Scenic Mekong Review, December 31, 2022-January 10, 2023

[terry&mike]

I will attempt to post updates as we go along on this journey at regular intervals. 
 

A bit of background. My husband and I are traveling on this trip. He is 62, I am 58, we live in the US and are retired. We are frequent travelers, having been fortunate to travel to more than 100 countries, and to all 7 continents. We have been on about 9 river cruises, and have sailed with Scenic in the past. We have also visited Vietnam before. 

We are doing the Scenic program ‘Temple Discovery & Luxury Mekong Cruise 7 night’, which starts with 3 nights hotel stay in Siem Reap and then sails 7 nights from Siem Reap south towards Ho Chi Minh City. We have added on pre and post touring and stays on our own. 

This is part of a longer trip of 35 days in Asia. We left home 2 weeks ago. Flying started with Tampa to Toronto on Air Canada. Then Toronto to Munich, also on Air Canada. Next leg was Munich to Bangkok on Thai Air. We were in Business, and made good use of the lie flat seats on the long legs. We loved the layout of the Air Canada Business, lots of space, privacy and storage. The Thai Air Business did not have as much storage, but the service and food were excellent. 
We are light packers. For my suitcase, I have 1 carry on size piece of luggage (but I do check it as I don’t like to be bothered with it), and I carry a large purse with me while traveling. Inside my large purse is a smaller cross body bag for when I reach my destination for my everyday touring about. Hubby has a 30” duffel style luggage for his suitcase. He has brought this larger bag, which is about 40 percent empty, as we intend to have some custom clothes made in HoiAn. He carries with him a regular size backpack on the plane. Inside his backpack is a lightweight backpack rolled up that he will use for touring about when we reach our destination. Yes, we will need to do laundry at about the half way point, which is HoiAn. 
 

We started this trip by flying in to Bangkok, and then took a car and driver 3 hours ($51) out to the beach town of Hua Hin. We spent 3 nights at the colonial style Centara Grand, to relax and recover from jet lag. Lovely hotel, nice area. Had a few massages, visited some markets, chilled. 
 

Came back in to Bangkok, where a friend from US had flown in to join us, and we met at the Century Park Hotel. This started as the first night of a Gate 1 tour ‘10 Day Central Thailand with River Kwai and Pattaya’. If you are not familiar with Gate 1, they are a low cost tour company that packs a lot of value and busy itinerary in to a tour. We use them in places that don’t have much in the way of efficient public transportation. We had no scheduled event the first night, so we had booked a Street Food Tour of Bangkok by Tuk Tuk, which was lots of fun. 
 

The next morning, we started the busy tour program which covered Bangkok, Kanchanaburi, River Kwai, Ayutthaya, and Pattaya. Floating markets, temples, palaces, jungle hotel, lots of stuff. 
 

We are now in Pattaya, back on our own. The Gate 1 tour ended here a couple days ago. We went to the wonderful Elephant Jungle Sanctuary yesterday, and had a great experience at this ethical elephant home. Our friend flew back to the US this morning. We will take a taxi about 2 hours ($36) from here to Bangkok, and then we will fly on to Hanoi, Vietnam this afternoon, about a 2 hour flight. 
 

More to come. 

[franski]

Will be following along...  We are doing Vietnam/Cambodia with Emerald in February.  It will be interesting to see how the sister companies compare.  

 

Are you spending any time in Ha Long Bay?

 

Fran

[djh1959]

I will follow along too, it sounds great.

 

My parents did an Asian river cruise years ago and loved it.

 

We have been to Thailand quite a few times, but never to Hua Hin.  I didn't realise how cheap getting a driver there would be, we might need to revisit.  Luckily it is an easy trip from Australia.

[terry&mike]

4 hours ago, franski said:

Will be following along...  We are doing Vietnam/Cambodia with Emerald in February.  It will be interesting to see how the sister companies compare.  

 

Are you spending any time in Ha Long Bay?

