TOUR INFORMATION
The information below on your itinerary and details are intended to assist you as you consider your travel options for Vietnam with Friends Travel Vietnam. In addition to the detailed itinerary each tour has been supported with some useful information to provide you with an overview of your accommodation & meals, all things as money, passports, visas, vaccinations, insurance, clothing, personal equipment and much more to help you with your travel preparations.

DAY 1 : HANOI - HA LONG BAY ( L,D)

12:15 - 12:30
- Embark to Aphrodite Vessel. Check-in to cabin
12:30 - 13:00
- Proceed to the dining room for general information and safety briefing (3rd deck)
13:15 - 14:45
- Lunch is served in the dining room
15:15
- Visit Luon cave in 1 hour for kayaking or sampan boat
17:00
- Visit Titop island for swimming and hiking (towels are provided) in 1 hour
18:00-19:00
- Happy Hour promotion (Buy One Get One Free) (applied for House wine, Long drinks, beers, Soft drinks and canned juice)18:30 - 19:30 Cooking demonstration on the sundeck/dining room (optional)19:30 - 21:00 Dinner is served in the dining room
21:00 - onward
- Squid fishing at the reception or watch movie in the cabin

DAY 2 : HA LONG BAY ( B,L,D)

06:15 - 06:45
- Start your day with Tai-chi class on the sundeck (optional)
06:45 - 07:30
- Light breakfast is served in the dining room
08:45
- Transfer to day boat to explore more about Halong Bay. 
10:30
- