Ha Long bay is very picturesque with many magnificent landscapes and seascapes. Nowadays it sparkles even more with the appearance of big sea sails printed with the letters Indochina Sails.

In the immense atmosphere permeated with sunlight and wind, one suddenly feels lonely. In the distance, ranges of mountains emerge from the sea.

The Indochina Sails cruise ship moves gently towards Bai Tu Long Bay. 

In the luxurious dining room, every one looks out through the big windows. The European and Asian dishes are delicious, prepared by outstanding chefs and served up by a professional staff. The cruise ship moves out towards the centre of the bay. Hon Trong Mai (Male and Female Chicken island) appears before us. This island attracts a great number of visitors and is the pre-eminent symbol of Vietnamese tourism.

Vung Vieng fishing village is more beautiful in the weak sunlight of dusk. The Indochina Sails cruise ship drops anchor so that tourists can visit the village. The sunlight gleaming on the sea looks like an oil painting, but is formed entirely by the hand of nature.

Staying overnight on the Indochina Sails cruise ship is a memorable experience. This is not only because one floats in one of the most remarkable natural wonders of the world. It is also due to the cozy and luxurious cabins on Indochina Sails cruises. Though the buffet has finished, everyone wants to stay on deck and enjoy the stunning scenery. The melodious light music, played in the traditional style, creates an unforgettable atmosphere.

Further information:
- Indochina Sails are the newly built wooden junks designed in the contemporary traditional Vietnamese style
- The cruise ship has spacious cabins and suites with large private bathrooms, a big sun deck, elegant dining room (32 seats), bar, beauty spa, massage, kayaking and entertainment. This luxury is enhanced by the professional manner of the friendly and enthusiastic management and staff.
- At the present time 3 Junks are operating in Halong Bay, namely Indochina Sails I with 14 cabins, Indochina Sails II with 15 cabins and Valentine with 5 cabins. By the end of October 2008 an addition to the fleet is expected, namely Indochina Sails III with 15 luxury cabins.

*Services:
- Excellent local cuisine
- Vietnamese and International buffets
- International Wine and Drinks List
- Daily light Music Performances
- Cruise Itinerary and Program
- In-house English speaking Tour Guide
- Kayaking and Snorkeling
- Movie nights, Board Games and night fishing

Summer Promotion from 1st to August 30th, 2008:
For US$180/person/twin shared, you can stay in a luxurious cabin of Indochina Sails on Halong bay. The package includes shuttle bus return from Hanoi to Halong bay, kayaking on Halong bay, entrance and sight seeing fees, Vietnamese buffet lunch and dinner, International breakfast buffet, you can also enjoy BBQ seafood dinner and the International wine tasting with a wide selection of wine from Spain, Chile, US and Italy. Click Here

Supported by Active Travel Vietnam & Active Travel Shop 

 

Eighty contestants of the Miss Universe 2008 on June 27-28 visited northeastern Quang Ninh province where they called at well-known Ha Long Bay and voted for it as one of the world’s seven natural wonders.

On June 28 evening, the beauty queens joined a seashore gala night and an exchange with Vietnamese entrepreneurs.

Many of their souvenirs were auctioned during the event to raise funds for the Thanh Nien daily-initiated Nguyen Thai Binh scholarship programme.

Supported by Huong Hai Junks and Indochina sails

Active Travel Asia # 303, 3rd Floor, Building 30 Nguyen Du Street, Hanoi, Vietnam
Phone: +84 4 9446230 | Fax: +84 4 9446231 |
VIETNAM | CAMBODIA | LAOS |MYANMAR | TRAVEL SHOP

ACTIVELY EXPLORING HIDDEN LANDS

It was my fourth visit to Ha Long Bay, but the first time my mother and I could together float on the sea, from sunset to sunrise on a large wooden junk.

