Singapore is a modern, clean, action packed city-state… with some unusual laws. This is one of the most popular holiday destinations on the planet, because it is jam packed with things to do. Singapore has something for every type of traveller. If you are planning to go then check out this Quick Travel Guide to Singapore.
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What to Do in Singapore
There are loads of must see attractions in Singapore. Gardens by the Bay and the Cloud Forest are right next to each other, and a short walk to the Marina Bay Sands complex. You definitely cannot leave Singapore without seeing these.
You simply must see the Singapore Zoo, it is rated the third best zoo in the world on Trip Advisor. And the Singapore Botanical Gardens are UNESCO World Heritage listed, so you know they are amazing.
Here are a some popular tours in Singapore which may interest you:
Where to Stay in Singapore
Singapore is renowned for having a high cost of living, both for residents and tourists. For example a one bedroom apartment averages around 2,500 S$ per month. You may need to be very careful when booking accommodation in Singapore due to the high cost involved.
In the first place Singapore has one of the best metro train systems in the world, the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) System. If your accomodation is near an MRT station, you are literally connected to the whole of Singapore. the MRT is so awesome that it rates as the Number 1 thing to do in Singapore on Trip Advisor.
Here are the 7 most popular zones for accommodation in Singapore.
Orchard Road – For shoppers; loaded with malls.
Marina Bay – For luxury seekers; expensive area near cities most prestigious attractions.
Clarke Quay – For party animals; loaded with bars and restaurants.
Sentosa Island – For beach resort lovers and families who love theme parks.
Chinatown – For backpackers and culture trip seekers.
Little India – For backpackers and bargain hunters; plenty of cheap shopping.
Civic District – For art and museum seekers; plenty of fine dining options.
Planning the Ultimate Southeast Asia Itinerary 3 Weeks
Quick Travel Guide to Singapore
21 Weird Laws in Singapore
Travel From Kuala Lumpur to Singapore by Bus or Train
Your Southeast Asia Itinerary
If you’d like some more help planning your Southeast Asia holiday itinerary then check out this blog post, with several different itineraries to choose from.
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If you like things clean and orderly, then Singapore may be your perfect holiday destination. After the chaotic hustle and bustle of neighbouring countries, Singapore is a truly amazing place to visit because of it’s immaculate cleanliness. But if you plan to travel there, you first need to learn about the weird laws in Singapore.
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Chewing Gum in Singapore
So many visitors want to know – is chewing gum illegal in Singapore? What are the infamous smoking laws in Singapore? Are there any other crazy Singapore laws that visitors need to know about?
To answer the first question, it most definitely is illegal to chew gum in Singapore. And similar to narcotic drugs, it is also illegal to sell non-medicinal gum in Singapore. Fines are up to $100,000 or 2 years in prison!
There has however been a softening of this tough law since it was introduced in 1992. You are now allowed to chew nicotine gum and medicinal gum, as long as it is sold by a pharmacist or dentist. This includes standard “sugar free gum”. But the seller of medicinal or therapeutic gum must record the name of the purchaser of the gum.
But the chewing gum ban in Singapore does not stop there. You are not allowed to bring gum in from other countries either. Well no more than 2 packets, anyway. So make sure you check your backpack before that flight into Singapore. You wouldn’t want to get caught at airport security with a few packets of gum in your luggage.
Punishment for Gum Chewing in Singapore
Whilst Singapore still penalises some criminal offences with caning, thankfully there has never been a caning for gum chewing in Singapore. Instead fines and imprisonment are the normal penalties imposed. The reality is that you would face a heavy fine if you chewed gum, and then decided to throw it away as litter.
Why Is Chewing Gum Illegal in Singapore?
So exactly why is chewing gum illegal in Singapore? It all started many years ago in the public housing sector. Vandals discarding used gum on elevator buttons, in keyholes and in mailboxes, reportedly caused ongoing maintenance issues and government repairs costs.
But it didn’t stop there. Ongoing gum offences on buses and in public areas resulted in yet more spending on maintenance and cleaning. I think anybody in the free world (where gum is still legal) can relate to this.
The final straw was when the 5 billion dollar Mass Rapid Transit System came online in 1987. Renegade vandals turned to the MRT, and began to terrorise the system with their used chewing gum. They began sticking gum on the door sensors, causing the train doors to malfunction resulting in embarrassing and costly disruptions to train services.
The MRT incidents took it one step too far, and the Prime Minister imposed a chewing gum ban in January 1992. Good on him I say. What we see today is a clean Singapore. There are no unsightly gum stains on pavements and public areas around the city. There is no gum stuck all over the seats of public buses and trains. I imaging the schools are a whole lot better for the ban.
Spotless Singapore footpaths
Other Weird Laws In Singapore
Chewing gum bans are not the only weird Singapore laws. If you are travelling to Singapore and normally participate in any of the following, I strongly urge you to abstain during your stay. Or face heavy penalties.
The smoking laws in Singapore come under more scrutiny than any other, due to the high number of smokers. No smoking in public… sheesh! This is probably not so much a weird law, but the way the world is headed. Sorry smokers, but I think your days of smoking in public are numbered.
More Than Smoking Bans
But look past the smoking laws, and you may consider some of those below to be crazy laws in Singapore. The penalties below are indicative only and may vary substantially in real cases. But don’t take my work for it, check out the links to Singapore Statues websites.
Chewing Gum in Singapore will land you a $100,000 fine or 2 years in jail
If your are a compulsive gum smuggling, WiFi stealing, mucus spitting, pidgeon feeding litterbug, perhaps you should reconsider travelling to Singapore as your next holiday destination. But for everyone else, Singapore is a remarkable place to visit and should be on every bonafide traveller’s bucket list.
