I think my connection with Vietnam pretty much speaks for itself. Just think back to that year when Creya! Yes, You Can…set off full of ambition on an 85-day grand tour of Europe, boarded a Vietnam Airlines flight, and took advantage of a layover to set foot on Vietnamese soil—only to be so overwhelmed by Hanoi’s astonishing intensity that my footsteps descended into chaos. And so, my chronicle of roaming Europe remains stuck at the Hanoi stage to this day, turning it into a travelogue of Europe’s former colony in the truest sense. (Vietnam: How is that my fault?) (And so much for “speaks for itself”—I still went on for another hundred words.) Two years later, I flew Vietnam Airlines again, but this time my destination was, unequivocally and 100%, Northern Vietnam. And not just anywhere in Northern Vietnam, either: I went from mountaintops to the coast, sweeping up its most famous and beautiful sights and a thousand different landscapes in nine days—and completely overturning my impression of Vietnam in the process.
[ So there’s still no European travelogue, then. ]Source：August’s Instagram
First, I humbly present my unbeatable nine-day Northern Vietnam highlights itinerary(Each itinerary below will eventually have its own post. When the text lights upblue, that means you’re cleared to click through and read it!)
Travel dates: 2014.11.15–11.23
- Ultra-Condensed Itinerary Overview
- Departure: Vietnam Airlines, Hanoi Airport, and Transportation
- Day1~3：Sapa, Bac Ha, and Ethnic Minority Villages: Essential Travel Guide / Nine Attractions: Markets / Nine Attractions: Villages and Architecture （Hong Yi Travel AgencyFamiliarization Tour)
- Days 4–5: Central Hanoi(Hong Yi Travel Agency Familiarization Tour)
- Day 6: One-Day Inland Halong Bay TOUR(Local tour company)
- Days 7–9: Three-Day, Two-Night Halong Bay Legend Cruise
- Info: Introducing the Legend Cruise (Reception / Facilities and Rooms / Meals)
- Info: Vietnam Facts and Travel Information
- Nine Days of Willingly Playing My Way Through Vietnam: Photo Collection
Northern Vietnam Attractions Map at a Glance 
This time, I was fortunate enough to be invited by “Vietnam Airlines” and “Hong Yi Travel Agency” to tag along on a five-day Sapa and Hanoi familiarization tour, where I got tosee Sapa in Northern Vietnam—a romantic, unspoiled haven little known among Taiwanese travelers, where you can get close to ethnic minority cultures, and a place I truly recommend everyone discover. Before leaving, I found precious little Chinese-language information or blog coverage about Sapa online. (If you thought Sapa was Sabah in Malaysia, don’t worry—I did too at first.) In the past, Taiwan didn’t even have package tours to Sapa, so independent travel was the only option. Hong Yi Travel Agency organized this familiarization tour to blaze this magnificent new trail, personally inspecting and planning the route while gathering participants’ suggestions to improve the itinerary. Along the way, I watched them discuss and fine-tune every detail. Whenever a hotel or restaurant experience fell short, they would sacrifice sleep and sightseeing time to inspect alternative hotels and restaurants immediately. No wonder they’re a heavyweight in Southeast Asian travel—the care they put into everything was truly admirable. I’m sure this route will be fantastic once it officially launches!
[ Stop Sapa～stop Sapa～Firebird! ]
[ Another hallmark of Sapa is its spectacularly beautiful rice terraces, though fog spoiled the view this time and kept us from seeing them in all their glory. ]The photo above was generously provided by the Australian couple Scott and his wife, whom we met in Halong Bay.
But since I was already in Northern Vietnam, my penny-pinching, if-you’re-going-to-play-you-might-as-well-get-your-money’s-worth, oppasangannabeautiful monkeyStyle kicked in (I checked—it must have been caused by all that Europe, Europe, European-leg business!). So after the five-day Sapa trip, I wilfully tacked on another four free days. For the final few days, Vietnam Airlines introduced us to a local tour company specializing in Halong Bay, “Legend Cruise,” and we chose to spend three days and two nights aboard the boat,leisurely exploring Halong Bay, the Vietnamese attraction everyone has heard of. We gazed at mountains and sea, breathed deeply at sunrise, and paddled little boats across the water at sunset. It was incredibly romantic, comfortable, and downright ladylike. What’s more,the itinerary moved at exactly the right pace—never rushed, but never boring either. It was the perfect must-do Vietnam experience to give yourself some proper relaxation and indulgence. (Then again, why does someone who had already been playing nonstop for an entire month—and could practically call herself the Little Princess of Southeast Asia—need even more relaxation?)
