Fantastic cruise service on Halong Bay

I really enjoyed Indochina Sails during my visit with family over the Christmas holidays. We weren't sure how Christmas on a junk would turn out, but I was blown away. We all agreed that the crew made it one of the most memorable Christmas' for us with the holiday decorations, wonderful service, cheerful music, and fantastic food.

If your cruising experience is limited to the megaships sailing around the carribean, be prepared for a treat. The cabins on these ships compare with a 5 star hotel, with full sized bathrooms. The dining room is refined so each travel group gets an accomodating table, and the common area is filled with windows and light if you prefer to curl with a book indoors rather than tanning on the sundeck above.

Regarding service - being vegetarian usually means I am forced to accomdate subpar options while travelling. However, upon understanding my dietary restrictions, the staff and the chef went to work to serve me a five course vegetarian feast that really went above expectations. The staff speaks perfect English and is very friendly.

The crew lined up several good activities to keep us busy on our 2 day 1 night trip, including hiking up a hill to get 360 views of the Bay from a pagoda, learning to make Vietnamese Spring rolls, and exploring a huge set of caves. Christmas feast was also a wonderful experience for me to share with family.

In general, a tour to Halong Bay from Hanoi is a journey that lasts for about 3 hours by car. This is if you can keep your driver from taking you to one of the many tourist shops selling overpriced marble statues and hand woven pictures along the way. You can get less expensive souveniors in central Vietnam or even HCM. Halong Bay was the crown jewel of my Vietnam experience - in December, the Bay can be chilly, so hitting the sundeck to enjoy outdoor views while sailing might require a few layers. When you go on hikes in mid day, however, you'll have no need for the jackets.

Source: Tripadvisor

Supported by Indochina Sails - The most luxury and safest cruises in Halong Bay

INDOCHINA SAILS

Hanoi Office

Add: 27 – A6 – Dam Trau Quarter – Hai Ba Trung District – Hanoi – Vietnam

Tel: +84 – 4- 39842362

Fax: +84 – 4 – 39844150

Email: info@indochinasails.com

Website: www.indochinasails.com

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There be dragons – Halong Bay

The legend goes that the islands of Halong Bay were formed by dragons who spit out jade and jewels into the sea to help the Vietnamese build a barrier to defend against would be invaders. After attempts to conquer the area were thwarted, the dragons fell in love with the bay and took eternal residence there. One look at these giant, limestone karsts, and I couldn’t help but be overtaken with the sense that we were sailing among the sleeping beasts.

Traveling three hours east of Hanoi, we arrived in Halong City and boarded a traditional Vietnamese junk for a three day, two night tour of Halong Bay. Words can’t described how ethereal the bay is – emerald waters… giant, jungle topped islands… ancient boats… it was a different world.

Off the boat, we got to explore the bay and travel to island caves by kayak. Our main boat pulled into a small sheltered “lagoon” between the karsts that served as protection for some floating homes that had kayaks available for us.

Swimming in the Pacific, on the other side of the world, proved absolutely magical. Splashing around in Halong Bay, I couldn’t get it out of my head that I was swimming on the other side of the world.

And that I was swimming with dragons. Words really can’t explain how out-of-this-world it was. And the salinity of the water was so strong that you couldn’t sink if you tried (and I tried… so much so that I got a double ear infection – but prepared travelers that we were, the antibiotics we brought cleared them right up).

The second day had us heading off to a different section of the bay for more exploration inkayaks. Halong Bay is huge, and we would just as easily run across a small fishing boat as we would a globe trotting cargo ship. Being in the middle of it made the current tensions that are arising that much more real. Still, it was easier to turn off the current events and just enjoy being in this different world.

We toured secluded lagoons that were straight out of a “best-of” tourism book. One can really see why Halong Bay was recently voted one of the “new seven wonders of nature.” I am so grateful that we got to experience it firsthand. And as if that wasn’t enough, we spent the rest of the day on a secluded island, complete with a view of the bay, and a white sandy beach to lounge upon. Then we still had the sunset to enjoy back on the boat.

Our final day on the bay was spent visiting a floating village. Four villages dot the area, totaling about 1600 residents that sustain themselves on fishing, and now with a boon from the tourism industry (the government subsidizes the villages, and our floating village tour guides were employees of the national park system).