 

Fran

Yes, we are at Bangkok airport now headed to Hanoi for 2 nights. We will then board an Orchid Cruise for 2 nights to sail on Lan Ha Bay (this is the bay next to HaLong, just as pretty but less crowded). 

[terry&mike]

3 hours ago, djh1959 said:

I will follow along too, it sounds great.

 

My parents did an Asian river cruise years ago and loved it.

 

We have been to Thailand quite a few times, but never to Hua Hin.  I didn't realise how cheap getting a driver there would be, we might need to revisit.  Luckily it is an easy trip from Australia.

We used Hua Hin Cab, both directions, booked in advance. Excellent service, on time, clean cars. 

[terry&mike]

We checked in to VietJet Airlines for flight BKK Bangkok to HAN Hanoi, direct, 2 hours. They did ask for our Vietnam visas and spent a good bit of time looking them over at check in. 
Like us, several people have questions on the visa situation for Vietnam, as many need to enter Vietnam multiple times. Currently, getting a multi -entry visa is difficult and costly. After much research, we went with 2 Vietnam e-visas each, both single entry. Simple to apply online ourselves. Should work, we’ll see. 

Edited December 22, 2022 by terry&mike
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[Ritabob]

Thank you for taking us along on your adventure. 

[terry&mike]

For some reason, my previous post is wanting to post again. 
 

Anyhow….

 

Arrived into Hanoi airport, and were quickly through Immigration. No smiles or conversation, but the eVisa was quickly looked at, and then we were through. That means the first entry (of 2 entries) into Vietnam with the current visa issue was successful. Both bags were out shortly after, and we walked outside to meet our driver. Transfer booked through our hotel and prepaid ($20). 
 

We are staying at the elegant La Sinfonia del Rey Hotel for the next 2 nights. We booked a Terrace Suite with breakfast. The room is slightly on the small side, but it is lovely and has a large balcony overlooking the park. I’m a deal hunter, so was able to get 2 nights with breakfast, plus 1 included dinner (tomorrow night) for a grand total of $233. 

Edited December 22, 2022 by terry&mike

[geoffieg]

Terry&Mike.  We are from Naples, so almost neighbors.  We leave on Jan 5 for Singapore, then Hanoi, then Siem Reap to join Scenic for the same river cruise you are taking.  Will be very interested to follow along with you.  We have been to Asia several times, but never to Vietnam or Cambodia.  We were supposed to do Vietnam three times, but COVID cancelled all of those trips.  So we are excited to finally get there.  Enjoy your adventure.

[terry&mike]

2 hours ago, geoffieg said:

Terry&Mike.  We are from Naples, so almost neighbors.  We leave on Jan 5 for Singapore, then Hanoi, then Siem Reap to join Scenic for the same river cruise you are taking.  Will be very interested to follow along with you.  We have been to Asia several times, but never to Vietnam or Cambodia.  We were supposed to do Vietnam three times, but COVID cancelled all of those trips.  So we are excited to finally get there.  Enjoy your adventure.

Nice! You are practically up the street from us!

I’m happy that you finally get your adventure, and hope it is awesome. 

[terry&mike]

Forgot to mention that we purchased Vietnamese Dong at the Hanoi Airport when we landed. We usually order some foreign currency before we depart, so that we hit the ground running with some local cash in our pockets, but were unable to buy VND from our bank, although we were able to buy Thai Baht. 
 

There are several desks selling currency once you clear Immigration and Customs. They have their rates on small signs, and all are basically the same. 
 

We bought just under 10 Million VND for $400 usd. 
 

Cambodia uses the US dollar, so we are good there. 

[terry&mike]

Today we explored Hanoi, our first time in this vibrant city. We walked through the streets of the chaotic Old Quarter. It is bustling, colorful, and full of vendors selling all sorts of wares, and motor scooters zipping around. 
 

Vietnam probably does coffee better than most anywhere in the world, and we shopped for some, plus a couple other treasures. 
 

We walked around the lake, and through a large holiday market. 
 

