Halong Bay cruises | Halong Bay tours | Halong bay experience & stories, Vietnam

Indochina Sails Cruise chosen as “Dream Hotel” by famous German Movie Series

activetravelvietnam — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 07:16:39 +0000

The popular, long-running German movie series called “Das Traumhotel” was filmed on Indochina Sails. The series of movies Das Traumhotel, which translates in English to “Dream Hotel”, features 5-Star properties from all over the world in which to set the stories. Previous installations in the series have been filmed in such locales as Dubai, Thailand, Bali, the Maldives, Brazil and Mexico… The latest installation in the series was on location in Vietnam. In Hoi An, the famous Nam Hai Resort was chosen and in Halong Bay, the Indochina Sails was the set for the movie. Indochina Sails is proud to be recognized along with other famous properties as a world-class destination.

You can see the trailer of the movie here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S86HzqwTtCU&feature=endscreen&NR=1

or take time to watch the full movie at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9lWU4HmsM4

Supported by Indochina Sails – The most luxury and safest cruises in Halong Bay

INDOCHINA SAILS

Hanoi Office

Add: 27 – A6 – Dam Trau Quarter – Hai Ba Trung District – Hanoi – Vietnam

Tel: +84 – 4- 39842362

Fax: +84 – 4 – 39844150

Email: info@indochinasails.com

Website: www.indochinasails.com

I could get used to this life!

activetravelvietnam — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 03:27:48 +0000

According to local legend, a long time ago when the Vietnamese were fighting Chinese invaders, the gods sent down a family of dragons to help defend the land. They began spitting out jewels and jade which transformed into thousands of islands and islets dotting the bay, forming a great wall to block the invaders. These thousands of tiny limestone islands enabled the Vietnamese to successfully defend their land. This bay was named Ha Long Bay (Ha means descending, Long means dragon), and sits just south of the China Sea. It was recently named a Unesco World Heritage site, and is one of the most amazing things I have seen.

We booked a 2 day, 1 night cruise aboard one of the many “junk” cruises offered to tourists, which was quite amazing! The boat was gorgeous, and the cabins luxurious. It offered not only the nicest stay we had during our entire trip, but also the best shower I have maybe had in my entire life! We went with Indochina Sails Cruise, and although it was one of the more expensive cruises on Ha Long Bay, I highly recommend this cruise for quality and comfort and activities offered both on and off the ship. Also because there are many not so great ships that we saw, one of which sank the day after our cruise ended, killing 12 people. Seriously heartbreaking. And not to make light of a horrific situation, but unfortunately it doesn’t seem like the crews are overly prepared. During our “safety” talk, all they said was “throw on a life vest and run… don’t even worry about buckling the vest, just try to do that as you’re running to safety.” Hmmm…interesting. However, the junk cruise was my favorite part of the trip, and I highly suggest that anyone visiting Vietnam take one of these cruises, but just make sure to go with a reputable company.

One of the activities that we had on the cruise was a tour of Cua Van, the largest floating fisher village in the Bay. It was quite unbelievable and fascinating to see an entire village situated on rafts that were anchored down so their village would stay put. Full families of multiple generations lived in one room shacks… and they even had dogs! There was a school, a post office, bars and even a restaurant, all part of this fisher village. We learned that water is brought in once a week on a larger ship, and they fill up with buckets for their weekly needs. They have small paddle boats that serve as transportation around the village, and we even saw small children rowing these boats and helping out with chores. We were able to get an up close and personal look inside this community by women who lived there, as they took us in a boat tour around the village. And bright and early the next morning we were greeted by some of these women as they paddled up to our large boat peddling their pearls and handicrafts that they made. I was quite amused when I wanted to look at some jewelry that they were selling but didn’t have a means to get down to the water to look at their offerings (since we were on a ship in the middle of the bay). Just after I yelled this down to them, I was greeted with a large net dancing in front of my face, full of the necklaces that they were trying to sell! When I found one I wanted I put the money in the net and yelled down “Thank you!”, and that’s how the women from the fisher village sell their crafts.