Follow the leader: Holidaymakers explore limestone rock formations in Ha Long Bay. Kayaking is just one of many activities tour operators offer in the area. — Photos courtesy Indochina Sails

Our three days and two nights on a the wooden junk named Valentine, of Indochina Sails may just be our most memorable trip together since I was 10 years old and accompanied my mother to visit the sea for the first time. Now I was a 20-something girl, old enough to stretch by my mother’s side on two deck chairs and enjoy the darkness surrounding the numerous white limestone towers, not to mention the melodious ballads flying up from the wooden deck into the sky. It was our first night on board, a moment so tranquil that it made a western couple stand up and waltz. At the time, our junk was still moving slowly ahead, passing through the cool sea-breeze and many gigantic limestone towers, which impressed us with their bizarre shapes in the darkness.

This wasn’t what we were expecting when we joined the newly- designed cruise.

We were excited the moment we took a tender to step onto the gigantic wooden junk, which resembled an ancient French-style palace floating on the sea. Passing through the glittering dining room, with its windows facing the sea, we reached our cabin. My mother and I immediately saw beyond the wooden doors: two parallel white sheeted beds, a jar of white Madonna lilies, two large windows covering almost half of the brown wooden wall, and a splendid view of the sea outside.

Our first day was spent relaxing on the deck and in our cabin, although there were various activities tourists could enjoy partaking in on land, such as visiting Bat Cave, Cua Van fishing village or Soi Sim Beach. Most of us were not interested in stepping off the junk, since it served as an idyllic day-trippers’ paradise. Lying on the beds at night, we could see both the high limestone towers and bright stars glittering in the dark sky.

We went to bed early that night. Perhaps it was the effect of consuming a few glasses of good red wine on deck, or the cool breeze coming in from the large window mixed in with the intoxicating air from the cream lilies, that served as soothing lullabies.

The second day began filled with energy as we woke up early to participate in a tai chi session on the sun deck. We then transferred to the day-trip boat and cruised to the bay’s most untouched areas. A buffet-style breakfast was served on the boat, which was not only impressive in its various delicious Western dishes, but also served very good Vietnamese pho (noodle soup).

By the time we completed our breakfast we had reached Ngoc Vung Island. It was sunny and none of us could refuse to take a light bicycle trip through untouched forests to enjoy the natural scenery here. After half an hour, we found ourselves in front of the endless white sand-beach with not a single human shadow in sight. From afar, the sea could appeared as an emerald. I changed into a bathing suit while my mother chose to relax under the cool shadows of the pine forest.

The highlight of the trip turned out to be kayaking in the afternoon, when our boat reached Cong Do area. All of us were very eager, although my mother seemed hesitant. She had never squeezed into a kayak before and she didn’t know how to swim.

Our yellow kayaks followed each other, moving in the low surf, with the warm waters of the sea lapping, and the cool breeze wrapping around us. The high rock formations seemed much higher when looked up and could make our way through all the narrow slots between the towers to discover a strange area where big boats couldn’t reach.

Our second day came to a good end with a delicious dinner, a grilled seafood feast, after which we went off to see people catching squids offshore. Passengers who caught squids could be found at our table for a second dinner, laughing away as they shared their funny stories.

The next morning our ship steamed forward to Sung Sot Cave, one of the bay’s most impressive limestone caverns. The entrance required a hike up stone steps to a spot high above the bay. More steps led into receding chambers, past humongous stalactites and stalagmites that resembled giant sandcastles.

Our cruise ended in the afternoon with us waving to the staff as we returned to land.

Many hesitate to vacation in a sailboat, but it is worth trying, for once you go, you will want to go again and again. It is advisable to go in a group, as you can share together all the wonderful moments of sitting standstill in the cool sea-breeze, listening to love ballads, sipping Vallformosa red wine, while the limestone towers all around move softly as the boat keeps drifting ahead.

Ha Long is like a story whose ending I thought I had reached but in reality I discovered that it has many alternative endings that need to be discovered, again and again.

