Hi

We are very attracted by the apparent value and standard of Vietnam Airlines Business Class to Europe from Australia.

We viewed a variety of YouTube videos that featured the journey and service standards on the new fleet of Dreamliner 787's.

So we thought, why not take advantage of a stopover in Hanoi and maybe a one night/two day or two night/three day cruise on Halong Bay ?

Back to YouTube and we find a well acknowledged boring road trip from Hanoi, followed by dozens if not hundreds of cruise boat options on Halong Bay - from the basic junk to ultra luxury with jicuzzis, free flowing champagne/lobster/crayfish visiting mainly the same destinations.

So we would greatly value any opinions as to whether we should take the boat cruise on Halong Bay - we like action, adventure and beaches rather than crowds or lazing on deck chairs, a great dinner with quality wine and without a need to be force fed throughout the day , and a very comfortable large bed.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated ?

Can we avoid the crowds ? Should we go there or otherwise concentrate our efforts on Hanoi ?

How long do you have for Hanoi? There is plenty to do there. Depending on the time of year you could look at a side trip to Sapa instead of Halong Bay.

Some people love Halong Bay, for me, there are dozens of places I would go to in Vietnam in preference to Halong. Some of them I have covered in our travel blog @ https://accidentalnomads.com/category/vietnam/

If you are looking for luxury AND a cruise then I would consider somewhere in the Mekong Delta. There are several lux operators, Mekong Eyes is one. Maybe combine with Phu Quoc or Con Dao for beaches. The latter has a Six Senses property which is as good as it gets in Asia.

AS Thursdaysd says, there is a huge amount to see and do in Hanoi. The Sofitel Metropole is worth a look. For adventure, we spent a great week trekking from Mai Chau to Ninh Binh. Depending on the time of year Ba Be Lakes and /or Ha Giang are good alternatives.

I have to concur with those above. While Halong Bay was beautiful, we found the long trip back and forth to be draining and boring. We loved Hanoi and loved our time in Sapa but many complain that it is too touristy. We didn’t enjoy the Mekong Delta as much, but Crellston’s other suggestions may fit the bill. We had intended to travel to Ninh Binh after returning from Halong Bay but were so exhausted from the boring drive that we cancelled those plans.

I thought the overnight cruise was great! I went with Indochina Junk Company on the Dragon Legend. It was a beautiful boat--maybe 40 people total---deilcious food,lovely scenery,beautiful decorated huge bedroom and bathroom, and great fun. We sailed into an inlet called Bai Tu Long Bay. LAX-Esq here on Fodors recently wrote a trip report which included an overnight cruise with another company, which they enjoyed. One night for me was enough, but another Fodorite loved her two night cruise. You could read the numerous tripadvisor reviews --great, meh, etc--of different companies, including Indochina Junk, and see if the descriptions appeal to you.
The ride from Hanoi (pickup at hotel) was about 3 hours and there was a bathroom break /showroom break in the middle of that time. Since the small bus included wifi, between chatting to the other passengers and catching up on email, the time passed quickly.
If you want to go to Ninh Binh afterward, you can easily do as I did---book ride straight from the departure pier at HaLong bay to Ninh Binh.

We are taking a seaplane to Halong Bay from Hanoi (a short hop), and the bus back. We reckoned cutting out the bus on one leg would make the journey more bearable. You could take the seaplane back also, but for us that was just a bit too expensive.

Something to do in Halong Bay, and Top things to do in Hanoi ~ https://knycxjourneying.com/category/vietnam/

Halong Bay is worth a visit for 2 days or 3 days! If you have more time, you can head to Ninh Binh after Halong Bay.

Thank you all for your advice as we continue to learn. We have now purchased the tickets and locked in 5 nights / 6 days in late September for Hanoi and Halong Bay cruise, or alternative.

Maybe there is a good beach resort located at about the same of lesser distance from Hanoi - as an alternative ??

If we take a cruise on Halong Bay we will take the two night option, if we are able to decide on an operator with a good itinerary / route and a high standard of cabin, but we do not need a spa bath / jicuzzi and too much glitz

We will take a look at YouTube videos of the Dragon Legend Cruise and any others recommended here.

