Sunday, March 19, 2023

Vietnam (Post Covid-19 Overseas Visit No 3 - My 20 days in Hanoi, Sapa, Lao Cai, Haiphong, Tam Coc, Hue, Danang & Hoi An, Vietnam) Feb 5 > 24 2023


" The universe is so big. In free & easy travelling, you can't be everything everywhere all at once. You bound to win some & you lose some. That is LIFE " 

One for the album - my travel buddies (my wife, Thompson Tham + wife & K F Wong) - thank you all for the wonderful time we spent together in this 20 days free & easy exciting trip (simple & no frills) to Northern Vietnam (Hanoi, SAPA, Lao Cai, Haiphong, Tam Coc) & Central Vietnam (Hue, Danang & Hoi An) !  No major hiccups in this Vietnam visit during the winter month of Feb 2023 (thanks to Vietnamese tourism, service & transport industry which are tourist-friendly & efficient) & our group was able to visit the major highlights as planned ! Another chapter of my travel to Vietnam accomplished & a happy outcome ! But I should mention that the biggest challenge was crossing the streets & main roads of major cities in Vietnam due to the sheer number of motor bikers zooming & zig zagging on the roads, day & night ! It really require some skills & courage for older folk like me to cross the streets !

My last visit to Hanoi, Halong Bay & Catba Island was in May 2007 (a lapse of 16 years) & in Jan 2014, I visited Ho Chi Minh, Hue, Danang & Hoi An - so a bit of a down the memory lane visit for me to greet & yell a Good Morning Vietnam one more time as soon as I land in Noi Bai International Airport, Hanoi, accompanying by my wife & 3 travel buddies ! For sure, time really flies ! 

Vietnam currently has 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. To date, I had visited 5 of them. For this 20 day Vietnam trip, I had the opportunity of visiting (including re-visit) 1) Imperial Citadel of Thang Long 2) Complex of Hue Monuments 3) Hoi An Ancient Town & 4) Trang An Landscape Complex. Perhaps I should make another visit come early 2024 (if I am still fit & able) to visit My Son Sanctuary, Halong Bay (I skipped this trip), Dalat, Nha Trang & say hello to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) one more time ! 

  • Imperial Citadel of Thang Long (visited Feb 2023)
  • Citadel of the Ho Dynasty (yet to visit)
  • Complex of Hue Monuments (visited Jan 2014 & Feb 2023) 
  • Halong Bay (visited May 2007)
  • Hoi An Ancient Town (visited Jan 2014 & Feb 2023)
  • My Son Sanctuary (yet to visit)
  • Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park (yet to visit)
  • Trang An Landscape Complex (visited Feb 2023)

DHC Marina, Danang
Mua Cave, Ninh Binh
Chua Ling Ung Temple
Ba Na Hills, Danang 
Sun World Ba Na Hills Resort
Danang, Vietnam

My travel itinerary: Kuala Lumpur > Hanoi > SAPA > Lao Cai > Hanoi > Haiphong > Tam Coc > Ninh Binh > Hue > Danang > Hoi An > Danang > Kuala Lumpur (Home Sweet Home) 

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia > 
Hanoi, Vietnam (approx 2,798km)
Hanoi > SAPA > Lao Cai >
Hanoi > Haiphong > Do Son Beach
> Haiphong > Tam Coc > Ninh Binh >
Hue > Danang > Hoi An > Danang 
(approx 1,700km)


A summary of total expenses incurred (20days): Rm3,498 (US$795) per pax

  • Air Ticket (KL>Hanoi+Danang>KL): Rm730
  • Travel Insurance: Rm112
  • Hotel (17 nights): Rm642
  • Food: Rm568
  • Airport Bus (Hanoi): Rm10
  • Express Bus (SAPA, Lao Cai, Haiphong & Danang): Rm201
  • Taxi & Grab (Hue, Danang & Hoi An): Rm110
  • Cable Car (Fansipan): Rm185
  • Train (Lao Cai>Hanoi & Ninh Binh>Hue): Rm363
  • Entrance fee: Rm129
  • Sim Card: Rm49
  • Day Tour (Ninh Binh & Ba Na Hills): Rm395
  • Sundries: Rm4
Exchange rates: 10,000dong = Rm1.95; US$1 = Rm4.40

An update of my travel activity in February 2023 provided by Google Map ! For this February Vietnam trip, amazing to note that I had chalked up 52km (17 hours) of intermittent walking in 9 major cities / towns in Northern & Central Vietnam !