Active Travel Asia

# 303, 3rd Floor, Building 30 Nguyen Du Street, Hanoi, Vietnam
Phone: +84 4 9446230 | Fax: +84 4 9446231 |
VIETNAM | CAMBODIA | LAOS |MYANMAR | TRAVEL SHOP

ACTIVELY EXPLORING HIDDEN LANDS

We departed from Hanoi at 8a.m, chatting loudly as we were on the way. We were joining in an interesting journey to one the new natural wonders. In this 3 day 2 night trip, we were gonna visit Surprise Cave, swim at Ti Top beach, visit fishing villages but the most interesting part must be Squid fishing and Ngoc Vung Island.

Time flies, we only had 15 minute break at a traditional handicraft village on the way. 11h 30 we reached Quang Ninh province. We stopped at Bai Chay wharf to aboard with Indochinasails. Cool towers were served as we came in an airconditioned friendly restaurant. A tender took us to Indochinasails. From the distance of 10m, we could hear the drums, see friendly smiles of the boarding staff. Welcome drink served at the restaurant onboard made us refresh. We had a short snap before having lunch at 1 p.m. The big and full menu kept us almost 1h to go through. The sailboat moved slowly during lunch. We could see the outside scenes through the glass windows but felt no moves at all as everything was perfect. After lunch, we rushed to the sun deck to take photos as the sun shone so brightly. There were no time to spare, at 3p.m we either had a swim at Ti Top beach or Kayaking to discover Bat Cave. No one wasted any moments as we were noticed of a Wine Tasting on the sundeck at 6p.m. Before dinner, it is the most amazing time of the day if you are lying on one of the long chairs on the sundeck. Summer breezes and classic music, you would wonder how they match together, sipping some wine. Buffet dinner began at 7p.m. Each table was lighed by a candle light. Traditional musical instruments were played by local artists in such a closed and simple manner. After a day of activities, we gathered on the sundeck, listening to the music. Some of us tried squid fishing at the head of the boat. We went to bed early for tomorrow’s program.

We were informed to take dayboat to Ngoc Vung island at 7a.m but we cannot wait to wake up at 5.30 a.m for Tai Chi exercises and sunrise on the sundeck. We temporarily transferred to a dayboat to explore Ngoc Vung island. They prepared some bikes to move on the island. It took us nearly 3 hours to get Ngoc Vung island. We had no time to get bored. Having breakfast, sunbathing and telling jokes. The island we reached was so peaceful. Fresh water were transported by pass-by boats. They seemed to have no links with the outside world. On the way to the beach, we had a chance to discover their lives as we were moving nearby. Passing through a pine line, an amazing beach facing us. At the very first moments, we recall its name Ngoc Vung – sesame diamonds. The sand was just white and tiny as sesame seeds. Imagine just you and the nature, you could hear the waves moving towards the beach. A true paradise away from noisy city life.

We back to the boat for lunch, chatting noisily on the way back. We shared the photos taken and rested for a while. One hour after lunch, we started kayaking. It was a real adventure, we ourselves could explore the beautiful scenes. We expected another exciting evening at fishing village. We were lucky to have a dark night, without moonlight, the squids would easily be attracted by the neon light. We saw a lot of fish and quids in the fishing net. They were pushed out onto the front deck. At that moment, we seemed to feel the hardness of a fisherman life.
The next morning, the boat is anchored so near Surprise Cave that we could visit the cave in just few minute transferred by tender. We had a big brunch before check out. It is a very special journey in luxury, a fancy indochinasails and amazing initerary, the experience that deserves to be shared.