Just try to remember some basic do’s and don’ts, avoid those weird laws of Singapore, and you will be fine. And keep your medicinal gum to yourself.
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Phu Quoc Island is said to be the best kept secret in Vietnam. Lying just off the south coast of Cambodia, this island is full of resorts and stunning beaches. If you are thinking about a trip to this island, then you should check out our Quick Travel Guide to Phu Quoc Island.
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What to Do on Phu Quoc Island
Phu Quoc Island is said to become a giant marine park in the not to distant future. But even now it is renowned for awesome snorkelling its diverse range of marine life. It also has magnificent beaches right around the island, and a UNESCO listed National Park, complete with waterfalls and caves.
Here are a some tour links to get you started:
Where to Stay in Phu Quoc Island
Phu Quoc Island has some distinctly different beach areas to choose from. There are actually about 10 different beaches, and the VietnamCoracle has an excellent guide to them all.
Out of all these beaches, the 4 most popular are as follows:
Long Beach is the main tourist area, and the longest beach on the island at 20km in length. Our favourite hotel at Long Beach is the Saigon Phu Quoc Resort and Spa.
Dai Beach is in the North West of the Island, and is the location of several high end resorts, a golf course and amusement park. VinPearl Phu Quoc is our pick of these resorts.
Ganh Dau Beach gets our vote for the best beach on Phu Quoc Island. We recommend you stay at the beautiful Gold Coast Resort to take advantage of this peaceful and secluded beach.Ong Lang Beach lies just to the north of Long Beach, also called Mango Beach. This is a beautiful beach with a few quieter resorts nearby, however it is undergoing a period of rapid development. Overall our favourite resort here, located about 400m from the main beach is Cottage Village.
Quick Travel Guide to Phu Quoc Island
Plan Your Trip to Phu Quoc Island
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Planning the Ultimate Southeast Asia Itinerary 3 Weeks
Quick Travel Guide to Phu Quoc Island Vietnam
Your Southeast Asia Itinerary
If you’d like some more help planning your Southeast Asia holiday itinerary then check out this blog post, with several different itineraries to choose from.
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If you are looking for an amazing day trip from Hanoi, you simply can’t go past the Boat Cave Tour at Tam Coc Vietnam. These Tam Coc Caves are just 90km south of Hanoi, in a beautiful setting known as the Halong Bay on Land.
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Best Day Trips From Hanoi
The Old Quarter in Hanoi, like any tourist district in the world, has a great concentration of tour booking agencies. We had already decided to search for a Vietnam Cave Tour as our number 1 tour destination from Hanoi. We discovered that the “BIG 4” most popular day tours from Hanoi are as follows:
We decided to tour the Tam Coc Caves. The tour we selected is called the Full Day Hoa Lu & Tam Coc Small Group Tour. For 2 adults and 1 Child this tour cost us approx. US $112. I consider this to be quite good value for what you get.
Hoa Lu & Tam Coc Tour Itinerary
Hanoi to Ninh Binh Bus Trip
The Hoa Lu Tam Coc bus picked us up from our Hanoi Bella Rosa Suite Hotel in Old Quarter around 8:15 am. We were the last ones to be picked up and had to sit right up the back of the bus. From there it was a 2 hour drive to the first stop in the province of Ninh Binh Vietnam.
Hoa Lu is the ancient capital of Vietnam from the 10th and 11th centuries. This first stop takes in 2 fascinating temples: King Dinh and King Le. It is surrounded by some very nice traditional farmland, a great opportunity for tourists to check out this amazing scenery.
Actually the first stop is much more than just a couple of temples. It is the ancient capital of Vietnam and a UNESCO World Heritage listed site. Any World Heritage site is well worth a visit, this is no exception.
Entrance to Hoa Lu Temple
Water buffalo greeting visitors to Hoa Lu
Bicycle Tour around Ninh Binh
Second stop was a buffet lunch at one of the local hotels, a very well organised lunch catering for several other Hoa Lu Tam Coc tour buses. Then on to the second attraction, where we would tour Ninh Binh on a 45 minute bicycle ride. The ride started in the small township and ended up in the local rice paddies just out-of-town.
There were plenty more wonderful photo opportunities in the Ninh Binh rice fields, limestone outcrops and classic Vietnamese landscapes. We even had to give way to farmers and cows on the tiny bike paths. This spectacular area is known as the Halong Bay on Land.
This part of the Ninh Binh tour is not for the faint hearted, I would not take a child with little biking experience. We were riding on public roads at times with trucks and motor bikes zooming past us. It is easy enough for anyone with reasonable balance, however I would not recommend this bicycle tour for small children.
Bicycle Tour through the rice paddys
Boat Cave Tour at Tam Coc
Lastly onto the highlight of the tour, the Tam Coc cave tour. This was in tiny sanpan boats with maximum of three people per boat, with a local person paddling.
Paddling towards the caves
The boat cave tour is a 2 hour return trip through some stunning scenery. There were three caves, the smallest about 30 metres long, the largest about 170 metres long and pitch black in the middle.
The Tam Coc caves weren’t especially stunning themselves, but the entire journey was magnificent. Tam Coc Ninh Binh is an area of stunning scenery. It’s little wonder that the whole landscape is declared UNESCO World Heritage. Once you get through the third cave, then turn around to go through each cave a second time in reverse.
The boat trip is child friendly, you are directed to wear life jackets for the entire journey. However it is very safe, and the water is extremely placid. Getting in and out of the boat is a little tricky but can be done safely.
There is a ‘don’t rock the boat’ requirement along the way, because these boats do become unstable with too much movement side to side. But overall, it’s fine for kids.
Tam Coc Tour Traps
The Thirsty Paddler Trap
We were told by the tour guide that after the third cave, a boat selling beer will pull up alongside our boat. The Vendor will ask if we’d like to buy our tired paddler a beer, since it is such a hot and strenuous journey.
