Im flying into Hanoi, from there I'm doing 2 nights in Ha Long bay. The issue is, can I get from Ha Long Bay to the Hanoi airport all in 1 day so that I can catch a flight to Hue that evening? It seems like the window is pretty narrow, most of these cruises seem to get you back to the hotel around 1630, then I would have to I suppose get another transport to the airport from there... doesn't leave much wiggle room. Does anyone have any thoughts/advice on this?
Posted by
Salem, Oregon, USA
2335 posts
I was on a tour that included a trip to Ha Long Bay - we flew in to Hanoi airport around noon, got on a bus and drove directly to Ha Long (arrived around 4 p.m.), stayed the night, did a morning/lunch cruise, then got back on the bus and drove back to Hanoi, arriving around 6 p.m. The road to/from is VERY slow going - even if there had not been traffic, there were construction delays and the roads are not in the best shape (no freeways to speak of). If you left Ha Long at 4:30 p.m., you'd have to be sure to have a pretty late evening flight out of Hanoi.
Two options - consider hiring a private driver for Hanoi/Ha Long just to be sure you can control the arrival/departure times - they're not that expensive considering the door-to-door service. Alternatively, it looks like there are some flights from Haiphong (closer to Ha Long) to Da Nang (close-ish to Hue, you'd have to hire a transfer). That could potentially save you time going all the way back to Hanoi.
Good luck!
Posted by
Vietnam
3 posts
I see the flight VN1545 (Vietnam Airline) that is last one, will be departure at 19:20. So, you have enough of time to transfer from hotel in the centre of Hanoi city to airport, just 45 minutes if you go by taxi, the cost of taxi only around $15. Then you have more than 2 hours for check in.
And, you should know the bus of the cruises usually get back to the hotel around 15:30
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15582 posts
Looks like you can fly to Danang from Cat Bi Airport on Jetstar, VietJet or Vietnam Airlines. I didn't look for their schedules but it seems a lot easier not to return to Hanoi. I think I got back to the ship terminal in Halong Bay (after being moored for at least 1/2 hour waiting for the tender) around 12.30 and then waiting another 1/2 hour for my bus. It was well after 16.00 before I got back to Hanoi. My trip was about 6 weeks ago.
Whichever travel agent you use to book the tour can probably arrange transportation for you right from the ship terminal.
Posted by
Omaha, NE, United States
49 posts
It probably depends on the cruise you have booked. We disembarked our Cruise at 11.30 am, but did not make it back to Hanoi until 6.00. As mentioned, if you hire a private car to drive you straight to the airport that might work better.
Posted by
TN, USA
2114 posts
Totally unrelated to your question, but hopefully helpful:
We are just back from a trip that included several stops in Vietnam. You may already be aware of the poor air quality, but if not you migght want to Google to find out more. Be sure to pack a decent nose/mouth filter, as there are times you may really need it.
We were in Ha Long Bay for two night just this past week, and there was definitely a hazy fog. Saigon was really bad, and Hoi An was dusty/hazy.
What shocked me about Vietnam was the amount of litter, except in the most revitalized areas of large cities. I asked one of our local guides what worried the typical person in Vietnam. His reply was pollution and food poisoning.
We found it a very educational trip...enlightening.
Safe travels, and maybe the winds will blow such that you get one of those rare clear, brochure-photo-like couple of days.