More information, contact:
Hanoi Sales Office:
Tel: (84-4) 984 2362
Fax: (84-4) 984 4150
Email: info@indochinasails.com
W: www.indochinasails.com

• Store your cash, credit cards, airline tickets and other valuables in a safe place. Most 4-star hotels have in-room safes, otherwise ask the reception to keep your valuable things in their deposit facility.
• Take a hotel business card from the reception desk before venturing out from your hotel. This will make your return to the hotel in a taxi or cyclo much easier.
• Carry a roll of toilet paper in your daypack on long excursions from your base hotel. You never know when you might need it!
• Dress appropriately. Not only for the prevailing weather, but also not to cause offence to the local people. Vietnamese have conservative dress codes, and it is only in larger cities that these codes are a little more relaxed. Do not wear revealing clothing.
• If invited into a home, always remove your shoes at the front door when entering.
• Ask for permission when taking a photograph of someone. If they indicate that they do not want you to, then abide by their wishes. DO NOT offer money or push the issue.
• Drink plenty of bottled water. During the summer months you should be drinking a minimum of two liters per day. If you drink tea, coffee & alcohol you should increase you water intake accordingly as these will help to dehydrate you.   

DON’T

• Never carry more money than you need when walking around the streets. Do not wear large amounts of jewelry. There are two reasons for not doing this:
  (1) It is considered impolite to flaunt wealth in public;
  (2) It is more likely that you may become a victim of a pickpocket or drive-by bag snatcher.
• Don't be paranoid about your security, just be aware of your surroundings.
• Don't wear singlets, shorts, dresses or skirts, or tops with low-neck lines and bare shoulders to Temples and Pagodas. To do this is considered extremely rude and offensive.
• Avoid giving empty water bottles, sweets and candies or pens to the local people when trekking through ethnic minority villages. You cannot guarantee that the empty bottles will be disposed of in a correct manner, and the people have no access to dental health. If you want to give pens, ask your guide to introduce you to the local teacher and donate them to the whole community.
• Never sleep or sit with the soles of your feet pointing towards the family altar when in someone’s house.
• Never lose your temper in public or when bargaining for a purchase. This is considered a serious loss of face for both parties. Always maintain a cool and happy demeanor and you will be reciprocated with the same.
• Do not try to take photographs of military installations or anything to do with the military. This can be seen as a breach of national security.
• Never take video cameras into the ethnic minority villages. They are considered to be too intrusive by the local people.

The above advice is meant to help you have a perfect trip to Vietnam. Do not be overly paranoid though. Generally, Vietnamese people are very appreciative if they see you trying to abide by the customs, and very forgiving if you get it wrong or forget. If you make the effort, you will be rewarded.

Supported by Indochina Sails, Active Travel Vietnam & Active Travel Shop

Overview

Fansipan is Vietnam's highest peak located in the far north just outside of Sapa. Fansipan a very steep mountain that gets a lot of moisture. Those looking to climb it should be in good shape and prepared to to have muddy wet feet The scenery is incredible remember to bring a camera. For most of Vietnam having a rain coat is a little excessive because it is so warm. On the mountain having a rain coat is not a bad idea especially at night. The trails around Sapa are a lot of fun. You will get the chance to go through some minority vilages if you have the time to explore. The people in Sapa are extremely nice. Be aware of the children on the street, before you know it you will have hats and bracelets and rugs all over you. Explore the restraunts that are not on the main strip, you will get great food at a fraction of the cost. Hanoi beer is available in local restraunts for around 30 cents a liter. Down from Hotel in Sapa there is a little old man that serves plum wine and plays board games, I suggest paying him a visit. The food there is great!

Getting There

To get to the mountain you need to take a train from Hanoi to Lao Cai. From there you will take a mini bus up in to the town of Sapa. Transportation from Hanoi to Sappa can be arrange for a reasonable price. I think you might also be able to take a bus but I know it takes much longer. When you get into town, to make reservations for transprotation go to the Hotel in Sapa - 2-way transportation can be hired, but I recomend you hire a guide. By hiriing a guide (english speaking?) you will get meals, a porter, 2-way transprotation, accomodations in a hut, and waived permit and entrance fees.