The beer is then sold at a highly inflated price, the paddler decides not to drink the beer, and gives it back to the seller to be re-sold. Sure enough, this beer conspiracy happened exactly as predicted, only we did not fall for this enterprising scheme.
The Paparazzi Trap
At both Hoa Lu and the boat cave tour, there are quite a few local photographers, a.k.a. the Paparazzi. They take photos of you in a fairly non-intrusive way, then print and laminate the photos for you.
The Paparazzi are overall quite polite, and it seems one photographer is assigned to each tourist or family. Before leaving the tour you will have the opportunity to purchase your souvenir photos for 100,000-200,000 Vietnamese dong per photo.
We bargained these down to 2 photos for 100,000 dong which is still quite expensive, but everyone was happy. I guess it was a win-win situation, and it’s good to support the locals in a small way.
Inside the Vietnamese cave
Tam Coc Tour Summary
The bus trip back to Hanoi was fairly non-eventful, taking about 1.5 hours with a toilet/refreshment stop at the half way mark. We were dropped back near our hotel in the Old Quarter after a tiresome 9.5 hour round trip.
Overall this Hoa Lua Tam Coc tour was good value and very interesting. Our 9 year old son was very interested for the whole day, especially with the adventurous bike ride in the middle of the day. And the boat cave tour is the absolute highlight of the day. Overall this as a genuine ‘not to be missed’ day trip from Hanoi. 10 out of 10.
More Ninh Binh Tour Options
And here are some more tour suggestions for you to consider, if you are considering your very own tour to Tam Coc Vietnam.
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Hanoi is the bustling capital city of Vietnam, the second largest city in the country. It is an ancient city with a fascinating history, and visitors can find French Colonial architecture, ancient pagodas, and a vibrant mix of shopping and dining options. If you are thinking about a trip to this city of 10 million, then you should check out our Quick Travel Guide to Hanoi.
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What to Do in Hanoi
The Old Quarter in Hanoi is well known as the happening place for tourists. You will find everything you need here for a great holiday… cafes, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and of course unlimited shopping.
Here are a few great tours you can book to get you started:
Hanoi is also a great starting point for a wide range of tours in Northern Vietnam. You can take a day trip to Halong Bay. Or head a couple of hours south to the ancient Capital of Hoa Lu, and go boating through amazing caves. You can head north into the mountains, or a wide range of tour options in between.
Hanoi is very spread out, however there are 3 main options for places to stay. By far the most popular is the Old Quarter, and this is where the majority of tourists end up. Then there is the city centre, the downtown business district. Finally there is West Lake, where most expats tend to live.
Our favourite place to stay is the Hanoi Bella Rosa Suite Hotel, right in the heart of the Old Quarter. Here you have everything at your fingertips, in a high quality and convenient Hotel.
Quick Travel Guide to Hanoi
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Quick Travel Guide to Hanoi
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Getting from Hanoi Airport to Old Quarter
Your Southeast Asia Itinerary
If you’d like some more help planning your Southeast Asia holiday itinerary then check out this blog post, with several different itineraries to choose from.
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Our long-awaited family holiday to Vietnam has become a reality! We planned to stay for 10 nights in Old Quarter Hanoi followed by another week in Halong Bay. Our first task was to get a reliable transfer from Hanoi Airport to Old Quarter. But which option is best?
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Nice sunset between Bangkok and Hanoi
Arriving at Hanoi Airport
I have to say, Noi Bai International Airport is one of my favourite airports on the planet. It is clean and modern, opening back in 2015. It seems very spacious and not overly crowded, which is unusual for South East Asia.
We arrived at about 9:00 pm. This is an airport hack we often use, making sure we arrive well clear of peak hour traffic. 9:00 pm is well after peak hour, meaning our drive from Hanoi Airport to the Old Quarter is certain to be in relatively light traffic. And that means a fast, cheap drive.
How to Get From Hanoi Airport to Old Quarter
The Old Quarter in Hanoi (a.k.a. Hoan Kiem district) is the main tourist destination in Hanoi. This area is one of the busiest in Hanoi, and is a commercial hub backed with all sorts of bars, cafes, hotels and tourists. It is the number 1 place to stay if your are a tourist in Hanoi.
The distance from Hanoi Airport to the Old Quarter is 26km on Google Maps, and takes some 36 minutes to drive. There are no toll roads and the roads are great. Here are a few options to for Hanoi Airport transfers, to help you on your way.
Hanoi Airport Taxi
Getting a taxi from Hanoi Airport to your hotel is an obvious choice. Once you exit the arrivals area, if you look to your left there should be a long line of taxis. Prices are 350,000 to 400,000 Vietnamese Dong, or about $15 to $18. The same rules apply with taxis anywhere:
Only get into a taxi from a reputable company. Easy to spot because you should see many taxis from the same company.
Insist that the driver turns the taxi meter on.
If the driver is reluctant to turn on the meter, either get into a different taxi or agree on a price before the taxi departs.
Uber / Grab Taxi
Both Uber and Grab Taxis are available in Hanoi. These should work out a bit cheaper than catching a Hanoi Airport Taxi to Old Quarter. Average cost will be about 250,000 Vietnamese Dong, or $11. There are some pre-requisites to make this work.
You need the app installed on your smart phone to call and Uber / Grab taxi.
You will need to have a local SIM card installed in your phone, or have data roaming activated.
Vietnam is one of the simplest countries to purchase a SIM card, there are several phone company booths set up as you leave the arrivals hall. You can purchase a Mobiphone SIM card with 18 gigabyte of data for 250,000 Vietnamese Dong, or about $11. The whole process takes less than 5 minutes.
