Vietnam Trip Notes: Hanoi, Sapa and Ha Long Bay

Practical notes from my recent Vietnam trip—what I enjoyed, what surprised me, and what I would do differently. I have kept this mostly in point form for easy reference.

Before You Go

• Bring enough cash. Many places I visited charged a 3–5% surcharge for credit-card payments.
• Pack for both warm and cool weather. During our early-November trip, some days were cold while others were still hot. It felt like a change of seasons—bring light layers so you can adjust.
• Leave some flexibility in your itinerary, especially for Fansipan. The weather made a huge difference to our experience.
• Allow extra time for long transfers, particularly when entering Hanoi’s Old Quarter on a weekend.

Overnight Train: Hanoi to Lao Cai, Then Sapa

Waiting at Hanoi station

• Our train departed at 9.45pm and arrived in Lao Cai around 5.30am.
• We could not find somewhere to shower at Hanoi station before boarding.
• There was a lounge for premium-cabin passengers. Our welcome drink was tea, and outside food was not allowed.
• Think of it mainly as somewhere to sit and wait, with drinks available to order.
• Nothing inside the station appealed to us for dinner. We crossed the street for bánh mì and fried rice, which were cheap and decent.

On the train

• The bunk was very narrow, and I did not sleep particularly well. Still, it was a unique and memorable experience.
• The air-conditioning was very cold, but the vent was adjustable, so we could adjust the airflow.
• Early in the journey, the train passed through Train Street. People were sitting right beside the tracks, and we could wave to them from inside the train. That was quite fun.

Arriving in Sapa

• We reached Sapa too early to check in, so we left our luggage at the hotel and went for breakfast.
• White Cloud Cafe & Restaurant was a lovely first stop: nicely presented coffee and great views.
• If the weather looks good, consider using that window for Fansipan. I booked our visit through Pelago.

Sapa: Fansipan

Fansipan felt very touristy to me, but the mountain views were impressive once the weather cleared.

Buying tickets on the day

• We did not need to prebook. I waited until we arrived in Sapa and decided the weather looked good enough to go up, then bought our tickets through Pelago on the spot.
• We used the barcode to enter directly, without queuing at the ticket counter to buy tickets.
• This worked for our visit and gave us flexibility around the weather. Check same-day availability and the ticket’s entry instructions when booking.

Getting around involves plenty of walking

• After exiting Muong Hoa funicular station, we were directed uphill through the rose garden. It was hot, steep and felt like a long detour.
• We later noticed a more direct route through the adjacent building. Check whether that route is open before following the outdoor path. Follow staff directions and any access restrictions.
• Even with the additional rides, do not expect a walking-free visit.
• Some descending staircases felt particularly intimidating: steep, with high steps. Take your time.

Yellow Summit Train

• During our visit, the Yellow Summit Train route had two separate sections. The second felt more like an outdoor lift.
• There was still a substantial walk from the first stop to the Buddha.
• After boarding, we waited quite a while while more passengers were gathered.
• If you are comfortable with the walking and stairs, I would consider walking instead—although it is tiring.

Buddha viewpoint versus the summit

• The views around the large Buddha were already excellent. Personally, I did not find the summit view dramatically different once the weather cleared, and the extra height did not feel particularly significant from a sightseeing perspective.
• We saw a flag ceremony at the summit: the flag was lowered and then raised again.

Weather: our two-hour gamble paid off

• The summit was initially so foggy that we could barely see anything.
• We waited in a café for about two hours, and eventually the weather cleared.
• We were lucky. You could wait until closing and still not get a clear view.
• Fog has its own atmosphere, but it is a different experience from seeing the surrounding mountains.
• We left at around 4.30pm.

NFC check-in and the Fansipan summit certificate

• What is it? A phone-based visitor check-in experience. NFC (Near Field Communication) lets a compatible phone read a tag by holding it close to the marked touchpoint. Phygital Labs, the technology provider, describes its Tap Quest stations, deployed at Fansipan among other attractions, as a way to open digital experiences such as check-ins and souvenir-sharing features.
• Why try it? Sun World’s published guide advertises an NFC scan at the summit to receive a certificate commemorating reaching Fansipan.
• Our experience: it did not work as smoothly as the TikTok and Facebook Reels we had watched suggested. We encountered broken webpage links, could not log in, and could not scan the touchpoint labelled checkpoint 3.
• I could not confirm a current official step-by-step checkpoint route or whether those technical problems have since been fixed. Ask staff which touchpoints are working and how to claim the certificate before spending time on it.
• My take: treat it as an optional digital souvenir, rather than a reason to visit. Enjoy the mountain views even if the technology does not cooperate.

Sapa: Alpine Coaster

• The coaster we visited was about 15 minutes from Sapa by Grab.
• Our driver offered to wait and take us back at the same fare as the outward journey. Confirm the waiting arrangement and total return cost before agreeing.
• There was little else for us to do there besides the coaster.
• Without a long queue, we finished two rides in around 30 minutes.
• Two rounds cost roughly S$17. For just a few minutes of thrills, I found it quite expensive.
• I was concentrating on controlling the car rather than admiring the scenery.
• You are not supposed to stop, and riders behind you can make a very slow ride feel awkward. Follow the operator’s instructions and keep a safe distance.
• I saw couples and parents with children sharing cars; check the operator’s seating and safety rules.
• Remember to smile at the photo checkpoints!