We also had the opportunity to dock at a beach for a while, allowing us time to hike up to Tip Top Point, and afterwards cool off by swimming in the bay. It was such a nice treat swimming in the ocean again, smelling the saltwater and laying out on the beach listening to the waves break the surf and children laughing and screeching out of delight. Oh how I miss the ocean! But probably my favorite thing to do on the cruise was to lay out on the top deck on their comfortable lounge chairs, taking in the fresh air and the cool breeze as we sailed along the bay, and being mesmerized with the beauty all around me. It was truly enchanting!

My bed! It was so nice!!

My phone (I knew my parents would love this!)

We hiked to the top of Tip Top point and this was the view we were greeted with… not bad!

Some of the houses in the fishing village.

Our boat!

The view from a cave we hiked through!

I could get used to this life!

By Kate

Visit May, 2011

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Indochina Sails kicks off the Summer Saver Sensation 2012

activetravelvietnam — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 04:32:13 +0000

This promotion is valid from May 1st, 2012 to September 30th, 2012

All inclusive Value Package includes:

Round Trip Transfers by shuttle bus
Kayaking on the Bay
Sunset Wine Tasting
30′ of Massage Service

2Days 1Night cruise:

Superior Double: 448 USD/cabin (for 2 adults)
Superior Single: 338 USD/cabin (for 1 adults)
Deluxe Double: 500 USD/cabin (for 2 adults)
Deluxe Single: 380 USD/cabin (for 1 adults)
Suite Double: 568 USD/cabin (for 2 adults)
Suite Single: 430 USD/cabin (for 1 adults)

3Days 2Nights cruise:

Superior Double: 699 USD/cabin (for 2 adults)
Superior Single: 545 USD/cabin (for 1 adults)
Deluxe Double: 720 USD/cabin (for 2 adults)
Deluxe Single: 579 USD/cabin (for 1 adults)
Suite Double: 820 USD/cabin (for 2 adults)
Suite Single: 680 USD/cabin (for 1 adults)

Inclusions:

Welcome Drink
Cruise Itinerary and Program
Shuttle bus return (Hanoi – Halong – Hanoi)
Kayaking
International wine tasting (1 hour free follow with a selected of wine from many country)
30 minutes Body Massage
Entrance and Sightseeing Fees
In-house English-speaking Tour Guide
Luxurious Cabins and Suites with A/C and en-suite Bathrooms
Deluxe Vietnamese and International Lunch and Dinner
Vietnamese and International Breakfast
Conference Equipment (Charter only)
Insurance, Taxes and Service Charges

Exclusions:

Airfares, Car Transfers and Hotels
Visa Arrangements
Beverages, Tips and Personal Expenses
All other services not clearly mentioned above

Terms and conditions:

Advance booking required
Available on Indochina Sails only
Child policy will be case by case .
Others term and condition apply

Details itinerary:

Contact us at : info@indochinasails.com or visit website http://www.indochinasails.com/en/ for more details.

Halong Bay Treasures the Caves of the Dragon

activetravelvietnam — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 03:50:57 +0000

Vietnam is one of the most beautiful countries of Southeast Asia and one of the most popular destinations for European tourists. Among its natural landscapes the Halong Bay in the north of the nation, continues to surprise visitors from around the world.

The Vietnamese call this place the Bay of the descendants of the Dragon (Vinh Ha Long). It extends along a coastline of 120 kilometers. More than 3 000 irregular limestone islands emerge from their deep blue waters with dense vegetation and the sound of birds singing since early in the morning.

According to the legend, during the time of the Emperor, the Chinese invaders wanted to seize the land of the Vietnamese empire. The Emperor asked for help to a family of dragons that launched pearls and jades in order to sink the enemy ships. Once finished the battle, due to the beauty of the place, the dragons and their descendants decided to stay.

In November 2011, Halong Bay was declared as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, a title which was formally ratified in January this year. It already had the status of World Heritage granted by UNESCO since 1994.

While some islands are nothing more than large rocks, others are much more important and contain large caves filled with stalactites and stalagmites. The largest island in Halong, and one of the few that are inhabited, is Cat Ba, which has beautiful beaches and a national park.

Many caves have formed in the huge islands of Halong. The most famous are Hang Sung Sot (Stunning Cave), Hang Dau Go (Hidden Wood cave), Hang Thieng Cung (Heavenly Palace Grotto), Hang Bo Nau Cave (Pelican), Dong Tam Cung (cave of the three Palaces) and Hang Trong (Drum cave). During your Vietnam holidays you can not miss visiting the small island of fishermen, Sung Sot Cave (Cave of Surprises), famous because inside has a shaped like penis rock.