MOZIO App
I absolutely love the Mozio App. It is also in the form of a website. The concept of Mozio is simple. You can book an airport transfer virtually anywhere in the world. When you arrive there will be a driver holding a sign with your name on it, for a fast transfer. Y
ou pay in advance, and book the appropriate sized car for the right amount of people and baggage. We have used this service all over Europe, and never experienced any problems. The cost is normally a bit more than taxis, but in return you get a no-fuss, reliable transfer.
The cost of a Mozio transfer from Hanoi Airport to Old Quarter starts at $17 for 4 people and 2 bags. Not bad for a hassle free transfer.
Private Car
When you arrive at Hanoi Airport there are about 20 of tourist counters offering private car transfers. There are also official looking people offering these services to anybody who looks like they need a lift.
This is another fast reliable way to get a transfer, and you will pay up front. The standard price is $23 to $25, however a skilled negotiator will probably find a lift for $20. This was the option that we went for, and we were quite please with an efficient service and a nice clean private car.
Hanoi Airport Shuttle
If you arrive at Hanoi Airport on Vietnam Airlines or Jetstar, you can avail the Hanoi Airport Shuttle. The cost is just 40,000 Vietnamese Dong per person, or about $2. These airport shuttle buses will drop you off in the old quarter at the following addresses:
Vietnam Airlines: 1 Quang Trung street, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Jetstar: 204 Tran Quang Khai street, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
Hanoi Airport Bus Number 86
Catching the Number 86 bus from Hanoi Airport to Old Quarter costs 30,000 Vietnamese Dong, or about $1.30 per person. The ride takes about 1 hour, and is more comfortable than the public bus number 17.
This bus stops at several locations in the Old Quarter. Instructions to catch the Hanoi Airport Bus to Old Quarter:
Find the bus stop outside the arrivals area, when you reach the roadway.
Catch the Number 86 bus to Hanoi Old Quarter
When you get off the bus, catch a regular taxi to your hotel.
Hanoi Airport Bus Number 17
If you are a lone traveller, or a budget conscious traveller then a bus may be a better option. Catching the Number 17 bus from Hanoi Airport to Old Quarter costs a mere 9,000 Vietnamese Dong, or about 40 cents per person.
The ride takes about 1 hour. Bus number 17 runs every 15 to 20 minutes from 5am to 10pm. Instructions to catch the Hanoi Airport Bus to Old Quarter:
Turn right as you leave the arrivals area, when you reach the roadway.
Catch the Number 17 bus to Long Bien Bus Station
When you get off the bus, catch a regular taxi to your hotel.
Our Airport Transfer to the Old Quarter
From the airport we took a 40 minute private hire car ride to the Old Quarter district. We paid $23, which is quite expensive for Hanoi, but not too bad for a typical airport transfer.
Noi Bai airport is clean, modern and spacious
Being 9pm the traffic was very light. The traffic can get super-crazy in Hanoi but we did not experience any of this. Overall it was quite an easy, comfortable and fast trip from Noi Bai airport to the hotel. Time spent in the taxi was around 40 minutes.
Waiting for a taxi inside Noi Bai airport is easy
Arriving in Hanoi Old Quarter
Arriving at the Hanoi Bella Rosa Suite Hotel, our hosts gave us a useful list of the things to watch out for in the tourist saturated Old Quarter Hanoi:
Don’t get a street taxi. They are a rip off. Request the hotel to organise a taxi instead.
Watch out for the shoe shine boys around the corner they’re relentless and charge high prices.
Watch out in daytime, the crowds are thick and you might lose a wallet to pick-pocketers.
There is a 24 hour convenience store 100m up the road… yay.
A map of the best local restaurants, of which there are plenty.
Always bargain prices down by about one-third, that is the standard markup for tourists and the sellers rarely get offended with this street haggling.
Booked into our comfortable hotel
First Impressions of Hanoi
This was one of those holidays where we didn’t do much research. We knew the weather is supposed to be a little mild in March but we weren’t really expecting it to be COLD. Yes it was jumper weather, plummeting to around 10-12 degrees Celsius at night.
Hanoi Old Quarter street scene near our hotel
Old Quarter Hanoi is a charming and quaint area. Lining the streets are countless small and normal looking establishments with an old world charm. Browsing these shops are tourists from all corners of the globe.
Street sellers or shady looking characters rarely hassle tourists here, making the Old Quarter feel quite safe. Also there are lots and lots of tourists from Europe, China, Japan, USA and Australia.
This is good so we don’t stand out as a target for small time street criminals. The Old Quarter is also inexpensive – a quick survey of the prices on the street reveal that prices are crazy cheap, and that is before you get start haggling.
Exploring the Old Quarter
The first leg of our holiday involved a 10 night stay in a small boutique hotel, the Hanoi Bella Rosa Suite Hotel. The location was outstanding, right in the centre of the Old Quarter of Hanoi. This allowed us plenty of opportunity to soak up the local atmosphere.
Time to head off and do some exploring now. Find the famous Vietnamese Egg Coffee, and maybe a giant Lake Hoan Kiem turtle. And when we’re done, it should be a piece of cake to get a taxi to Hanoi Airport, now we know all the different rates.
Time to explore Hanoi Old Quarter, first day
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A Vietnam travel adventure is a worthy addition to anyone’s travel bucket list, especially a tour of World Heritage Halong Bay. Did you know there are over 500 Halong Bay cruise boats to choose from? With so many options, how do you choose the best Halong Bay Cruise?
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Cruising in Luxury at Halong Bay
Researching the Best Halong Bay Cruise
In common with practically every holiday, there are two schools of thought:
Research and book everything before you leave home.
Wait until you get there, and then book your tour locally in either Hanoi or Halong Bay.
Main Advantages to Booking Locally:
You can haggle for a decent price.
