Hanoi Highlights : Halong Bay

6-Jun
0530am reached Hanoi Pho Ga & Viet Tea breakfast at street side stall (eating Viet style)
Took taxi to Handspan's office (Tamarind Café) at Ma May street
0800hr van ride (approx 3 hr, 160km) to Halong City, stopover at souveniers/rest area
1200hr boarded Dragon's Pearl boat for lunch (meals on board rating "good")
Cruise along Halong Bay, sunbathing at boat upper deck, swimming at an island
After dinner, watching stars on boat upper deck and chitchatting

7-Jun
Breakfast at boat deck, enjoying scenery
Visit Amazing Cave (Hang Sung Sot, ie. Hang=Cave, SungSot=amazing)
Back to Hanoi

pho ga (chicken noodle) breakfast near the train station	road side stall selling pho (rice noodle)
waiting at Handspan Travel agent office (Tamarind Cafe, Ma May street)	View of Tamarind Cafe interior
View of Tamarind Cafe exterior	a woman selling flowers at streetside (ma may street)
On the dragon junk boat @ HalongBay	View of Halong Bay
on the deck of dragon junk boat
View of Halong Bay	Fishing village in Halong Bay
Fishing village in Halong Bay	Fishing village in Halong Bay
Fishing boat	Sunset @ Halong Bay
Morning view of Halong Bay	The dragon junk boat "Dragon's Pearl" that we stayed on
Jetty at Hang Sung Sot	Group photo @ Hang Sung Sot
At jetty	Inside Hang Sung Sot Caves
View from atop Hang Sung Sot	Our tour guide (in blue shirt)

Hanoi Highlights : Sapa 2

4-Jun
Hike up to top of mountain in Sapa town with Nix, flower & rock gardens
Dinner at Viet-French restaurant along the main street
Walkaround the streets shopping
Enjoy beer and fries opposite of hotel

5-Jun
2+ hours walk through Sapa valleys, villages and plantation fields Lunch at hotel (rating "good")
Walkaround town, bought lychees, peaches, plums
Foot massage VDN 70,000 pp
2015hr night train back to Hanoi

Exotic medicine wines	close up of wine (cobra inside)
View on the top of Sapa hill after climbing up	view of sapa town from hilltop
Costume rental shop on Sapa hilltop	Tea break at Sapa hilltop
Entrance to the Sapa hilltop	Walking thru the valleys
View of valleys	River gushing thru the valley
the 3 little black pigs	The villagers
makeshift classroom in the village	soft stone carvings
ducks in a pond	village view
Village map board	going for foot massage

Hanoi Highlights : Sapa

3-June
1650hr flight from LCCT to NoiBai airport, Hanoi
approx 30mins drive from NoiBai to train station
2110hr night train to LaoCai
0700hr reached LaoCai

4-June
Breakfast at LaoCai's train stn surrounding restaurant
1-hour drive up to Sapa hills
Tian Men (3,000+ ft above sea level), enjoy FanSiPan mountains scenery
Silver Waterfall on the way down to Sapa town
Check in Green Bamboo Sapa Hotel, french-styled room with valleys view
Lunch at Viet-French restaurant upper side of Sapa town
Walkaround Sapa Market, Stone Church, Sapa streets

on the night train to LaoCai	Lao Cai train station in the morning
Heaven's Gate at Sapa	Street side stalls' wares
Silver Waterfall	Silver Waterfall
street stalls at Silver Waterfall	hotel balcony view of Sapa
In front of hotel	Green Bamboo Sapa Hotel
Sapa main street leading to hotel	Sapa tribe children playing
Stone church & square	Women folks selling fruits
Sapa Market	Traditional clothings in Sapa Market