Gray Line was recommended by the Vietnamese travel agency here in Sydney that helped us with flights.

Our observation has previously been that Tripadvisor and Booking.com ratings do not always provide for great recommendations.

For Hanoi Hotels it looks like the Sofitel Metropole is overall the best option all things considered , but we also like the look of the Apricot.

Any thoughts on hotels also greatly appreciated ?

Thanks again.

The Apricot is in the better location right on Hoan Kiem Lake in the old quarter. Larger rooms than the Metropole and a lot less expensive but arguably not a true 5 star hotel.

The Metropole is a little further out in the French Quarter. Expensive for what you get but it is the best in that part of Hanoi. An alternative might be Hotel de l'Opera Hanoi - MGallery another Accor hotel is worth a look. I haven’t stayed in that particular property but have stayed in other McGallery hotels and have always been very pleased. Worth joining there Accor loyalty programme for the discounts

Note: Indochina Junk company has packages of a variety of nights on one of their ships (Legend or Pearl) which include a night in Hanoi at the Apricot Hotel. However, I strongly encourage you to read the tripadvisor forums (separate from specific reviews) to get a sense of the number of nights and pros and cons, that people felt was sufficient. One of the Fodors post-ers here loved her two night cruise, but most Fodorites (including me) say one night was plenty. It's hard to know how best to spend your five nights in Hanoi and surroundings. See below for another idea.

If you're imagining expansive golden sand beaches during your Bay cruise stop, you may be disappointed. The beach on the island was ok, with nice sand, but neither big nor wide. You wont be "force fed" but having delicious meals in the open air on deck, meeting other passengers, and a bit of crew entertainment, was certainly part of enjoyment of the cruise.
While you don't necessarily want the jacuzzi tub, the room's bathtub was at sea level and it was lovely to soak in it, gliding through the bay while looking out the large window at the beautiful scenery.

I stayed in the Old Quarter and then, at end of trip, at the Metropole. The Metropole is about two blocks from the Lake, about a twenty minute stroll from the Old Quarter at the northern tip of Hoan Kiem Lake, in a more "luxe" part of town which has the interesting and ironic contrast of designer shops and Mercedes next to the red VN flags lining the streets. Sitting around the Metropole's beautiful pool area is, I'd guess, as close as you'll find to the "resort" type hotel you mention. The hotel is gorgeous and historic. I stayed the Opera wing but there's an older, original, historic wing with more "heritage" style rooms. If you choose that hotel, don't miss the evening tour, for hotel guests only, of the underground bunker -- it was given at 5 pm and 6 pm when I was there. No matter where in the area you stay--Old Quarter or French Quarter--it's a quick and fun cyclo ride (which you should do in any case) to the other side of the most popular tourist areas.

I can't think of any beach resorts closer to Hanoi than is HaLong Bay. However, there are big beach resorts on larger beaches, farther south. I haven't been to that area, but an acquaintance loved the Intercontinental DaNang, and there are hotels of all budget levels in the area which others on this forum such as Crellston may have personal experience off, staying and/or traveling to. If that's what you are looking forward to, it might be worth considering instead of the two night cruise.

You may want to check with a Northern Vietnam based travel agent to see what they can put together for you, for both the hotels and cruise. The prices i got for the cruise, and for the Metropole, were excellent, lower than i found myself online, and with an upgrade to a room on a private lawn/patio area. Another post-er here (RHKKMK) used a travel agent in the USA and got fantastic perks.

Finally-- just a general observation about which narrative and photographic reviews to consider--viewing Youtube is, imho, just as likely to produce one sided p.o.v. as booking.com or tripadvisor reviews. Videographers can edit, pick, and choose what they show. E.g., I was just "blown away" by a youtube video of a hotel in India, but tripadvisor reviews and guests' photos presented a much more balanced side of it, including far less glamorous photos.

Hi CaliNurse,
We are looking at taking the one night trip possibly with Indochine, we want to go to Bai Tu Long vs. Halong Bay, is thT what you did? Did you stay at the Apricot and how did you book it?
Thanx

Hi CaliNurse . On the subject of Halong Bay the impression I get, which is not immediately revealed in theYouTube videos is that the cruses meander around a relatively small area like dogems and - maybe that is why many opt for the day day one night visit ! ? No we are not expecting great beaches in Halong. This is the first trip to Vietnam and then maybe DaNang region next time. We will think about splitting accommodation between Metropole and Apricot with a one night Halong cruise between. Thank you for your post.