Cheaper options can be found locally through greater choice. You may have an opportunity to find those tour companies which are not easy to find on the internet.
You can get last-minute bargains where the operator is trying to fill the last few seats.
Inclusions/exclusions can be discussed first hand with the tour operator.
You have a greater chance of avoiding undesirable weather periods.
Cheaper land transfers may be secured by having greater choice of local alternatives.
Main Advantages to Booking Online:
You can avoid that feeling of disappointment when the tour you really want is booked out. In other words, you can avoid F.O.M.O.
You have more chance of finding the best Halong Bay Cruise through your solid research. Don’t forget you also have an opportunity to contact the tour company for more information.
Which are the Best Halong Bay Cruises to Book?
My research revealed that there are three popular cruise durations at Halong Bay:
Day trip – for the budget conscious or time limited traveller who wants a glimpse of the bay.
Overnight Halong Bay Cruise – for the budget conscious or the traveller who wants to experience more of the bay than a fleeting glimpse.
Two night Cruise – for the traveller who wants to completely immerse themselves in the bay and truly experience her glorious ambience.
Time to make some hard decisions. How much do you want to spend? How much time can you afford to devote to your cruise?
Halong Bay Cruise Price
So how much does a Halong Bay Cruise cost? You will need this information to make some decisions. There are three typical Halong Bay cruise budgets:
Premium Luxury – US$1000-$1400 per couple per night
Luxury – US$500-$650 per couple per night
Budget – US$300-$400 per couple per night
We decided to lash out on a Halong Bay Luxury Cruise. The cruise we selected had awesome reviews on Booking.com, and cost us US$630 per night for 2 adults and 1 child. On top of this there was an extra $60 for transfer from Hanoi.
Because this cruise was the absolute highlight or our family travel adventure in Vietnam, I did plenty of due diligence and research. We booked a Halong Signature Cruise on Booking.com, and never regretted it.
Our luxury Halong Bay Cruise boat the Signature Royal
Top 10 Halong Bay Luxury Cruises
Here are the top 10 Best Halong Bay Cruises of 2018, according to Halong Bay Tours.
My research online of budget cruises found problems with every one I looked at, either by dodgy food, uncomfortable rooms, questionable safety or security difficult transfers. All this means that the list of negatives is very long.
I found that a jump into the luxury category and these problems disappeared. We chose the Signature Cruise Halong Bay, which had 9.3 “Wonderful” customer review score on booking.com. How good is that!!! All online reviews I found were positive and happy with all aspects of the Signature Cruise.
Just check out the awesome rating for the Signature Cruise Halong Bay, where you will find customer reviews and booking costs. Unfortunately the Booking.com site does not do a great job in describing the itinerary, for that you need to go to the Signature Royal Cruises website.
How Many Cruise Boats Are There?
I spoke to one of the locals working on the boat, he told me there are about 500 Halong Bay junk boats out doing tours. 200 out of these 500 are overnight Halong Bay Cruise Boats, meaning they stay out on the bay at night.
My arithmetic tells me there are approximately 300 day boats and 200 overnight boats. With numbers like that, you should have no problems securing a last-minute bargain.
How to Get From Hanoi to Halong Bay
Souvenir stop half way from Hanoi to Halong Bay
Our hotel offered to organise a transfer from Old Quarter in Hanoi to Halong Bay for 1,000,000 dong (US$44). This was the total cot for 3 people.
Signature Cruise had offered bus transport US$15 per person, or Luxury Van transport US $20 person. We took the luxury van option and booked in advance. It turned out to be a Toyota Innova with 6 luxury seats in the back, with 2 other passengers on board.
The trip took about 4 hours door to door, with a half hour stop half way at an amazingly well stocked and cheap souvenir shop along the way.
Waiting in the Signature building near the wharf
Halong Bay Weather
Damp weather and Halong Bay still shines
Apparently the best time to visit Halong Bay is September to November, or March to May. June-August is too hot and typhoon prone (Halong is in a typhoon belt which travels westwards across the pacific), and December to February are too cold.
These preferred months are supposed to be clear and mild. What we found was that in mid-March the Halong Bay weather was cold and drizzly, apparently the clear mild weather had not started yet. Sort of a shoulder season.
This turned out to be a blessing because the hazy, drizzly weather meant that the bay was not very crowded with tourists which made it a more pleasant trip. We are photography buffs, and although the sunny clear days definitely make for better photographs, the hazy and foggy weather still made for some stunning photography.
Cold Swimming Weather
The sea water was 18 degrees, which made it rather cold to swim in. But a 10 minute swim is definitely possible. And plenty warm enough for kayaking. There was no wind, so wind chill was not a factor.
Shoulder season is not the ideal Halong Bay weather for those classic blue sky photos, but still this did not lessen the magnificence of our Halong Bay cruise. The dreary weather can actually make Halong Bay boat tours more enjoyable, due to less crowds.
Our Halong Bay Luxury Cruise
Cabin on the Signature Royal
We boarded the Signature Cruise Halong Bay at lunchtime on the first day. They have two overnight cruise boats, a 12 cabin and a 16 cabin. We were on the 16 cabin on the third level.
Our room was very spacious with Jacuzzi, sofa and chairs, king sized bed and a private balcony. It was luxuriously appointed and roughly equivalent to a normal 5 star hotel. I absolutely loved the private balcony combined with a 2 night cruise, we had enough time to sit there and soak up the ambience.
Signature Cruise Itinerary
Here is an approximate itinerary, some times may be a few minutes out (sorry Signature Cruises!) but it’s close.
