Vietnam forum

Posted from within Vietnam.

Hanoi 's pretty touristy and overcrowded too! You could spend 4 nights just in Hanoi, sightseeing and just chilling, but you do have the time there to see one or the other of Sapa / Halong so personally I'd go for it. As to which one - they are so different I can't possibly advise. But some things to think about:

Halong you could just do an overnight or 2 night trip whereas Sapa you'd need 3 nights (one night travel each way and one night there) so that might be a bit of a squeeze time-wise.

The weather - it's winter in Hanoi in December and yes, it does get a bit chilly. It's also dry though so Halong should be OK (there have been quite a few trips cancelled recently due to typhoons) though maybe not super nice sunbathing weather. Sapa will probably be cold but that can add to the romance!

Hope that helps a little.

With your time constraints, Ha Long Bay is definitely the way to go. Sapa is absolutely beautiful and was my favorite part of Vietnam, but you definitely need 3 nights in total to do it. Hanoi is lovely, and worth lingering in to soak up the vibe of the city. Sure, it's touristy in the sense that there are tourists around -- but it's also incredibly vibrant and if you put down the Lonely Planet and look around a bit, you'll find all kinds of undiscovered treasures around every corner.

Ha Long Bay is gorgeous. The one night trip was plenty for me. Think in advance of the kind of trip you want -- there are all sorts. When I was there, I wanted to do some kayaking and also have some fun on the boat. I booked it through the Backpacker's Hostel and got pretty much exactly what I wanted -- mostly young people who wanted to stay up late and cause a ruckus, while taking in the vistas during the day. But other trips were clearly geared for different crowds, with different levels of accommodation. Just pay attention to what you're booking. Have a great trip!

chipping in with HLB, Sapa will be too cold tiem consuming and the heatinsg generally rubbish so get on a nice boat and sail round the bay

I would say Halong Bay, too. You can find similar scenery near Luang Prabang to Sapa.

I was in Halong Bay in January. It was a little too chilly to eat on deck, but not too cold to kayak, plus did one swim. Having said that, had one lunch out on a deserted beach with table, chairs, tablecloths etc. Actually, it was surprisingly warm when out on the water.

We did a 2 night trip, which I don't regret one bit - it enables you to get away from other boats, which tend to go to the same places on one nighters. Hardly saw another boat when there.

Handspan. (www.handspan.com). The trip was very good. We preferred to go on a smaller boat, which they have - there were only 6 of us in 3 cabins. There were 7 crew. We were very lucky in that we got on really well with the other passengers, 2 Americans and 2 Canadians.

The food was incredibly good on the boat, several courses each meal. The chef made hand carvings from vegetables each day, culminating in a huge one of the boat itself.

When we slept there were never any other boats nearby, unlike (we heard) the one nighters, which tend to huddle together more. We saw few other boats at all during the trip.

The trip included kayaking, which we did a fair bit of; the remote beach lunch plus transfers to and from Hanoi. It was a bit more expensive than some others we saw, but still incredibly cheap by Western standards and also for what you got.

Halong Bay was a highlight among many highlights on our 4 month trip through the region. It is an extraordinary place and, in my view, should not be rushed too much to do it justice. The weather wasn't hot, but it never mattered - the light seems to change the whole time giving the place a magical feel.

Oh, also Nokka, I was wondering - did you write a blog or trip report on your 4 mo trip around SE Asia. I'd love to read it.

Halong Bay was one of the highlights for our family - with two teenagers in tow! We are actually revisiting Vietnam in 2 weeks time. May I suggest Kangaroo Cafe for booking a Halong Bay tour. We have used them 2008 for a 3 day tour and we are rebooking in a couple of weeks. Basic but clean. Food is basic but yummy.

Posted from within Vietnam.

Thank you very much