Sapa: Cat Cat Village

• It was touristy, but I enjoyed the walk and taking photos.
• We did not experience any touting during our visit.
• Bring an umbrella for shade if it is sunny—it can get hot.

Sapa to Hanoi by Bus

• Our bus left at around 2.30pm, and we reached our Hanoi hotel at approximately 9pm.
• It was a long journey. Allow for congestion entering the Old Quarter, especially on weekends.
• I would avoid making tight dinner reservations or other fixed plans immediately after arrival.

Hanoi

Maya Central Hotel

I was particularly impressed with the service.

• The hotel had only recently opened when we stayed. The mattress and pillows were comfortable.
• Staff gave us a helpful explanation of the surrounding area.
• Our room was on the top floor, had a window and was quiet.
• Room choice matters. At breakfast, I overheard another guest complaining about noise at night, so our experience may not apply to every room.
• Breakfast included both a buffet selection and dishes ordered from an à la carte menu.
• The hotel was only about one to two minutes’ walk from the night market.

Food and drinks to try

• Definitely try bún chả! I found it delicious and would recommend it.
• Try egg coffee too! Another recommendation from our trip.

Coffee workshop

• We booked a workshop through Seek Sophie and made six coffee drinks.
• It was interesting, although the coffee cocktail was not really to my taste.
• You do not need to finish every drink. We attended straight after breakfast, and I felt too bloated afterwards to have lunch.
• I would leave a little space in both my stomach and my meal schedule next time.

Weekend night market

• During our visit, the roads closed at around 6pm, but the stalls needed time to set up.
• Around 7pm was a better time to start exploring.

Ha Long Bay: Our Arcady Cruise

We chose three days and two nights with Arcady. Overall, it was decent, but there were a few things I wish I had known beforehand.

Cabin and onboard experience

• Wi-Fi in our room was unreliable.
• Our cabin was beside the staircase, and we heard loud creaking whenever people walked past. I would request a cabin away from the stairs next time.
• Dinner started at 7pm, which felt rather late to us.
• The 6pm “cocktail party” consisted of fruit and fruit punch. Vietnamese roll-making was also held around that time.
• Plain drinking water was not provided with dinner, and menu drinks were expensive. I would bring my own drinking water to the meal.

Two days/one night versus three days/two nights

On our sailing:

• The two-day/one-night itinerary covered the main tourist areas, which were busy.
• On the second day of our three-day/two-night itinerary, we transferred to a separate day boat and travelled farther into the Lan Ha Bay area.
• That day felt much quieter and more peaceful, with fewer boats around and nicer surroundings for swimming and kayaking.
• Most passengers stayed only one night. Just one other couple joined us for the longer itinerary; the other 10+ cabins were on the shorter stay.

The quieter second day was the main benefit of choosing the longer cruise for us. Check the actual itinerary when booking, as routes and activities can vary.

Titop Island: viewpoint and beach

• We visited the viewpoint at the top of Titop Island, overlooking the bay and its cruise boats.
• The beach can get extremely packed, depending on the time of your visit. It was crowded when we were there, as the photo below shows.

What to bring for kayaking

• Water shoes: expect splashes from the paddles and wet feet.
• A waterproof pouch with a lanyard for your phone: useful for both splashes and avoiding an accidental drop.
• A waterproof bag for your wallet and valuables: a securely sealed plastic bag can help with splashes, but should not be relied on for submersion.
• A change of clothes.

Ha Long Bay Directly to Hanoi Airport

Our private transfer

• The cruise company arranged a private transfer directly from the port to Hanoi airport for VND1.4 million.
• I chose this for convenience: they could coordinate with the cruise’s return time, instead of me having to liaise separately with a driver.
• Our ship returned to port at around 10.45am.
• The drive took approximately three hours, including a driver’s break, and we reached the airport at about 2pm.

We arrived too early to check in

• Our Singapore Airlines flight was at 6.20pm.
• We were told at the counter that check-in could only open three hours before departure, which staff attributed to airport rules.
• That meant waiting landside before we could check in. Confirm the check-in opening time for your own flight rather than assuming you can go straight through.

An alternative worth checking

• If you have enough time, ask whether the cruise’s Hanoi-bound bus can drop you at a suitable shopping mall nearer the airport.
• You could get food and do some last-minute shopping before taking a Grab to the terminal.
• This is an alternative to investigate, not a transfer route we tested. Confirm the actual drop-off point, luggage arrangements and remaining journey before choosing it.

Allow for things going wrong

Travelling from Ha Long Bay to the airport on the same day as your flight carries some risk. Traffic, a late return to port or a vehicle breakdown could eat into your buffer.

Our timing worked, but I would not plan around everything running perfectly.

A welcome airport break

• Food and souvenirs at Hanoi airport were more expensive than elsewhere on our trip, so I would do most shopping before reaching the airport.
• In the airport lounge we used after immigration with our Priority Pass membership, salt coffee was available to order at the bar counter.
• There was also a shower, which was especially welcome after the cruise and long drive.