The Trail:

Day1: You start going through several different valleys with a lot of lush jungle. The first day entails 2-4 hours of hiking. There is typically a lot of mud so come prepared. You might have the option of moving up to a high camp but the camp right by the river is beautiful. Enjoy the river to clean off( it is a btit nippy)

Day2: From the camp you pretty much go straight up the mountain side. It is a mixture of light 3rd class rock, root and tree climbing. The trail can be very slick and there are a lot of spots where the trail drops off. If you have trouble with heights you might not want to consider this hike.From the camp it takes 2-5 hours to reach the summit. Going up is not to bad but if it rained recently the trial can be very slick. Coming down is whre you want to be careful.

Day3: From the camp it takes about 3 hours to get down, bec areful about grabbing on to the grass if the trail is slick it will tear up you hands. When you reach the bottom you will end up in a beautiful hill tribe village.

Red Tape

There are permit and entrance fees. Not sure what the cost is. Part of the package deal if you hire a guide. Dont be suprised to find trash on the trail, Guides have not heard of the Leave No Trace Program I guess.

When To Climb

The prime time to climb the mountain is between October and April. During the summer it is very rainy but is still climbable if the weather holds. ( I went during the summer)

Camping

Supported by Trek Fansipan: Trek Fansipan tours, Trek Mt Fansipan travel vietnam, Trek Mount Fansipan tours, Fansipan Trekking travel

Vote for Halong Bay - new Natural Wonders in Vietnam

Copyright © 2008. Project is made & contributed by ActiveTravelVietnam.com , Indochina Sails, Trek Fansipan, Active Travel Shop

When it comes to weekend getaways, you just can’t beat flopping around on the deck of a junk in Halong bay, says Duc Hanh

At 11.30 am, the sun is high in the sky and burning bright. At the pier countless wooden junks, sailboats, speedboats and tiny bamboo boats bob around. While tour guides try to organise how to get their groups on board, we sit with our bags in hand, ready to test out our sea legs.

The wonder of Halong bay is best experienced on a cruise, which explores the World Heritage site at a lazy pace

After a four-hour-stint in the van from Hanoi, everybody is understandably itching to kick back and feel the sea breeze on board.

Just then a speedboat arrives with a flourish and we pile on board before zooming off to the Indochina Sail, a large, handsome junk that the captain proudly announces is 40 metres long and 8.5 meters wide – and indeed it seems a fine, seaworthy vessel to me.

In my time I’ve been on board a few of the bay’s shabbier junks. It is one point worth making: when it comes to visiting Halong Bay it’s worth treating yourself. Thankfully there’s more than a few classy junks to choose from these days.

Walking around on board the Indochina Sail, I discover a restaurant, the Indochina Sail Bar, a gift shop and even a library. Guests can also avail of binoculars, snorkeling equipment or top-of-the-line Canadian made kayaks.

With a grand view ahead, I tentatively start with the binoculars. Most of my fellow travellers are content to flop around the deck, sipping drinks, surveying the scene or catching a bit of sun. A trip to Halong is first and foremost about relaxing!

Sun-shy, I stretch out on a lie-low on the more shaded lower deck and listen to the buffeting breeze and the sound of the boat chopping through the waves. Time passes and I happily doze a little in the salty air.

However, a call for lunch stirs me right out of my light slumber. A five-course lunch is devoured by the hungry guests. We hadn’t even worked up an appetite.

Afterwards, I fight the urge to have a siesta and head out onto the deck as the boat floats into Bai Tu Long Bay. We drop anchor at Soi Sim island, famed for its rose myrtle brush.

The island sits in clear, blue waters and is also home to white sandy beaches. A member of the crew asks if anyone wants to swim but we’re already in our trunks and bathing suits ready to dive in. Afterwards, we head ashore and climb to the summit of the island which offers yet another idyllic setting. Although Halong is a large area with over 1,900 limestone islets and a 120-km coastline, when you get in amongst the islets it seems more intimate than grand.

The random scattering of islets meant the bay had its defensive advantages in the past. On three occasions in the labyrinth of channels near the islands the Vietnamese army stopped the Chinese from landing. Also in 1288 General Tran Hung Dao stopped Mongol ships from sailing up the nearby Bach Dang River by placing steel-tipped wooden stakes at high t