Halong Bay enquiry

[Yertiz1883]

We will be tendered in Halong Bay on the Celebrity Millenium on the SE Asia cruise March 2014.

We are intending to do a half day junk cruise on the bay but wonder if the cruise ship tenders take you to a nearby town or place of interest, just to have a wander round on our own.

Does anyone have suggestions or information that would help. Many thanks.

[General Max]

We will be tendered in Halong Bay on the Celebrity Millenium on the SE Asia cruise March 2014.

We are intending to do a half day junk cruise on the bay but wonder if the cruise ship tenders take you to a nearby town or place of interest, just to have a wander round on our own.

Does anyone have suggestions or information that would help. Many thanks.

 

Do the junk cruise in the afternoon to avoid the morning fog. We booked through Ann Tours.

[JoAnneV]

The tenders drop you in the town of Halong. It is a tourist town with some tourist shops and restaurants. We didn't have time to walk around, but we talked to others who did. I second Ann Tours.

[General Max]

The tenders drop you in the town of Halong. It is a tourist town with some tourist shops and restaurants. We didn't have time to walk around, but we talked to others who did. I second Ann Tours.

 

There is a hotel across the street from where the tenders drop you off. It is to your right and up a block or two. They have free internet access.

[John Bull]

I cruised with another line, & don't know where Celebrity berth or moor, or their arrangements.

 

But I do know that Halong City is not worth a trek. It has a neon-lit temple, a grubby & boring indoor market, and a filthy & boring fish-market. And that's it. We had a private half-day tour of the city, & spent most of that time in interesting conversation over coffees. Quite a few coffees.

 

Concentrate on either the (admittedly-long) drive to Hanoi (by ship's excursion or a pre-booked reliable & recommended local operator, perhaps incorporating an overnite in Hanoi), or a good junk cruise. By good I mean an overnite or a six or eight hour day cruise. Four hours is the bare minimum - the two-hour cruises offered by ships aren't worthwhile since it takes time to sail across the bay to the karsts (limestone islets) & you really need to get in and amongst those islets to get away from the other junks & appreciate the isolation in this eerie & misty atmosphere.

Re the General's comment, we & others have found that the mist is there most days & usually all day. Whilst it can be just a little chilly (take a coat or sweater), we found that the mist actually adds to the surreal experience.

 

JB :)

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[General Max]

We had a junk for eleven people for the afternoon. There was no one else on board with us. Very relaxing cruise with just a light mist.

[Yertiz1883]

Thanks for replies everyone.