Though we were less than a week into our trip, I had an inkling at the time that Halong Bay was to be my favorite part of Vietnam. Reflecting upon, and writing about, the entire experience now, Halong Bay really was my favorite part of the trip. Though I have yet to tell, all of our amazing adventures, Halong really set my spirit right. It turned out to be a really deep connection to something that was beyond imagination that I, personally, needed.

Source: saypdx.wordpress.com

Supported by Indochina Sails - The most luxury and safest cruises in Halong Bay

INDOCHINA SAILS

Hanoi Office

Add: 27 – A6 – Dam Trau Quarter – Hai Ba Trung District – Hanoi – Vietnam

Tel: +84 – 4- 39842362

Fax: +84 – 4 – 39844150

Email: info@indochinasails.com

Website: www.indochinasails.com

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The Perfect Love Cruise

The Indochina Sails is the perfect cruise to Halong Bay.

The staff is friendly. It is always nice to chat with the locals to know them and Vietnam better.

The food is delicious and in abundance. When you are travelling with 3 growing teenagers, it is important that they serve a lot of food! Indochina Sails' cooking staff cooked delicious food and we always look forward to have a meal in the dining room.

The bedrooms are 5 star standard. It is a full bathroom , with marble top basin counter and shower cubicle. The room decoration is beautiful and comfortable.

The itinerary is very well planned for a 2 night stay package. Lots of activities for the 3 day stay, to keep all of us occupied. The visit to the fishing village , the climb up to TipTop Island, the kayaking activities to the caves, the swim on the beach , are all executed professionally.

Will definitely recommend Indochina Sails to all who is thinking of visitng Halong Bay. It is a bit more expensive, but definitely value for money.

Visited December 2011

Source: Tripadvisor

Supported by Indochina Sails - The most luxury and safest cruises in Halong Bay

Backed by over ten years experience hosting international guests on the tranquil waters of Halong Bay, Indochina Sails has set a new standard for luxury cruising. The first company to offer overnight cruises on the bay, we are now widely known as the number one choice for discerning travelers. Our fleet of six newly built wooden junks are designed in time-honored traditional style, with contemporary and luxurious cabins and facilities. What better way to experience the natural beauty and spectacular seascape of this UNESCO World Heritage site than on board an Indochina Sails junk!

INDOCHINA SAILS

Hanoi Office

Add: 27 – A6 – Dam Trau Quarter – Hai Ba Trung District – Hanoi – Vietnam

Tel: +84 – 4- 39842362

Fax: +84 – 4 – 39844150

Email: info@indochinasails.com

Website: www.indochinasails.com

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Experience of a lifetime

It is hard to choose a cruise for Halong Bay - there are so many, and there is very little to differentiate between the companies. I chose to book with Indochina Sails because of their mention of adequate life jackets etc (which is important to know when traveling in SE Asia!), but I am glad that we did.

The rooms are beautiful, the program is great, food is delicious (although if you dislike seafood like me, the set lunches can be a challenge, although the chefs are quite willing to cook you something different) and the staff are cheerful, attentive and professional. Drink prices are reasonable and we received a complimentary bottle of wine as well, which we drank with dinner one night. The bathroom is amazing!

I would highly recommend this trip.

I would highly recommend taking the extra time for the three day-two night option, as the day trip on day two is wonderful.

Visited December 2011
Soure: Tripadvisor
Supported by Indochina Sails - The most luxury and safest cruises in Halong Bay

Backed by over ten years experience hosting international guests on the tranquil waters of Halong Bay, Indochina Sails has set a new standard for luxury cruising. The first company to offer overnight cruises on the bay, we are now widely known as the number one choice for discerning travelers. Our fleet of six newly built wooden junks are designed in time-honored traditional style, with contemporary and luxurious cabins and facilities. What better way to experience the natural beauty and spectacular seascape of this UNESCO World Heritage site than on board an Indochina Sails junk!

INDOCHINA SAILS
Hanoi Office
Add: 27 – A6 – Dam Trau Quarter – Hai Ba Trung District – Hanoi – Vietnam
Tel: +84 – 4- 39842362
Fax: +84 – 4 – 39844150
Email: info@indochinasails.com
Website: www.indochinasails.com

Read More