We attended a water puppet show, and loved it. We bought tickets this morning for an afternoon show, front row seats, about $16 for 2. 
 

It’s a heavily cash society, with many vendors (including the ticket office of the water puppets) only accepting VND cash. 
 

Beautiful day, clear with a high around 76 degrees F. 
 

 

[worcestergal]

Thanks so much for posting about your trip. I’m following it and enjoying vicariously, since our Scenic trip isn’t for over a year. Your posts just give me more to look forward to!

[terry&mike]

Today starts our Ha Long Bay program. We were picked up at the hotel in Hanoi this morning at 8:20am, and driven to Hai Phong, about 2.5 hours away. There was a bathroom stop along the way, for an extra 35 minutes, at a pearl shop. 
 

Our transfer to was a very nice shared mini bus, and there were 7 passengers, $20 pp. We booked this in advance,  from HaLongbaytours.com which is owned by Blue Dragon Travel, along with the entire package for the junk boat trip. 

We arrived in the busy Hai Phong port and were dropped at the pier side waiting lounge for Orchid Cruises. There are hundreds and hundreds of boats, of all sizes and types. We booked onto Orchid Classic, in a Premium Suite Balcony. Our total cost was $850 + $100 holiday surcharge, plus $40 for the shared transfer to the ship from Hanoi, plus $45 for a private transfer from the ship to HPH HaiPhong airport. It is a 2 night itinerary. 
 

We had a 45 minute ferry transfer to the ship, boarded, had safety briefing, and then were allowed to access our cabins for 15 minutes before lunch started. Lunch was a sit down, multi course delight of great flavors. Beverages are extra and are a bit on the high side. 
 

After lunch we went to our cabin to quickly change for an outing to the Bright Caves. While in our room we were able to buy a bottle of red wine and a large bottle of water from our balcony from a lady in a small boat for a slightly elevated price. 
 

The caves excursion was interesting but not awesome. 
 

They are setting up the top deck for a BBQ and Christmas party tonight. 
 

Our room is very large, and beautiful. The ship is also very nice. The downside is that everything seems rushed, which we were thinking it would be more of relaxed sailing in natural beauty. 
 

The guests are from lots of different countries, and interesting and positive. There are 28 guests onboard. 
 

We picked this sailing because the itinerary goes to less crowded Lan Ha Bay. After seeing the crowds of people and number of boats, this may be a good idea. 

[trtog7]

We did the Scenic Mekong cruise the first year they offered it. Our only complaint was the acoustics in the dining room were horrible. There was a Scenic office staff on board and he was told by almost everyone on board how bad it was. Please let me know if they fixed it.

We absolutely loved the Mekong cruise and also did Halong Bay after. You are in for a real treat.

.

[terry&mike]

Last night was Christmas Eve and the crew threw a huge Christmas party. The spread of food was amazing including turkey, lamb chops, shrimp, chicken, pork, squid, Vietnamese dishes, pasta, salads, charcuterie, desserts, on and on. It was amazing. 
 

There was also music, a dancing group, and a Santa with a big bag of gifts for the guests. It was a fun night. 
 

Today we have an early start, with breakfast at 7a and off the ship by 8a for a full day of activities. 
 

 

[terry&mike]

Today was a full day in the Ha Long Bay area. We spent it in the less crowded areas of Lan Ha Bay and Cat Ba Island. 
 

Breakfast was at 7am, with a buffet and eggs cooked to order and pho. All good. 
 

At 8a, we were transferred to a smaller day boat that could get into smaller bays. We spent the day with activities and returned to our main boat at 4:20p. 
 

We had a scenic sailing for about 2 hours, then took a bike ride to a small village, about 30 minutes each way. This was fun. Those not up to it could ride on the back of a scooter with a driver. 
 

Afterwards we had a multi course lunch served in the day boat of local cuisine, all excellent. 
 

Next, we went to a lovely bay for kayaking and swimming. 
 

