9 Days in Asia: Taipei, Hanoi, Ha Long Bay and Shanghai
Jun 17, 2017, 3:54 pm
#34
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: TPA
Programs: DL Diamond, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,256
Thanks!
Jun 18, 2017, 3:24 pm
#36
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Seattle, WA. USA
Programs: MR, AA, UA, DL, AVIS and growing
Posts: 1,172
Great trip report.
Non-rev tickets - are you getting a "buddy pass" from a Delta employee or related to a Delta employee to fly non-rev?
Delta said its non-rev program is not coming to an end.
could you explain how this works and when its ending? I'm based out of Seattle.
Going EVA AIR Sea-TPE(Jan 18' 3 days)-BKK(Jan6-Feb 8)5 weeks) --- but fly to Hanoi, Bali then back to BKK/Phukett (buy cheap tickets in BKK like Jetstar unless you have better idea). Regret purchasing EVA Air vs Cathay Pacific as I heard EVA seats very small.
Sensational pictures.
Non-rev tickets - are you getting a "buddy pass" from a Delta employee or related to a Delta employee to fly non-rev?
Delta said its non-rev program is not coming to an end.
could you explain how this works and when its ending? I'm based out of Seattle.
Going EVA AIR Sea-TPE(Jan 18' 3 days)-BKK(Jan6-Feb 8)5 weeks) --- but fly to Hanoi, Bali then back to BKK/Phukett (buy cheap tickets in BKK like Jetstar unless you have better idea). Regret purchasing EVA Air vs Cathay Pacific as I heard EVA seats very small.
Sensational pictures.
Last edited by euromannn; Jun 19, 2017 at 6:31 am
Jun 19, 2017, 6:47 pm
#39
Join Date: Jul 1999
Programs: AA 1MM/Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,215
Welcome to my latest trip report! A brief introduction: With free flights coming to an end very soon, I wanted to make sure my last major trip of 2017 was to somewhere that would normally be expensive or difficult to get to. Going to Vietnam would normally be expensive for flights, on top of the fact that Delta doesn't service it. This meant I could fly standby on other airlines to get there for very cheap, something else that also goes away very soon. Well, things have changed and the free (well almost free) flights will continue indefinitely, but that didn't change the fact that this was a fantastic trip. All the flights worked out perfectly, it was cheap and oh, the food was fantastic!
This trip report will entail the following in detail:
1.5 days in Taipei, Taiwan
4.5 days in Vietnam, split between Hanoi and Ha Long Bay
1 day (overnight) in Shanghai, China
Two Weeks in South Africa and Namibia: Joburg, Cape Town, Sossusvlei and Kruger
¡Bienvenido a Cuba!
This trip report will entail the following in detail:
1.5 days in Taipei, Taiwan
4.5 days in Vietnam, split between Hanoi and Ha Long Bay
1 day (overnight) in Shanghai, China
Two Weeks in South Africa and Namibia: Joburg, Cape Town, Sossusvlei and Kruger
¡Bienvenido a Cuba!
At that point, the e-visa wasn't in place yet and it was $135/pp plus a service fee for the visa on arrival. Looks much easier and cheaper now!
Loved Hanoi - great hotels in the old city for really cheap rates. Also had a 2 night cruise to Halong Bay. Not a lot to do there - caves, small beach, visit to a floating fishing village and some kayaking - but the food was great and the scenery spectacular!
Jun 21, 2017, 6:12 am
#41
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: TPA
Programs: DL Diamond, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,256
Thank you.
Thanks! I actually just turned 24 this month so I was switched from a full time student (which still get free flights like a child under 18 would) to a companion, which has variable fees but they're small.
Eva should be good I'd think. It looks like you'll actually get one more inch of pitch and a marginally thinner seat compared to CX.
Jetstar, Air Asia, Silk Air, Scoot and Vietjet are all good LCC's in SE Asia, just be careful with luggage, including carryons. Scoot weighed my carry on flying out of DMK last year.