Visiting the floating fishing village
Day 1
12:00 arrive at Signature terminal building
1:00 board the overnight boat
2:00 late lunch on board the overnight boat
3:00 fishing village and cave tour on a small row-boat
4:00 pearl farm tour on a small row-boat
Pearl jewellery from the local pearl farm
4:30 back to overnight boat
5:00 beach trip
6:00 cooking lesson – Vietnamese fresh spring rolls
6:00 happy hour – good chance to catch up with other passengers
7:00 evening meal
8:30 squid fishing
Squid fishing on the transfer boat
Day 2
6:00 Tai Chi on the top deck – cancelled due to drizzle
7:30 breakfast
8:30 board day boat to go to outer Halong bay
11:00 kayaking, beach trip
Sea Kayaking
1:00 lunch, cruise back to overnight boat
3:00 board big boat, free time aboard the overnight boat
6:00 cooking lesson – Vietnamese fried spring rolls
6:00 happy hour – good chance to catch up with other passengers
7:15 evening meal
8:30 squid fishing
Chilling out on the day boat
Day 3
6:00 tai chi top deck – cancelled due to drizzle
7:15 light breakfast
7:30 cave tour
8:30 big brunch
10:00 arrive back Halong bay
11:00 leave boat for land
11:15 taxi to other hotel
View from our private balcony
Top 5 Highlights on the Halong Signature Cruise
My top 5 highlights on our Halong Bay 2 night cruise were:
Kayaking – we had a 1 hour kayak trip around some small islands and into a cave in a remote part of Halong Bay. We got to enjoy it all by ourselves (no other boats), including kayaking into a dark cave.
The 2 hour day boat cruise to the remote part of Halong bay, with spectacular scenery along way.
Every meal time was magnificent, true 5 star dining and delicious in every way.
Free time to just chill out on the private balcony, or on the top deck / roof of the boat.
Trip to the floating fishing village in a small paddle boat, going through a cave along the way.
My 9-year-old son’s top 5 highlights of the itinerary were:
Squid catching – My son caught his first squid ever, then about a dozen more.
Kayaking – first time ever, got to kayak through a cave then land on a beautiful white beach.
Cruising on the day boat – a great opportunity to play Chess and other board games.
Going on the beach – part of the sea kayaking adventure.
Swimming in the sea off the day boat – after the sea kayaking we were invited to take a dip in the deep water. This was done by jumping off the moored day boat.
Getting From Halong Bay to Hanoi by Mini Van
After the cruise we stayed at the VinPearl Resort and Spa Halong Bay for a few more days. The hotel offered us a luxury transfer to Hanoi for 3 million dong, or regular taxi for 1 million dong, or 7 seater taxi van for 1.5 million dong. This was all quite expensive.
We found a much better option online through An Binh Travel. They offer one way trips Halong Bay to Hanoi for US $16 per person, and can be booked online. The mode of transport is luxury van, which is typically fitted with 6 spacious passenger seats. Allow about 4 hours for this trip, and ask for door to door service.
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If you are thinking about a trip to Halong Bay, then you should check out our Quick Travel Guide to Halong Bay. It is packed full of information, especially to help you find a great cruise on Halong Bay.
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What to Do in Halong Bay
There are almost as many tour boats as there are islands in Halong Bay. If you want to tour Halong Bay, you probably should do some research first. Luckily for you, there are plenty of reputable websites who have done the hard work for you.
Our cruise of choice is a 3 day /2-night Signature Royal Cruise. This is without a doubt the most enjoyable, most luxurious cruise we’ve ever been on. Take it from us, even if the weather in Halong Bay is not on your side, this cruise is guaranteed to impress you.
Here are the top 10 Best Halong Bay Cruises of 2018, according to Halong Bay Tours.
Are you planning to tour Halong Bay soon? Cat Ba Island is the most popular place to stay. This is the biggest island in Halong Bay, and has many new and established places to stay. Here are some great deals at Cat Ba Island.
Alternatively, there are some great luxury options available on the mainland. Our personal favourite is the VinPearl Resort and Spa Halong Bay. This luxurious hotel is so cool that it even has it’s own island! And it has spectacular views over Cat Ba Island and Halong Bay.
Quick Travel Guide to Halong Bay
Plan Your Halong Bay Trip
Read More About Halong Bay
13 Useful Tips to Cruise Halong Bay
Choosing your Halong Bay Cruise
Your Southeast Asia Itinerary
If you’d like some more help planning your Southeast Asia holiday itinerary then check out this blog post, with several different itineraries to choose from.
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Halong Bay is an amazing place to visit. It is a New 7 Wonders of Nature winner, and also a UNESCO World Heritage Area. Halong Bay is worthy of any traveller’s Bucket List. That’s why we’ve put together 13 useful tips, to help you cruise Halong Bay the best way possible.
13 Useful Tips to Cruise Halong Bay
When you start researching the best Halong Bay cruise you will quickly see that there are literally hundreds to choose from. It is mission impossible to tell which cruises are the good ones, and which ones should be left alone. So what’s the trick to separating the wheat from the chaff?
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Happy Cruising on your Halong Bay Cruise
Tip 1 – Best Duration
Decide on whether a Halong Bay day trip, overnight cruise or a two night cruise is best for you. Typically this will depend on your budget, and what you can fit into your busy itinerary.
Day trip – for the budget conscious or time limited traveller who want a glimpse of the bay.
Overnight Halong Bay cruise – for the budget conscious or the traveller who wants to experience more of the bay than a fleeting glimpse.
Two night Halong Bay cruise – for the traveller who wants to completely immerse themselves in Halong Bay and truly experience the glorious ambience. See the remote areas of Halong Bay.
Overnight Halong Bay Cruise boat anchoring for the night
Tip 2 – Suitable Budget
Decide on your budget. Typically there are three tiers of Halong Bay Cruises.
Budget – US$300-$400 per couple per night
Luxury – US$500-$650 per couple per night
Premium Luxury – US$1000-$1400 per couple per night
Keep in mind that the Halong Bay cruise price does not need to dictate your level of enjoyment. There is no doubt that a budget cruise can still satisfy your every desire.
