• Willem Johannes Imhof
  • Willem Johannes Imhof

Vietnam

2 week holiday with my sister from the south of Vietnam to the north and back again. Baca lagi
  • From HCMC (Tan Son Nhat) to Hai Phong

    6 Mei 2019, Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C

    VietjetAir
    flight VJ282 11:55-13:55
    from Ho Chi Minh CityTan Son Nhat International Airport (SGN) to Hai Phong International Airport (HPH)
    Costs: 2p total 115,34$ (105€) incl. 2x 20kg luggage. Booked on 20190407 at Vietjetair.com. Booking no: 81538849.《1112 km》

    [day 4]

    Today we go back to the airport. It's going to be an exciting day. It's the first time we will be completely on our own. Into the unknown. The first time we will have a domestic flight in Vietnam! Checking in for the flight went smoothly so we had a lot of time to watch around at the airport. We took a seat a bit away from the gate and there was a family who came to sit in our neighbourhood. They were all nicely dressed but with a lot of 'attitude'. They we're all busy to get themselves looking at their best on the selfies they took. Only the father of that family didn't take any selfies. We went to sit a little closer to our gate and there we met this old friendly granddad. He came to sit right next to us and began to laugh and greeted us by shaking our hands. He had very large earlobes. He booked a flight to Da Nang and was waiting at the wrong gate. When he realized that he stood up and went to another gate. We couldn't understand a word he was saying but a Vietnamese lady sitting opposite of us explained to him to go to the gate a little bit further away. Outside it was very hot. On board the plane the food was delicious (combo 2: rice and meatballs with beans) and they served a nice cup of coffee. Anneke had a spaghetti meal.
    Baca lagi

  • From Hai Phong to Ha Long

    6 Mei 2019, Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    Distance from Hai Phong to Ha Long 《47 km》

    Pusan Halong Hotel: 3*
    Address: 46 Ha Long, VN. Telephone: +84983358098. Costs: 1r2n 52€ (2x single bed, incl. 2p breakfast). Reservation no: 2202.232.227. Booked on 20190426 at Booking.com. When leaving the hotel it appeared that the payment had not been made. So we got 1,500,00 VND (60€) from a nearby ATM and paid the bill.

    http://pusan-halong.halongtophotels.com/?curren…

    We arrived at the airport of Hai Phong and then we had to look for a means of transport to take us to Ha Long. The 'Grab Taxi' app did his work. In no-time we were sitting in a taxi on our way to our next hotel. The taxi driver loved Vietnamese music and made us listen to it too at high volume. The traffic was in the beginning not so bad (few 'motormice') but getting closer to the highway we immediately were surrounded by trucks and came to a stand-still. Everyone tried to make progress,. Yet again it looked like there were no traffic rules at all. From the left and the right every one tried to get before the other one. Underway there was toll to be paid. The driver had some difficulty to find the hotel but finally we arrived at our destination. From our room we could see the cable cars going up and down. We had a hotel near the Sunworld Ha Long complex. Tomorrow we will visit it. Now first we go to the beach. There I had a nice beer and took a stick sausage to eat and we looked at the other visitors on the beach and in the sea. In the background a giant Ferris wheel and the contours of the mountains of Ha Long could be seen. In the evening we walked along the shops and we ate something again at a restaurant close to our hotel.
    Baca lagi

  • Ha Long

    7 Mei 2019, Vietnam ⋅ 🌧 25 °C

    [day 5]

    In the morning we went down to the restaurant of our hotel and found it empty. No one present. When we made some sound suddenly personnel appeared. They seemed to wake up from a deep sleep. From behind a door someone came who was responsable for the soup. Behind a counter another two servants showed up. Near a table we saw left behind shoes. It's obvious there was not so much work for them. We were the only ones there. Breakfast was so so and therefor we stayed only for a little while. The cable car was to start service at 14:00 and thus we decided to visit the boats at the harbour of Ha Long first. Perhaps we could make a short boattrip? The taxi left us at a place where tourists were expected to go on a big cruise that would take them to the big rocks of Ha Long. We couldn't find a trip for only a few hours.Baca lagi