The best way to appreciate the charms of Halong bay is to cruise it between the islands in a wooden boat. The vastness of the place makes such a walk essential for you to enjoy the beauty of this natural landscape. Local fishermen sell directly from their rowing boats fish and seafood, which can be cooked instantly for a delicious lunch. In the morning activities continue, including Tai Chi and demonstration on how to cook spring rolls.

Around the bay there is a typical Vietnamese village with quaint houses, a small pagoda and a market, next to the port. To access the village you have to cross a road at the base of the bay, surrounded by hotels and a beautiful bridge, which reminds those of Lisbon, Portugal.

For its natural wonders Vietnam has increased the reception of tourism growing in 2011 to a total of 19% compared to last year. In January this year, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism reported an increase of 25% over the same month in 2011.

Source: Technorati

Halong is magical no matter the weather

activetravelvietnam — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 08:25:36 +0000

I’ve been haunted by Halong Bay for years. This beautiful spot on the north coast of Vietnam screams ‘dream holiday’ from every photo, with its famous blue skies, clear seas and towering limestone columns.

We ignored the hundreds of touts offering organized tours and arranged an independent trip from Hanoi. Our reward was a personalized, cheap and flexible weekend, minus the crowds.

Transport was easy to arrange. We bought a local bus-boat-bus combination ticket from Hanoi’s Luong Yen Bus Terminal to Cat Ba Island. To return, we organized a speedboat and bus trip which took us directly to Ninh Binh. Our bumpy bus rides passed beautiful rural scenes and we felt like pirate explorers when our boat approached Cat Ba Island – the first views of around 1,600 islands and islets are dreamlike.

Budget accommodation was readily available on the sea front and our evenings were spent exploring the many restaurants which sell delicious sea food and Vietnamese dishes at low prices.

On our first day we hired scooters and traversed the length of Cat Ba Island. We stopped off at the national park and went hiking for hours, listening to the call of monkeys and tropical birds. At sunset we went to the public beach – a glistening expanse of white sand and turquoise waters.

The second day was water based, with a boat tour round the islands by a local fisherman. We stopped off at a floating village to marvel at life-lived-on-water and share some rice wine with fishermen.

Did I mention the weather? Sadly, it being January, there were no blue skies and not a drop of sunshine. Testament to the wonder of the place, the poor weather did not detract from our experience. Whatever the conditions, Halong Bay is one of the most beautiful places on earth to visit.

Source: thesaigontimes

Supported by Indochina Sails – The most luxury and safest cruises in Halong Bay

INDOCHINA SAILS

Hanoi Office

Add: 27 – A6 – Dam Trau Quarter – Hai Ba Trung District – Hanoi – Vietnam

Tel: +84 – 4- 39842362

Fax: +84 – 4 – 39844150

Email: info@indochinasails.com

Website: www.indochinasails.com

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BBC confirmed that Halong Bay, Vietnam now a safe place to visit

activetravelvietnam — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 07:46:35 +0000

Halong Bay is much safer place to visit, Carmen Roberts has reported in a TV broadcast recently on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).

Thanking to great efforts by local authorities, Carmen said Halong Bay cruise services have improved remarkable with new safety equipment for tourists.

Through the BBC film, viewers can see the positive changes in Halong Bay. Carmen added that tourism boats are now well-equipped with rescue facilities, such as life jackets, life boats, underwater lights and hammers in case of emergencies.

In recent months, the number of foreign arrivals has increased sharply.

The local Department for Culture, Sports and Tourism said Halong Bay, one of the new Seven Wonders of the World, welcomed more than 337,000 tourists in January 2012, up 14 percent compared to the same month of last year.

Reported by Bernama

Supported by Indochina Sails – The most luxury and safest cruises in Halong Bay

INDOCHINA SAILS

Hanoi Office

Add: 27 – A6 – Dam Trau Quarter – Hai Ba Trung District – Hanoi – Vietnam

Tel: +84 – 4- 39842362

Fax: +84 – 4 – 39844150

Email: info@indochinasails.com

Website: www.indochinasails.com

Indochina Sails announces to attend World’s Leading Travel Trade Show

activetravelvietnam — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 07:42:22 +0000

Indochina Sails fleet of six newly built wooden junks is designed to combine the very best of traditional styling and contemporary luxury. We provide our passengers with a sumptuous “home away from home” in which to enjoy the spectacular scenery of Halong Bay, Vietnam.

