6d5n Hanoi/Sapa itinerary part 2🇻🇳🥖
Hello Zesties 🍋
Here’s part 2 to my 6d5n hanoi & spa itinerary!
📍Banh Mi Oi
Got our breakfast & morning coffee from a store nearby our airbnb before our shuttle pickup for Ha Long Bay cruise.
💸 Total 125k/$6 (2 banh mi & 2 coffee)
📍Ha Long Bay Cruise
We booked our cruise via Klook! It was an entire day activity starting with pick up at 7:15am at our airbnb. (you have to be located in Hanoi Old Quarter to be able to have ur pickup at ur convenience. if not you will have to meet them at Hanoi Opera house) The journey took about 2hrs before we arrived at the actual location to board the cruise.
The cruise itself was really nice. It was clean and well organised. You will be guided to your designated seat at the dining table before feasting on the brunch buffet available on board. I wasn’t expecting the food to be good but it was! Everything was decent they had local vietnamese food for you to try, as well as the traditional spread like sausages, dimsum etc.
After the meal, we headed straight to Sung Sot cave > Luon Cave > Ti Top Island.
The tour ended with a bang on board!! It was like an after party with loud music, tour guides taking turn to sing on the stage along with some small bites and drinks!
You can order alcoholic drinks & non-alcoholic drinks onboard. We got a cocktail each!
All in all, this is a highly recommended activity because we got to see really nice views amidst the city life. We were then dropped off at our airbnb at approx 8pm.
💸Total $113 (2 pax cruise ticket)
📍Bun Cha So1, hang manh
Ended our day off with our favourite dish of vietnam, Bun Cha! This was another popular spot but i prefer the one we had on day 1 (bun cha ta hanoi)
We quickly rushed back to our airbnb to shower and pack up before our 11pm sleeper bus to Sapa (THAT ARRIVED AN HOUR EARLY) goodness. The bus came at about 10pm and told us to head right down in 3mins or they will be leaving… (i’ll dedicate another post entirely for the sleeper bus experience)
🚐Arrived at about 530am at SAPA!
We dropped off our luggages at KK Hotel Sapa where we will be staying for 2 nights. Mind you, the temperature were lower than what we expected (-1degree) and we weren’t properly dressed for this weather. we wanted to head right out for breakfast and start our day but we couldn’t even get out of the hotel LOL. it was freezing!!! luckily there were a place where hotel guests could chill at so we played billiard in the hotel and rest till about 8am instead hahahaha.
📍Good Morning View Breakfast
Had our breakfast here and the food was really good. We had their signature sticky bamboo rice, pho, banh xeo and coconut coffee.
💸Total 328k/$15
📍Rong May Glass Bridge
There were quite a number of things you could do up here! Aside from the bridge itself, there were zip lines, death swing, bungee jumping etc! We did the wooden suspension bridge (half way LOL) it was quite a long bridge where u had to walk all the way and back. we figured the views were gonna be the same anyway so we decided to uturn half way. (it was damn scary and cold btw)
💸Total (i’m so sorry i forgot the price for this)
📍Viet Deli
Had dinner at this restaurant recommended by our grab driver! Was a filling steamboat!
📍Sapa Market
This was just around the corner so we checked it out after dinner. Got some dried fruits to bring back home~
📍Dao Spa (located in KK Hotel Sapa)
After freshening up back at our hotel, we headed to Dao Spa to just relax and end our day off with a massage. (massage sux!!!) not sure if it was bcos we were the last few customers and the masseuse tried to rush the process or what but there were little to no effort to the massage. we really liked the soak bath tho.
Stay tuned for part 3!
Traveling from Hanoi to Sapa over six days offers a perfect blend of cultural exploration, natural beauty, and local culinary delights. One of the highlights of this journey is the Ha Long Bay cruise, a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its emerald waters and towering limestone islands. Booking the cruise through platforms like Klook can provide convenient pickups from central Hanoi locations like the Old Quarter, making the experience hassle-free. During the cruise, the inclusion of a brunch buffet featuring local Vietnamese dishes alongside familiar fare like dim sum surprises many travelers, dispelling expectations that cruise food might be subpar. Notably, visiting Sung Sot Cave, Luon Cave, and Ti Top Island allows for immersive sightseeing of spectacular natural formations and beaches. Ending the cruise with a lively onboard party is a unique way to cap off the day, adding a festive atmosphere to the tranquil surroundings. Transitioning to Sapa via a sleeper bus can be an adventure in itself, with early arrivals and temperature drops to below freezing. It’s wise to prepare warm clothing for the cooler mountain air. Accommodations such as KK Hotel Sapa, with lounge areas for guests to warm up, provide a comfortable base. In Sapa, the Good Morning View restaurant is well-known for traditional dishes like sticky bamboo rice and coconut coffee, which provide an authentic taste of northern Vietnamese cuisine. The Rong May Glass Bridge in Sapa offers thrilling activities beyond just walking across the bridge, including ziplining and bungee jumping for adrenaline seekers. The wooden suspension bridge is a less intense alternative but still provides excellent views of the landscape. Evening visits to local markets yield delicious dried fruits and handicrafts, perfect for souvenirs. Although spa experiences like the Dao Spa can be hit or miss, especially when the service feels rushed, enjoying the soak bath can be a wonderful way to relax after a day full of exploration. Overall, this itinerary merges iconic sightseeing opportunities with local food and cultural experiences, making it ideal for travelers who want to delve deeper into Vietnam’s rich heritage and natural wonders while enjoying the comfort and spontaneity of a self-planned trip.
