Hanoi and Halong Bay

After arriving in Hanoi in the evening, we quickly treated ourselves to a delicious pho (soup) and went to bed.

The next day, we went shopping. We had heard that Sapa, our last destination in the north, would be very cold, so we needed some warmer clothes. We rushed from shopping center to shopping center until we finally found what we were looking for at Vincom Mega Mall. This shopping center was even bigger than the ones in Ho Chi Minh City. There was an ice rink and supposedly a rainforest water slide park, but we didn't see it.

Other than that, we didn't do much except for enjoying the view of the Old Quarter of Hanoi from a skybar in the late afternoon. This time, it wasn't as high as in Ho Chi Minh City, but the prices were much lower😉. Later, we also visited Beer Street in the Old Quarter and enjoyed some beers.

The next day, we did some sightseeing. First, we visited the Old House, a building located in the Old Quarter that has been restored to show how the houses in the Old Quarter of Hanoi used to look like.

Next, we went to Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, a huge area that looks more like an airport runway. The mausoleum itself is heavily guarded. We even had the opportunity to witness the changing of the guards, which was very interesting.

Next to it was the One Pillar Pagoda, which we also briefly visited.

From there, we continued to the Temple of Literature. It is the first university in Hanoi, founded by Confucius. The names of the graduates are engraved on stone tablets. The turtle is sacred in Vietnam and symbolizes a long and healthy life.

In the evening, one of the most famous attractions in Hanoi was on the agenda: the water puppet theater. Its origin is unknown, but the theater has supposedly been around since the 11th century. The stage is a water pool, and the puppets are moved through the water by strings attached to the sides. Traditional Vietnamese music, like an orchestra, accompanies the performance. You can see what it looks like in the video. We thought it was very beautiful, even though we couldn't recognize a storyline in the play.

Cruise through Halong Bay

After two days in Hanoi, the next day was a two-day cruise in Halong Bay. Halong Bay is about 4 hours away from Hanoi and is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.

In the morning, we were picked up from our hotel, and in the afternoon, we boarded the ship. We had a very luxurious ship. There was a jacuzzi on board, and from our bed, we could look directly at the sea through a glass front.

After departure, there was an immediate five-course meal, and that wouldn't be the last one for the day. There were a lot of seafood dishes, such as oysters, shrimp, and crab. The food was really good, but unfortunately, not very filling.

In the afternoon, we were supposed to go kayaking. However, we used the time differently and spent the afternoon with cocktails in the jacuzzi. In the evening, we were supposed to have the opportunity for squid fishing, which I was really looking forward to. Unfortunately, the squid season was already over, so it couldn't take place. Instead, we spent the evening on the upper deck, looking at the surrounding ships.

The next morning, an early wake-up call was in order. At 7 o'clock, there was a fantastic and rich breakfast buffet, followed by a visit to Surprise Cave, the biggest cave in Halong Bay. Although this cave cannot be compared to the huge caves in Phong Nha, it was still very beautiful. Unfortunately, it was very crowded there, as many ships (there are about 500 ships in total that offer tours in Halong Bay) were bringing their guests to the cave at the same time. So we had to move through the cave at a snail's pace.

When we returned to the ship, it was time to pack our things, and at half past 10, we had another four-course menu as a conclusion.

We really enjoyed the tour. Anyone who is in Hanoi should definitely take this excursion.

Sapa was our last stop in northern Vietnam.