BHPian vinukm recently shared this with other enthusiasts:A 7Day Vietnam JourneyDay 1: Arrival in Hanoi & Old Quarter Explorations We landed in Hanoi around noon, and I had prebooked a fasttrack immigration service. It turned out to be a great decision-the entire process took barely 30 seconds, with passports simply stamped and no questions asked. The regular queue wasn’t overwhelming, but it probably would have taken close to an hour without fast track. Our stay was at Hotel La Storia in the Old Quarter, and the location couldn’t have been better-right in the heart of the city’s buzzing lanes and vibrant street life. After checking in and freshening up, we walked about 300 meters to a nearby Indian restaurant for lunch. It was comforting to start the trip with familiar flavors. Post lunch, we headed out to explore Hanoi. Our first stop was the Temple of Literature, a serene and historically rich site. From there, we made our way to Hoan Kiem Lake, spending some relaxed time strolling around the lake and soaking in the charm of the Old Quarter. For snacks, we tried a Bnh M along with some spring rolls from a local eatery. The Bnh M felt somewhat like a Vietnamese take on Subway-simple, fresh, and satisfying. By evening, exhaustion had set in, so we returned to the same Indian restaurant for dinner, wrapped up our meal by 7 PM, and called it a day. Day 2: Halong Bay Day Cruise Day two started early. We had booked a Halong Bay day tour via Klook, with pickup scheduled at 7:30 AM. The drive to Halong Bay Harbor took about three hours. We were initially booked on the Diamond Era Cruise, but the night before, we received a message informing us that it had been canceled due to a technical issue. We were offered an alternative-Ambrose Cruise. Given the positive reviews and limited time to explore other options, we went ahead with it. The cruise experience turned out to be quite good. It was slightly cloudy when we started, but the skies cleared up later, making the views even better. Halong Bay was stunning, though one fellow traveler rightly suggested that an overnight cruise would have allowed us to experience it more fully. During the cruise, we visited the magnificent Sung Sot (Surprise) Cave, an impressive limestone formation. Next was Ti Top Island, where we chose to hike to the top and were rewarded with a breathtaking panoramic view of the bay. The final stop was Luon Cave, adding another beautiful chapter to the day’s journey. Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.