  • Ha Long Vinhomes Dragon Bay

    7 Mei 2019, Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    Walking along the boulevard we reached an area with newly built, mostly white, houses ('Vinhomes Dragon Bay'). English style, modern and luxurious. We popped in a café/restaurant that had an open connection with a hotel. I took a hot chocolate and my sister a Vietnamese coffee (very strong and do-it-yourself). The coffee was not a success. It was a nice place to sit, but also here I think they were not used to serve customers because again there was no one present when we entered the place. Later a kind but much tatooed young man brought us our order. Because it was warm they were so kind to put a very big fan towards us. After this place we went to another place to have an ice cream and inform us about going from Ha Long to Hanoi by train. It was possible but not so easy to do we were told.Baca lagi

  • Ha Long Sun World

    7 Mei 2019, Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    We took a taxi back because it was about two o'clock. Time for the cable car services to start. We bought two tickets and stepped into the cable car. What a marvellous sight. We went towards the mountain with the Ferris wheel, over the sea with a view on a large bridge. Stepping out of the cable car we came in an entertainment area with a cinema and lots of playing devices for children, a souvenir shop and a restaurant. With an escalator we got outside in a place with beautiful gardens and we took a ride with a roller coaster.

    https://www.vietnamonline.com/attraction/sun-wo…
    Baca lagi

  • From Ha Long to Hanoi

    8 Mei 2019, Vietnam ⋅ 🌧 25 °C

    Distance from Ha Long to Hanoi 《130 km》

    [day 6]

    Yesterday I arranged a transfer company (named A21) to pick us up at our hotel and drive us to the capital of Vietnam, Hanoi. Our next destination. A very pleasant surprise when the minibus came before the hotel. It was very comfortable inside. Leather seats and a screen on which you could follow television or listen to music. The costs of the shuttle bus for 2 persons were in total 33,28$ (30€). We were the second passengers to enter the minibus and during our trip we picked up other people at their hotel.

    https://a21tours.com/
    Baca lagi

  • Hanoi West Lake Home Hotel & Spa

    8 Mei 2019, Vietnam ⋅ 🌧 25 °C

    We had a pleasant trip to Hanoi. Underway we had a pause to eat or drink something. Hanoi was not far away. They played nice music at the stopping place and I danced a little while with my sister. Then we got into the shuttle bus and got on the highway again. After a while the bus arrived at a spot where you had to pay toll. The driver paid and wanted to go further, but the motor of the bus refused to start again. After a short inspection it started again and we all felt relieved. In Hanoi we stopped and people were distributed on other vehicles. Me and my sister got into a taxi that drove us to the hotel. At the hotel they gave us a choice to change the room from the busy and noisy streetside to the backside where the room was much larger. We only had to pay a little extra. They gave us the keys of both rooms in order to compare them. We accepted the offer. The room at the backside was perfect! It was very spacious with a large bed and a nice bathroom. We quickly installed ourselves l, had a nice cup of tea and went outside to discover Hanoi.Baca lagi

  • Hanoi West Lake Home Hotel & Spa

    8 Mei 2019, Vietnam ⋅ 🌧 24 °C

    West Lake Home Hotel & Spa: 3½*.
    Address: No. 156 Yen Phu Street Tay Ho, Hanoi, VN. Telephone: +8402433776999. Costs 24,79€ (in stead of 26€) 1r1n Standard Room (1 double bed, incl. 2p breakfast). Reservation no: 157808854625. Booked on 20190413 at Hotels.com. Roomchange: in stead of room 402 we paid a little extra 400.000 VND (16€) and we could stay in room 305.Baca lagi

  • Hanoi Tran Quoc Pagoda

    8 Mei 2019, Vietnam ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    After a little walk we arrived at a temple. It was the Trang Quoc Pagoda.

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trấn_Quốc_Pagoda

    "Tran Quoc Pagoda is the oldest of its kind in Hanoi, dating back to the 6th century during the reign of Emperor Ly Nam De Dynasty (544 - 548). The Buddhist shrine has undergone several changes throughout the years, particularly its renaming from An Quoc to Tran Quoc (protecting the country) by Emperor Le Huy Tong in the 17th century. Although it’s now set on an islet within West Lake, the pagoda was originally located on banks of Red River before it’s relocated in 1615 due to the river’s encroachment. Surrounded by lush greenery, Tran Quoc Pagoda was a favourite amongst the kings and royal families for festivals, full moons, and Tet Festival."Baca lagi