Indochina Sails will attend ITB Berlin from 07 – 11 March, 2012. Our team welcomes all attendees at ITB in Berlin 2012 to discuss the possibilities of working together. Please stop at our booth for the latest details and brochures regarding our unique product. For a preview see http://indochinasails.com/brochure/Brochure_indochinasails_2011.pdf

Contact person: Ms. Nguyen Thu Trang

Position: Sales Manager

Company: Indochina Sails – Halong Bay Vietnam

Sharing booth: Hall 26A Stand Number 128 – sharing with Focus Travel

We look forward to meeting you!

Indochina Sails attends Luxury Travel Market in France and International Travel Trade in Spain

“Halong Bay In My Eyes” – Photo Contest

activetravelvietnam — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 04:36:04 +0000

“Halong Bay In My Eyes” - Cuộc thi ảnh “Hạ Long trong mắt tôi”

Photo Competition sponsored by Indochina Sails, Halong Bay, Vietnam - Thể lệ:
The competition is intended to highlight the incredible beauty of Halong Bay and encourage more travellers to see the Bay for themselves. In addition, it is hoped that more people will become aware of the online “New Wonder of the World” competition and vote for Halong Bay. To participate in the contest please go to http://www.facebook.com/halongbay.indochinasails

Góp phần trong chiến dịch bình chọn cho vịnh Hạ Long trở thành di sản thiên nhiên thế giới và quảng bá hình ảnh Hạ Long đến với những người yêu thích du lịch trong nước và nước ngoài, du thuyền Indochina Sails tổ chức cuộc thi ảnh “Hạ Long trong mắt tôi”. Cuộc thi sẽ được tổ chức chính thức trên Facebook của Indochina Sails http://www.facebook.com/halongbay.indochinasails. Hình dự thi sẽ được đăng tải trực tiếp trên Facebook Indochina Sails.

Duration of contest - Thể lệ chấm giải:
Indochina Sails will choose the two winning photos from the websites top ten LIKE getters.
10 ảnh nhận được nhiều like nhất sẽ được vào vòng chung kết và các giải cụ thể sẽ do Ban tổ chức chấm giải từ danh sách 10 ảnh này.

Contest dates: 25/8/2011 to 5/10/2011
Cuộc thi diễn ra từ 25/8/2011 đến 5/10/2011

The prizes will be announced on 10/10/2011
Thời gian thông báo kết quả: 10/10/2011

Prizes - Giải thưởng:
First prize: Indochina Sails Premium Holiday package valued at 450 USD for 2 people all inclusive.
Giải đặc biệt – 01 giải, 1 chuyến du lịch trị giá 8 triệu cho 2 người trên du thuyền Indochina Sails – Hạ Long

Second prize: Indochina Sails Deluxe Holiday package valued at 350 USD for 2 people all inclusive.
Giải khuyến khích – 10 giải, 1 chuyến du lịch trị giá 6 triệu cho 2 người trên du thuyền Indochina Sails – Hạ Long

First five entrants will receive an Indochina Sails Souvenir T-shirt.
5 người gửi ảnh đầu tiên sẽ nhận được phần quà là áo T-shirt Indochina Sails.

Term and condition – Điều kiện & Ghi chú:
Prizes are non-transferrable and cannot be redeemed for cash.
Các giải thưởng không có giá trị qui đổi thành tiền mặt và không có giá trị chuyển nhượng

Submitted photos must be the property of the contestant. Submitted photos cannot be prize winners of any previous photo competition.
Bài dự thi phải là tác phẩm của chính tác giả, chưa tham gia các cuộc thi và các giải thưởng khác.

Contestants are responsible for any copyright infringements or violations
Tác giả hoàn toàn chịu trách nhiệm về bản quyền ảnh tham gia dự thi.

Indochina Sails maintains the right to use submitted photos for publicity purposes.
Indochina Sails có quyền sử dụng bài dự thi vào mục đích quảng bá nhãn hiệu mà không cần thông báo trước.

