Halong Bay And Red River
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Overview
Highlights
- Visit Hòa Bình, Viet Tri and Hanoi
- Experience amazing island scenery by sailing in Halong Bay
- Sail in Thai Binh river and enjoy water puppet show
- Explore the nature in Hòa Bình Province
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Trip includes
- Entrance fees
- Guide services (English language)
- Gratuities to crew, main meals
- Locally made soft drinks, local beer and local spirits, jugged coffee and selection of teas and tisanes, mineral water.
- Transfers between ports of embarkation and Hanoi International Airport at the start and end of the voyage.
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Itinerary
Transfer from Hanoi International Airport/Meeting point to Halong Bay to embark the cruise with a stop for lunch enroute. Cast off in the late afternoon for an evening sailing to drop anchor in a sheltered bay amidst the amazing island scenery.
Morning sail around Halong Bay and beyond with its 1,500 dramatic limestone islands and extraordinary rock formations, dating back 20 million years. We will visit by local boat a local floating home, kayaking or taking a rowing basket boat to bright & dark limestone caves.
Morning continue cruising in Halong Bay then we will enter the river in the afternoon and setting sail to Pha Lai. Observe the lively and interesting life of the river, a key commercial waterway. We will anchor mid-stream.
Morning sail on Thai Binh river. Excursion to Thanh Ha commuinne for water puppet show & village walkabout. Continue cruising to Ninh Giang.
Afternoon walking tour in Ninh Giang commute and visit a local market to taste the home made special cake BANH CAI. Then we continue by bus (25min) to Stork's Island before we return back to the ship for dinner.
Today we will be cruising towards Hanoi. Enroute, stop at Bat Trang, a ceramic village, in the afternoon.
Dropped anchor in the bustling city of Hanoi, passengers will visit some highlights of this Asian metropolis, must see’s like the notorious Vietnam war prison known as the Hanoi Hilton, temple of literature where Confucius did his thinking and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleu...
Morning sail through day from Hanoi up the Red River to Viet Tri, not the most picturesque of towns but an excellent base for going deeper into Highland Vietnam. Going ashore we visit a timeless Arcadian Vietnam with emerald green rice paddies punctuated by lime stone...
In the morning cruising to Tien Du ferry station to the conical hat making village of Gia Thanh. Take in the sights and sounds of the bustling river with all kinds of craft and activity. By bus we continue to Hung Lo Temple.
Enjoy a day sailing downstream admiring the unspoilt beauty of the Da River. We pass the Ba Vi National Park with its rich and diverse tropical and sub-tropical flora and fauna before arriving at Hoa Binh. We will visit the UNESCO village of Duang Lam.
Hoa Binh was the site of a major battle with the French in 1951 & 1952 and is home to the Muong ethnic group.This morning we will take a boat ride on the reservoir of Hoa Binh power station and visit a local village and tonight you will enjoy the traditional performance of local hill tribe people.
Disembark after breakfast (08.30am) and visit a museum and local village where villagers still wear traditional dresses. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant, followed by a transfer to Hanoi airport or drop off point Pan Pacific Hotel Hanoi.
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Dates & Availability
Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Pandaw.
The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.
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The Pandaw experience is all about exploring remote and often hard-to-navigate rivers and coasts in specially-designed luxury small ships.
Each ship, hand-crafted in brass and teak, is an object of beauty in itself. A Pandaw adventure is very different from that offered on an ocean-going cruise. The ships are small scale, and the atmosphere is informal, and very friendly.
Our Ships
We have sixteen beautifully crafted Pandaw ships in operation that we built ourselves – plus our first coastal ship the Andaman Explorer. Each ship, hand-finished in brass and teak by traditional craftsmen, is itself an object of great beauty.
The secret of our success is that, whilst luxury and comfort are ever-present, on our ships it is the colonial-era character and friendly atmosphere that predominate. All our Pandaws have ultra-shallow drafts and can travel to remote areas, which are unreachable by other passenger-carrying vessels, let alone overland.
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Logistics
What's excluded
- International flights, port dues (if levied), laundry
- All visa costs, fuel surcharges (see terms and conditions),
- Imported beverages such as wines, premium spirits and liqueurs, fancy soft drinks like Perrier, espressos and cappuccinos at bar
- Tips to tour guides, local guides, bus drivers, boat operators and cyclo drivers
Transportation & Flights
Transportation & flights
Sister to the Katha and from the same yard delivered in 2013, the only difference with the Katha is an enclosed air conditioned dining room insisted on by an American charterer. Originally on the Mekong in 2015 we transferred her to the Red River in North Vietnam. In fact the enclosed dining room has proved useful as it can be cold up there in winter. The ship has quality mountain bikes for your independent exploration. Accommodation 10 main deck and 6 upper deck staterooms Air-conditioned panorama dining room Spacious, open-air lounge Observation deck Lounge bar 24hrs hospitality bar Fair-trade Shop Guest relation desk Library with contemporary and classic literature Hair Dryers in all cabins Wining & Dining Local master chef heading an experienced international culinary team Semi-buffet breakfast, Semi-buffet lunch, and seated theme dinners Daily lean & light menu options Complimentary coffee, water, tea, soft drinks, local beer, local spirits, juices Extensive wine list with premium wines Series of cultural performances, educational talks, cooking classes, and ship tour Welcome drink on arrival Welcome cocktail Farewell Reception Theme dinners Lounge bar 24hrs hospitality bar Onboard bakery with daily freshly baked breads and rolls
Build 2012 in Saigon Length: 138.61ft / 42.25m Beam: 28.50ft / 8.70m Draft: 3ft / 90cm Berths: 32 pax
Cancellations for all or any part of the trip will not be effective until received in writing in the offices of Pandaw. Should you have to cancel, the following terms will apply:
- From time of booking until 61 day prior to departure non-refundable deposit
- From 60 days and less till departure, no show, late arrival or early return 100% cancellation fee
- Note: We strongly recommend for your protection that you purchase a trip cancellation insurance
Cancellation of a Pandaw Pre or Post Reservations is cancellation is subject to a $50 per person administrative fee from the time of booking through 61 days prior to your scheduled Pandaw trip.
- From 60 days prior to departure through 45 days prior a $200 per person penalty will apply
- From 45 days prior to 30 days prior a 75% per person penalty will apply.
- Cancellations received in our office 29 days or less prior to departure, no-show, or early return from the trip will result in forfeiture of 100% of all monies paid to Pandaw.
- Because these cancellation policies are strictly enforced, we strongly recommend for your protection that you purchase trip cancellation insurance.
Note that departures from December to March have an alternative itinerary covering a larger inland water cruising area on the coastal plain area. We cruise in beautiful rural areas as well as some interesting more industrial sections. Note the daily temperature range at this time of year can be from 7C to 21C and there is a higher chance of mists.
Pre Cruise Extensions and Post Cruise Extensions also available
Optional Package Addons
Private Dining
Whilst dining with Pandaw is very much a convivial experience, there might be times when travellers prefer to have a table for two. All Pandaw ships can now offer this flexibility; travellers can book private dining for the whole cruise or the day(s) they would like.
Pre-Bookable House Wine Package
Local soft drinks, local beer and local spirits are included on every Pandaw owned ship.
However, in response to requests from clients, we are pleased to introduce new, pre-bookable unlimited house wine with lunch and dinner packages.
Unlimited house wine with lunch and dinner
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