So many to choose from at Halong Bay
Tip 3 – Read the Cruise Reviews
For Luxury and Premium Luxury cruises book ahead on the internet prior to your trip. Then you have the advantage of checking through hundreds of customer reviews. Sifting through these Halong Bay cruise reviews gives you a distinct advantage over booking locally, where you’re forced to rely on the seller’s word and the accuracy of their brochures.
Also some great discounts are possible booking ahead online. Major hotel booking sites like booking.com offer these cruises in their hotels section, just set a filter for “Property Type” = “Boats”.
Tip 4 – Day Trips
For a Halong Bay day trip, allow a one night stop over in the old quarter of Hanoi before your cruise. Book through your hotel travel desk, or simply walk up to any of the reputable looking travel shops for a great deal. This seems to contradict tip 3, but read on.
Booking a Halong Bay day trip locally you can be sure to synchronise with a nice day, not a rainy day. This is especially true during the shoulder seasons, where rainy weather patterns can set in. There is literally no chance of 500 boats being booked out, so don’t worry about the F.O.M.O. factor.
A typical tour agency in Hanoi Old Quarter
Tip 5 – Securing a Transfer to Halong Bay
Transfers from Hanoi to Halong Bay are easily organised from your hotel in Hanoi Old Quarter for about US$15 per person in a luxury van. Cruise operators may offer the same for $20 per person.
If you want to stay in Halong Bay for a bit longer and book your own way back to Hanoi I found that An Binh Travel offers one way trips Halong Bay to Hanoi for US $16 per person, and can be booked online. The mode of transport is luxury van, which is typically fitted with 6 spacious passenger seats. Allow about 4 hours for this trip, and ask for door to door service.
Luxury Hanoi-Halong Transfer for $20 pp
Tip 6 – Booking a Halong Bay Luxury Cruise
If you prefer to go in style aboard a Halong Bay luxury cruise, there is simply no need to book the $1200 per couple per night premium luxury cruises. Regular luxury such as Signature Royal Halong Cruise offer ample 5 star luxury for half the price of the opulent Premium Luxury options.
One of the many premium luxury cruises
Tip 7 – Longer Cruises
If two nights are not enough, cruises can typically accommodate guests for a full week. Email or call the cruise operator if this option appeals to you, although you will most likely have to pay the same daily rate as a 2 night cruise.
Tip 8 – Visiting Remote Areas
Be sure to confirm that your itinerary includes the remote areas of Halong Bay. Day trips can quickly crowd the front section of the bay. The far reaches are much more quiet and pristine. Here you can get beautiful beaches all to yourself and experience the true ambience of Halong Bay.
Get a private beach in the remote areas
Tip 9 – Buying Jewellery
Bring a couple of million dong cash to purchase some nice pearl jewellery at the floating pearl farm, the value is quite reasonable. Don’t worry, they will also accept major credit cards. You will find that most cruises include a tour of the floating fishing village and pearl farm. These are accessed by small 4 seat row boats.
Floating showroom at the Pearl Farm
Nice Pearl purchased from Halong Bay
Tip 10 – Go Kayaking
Check if sea kayaking is on your itinerary, this is a very cool experience not to be missed. Make sure your health is up to this strenuous activity, and be aware that back rests might not be an option. There are many limestone caves which can be paddled into, this is a great experience in the calm waters. Halong Bay kayaking was definitely one of the highlights of our trip.
Tip 11 – Cabin Security
Generally you need to book a luxury cruise to ensure a security safe is available. Most budget cruises do not provide a room safe. In fact, if you choose the budget option be sure to have secure lockable luggage. You will be spending a lot of time off the boat doing tours, so good security is imperative.
Accessing the security safe
Tip 12 – Cabin Private Balcony
Also check if your cabin has a private balcony, this may be one of the highlights of your Halong Bay cruise. There’s nothing quite like chilling out on your own private balcony, marvelling at the beauty of your surroundings.
You will love your private balcony
Tip 13 – Extra Activities
Check what extra activities your cruise has. On the cruise we went on, the Signature Royal Halong Cruise, there were loads of extra activities including:
Kayaking among the islands and caves
Vietnamese cooking classes
Night squid fishing
Pearl farm tour
Visiting Halong Bay caves
Day cruise to outer islands
Swimming on remote beaches
There were also 6am tai-chi classes on up on the main deck, however light drizzle put an end to those.
We participated in every available extra activity and they were all well worth the effort. They will make your Halong Bay Cruise even more memorable.
Have a Happy Halong Bay Tour
These tips will hopefully help you to sort through the plethora of cruise options available. You will undoubtedly find some negative comments whilst researching Halong Bay cruises. Whilst some of these are true, many negative comments are false or unfair.
Do not let negative comments persuade you to miss visiting this area, or you will forever regret leaving Halong Bay off your Vietnam itinerary. The cruise is definitely bucket list worthy for any budget!
Our luxury Halong Bay Cruise boat the Signature Royal
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Peles Castle is located on a medieval route which links Transylvania to Southern Romania, in the majestic Carpathian Mountains. It was built in the late 19th century in a neoclassical Germain new-renaissance style. In fact you could well be mistaken for thinking you’re in Germany or Austria when visiting this majestic Romanian castle.
Peles Castle, Palace or Museum?
Peles Castle is one of the most famous castles all of in Europe. It’s an authentic royal castle, and was used as a summer residence for the Kings and Queens of Romania in the 19th and 20th centuries. It was commissioned by King Carol the first in 1873. And it was designed by German architects, that’s why it looks so German.
You may be mistaken for thinking Peles Castle is more like a palace than a castle. However it is most definitely a castle. It has been named a castle since day one, albeit one of the most luxurious castles you will ever lay eyes on. In fact, it was declared a museum in 1953 and has been so ever since.