We then had a scenic sailing of about an hour back to our main boat. 
 

Stunning scenery, fun activities, very nice day. 

[trtog7]

On our Ha Long Bay cruise we enjoyed a spectacular Iridescent Bug Show. Maybe you will get to see one also

[terry&mike]

6 hours ago, trtog7 said:

On our Ha Long Bay cruise we enjoyed a spectacular Iridescent Bug Show. Maybe you will get to see one also

No, we didn’t have that. Last night was a lovely dinner, and afterwards was Squid Fishing. 
 

I picked this ship because of the activities of biking and kayaking. When I picked it, I looked at a few different ships and they all had similar itineraries with some differences in activities. 
 

It’s good you bring up this point, as some people might not realize they have a choice or options. 
 

This morning is kayaking, tea service, and brunch, then we disembark at 11:30a. 
 

Hubby and I will head to the nearby HPH HaiPhong Cat Bi airport, about 20 minutes away, by private transfer, $45. We will then fly direct 1 hour 15 minutes on Vietnam Airlines to DaNang, Vietnam. We will transfer to HoiAn, about 50 minutes away, by private car, $18, booked through the owner of the next place we are staying. 
 

 

[worcestergal]

Gorgeous photo!  Sounds like it’s been a terrific trip so far. 

[terry&mike]

Apologies, I noticed a typo in my last post. It is about 50 minutes from Hai Phong pier to HPH Hai Phong Cat Bi airport, not 20 minutes as my post says. 
 

 

[terry&mike]

Our driver was waiting for us at the DAD DaNang airport and drive us 50 minutes to our hotel in HoiAn. 
 

We are staying at the Villa Orchid Garden Riverside, a small, casual hotel about a 15 minute walk from Old Town. We have a large room with separate living area and kitchenette, and 2 bathrooms. We booked 5 nights with breakfast for $213 total; we booked this quite a bit back and rates are higher now. 
 

It rained last night. The weather report for today is a high of 76 F and partly cloudy. We are headed to breakfast, and to give our hotel our laundry for the past 2.5 weeks to have done. 
 

[terry&mike]

We had previously visited Hoi An in January 2020 for 1 day, while on a port stop for an ocean cruise, and were looking forward to returning. Our second visit confirms our thoughts that this is one of the prettiest of most charming towns in Asia. We were booked to stay for 5 nights, but a flight change has us being here for 4 nights. 
 

Yesterday, the temperature was a high of around 76 and partly cloudy. Gorgeous day, and we made the most of it. 
 

We already had a plan that we hoped to have some custom clothes made while in Hoi An. There are literally hundreds of custom tailors here. We both had given some thought as to what we wanted, and had some some research as to what shops to focus on. 
 

At Bao Diep, we ordered hubby a classic black tuxedo, plus an extra jacket in a beautiful silk print, and 3 dress shirts. For me a long, flowy silk dress. $500. 
 

A bit later in the day, a dress caught my eye at another tailor we strolled by, Lua Viet Nam Vi Ana Silk, and I ordered another long dress, as well as a shirt. $70. 
 

We go back to both tailors today for our first fitting of our purchases, and they should be ready for pick up tomorrow. 
 

We also stopped for coconut coffee. In the afternoon we stopped in a spa for 60 minute massages, 2 for $35. 
 

We spent most of the day just strolling around this beautiful city. We ate fresh spring rolls, Cao Lau noodles, and enjoyed a Vietnamese red wine that was fairly decent. 
 

When we returned to our room, the laundry I had given to our hotel at breakfast was waiting for us. 
 

[geoffieg]

When does the Scenic Mekong tour part of your trip start?  

[terry&mike]

6 hours ago, geoffieg said:

When does the Scenic Mekong tour part of your trip start?  

We join Scenic in Siem Reap on December 31, with a 3 night hotel stay at the Raffles Grand D’Angkor. 
 

Scenic also offers itineraries that include Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Hoi An, and Ho Chi Minh City, but we decided to do those on our own.