Travel Highlights (Hanoi, SAPA, Lao Cai, Haiphong, Tam Coc, Hue, Danang & Hoi An):

1) Hanoi, Vietnam 

Total expenses incurred (2 nights): Rm240 (US$55) per pax

  • Hotel (2 nights): Rm87 (US$20, twin sharing) per pax
  • Airport Bus (Hanoi): 50,000dong (Rm9.75)
  • Food:  379,000dong (Rm74) per pax
  • Entrance fee: 100,000dong (Rm19.50)
  • Sim Card: 250,000dong (Rm49)
Temple of Literature, Hanoi
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Hanoi 
Presidential Palace, Hanoi
One-Pillar Pagoda, Hanoi
Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, Hanoi
Hanoi Night Market
Hanoi City Centre

2) SAPA, Vietnam 

Total expenses incurred (3 nights): Rm558 (US$127) per pax

  • Hotel (3 nights): Rm147 (twin sharing) per pax
  • Bus (Hanoi > SAPA): Rm78
  • Cable car (Fansipan): 950,000 dong (Rm185) 
  • Entrance fee (Cat Cat Village): 150,000 (Rm29.20)
  • Bike: 60,000dong (Rm11.70)
  • Taxi: 20,000dong (Rm3.90)
  • Food:  517,500dong (Rm101) per pax
  • Sundries: 10,000dong (Rm1.95)
Fansipan Legend
Trinh Pagoda, Fansipan 
Stoned Church, SAPA
SAPA Town
SAPA Square
Cat Cat Village, SAPA

3) Lao Cai, Vietnam

Total expenses incurred (2 days): Rm108 (US$25) per pax
  • Hotel (1 night): Rm25 (twin sharing) per pax
  • Bus (SAPA > Lao Cai): 40,000 dong (Rm7.80)
  • Grab (5 rides): 85,000 dong (Rm17) per pax
  • Food: 298,000 dong (Rm58) per pax
Lao Cai International Border Gate 
Den Mau, Lao Cai

4) Hanoi, Vietnam

Total expenses incurred (3 days): Rm328 (US$75) per pax

  • Hotel (2 nights): Rm92 per pax (twin sharing)
  • Food: 273,000 dong (Rm53)
  • Train (Lao Cai > Hanoi): Rm153
  • Taxi: Rm18 per pax
  • Entrance fee: 60,000dong (Rm11.70)
Phung Hung Mural Street, Hanoi
Hoa Lo Prison Historic Relic, Hanoi
West Lake, Hanoi
Tran Quoc Pagoda, Hanoi
Ngoc Son Temple, Hanoi
Beer Street, Hanoi

5) Haiphong, Vietnam

Total expenses incurred (3 days): Rm171 per pax
  • Hotel (2 nights):Rm78 per pax (twin sharing)
  • Bus (Hanoi>Haiphong): 11,000 dong (Rm21)
  • Food: 240,000dong (Rm46.80)
  • Taxi: 40,000 dong (Rm7.80) per pax
  • Bus: 90,000 dong (Rm17.50)

General Le Chan Statute
Haiphong, Vietnam
Le Chan Temple, Haiphong, Vietnam

6) Tam Coc, Vietnam

Total expenses incurred (3 days): Rm381 (US$87) per pax
  • Hotel (2 nights): Rm62 per pax (twin sharing)
  • Bus (Haiphong > Tam Coc): 300,000 dong (Rm58)
  • Package tour (Ninh Binh): 990,000dong (Rm193)
  • Food: 318,000 dong (Rm62) per pax
  • Taxi (4 seater): 30,000 (Rm6) per pax

Tam Coc Boat Ride
Tam Coc-Bich Dong-Ninh Binh

Bai Dinh Pagoda
Tam Coc
Lying Dragon Top
Mua Cave, Tam Coc

7) Hue, Vietnam

Total expenses incurred (3 days 2 nights): Rm429 (US$98) per pax

  • Train ticket (Ninh Binh > Hue): Rm210
  • Hotels (2 nights): Rm70
  • Grab car (4 seater): 500,000dong@125,000 (Rm24) per pax
  • Entrance fees: 150,000dong (Mausoleum of Emperor Khai Dinh) + 200,000dong (Hue Imperial City = 350,000dong (Rm68.25)
  • Food: 294,000dong (Rm57) per pax

Imperial Citadel, Hue,Vietnam
Royal Antiquities Museum, Hue
Emperor Khai Dinh Tomb, Hue
Thien Mu Pagoda, Hue 

8) Danang, Vietnam

Total costs incurred (4 days 3 nights): Rm478 (US$108) per pax
  • Hotel (3 nights): Rm80.60 per pax
  • Bus (Hue > Danang): 170,000dong = Rm33.15 per pax
  • Grab Car 4 Seater (Danang > Hoi An > Danang): Rm39 per pax
  • Grab Car 7 Seater (Hotel > Danang Airport): Rm4 per pax
  • Day Tour Package (Ba Na Hills): 1,038,000dong =Rm202
  • Food: 598,000dong = R117 per pax
  • Sundries: Rm2 per pax 
Golden Bridge, Ba Na Hills
Danang, Vietnam
Sun World French Village
Ba Na Hills, Danang
Dragon Bridge, Danang 

9) Hoi An, Vietnam 


Hoi An Old Town, Vietnam

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