HI Tdiddy. Yes, that's what I did--sailed into to Bai Tu Long Bay on the Indochina Junk Company's Dragon Legend. My wonderful travel agent booked it. I didnt stay at the Apricot (but passed it on a cyclo ride, nice location and pretty exterior, and out of the noisy chaos of the busiest parts of the Old Quarter). The travel agent booked me at the end of the trip into the Sofitel Metropole. After havIng previous nights in Hanoi in the Old Quarter (in a great reasonably-priced hotel, The Essence Hanoi/Essence de l'Orient) I was ready for a change to a different area.
If you do a web search for "Indochina Junk" its site should have contact information or one of those pop-ups where someone is on the other end, asking what they can do for you. As I said to Good Will, I would check what a travel agent can book for you, as they may have better prices/more perks in the hotels. I don't know if they still give special deal where you get a two night cruise and a free night at the Apricot. The latter had recently opened when i was there, so perhaps this was a way to get business.

Good Will, i.m.e., your impression is accurate! That said, there are people that love the great r and aspect of the two night cruise. Either way, I guarantee you will not be bored. Whether or to you go with them, the Indochina Junk site describes all the possible organized activities during a two night cruise itinerary. As with any cruise--big or very small--you can do as much or as little as you want. On my trip, where was no pressure whatsoever to "join in."

Fun to stay in two different hotels, in two different areas!

Traveling in Hanoi, you should wander and explore the Old Quarter, having "bia hoi" on the sidewalk and watch the street scene! It will be an unforgettable experience!

We look forward to all the street scenes and food, but would like to find some luxury seafood and french cuisine while in Hanoi. Suggestions greatly appreciated ?is

So it looking like we will stay 2 nights at the La Siesta or Apricot (presently favouring La Siesta) then one night on either the Dragon Legend or Bhaya, then returning to the Metropole in Hanoi for two nights before travelling home to Sydney. Our Vietnam experience will complete a 6 week holiday mainly to Europe. Thank you all for your advice.

Hi CaliNurse,
did you use a Vietnamese Travel Agent?

Tdiddy, yes, I used a Hanoi based travel company Custom Vietnam Travels. The t.a. who helped me for the entire trip was Susan Nguyen. She's terrific, but all of their small staff have great reputations (others on Fodors have used CVT) and all are well-reviewed on tripadvisor.
Crellston who posted above used Ethnic Travels, another local company, for parts of his trip, iirc.
GoodWill in terms of hotel choices, that's what i did---first in the Old Quarter, then in the French Quarter. The location of La Siesta--a couple minutes walk from whereI stayed at the Essence Hanoi and d'Orient Hotels--is more in the midst of the busy chaos of the Old Quarter than is Apricot. I think you'll enjoy the contrast of the two "quarters" by ending at the Metropole--more r and r there, for sure. As i wrote above, those areas are quite close to each other either walking 'round the lake, or via cyclo. but "atmospherically" feel very different. Your four night stay, even with travel times, will give you enough time to see the highlights of Hanoi.

Hello,
I've been on Ha Long Legacy legend cruise & I satisfy with that. The cruise is middle rank (From 110 USD per person) package 2 days/ 1 night. I don't compare about facilities with luxuryc cruise about prices & services...But I think this is a very good choice!
The cruise depart from Tuan Chau island (touristy area) ---> Titop island (touristy island) but they just visit this island & climbing up to the top & enjoy amzing view.
Then we're visited Lan Ha bay, kayaking & swimming at the beautiful & not touristy. The boat also docked at the quiet area at night for sleeping.
They visit Me Cung Cave on the second morning. Very nice & not touristy.
Good luck!

Taking overnight cruise is an amazing experience that you should not miss when traveling to Halong Bay. There are numerous choices of Halong Bay cruises depending on your budget. There is a new boat named La Pinta Cruise running Halong Bay- Lan Ha Bay with 5-star standard. Let's try it!