Winners may be required to participate in publicity programs
Indochina Sails có quyền từ chối quyền tham dự cuộc thi của những hình ảnh có nội dung không lành mạnh, không phù hợp và có quyền từ chối trao giải nếu phát hiện bất cứ vi phạm nào từ người dự thi.

Indochina Sails confirms that overnight cruises on Halong Bay are safe.

activetravelvietnam — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 09:19:03 +0000

Indochina Sails is well known for providing the most luxurious and highest quality cruise ships on Halong Bay. As the first operator to offer overnight cruises on the Bay, Indochina Sails has over ten years experience hosting international travelers, and has consistently set the benchmark for luxury cruising on Halong Bay.

Indochina Sails has always maintained the highest level of safety standards as well.

With the recent addition of two new vessels our fleet now consists of six boats comprising a total of 74 cabins. With all of our boats safety has been and will continue to be an utmost priority.

All six boats in our fleet (Indochina Sails 1, 2, 3, Indochina Sails Premium, Valentine and Valentine Premium) have life vests in every cabin (1 per guest, including children). Additional life jackets for all guests are stored in public areas.
The boats are equipped with life buoys and life rafts with capacity for all guests and crew on board.
Each boat has a tender (also equipped with life jackets) to assist in any emergency or rescue operation.
All of our boats are under professional daily on-board technical supervision.
Our Captains possess long term experience and are extensively trained and fully licensed.
Our crews are fully trained with clear procedures as to how to deal with emergencies.
All guests are briefed and given safety procedures on board with clear instruction in case of emergency.
All boats are fitted with professional marine safety equipment: VHF, GPS, radar, walkie-talkies, water leakage alarm systems, water pump systems, fire alarm & fire extinguisher systems.
All boats undergo one-month extensive dry dock maintenance yearly and are fully checked by local marine registration authorities before and after leaving dry dock.
All boats are covered with maximum boat insurance and maximum passenger & crew insurance.

The safety of our passengers and crew is of utmost importance. We provide safe passage for all our guests.

If you require any more information please feel free to contact our Hanoi office.

INDOCHINA SAILS
Hanoi Office
Add: 27 – A6 – Dam Trau Quarter – Hai Ba Trung District – Hanoi – Vietnam
Tel: +84 – 4- 39842362
Fax: +84 – 4 – 39844150
Email: info@indochinasails.com
Website: www.indochinasails.com

How to find safe travel in Halong Bay Vietnam

activetravelvietnam — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 02:43:09 +0000

ACTIVETRAVEL ASIA would like to give out some advices about how to travel safely and enjoyably in Halong Bay. There are some something you should concern about as you plan your trip there.

Halong Bay, Vietnam

1. Overnight junk (vessel) or hotel?

When you travel you can stay in hotel anywhere, anytime and that is just so normal. If you want to have a unique travel experience in Halong Bay it worth spending a night aboard of an overnight vessel amongst thousands of islands and islets. Though the recently tragedy incident happened to an overnight vessel I still vote for it. The question now is how to minimize the risk.

2. How to choose a reliable overnight vessel?

Stick to popular names like Indochina Sails, Huong Hai Junk, Bai Tho Junk, Hai Long Junk,… there are many boat fleets recommended or not recommended on Trip Advisor by travelers. We all know that the big brand is likely a guarantee for the quality. In this case, it is so true. A wooden vessel of a big fleet after some year in operation would be sold to smaller fleet who is targeting at cheap services. These old wooden vessels are not reliable especially in bad weather.

When you book overnight vessel ask your travel consultant or reservation license of the vessel for doing its business. That can tell a lot how reliable your overnight vessel is.

3. What else a popular big vessel fleet can offer?

Their crew are better trained and more discipline. They concentrate on what they do better than crew of a small and unorganized fleet. The vessels are well maintained and safety equipments aboard are better equipped. There are many more things about quality and safety that a small and cheap fleet can not offer traveler since they just target at cheap services.

4. Already aboard, what you should concern?

There should be a hummer in your cabin which can be used to break the glass window in case of emergency. The hummer should be hang right on either sides of the window and you have locate it so you can have it when you need (hope not). If you do not find the hummer you should ask for one from the crew or you make something yourself for that purpose.

There should also be life-vest in your cabin. You have to be sure that you have them ready in case.

Scan the whole vessel for emergency escape way, fire extinguisher,… that would be useful in case of emergency

( Source: news.activetravelvietnam.com)