Thanks. My uncle lived in Shanghai in the late 2000s for about six years so I visited for a month back in 2008.
Yep, looks like you fell right in the gap between the VOA and the Evisa unfortunately. Yes, Hanoi was fantastic, I loved that you can walk right out of the hotel and be in the action!
Great trip report.
Non-rev tickets - are you getting a "buddy pass" from a Delta employee or related to a Delta employee to fly non-rev?
Delta said its non-rev program is not coming to an end.
could you explain how this works and when its ending? I'm based out of Seattle.
Going EVA AIR Sea-TPE(Jan 18' 3 days)-BKK(Jan6-Feb 8)5 weeks) --- but fly to Hanoi, Bali then back to BKK/Phukett (buy cheap tickets in BKK like Jetstar unless you have better idea). Regret purchasing EVA Air vs Cathay Pacific as I heard EVA seats very small.
Sensational pictures.
Non-rev tickets - are you getting a "buddy pass" from a Delta employee or related to a Delta employee to fly non-rev?
Delta said its non-rev program is not coming to an end.
could you explain how this works and when its ending? I'm based out of Seattle.
Going EVA AIR Sea-TPE(Jan 18' 3 days)-BKK(Jan6-Feb 8)5 weeks) --- but fly to Hanoi, Bali then back to BKK/Phukett (buy cheap tickets in BKK like Jetstar unless you have better idea). Regret purchasing EVA Air vs Cathay Pacific as I heard EVA seats very small.
Sensational pictures.
Eva should be good I'd think. It looks like you'll actually get one more inch of pitch and a marginally thinner seat compared to CX.
Jetstar, Air Asia, Silk Air, Scoot and Vietjet are all good LCC's in SE Asia, just be careful with luggage, including carryons. Scoot weighed my carry on flying out of DMK last year.
Great report. We had a Tokyo/Taipei/Hanoi/Halong Bay/Hong Kong trip back in December.
At that point, the e-visa wasn't in place yet and it was $135/pp plus a service fee for the visa on arrival. Looks much easier and cheaper now!
Loved Hanoi - great hotels in the old city for really cheap rates. Also had a 2 night cruise to Halong Bay. Not a lot to do there - caves, small beach, visit to a floating fishing village and some kayaking - but the food was great and the scenery spectacular!
At that point, the e-visa wasn't in place yet and it was $135/pp plus a service fee for the visa on arrival. Looks much easier and cheaper now!
Loved Hanoi - great hotels in the old city for really cheap rates. Also had a 2 night cruise to Halong Bay. Not a lot to do there - caves, small beach, visit to a floating fishing village and some kayaking - but the food was great and the scenery spectacular!
Jun 21, 2017, 1:13 pm
#43
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: TPA
Programs: DL Diamond, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,256
I typically travel on pretty short notice and have rarely ever come into an issue except for Namibia where everywhere near the dunes was sold out two months out when I started looking.
Jul 3, 2017, 9:21 pm
#44
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Seattle, WA. USA
Programs: MR, AA, UA, DL, AVIS and growing
Posts: 1,172
Hanoi
HK hotels I've always booked a few days prior but I've normally been on a budget. There are plenty of Hanoi hotels so short notice I'd think is fine too.
I typically travel on pretty short notice and have rarely ever come into an issue except for Namibia where everywhere near the dunes was sold out two months out when I started looking.
I typically travel on pretty short notice and have rarely ever come into an issue except for Namibia where everywhere near the dunes was sold out two months out when I started looking.
Usually I go on a budget also. Funny going to Munich in Sept 20 and can't find a room or hostel under $109/night on weekends. Single room almost $300 during Oktoberfest on weekends.
Jul 5, 2017, 6:15 am
#45
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: TPA
Programs: DL Diamond, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,256
We stayed at the Hanoi Space Hotel which is in the Old Quarter. It ran about $35/$40 a night.