[ This is the light! This is the light! It’s the sunrise over Halong Bay at six in the morning, DEAR～ ]
My travel companion throughout the trip was Miss Q, who is quite well known for sharing her Australian working-holiday experiences. Since we both love travel and have had similar adventures, we chatted nonstop along the way, and everyone else in the group assumed we had known each other for years. During our nine days together, we shopped and haggled our way through Hanoi, then somehow crammed one more thing into our already packed schedule:a one-day tour of Inland Halong Bay—a magnificent place with terrain similar to Halong Bay, except that it lies inland rather than in the sea, hence the name. Its rocky peaks sit even closer to the river, making the scenery arguably more dramatic. The way to see it is aboard a little wooden boat rowed by a Vietnamese lady. All we had to do was sit back, keep our eyes wide open, hold up our cameras, and capture every beautiful view.
[ Unlike the bays of Halong Bay, Inland Halong Bay takes you along a river, with silvergrass and lush green fields on both banks. It made me want to lie down and nap all afternoon. ]
I had never thought of using the word “romantic” to describe Vietnam before. But just look—aren’t all these places incredibly romantic and perfect for visiting with your sweetheart? (And yet I somehow came with Miss Q. She’s behind me, and she is furious.) The trip completely changed my mind. Every stop offered its own distinctive scenery and its own reason to fall in love with it. We also met many Western travelers spending one or two full months exploring Vietnam, and they introduced us to places in Central and Southern Vietnam, making me even more eager to see the rest of the country. Fine, I willingly surrender to coming back and playing in Vietnam again and again～ (Though really, who ever needs to be forced to go have fun?) Next, let me serve up all the juicy details from this trip that made me so willing to keep playing in Vietnam!
[ My travel companion for nine days—the chatty and easygoing Miss Q. ]Source：Miss Q Loves TravelProvided by
Overview of the Most Beautiful Sights on My Nine-Day Northern Vietnam Itinerary
Take a close look at my itinerary and you’ll see that this perfect nine-day journey was assembled from three tours of varying sizes. If your vacation isn’t quite that long, you could take the first five days covering Sapa and Hanoi, or the latter five days covering Hanoi, Inland Halong Bay, and Halong Bay. Of course, you can also adjust the number of days to suit your preferred travel style. When I go back, I’d love to spend another day or two in both Sapa and Hanoi, slow down, and explore properly～! (Where did that fake Indigenous accent come from?)
Day 1: Drive to Sapa
7:35 Taoyuan–9:50 Hanoi, Vietnam (Vietnam Airlines) → Hung Kings Temple historical site → Lunch ·Budapest Vietnamese Restaurant→ Check in ·Chau Long Sapa Hotel, Sapa→ Dinner ·Bamboo Sapa Hotel Vietnamese Restaurant, Sapa→ Sapa Love Market / Sapa Church / Wander the streets
Day 2: Explore the Markets and Architecture of Bac Ha
Lao Cai → Bac Ha Market → Lunch ·Sao Mai Bac Ha Hotel Vietnamese Restaurant, Bac Ha→ Hoang A Tuong Palace, the Hmong King’s Palace in Bac Ha → Dinner ·Cha Pa Restaurant, Sapa→ Wander the streets and eat barbecue
Day 3: See the Rice Terraces and Visit Ethnic Minority Villages in the Rain
Sapa morning market → Ham Rong Mountain for rice-terrace views → Black Hmong village · Ta Van Village → Lunch ·Bac Ha ethnic minority cuisine at Tavan Ecologic Homestay→ Waterfall → Red Dao village · Ta Phin Village → Dinner ·Thien Hai Hotel Chinese-Vietnamese Restaurant, Lao Cai→ Check in ·Aristo International Hotel, Lao Cai
Day 4: Central Hanoi
Lao Cai–Hanoi → Lunch · Hua Yuan Chinese Restaurant, Hanoi → Check in ·May de Ville City Centre2, Hanoi→ Old Quarter’s 36 Streets → Water puppet show → St. Joseph’s Cathedral → Dinner ·Anh Hoa Restaurant Vietnamese Cuisine, Hanoi
Day 5: Central Hanoi
Tran Quoc Pagoda → Ba Dinh Square / Ho Chi Minh’s Former Residence / One Pillar Pagoda → Temple of Literature → Lunch ·Sen Buffet→ Wander around central Hanoi → Check in ·NGOC MAI HOTEL, Hanoi (+ the terrifying STREET BACKPACKER incident)
Day 6: One-Day Inland Halong Bay TOUR
Hanoi–Ninh Binh, temple of the Dinh and Le emperors → Lunch → Boat ride in Inland Halong Bay + cycling around Hoa Lu–Tam Coc → Wander around central Hanoi
Source: Group photos at top left, top right, and bottom left provided byMiss Q Loves TravelProvided by
Day 7: Three-Day, Two-Night Halong Bay Legend Cruise
