Asia - Kayaking in Halong Bay

Thinking of going on a 2 day/1 night cruise with some kayaking in January.

I have searched FT and found this site (http://www.vietnamsunshinetravel.com) which seems great.

I would like to hear about your experiences and which tour cruises you've signed up for.

Thanks!

I did the Emeraude Cruise in December. I was very pleased. While the junks tend to cater to the backpackers and, more problematic, all pull into the same places, the Emeraude goes its own way so you're not faced with the clutter of other boats. They do have kayaks available, as I recall. I booked directly with the Emeraude as they do have their own website. They have two suites on the boat. If they're not booked during your cruise, you can upgrade to them for a relatively small sum. One night was not enough here for me ...I wish the Emeraude had a two-night option, but they don't. I was told some people book the same cruise back-to-back.

I did the Emeraude Cruise in December...They have two suites on the boat. If they're not booked during your cruise, you can upgrade to them for a relatively small sum.

You recall how much? We're doing the Emeraude in October. TIA.

You recall how much? We're doing the Emeraude in October. TIA.

They were $50-$100 more ...I think it was $50 a person, so $100 for two, but can't remember exactly now. Booked in advance they were $200 more. You also get a bottle of sparkling wine and some roses in your suite.

The Emeraude was undoubtedly one of the best parts of that trip. Enjoy!

While the junks tend to cater to the backpackers and, more problematic, all pull into the same places, the Emeraude goes its own way so you're not faced with the clutter of other boats.

I'm a 'partial' backpacker! :)

Would you remember where the Emeraude pulled into (besides Sung Sot Cave and Hang Trong)? Guess we only get to kayak when the boat drops anchor. Were there expeditions then to places accessible only to kayaks?

Just wondering why the Emeraude could have a different itinerary from the junks. Possibly due to its speed and greater distance covered? Noticed that it cruises at 10 nautical knots, presumably the junks are slower.

I'm a 'partial' backpacker! :)

Would you remember where the Emeraude pulled into (besides Sung Sot Cave and Hang Trong)? Guess we only get to kayak when the boat drops anchor. Were there expeditions then to places accessible only to kayaks?

Just wondering why the Emeraude could have a different itinerary from the junks. Possibly due to its speed and greater distance covered? Noticed that it cruises at 10 nautical knots, presumably the junks are slower.

I'm afraid I don't know the name of where we anchored for the night. We were alone though. I think being alone and away from the junks is part of what you pay extra for. As far as I know the kayaking is offered only where they drop anchor, and I was pretty sure you could go off and kayak on your own as opposed to having to stick with a guide - might check that out. I love to kayak, but was getting a massage at the time so it didn't work out for me. There was really too much to do in a short time. I do know some of the junks have two-night and possibly longer cruises ...

I am a Vnmese living in the States for 20+ years. Recently married a Caucasian gal and we took a long-deserved break to Vietnam. Hands down the Emeraude cruise was the best part of our trip. Like the other poster, we think that one night on the Emeraude is not enough to really kick back and enjoy the surroundings. The food was awesome and the service was impecable. I was the only non-white person on the Emeraude that particular day so that gives you a sense of who they cater to. As such, it's much more "luxurious" than the other run-of-the-mill junks that the unwashed masses have to contend with. They do have kayaks available, but we had to stop at dusk. Good luck and have fun.

Recently married a Caucasian gal and we took a long-deserved break to Vietnam.

The food was awesome and the service was impecable. I was the only non-white person on the Emeraude that particular day so that gives you a sense of who they cater to.

They do have kayaks available, but we had to stop at dusk.

Congratulations on your marriage. :)

Was the food authentic vietnamese food or was it catered for western taste? For example, would I be getting a local breakfast or an English/American/Continental breakfast?

I emailed Emeraude about kayaking and it seems we could kayak in the afternoon (430pm to 630pm) and in the early morning (530am to 630am). Don't think my travel companion would be very happy with the early morning paddle. Apparently it is cold and foggy in Jan/Feb! Seems like we'd need some waterproofs and layers. :D

I just returned a few days ago from a 3 day/2 night Ha Long Bay tour that included 1 day of kayaking. I booked through www.handspan.com, and the tour was on the Dragon's Pearl Junk.

I highly recommend this tour. The boat is very nice, with comfortable cabins and many crew. The top sundeck has sunchairs with cushions and many umbrellas; the next lower deck has a large deck area with sitting chairs and tables. The only downside, for this time of year, was that the only covering on the lower deck was similar to a fishing net, and it didn't provide great sun protection.

The food was excellent. Lunch and dinner were multi-course (maybe 8 or so - I lost count), and served family style on china.

Kayaking was done on the 2nd day. We boarded a smaller boat and motored for a while before kayking. The advantage of this is that there was minimal-to-no boat traffic where we kayaked. After 90-120 min we hit a beach, where a BBQ lunch was ready. This was also boated in, multi-course, and served on real china - a very nice experience in the middle of nowhere!

Although it seems all the boats on the bay dock near each other overnight, and in sight of Ha Long city, I really felt away from it all and very much enjoyed the 2 nights. Although there are groups of 1-night people on the boat too (those groups change while you're kayaking), you get to know the people in the 2-day group very well.

The price was reasonable (about $212 a person + drinks), and it definitely wasn't a backpacker trip.

you can easily book any of these tours in hanoi with little advance planning.

the one trick you should know is that if you book them from a hotel you'll pay more than booking the same tour at a travel agency.

Was the food authentic vietnamese food or was it catered for western taste? For example, would I be getting a local breakfast or an English/American/Continental breakfast?

From my booking confirmation:

Vietnamese buffet lunch and dinner and European breakfast buffet.