to have trip as your expectation

 

 

Thanks david181, but how do i go about booking this? That's where i am confused....how do i arrange a private tour before we go or does everyone get to tender aboard and then tours can be booked on the shore? im just very confused?

[sing]

We visited Halong Bay for one day on HAL's ms Volendam in December.

 

If you're interested in a private charter, we were very happy with our choice. We went with "Life Heritage Resort Halong Bay" - they have very new private boats for two passengers (overnight) or four (day tours). We paid US$290 for a four-hour cruise, which included transfers from the tender pier, a crew of three on the luxurious private junk, lunch on board, and use of their life jackets and kayaks. We didn't visit any caves because we preferred to kayak. We thought it was good value, and the highlight of the cruise. We emailed the resort directly and organized everything via email, and paid at the resort of the day.

 

Hi, just reposting what I posted earlier FYI. We spent four hours on a small junk - an option for you to consider if you want to prebook something. We were very happy with this small boat cruise. There are many touts when you get off the tender boats, but we wanted something guaranteed before we got there. The English-speaking guide greeted us at the pier and accompanied us the whole way. We felt this one was really clean and quite luxurious even by Western standards (we're from Sydney). Ask if there is enough time to visit a cave - we didn't make it to a cave as we chose to kayak. They provided rain coats, rain patns, life jackets and all necessary gear.

[sandancer]

Hi sandance,

 

Are you booked on Feb 3rd Northbound cruise? We are very new to this and are dying to do a Halong bay tour...any chance u feel like squeezing two extra honeymooners to this one since the junk takes 30?? We would appreciate it so much!

 

please let me know!

 

Evi and Tim

If it were possible I would love to include you. Unfortunately the tour has been paid in full and the voucher received. They are quite strict about giving advance information so I don't know if I would be allowed to do this. Please email me. My address is on the rollcall or post yours and I will contact you.

[alexandra cruiser]

for lots of info re.type of cruises,dates,prices,etc.

 

We just did a 2 day,1 nite on Indochina Sails(seems to be the largest company doing this from number of junks I saw).It was inc.in our AMA river cruise land and ship tour,but a few onboard did it on own.

 

Its not "luxury" junk,but get what you pay for.Can pay more and get more,but this was fine for short time we were on.Food and cabin merely mediocre,but crew and sights were great.Weather was cool and misty,almost ethereal.Can only imagine how stunning it would be in the sun. This was one of the reasons I chose AMA because junk cruise inc.in price,not an extension.Along with the newest river boat on Meking(AMAlotus).:)

[cubella59]

Just returned from our Holiday cruise on Celebrity. We did tender into Bae Chay Ferry terminal. We were able to obtain priority tender passes for our group of 12 from Guest Relations and were on the first tender. This is a very "rustic" terminal - an old ferry boat tied up to the shore. Our guide was waiting for us upon arrival. Some operators are charging $25 port fee, but this is no port - no fee required. Any other questions, let me know.

Pat

 

I've been looking for this info everywhere- thank you. We are on the same cruise you were on but for Holidays 2013

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I'm in the process of planning a trip to SE Asia (not a cruise) and had kind of decided that Halong Bay would be too chilly, misty and/or rainy to do in February. I know weather's a crapshoot at the best of times, but didn't sound too appealing.

[alexandra cruiser]

do google some of the Halong bay info on web,you tube,etc.

We went last Jan.and it WAS a little cool,foggy,and some light rain.But waS still SO GLAD I went.Almost ethereal and IMO not to be missed due to less than perfect weather.

WE did it as part of a river cruise,after 2 days in Hanoi.I d highly recommend this form of travel.But have a great time whatever you chose.

PS.we took AMA after MUCH searching,and LOVED it.:)