Hanoi–Halong Bay ferry terminal → Legend Cruise (Reception / Facilities and Rooms / Meals) → Lunch aboard the boat → Vung Vieng floating fishing village → Kayak at sunset → Dinner aboard the boat
Source: Sunset photo in the center provided byAustralian couple Scott and his wifeProvided by
Day 8: Three-Day, Two-Night Halong Bay Legend Cruise
Morning tai chi → Hang Sung Sot Cave, the Surprise Cave (limestone cave) → Kayaking / Playing in the water at the beach → Lunch aboard the boat → Cycle through villages on Cat Ba Island → Vietnamese cooking class → Dinner aboard the boat → Squid fishing
Source: The two group photos on the right provided byMiss Q Loves TravelProvided by
Day 9: Three-Day, Two-Night Halong Bay Legend Cruise
Morning tai chi → Kayak to see monkeys → Brunch aboard the boat → Hanoi, Vietnam–Taoyuan Airport
Source: Bottom-right photo provided byMiss Q Loves TravelProvided by
Booking Vietnam Airlines Tickets
If you’d like to fly Vietnam Airlines, you can book directly through the Vietnam Airlines website, which occasionally offers special fares. Alternatively, you can book through a travel agency; agencies with long-standing partnerships with Vietnam Airlines sometimes have exclusive discounted fares. (I highly recommend the agency from this trip,Hong Yi Travel Agency.) They can also handle your Vietnam visa at the same time, saving you some hassle.
→ Vietnam Airlines Official Website
Sapa Itinerary
This time I joined Hong Yi Travel Agency’s five-day Sapa and Hanoi itinerary, which took us to Sapa’s best-known attractions and deep into its villages. Hong Yi is a travel agency with extensive experience in Vietnam, and our guide was a local from Lao Cai Province who knew Sapa’s culture extremely well. The entire itinerary was rich, thoughtful, and carefully planned. I highly recommend visiting Sapa with Hong Yi if you get the chance. Their current itinerary flyer is shown below. For full itinerary details and registration, please visit Hong Yi Travel Agency’s fan page or website, or contact them by phone!
→ Hong Yi Travel Agency Website、Fan Page
Legend Cruise Halong Bay Cruise Company
The boat we took in Halong Bay was a private wooden junk operated by Legend Halong, one of Bhaya’s three brands. The package included accommodation, three meals, and guided activities. Private wooden junks and larger cruise ships actually visit similar attractions and provide comparable services. The private junks accommodate no more than 8 people, making them ideal for a small group of family and friends, while the cruise ships carry dozens of passengers, offer a livelier atmosphere, and include SPA services. Each has its own appeal.
The company offers options including two-day, one-night and three-day, two-night cruises. For full details, visit the cruise company’s website. I’ll also write a separate guide explaining how to book online and make the process easier for everyone.
The cruise company is currently offering an exclusive discount for Taiwanese readers of Creya! Yes, You Can. Book via one of the E-mail addresses below before 2015.2.28 and quote the discount code “offer100” to receive an immediate US$100 discount!
→ The most economical cruise: Bhaya ClassicBooking E-mail: [email protected]
→ The luxury cruise: The Au CoBooking E-mail: [email protected]
→ Private or event charter junk: Legend HalongBooking E-mail: [email protected]
Next, I’m going to work my fingers to the bone finishing all the individual posts and sharing the full stories. Please await me, Your Majesty! (The Empress has arrived～)
My Unbeatable Nine-Day Northern Vietnam Highlights Itinerary(Each itinerary below will eventually have its own post. When the text lights upblue, that means you’re cleared to click through and read it!)
Travel dates: 2014.11.15–11.23
- Ultra-Condensed Itinerary Overview
- Departure: Vietnam Airlines, Hanoi Airport, and Transportation
- Day1~3：Sapa, Bac Ha, and Ethnic Minority Villages: Essential Travel Guide / Nine Attractions: Markets / Nine Attractions: Villages and Architecture （Hong Yi Travel AgencyFamiliarization Tour)
- Days 4–5: Central Hanoi(Hong Yi Travel Agency Familiarization Tour)
- Day 6: One-Day Inland Halong Bay TOUR(Local tour company)
- Days 7–9: Three-Day, Two-Night Halong Bay Legend Cruise
- Info: Introducing the Legend Cruise (Reception / Facilities and Rooms / Meals)
- Info: Vietnam Facts and Travel Information
- Nine Days of Willingly Playing My Way Through Vietnam: Photo Collection
← There’s a Like button here. Such a nice Like button. Aren’t you going to click it? (If you’re on mobile, quickly switch to the web version and give it a tap～)
And of course, don’t forget to jointhe Creya! Yes, You Can fan page, so every piping-hot new post will be delivered straight into your hands!
