Hanoi Trip
03/06-14/2019
1 USD = 23,199.29 VND. 500,000VND = $21.54
1 USD = 7.84 HKD. 100HKD = $12.74
Time Change:
Hong Kong +15hrs
Hanoi +14hrs
Denver
Early morning frozen haze drive to DIA. Easy check in and security. Terminal B is business busy. Starbucks and United Lounge. 09:02AM Boarding for flight 268 to SFO.
Flight delays in/out of SFO due to high winds. Agent in the lounge changed my reservation to an earlier SFO flight 277, also delayed. Originally scheduled to depart at 7:55am, now (9:30) getting ready to depart. Unknown if I will make my HKG connection or if my bag will make it. Fun with flying! Hopefully my connecting flight will also be delayed.
Boeing 757-300, in the air, aisle seat 5B, missing the view. At least we are on the way. EmmyLou Harris and the Animals, travel tunes.
San Francisco Connection
SFO 
SFO _ Takeoff (looking at Wind from East) 
SFO 
Looking North 
Crossing the Coast
Polaris lounge – French Onion Soup and a glass of Malbec
Late boarding Gate 102 flight 869 to HKG.
6925 miles. Seat 3L estimated flight time 14hrs16min
Due into HKG at 8:30pm Thursday.
Hong Kong Connection
Arrived approximately 8:50pm HKT
Shuttle to Marriott, met by Kat from Executive Lounge team. Checked me in, Room 1553. Present of biscuits and nut bars. Too late for happy hour. Took the Airport Express into the city.
Checked out in the lounge and 9am shuttle to the airport.
HKG is a huge airport with much construction at the airport and surrounding area.
Easy fast check in and security for HX528 to Hanoi. Face recognition and passport to get through security. Train to terminal for gate 202. Not much legroom on HongKong Airlines A320. Seat 40K on leading edge of wing. All economy seating.
HKG Flight to Hanoi 
Macau Highway Bridge in the Background
Forgot: power adapters, Air particulate masks
Hanoi
Meeting driver by column 12 outside the terminal at HAN for the ride to Golden Sun Villas hotel.
Weather forecast is cloudy with periods of rain for my time in Hanoi with temps in the 60’s.
Hanoi Photos
Halong Bay Overnight
Ha Long Bay trip scheduled for Sunday returning on Monday.
Tour Guide Notes:
Red River
160km to Halong Bay
Ha Noi
City within the river
Plan to get rid of vehicular traffic in the city within 11 years
1010 Hanoi established as capital
Then moved to Wey 1083
Then back to Hanoi when French arrived
Short tour of Hanoi as we pick up passengers
On the road
Foxcon, Canon, clothing manufacturing plants about 30 min out
Industrial area
Hanoi Pop 8 million
300% price markup on vehicles
Boat Dock
Impass with all the buses coming and going into the unload area at Halong Bay, and for a few minutes no one is going anywhere. Finally we get untangled and unload at the dock for the AClass Boats.
Halong Bay
Stellar – Rm 209
Assigned Rm 209 – In the dining room seated at the singles table, all guys: Japan, China, USA and Spain.
Overnight Anchorage By Sung Sot Cave System
View from Exterior 
The Sung Sot Cave was a highlight of the Halong Bay Trip. Easy walking, well lit, spectacular formations. We overnighted in a small bay near the cave entrance so that we could enjoy an early less crowded visit.
Hanoi
Coach back to Hanoi, return to the Golden Sun Villas. May is working and gets me checked into an upgrade, rm 902 top floor with balcony and a view.
The hotel is a city block away from the walking path around Hoan Kiem Lake, home of the Golden Turtle.
Hoan Kiem
Ngoc Son Temple 
The Huc 
2019 Year of the Pig
Hanoi Art Museum
Walked to the Art Museum on my last morning in Hanoi. Interesting Walkabout from the hotel and back.
Hanoi to Hong Kong
The same driver who picked me up took me back to the Hanoi Airport.
Overnight in Hong Kong at the Airport Marriott. Airport Express into the City. Stopped for a pint at Delaney’s Pub.
Back to Denver
My flight from Hong Kong to San Francisco arrived in California on time, however the airport at my final destination, Denver, Colorado, was shut down and closed due to a major snow event. I visited family in California for several days before I could get a flight into Denver.
Summary:
My time in Hanoi was short and I spent most of it walking around the old town, getting a massage at Urban Oasis Spa, shopping for gifts, eating and checking out the Hoan Kiem area.
The Golden Sun Villas is a 3 star hotel in the Hoan Kiem neighborhood, had a friendly staff and provided comfortable rooms. The hotel concierge organized the Halong Bay tour as part of my overall package, so I had one bill. Very convenient location.
The Aclass Stellar Halong Bay cruise was well done. Roughly 14 people on the tour bus. A few more joined at the dock. The tour bus makes a stop going and coming back at a Tourist Store to use the restrooms. The ship had good food, interesting views & side trips along with comfortable accommodations. Only downside was the nickel and dime on drinks which are not included: water, juice, tea, coffee, etc. Understand charging for alcoholic beverages, but not for drinks with meals. Maybe they could charge a little more up front to cover costs for drinks. Make it easier and more enjoyable for all.
The air quality was bad for the entire trip as you can tell from the grey skies in practically all of the Hanoi and Halong Bay photos.
The flight delays at the start of the trip were mitigated and for the most part all of the Air travel was good. There was a Snow Event in Denver that closed the airport on my return date, so I spent several days visiting family in the San Francisco area before I could get a flight into Denver.
I always enjoy a layover at the Sky City Marriott next to the HKG Airport. It is a well run comfortable hotel and if the timing is right I can enjoy a short trip into downtown Hong Kong via the Airport Express on the night I arrive.
All Rights Reserved, all photos copyright Jay Geiss 2019.
Jay Geiss - Walkabout 
I want to go!!! I like the bicycles with produce on the back and all the pictures of the bay!
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Thanks Jo – Yes let’s go! I certainly didn’t see all in the short time I was in Vietnam. Might be fun to hit a beach mid Vietnam.
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Beautiful photos. I love the Halong Bay pics.
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Thank you Bonnie – Halong Bay is unique, would like to experience with some sun
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