Meeting point: At Port Gate (photos below)
This two-day itinerary Halong Tour from cruise ship is specially designed for cruise passengers who will spend 2 days 1 night at the port. We highly recommend taking a Halong Bay day cruise excursion to explore some of the world-famous caves before traveling to Ha Noi for the night. Enjoy the following Hanoi day trip around our charming capital before heading back to the port for departure.
FULL ITINERARY
Day 1: Cai Lan – Halong Bay Cruise (4 hours) – Hanoi (L)
Setting off from Cai Lan Port in Halong Bay, your driver will take you to the Bai Chay Pier. Head to your comfortable private junk to check in and begin your exciting 3-hour Halong Bay cruise trip around the Bay (the trip may be longer depending on time allowance). Stop at Thien Cung – Heaven Cave for stunning views inside the grotto. Afterward, as you continue cruising through numerous islets named after their own shape, such as Dog (Hon Cho Đa), Incense (Hon Dinh Huong), Fighting Cock (Hon Ga Choi), enjoy your drinks while admiring the marvelous view of the natural wonder. After the boat returns back to Bai Chay pier, take a 3.5-hour-long ride to Ha Noi for overnight accommodation.
Day 2: Hanoi City Tour – Cai Lan Port departure (B, L)
Starts your day with a visit to a famous gallery named Nguyen Art Gallery, which houses many original and quality paintings as well as sculptures. The Gallery’s objective is to promote quality arts, particularly from Vietnam. The gallery focuses on young and emerging artists. We are both enjoying Vietnamese tea or coffee then relax at a nice space of Gallery and seeing the paintings… Talk with the owner and enjoy a cup of Vietnamese coffee in the Café Lounge overlooking the Temple of Literature that you visit the morning. Then visit the Temple of Literature, originally built as the Temple of Confucius. After that, we will drive to the amazing Museum of Ethnology, which is widely acknowledged as the best in the country and has an extensive display dedicated to Vietnam’s 54 Ethnic minority peoples.
After lunch in the city center, visit the iconic Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple before hopping on a cyclo for a one-hour ride around the French-inspired Old Quarter. Stroll through narrow streets of the Old Quarter and browse for fantastic deals on almost everything from souvenirs in small shops to paintings at contemporary art galleries. If time permits, join the crowd for an exhilarating one-hour Water Puppet show. At around 4 PM, head back to Cai Lan Port in good time for your cruise departure. Trip ends. Thanks for traveling with Shore Excursions Asia!