The bus parking area near the castle
Location of Peles Castle
Peles Castle is located in a mind-blowingly beautiful spot in the mountains just near the town of Sinaia. It’s about 48km from the Transylvanian city of Brasov, and 124 km north of Bucharest. The castle is named after Peles Creek, which runs right under the castle! It’s about a two hour drive from Bucharest to Peles Castle. We made this trip on a tour called 2 Transylvania Castles in 1 Day, through our favourite booking platform GetYourGuide.com.
When it was built, Peles Castle was the most modern castle of its time. Here are some important facts to demonstrate just how modern this 1873 masterpiece really is.
It was the first castle in Europe to be fully lit by electric lighting.
To achieve this it had it’s own power station.
It was the world’s first castle to be powered by locally generated electricity.
Peles Castle houses it’s own 60 seat theatre.
The very first Romanian movie projection was screened here in 1906.
In the Hall of Fame there is a huge glass ceiling which is driven by electric motors.
The whole castle even has central heating.
The motorised glass roof
There are 170 rooms and about 30 bathrooms in Peles Castle. It’s central tower is 66 m high, and the castle houses a vast collection of art and historical pieces. Many of the rooms are exquisitely themed into different cultures, such as Italian, Turkish, French and Moorish.
The Communist Era
Back in 1948 the castle was confiscated by the ruling Communist party and became property of the state. It was only after the 1989 Romanian Revolution that the castle was handed back and became a tourist attraction. Luckily the historical value was completely preserved throughout this period.
Rules of Entry
Somethings to keep in mind when you visit Peles castle. Before you enter you must purchase a special photography pass which cost 30 Romanian Lei per person. This is paid directly to the Royal Family, which is why it’s not included in tour bookings.
Peles Castle attracts some large crowds
As you enter the front door of the castle you’re asked to put on some plastic bags over your shoes. This helps to protect the authentic carpets and floors through the castle. There are no backpacks allowed inside the castle. There is a bag room just inside the front door and you asked to leave your backpack there, and you are issued a number to collect it on the way out.
The courtyard is near the front door
I was happy to know the video recording is permitted with the photography pass. We were told there are various web cams positioned through the castle which monitor people taking photos without a photography pass. You are asked to wear a visible ticket on your shirt or bag strap so it can be seen that you have a photography pass.
Peles Castle Guided Tour
The share opulence of this castle will take your breath away. It is in true Royal style and class in every way imaginable. The tour takes visitors through about 20 rooms, and each one is a living museum. Each room is stuffed with expensive art pieces and ornate furnishings.
A gold plated roof
Our Peles Castle guided tour lasted approximately one hour. One thing that I found odd is that we did not spot any rest rooms throughout the tour. Especially since there are 30 bathrooms in the palace. It’s probably wise not to drink too much water. The tour through the castle was jaw dropping from start to finish.
The main entrance hall
Visitors are greeted by a magnificent huge hall as you’re walking with walnut panels and amazing statue. This is where you find the motorised glass ceiling.
20 Rooms to Visit
For me the most impressive display was the weapons room, complete with a massive collection of over 4,000 mediaeval weapons and armour. There was even a full horse armour on display. It has a wide range of European and Asian weaponry from a whole lot of different countries. It even has complete armoury of medieval knights on display.
The weapons and armoury room
The music room is truly exquisite to see. Apparently when Queen Elizabeth was one of the residents she used to host the most beautiful music nights. There’s a large harp as a centre piece and a magical sitting room full of ornate furniture. It’s astounding to visit a room of such royal indulgence, and to imagine the magical music nights which must have taken place here.
The exquisite music room
The Royal library is full of rare books rare books in leather covers and gold embossing. The book room even has a secret door behind a bookshelf where the King could escape to different rooms inside the castle. The Florentine room is magnificent with it’s exquisite Italian styling, complete with Michelangelo sculptures over the fire place.
On the first floor is the concert hall which contains a Belgian harpsichord from the 17th century, amongst other magnificent historical musical instruments.
Exiting the Castle
When the tour is over you exit through the same front door. Collect your bags and return your plastic slippers, and you’re back out into the royal courtyard. We were given about 20 minutes to roam around the beautiful setting at the front of the castle. This is full of statues and gardens, most notably an imposing statue of King Carol I.
King Carol I looks out over the front garden
It’s a very peaceful scene, with panoramic views of a lush valley and surrounding hills. The walk out passed by several locals selling baskets of locally grown berries. We purchased one for 15 Lei and enjoyed a healthy snack. Interestingly there were not any souvenir vendors, and we did not pass by a souvenir shop.
The cafe complex on the way in/out
After 5 minutes walk, just near the car park there is a small cluster of cafes and a restaurant. Note that this is the only public toilet on the whole site, at the back of the cafe. We went to use the restroom to find there is just a single restroom for men and there was quite a lineup, so much that our tour group did not allow enough time for this. Plan carefully.
Review of Peles Castle Tour
Overall our visit to Peles Castle was well worth a visit. There was a high volume of tour groups going through on a Saturday afternoon in peak season July, but they were well organised. We got to go through about 20 beautiful castle rooms, each one as magnificent as the last.
The King’s dining table
Overall we felt we had a very thorough tour through the castle; well paced and not too fast. There are a few stairs to walk up during this tour, but overall it’s not too strenuous.
Pay for the Photography Pass
It is definitely worth paying the 30 Romanian Lei for the photography pass. I think you may be sorry if you don’t. And it’s definitely worth visiting Peles Castle. This is not your classic medieval castle, but more closely resembling a 19th-century Royal palace. And the Peles Castle Guided Tour is well worth it, purely for its artistic cultural and historical significance.
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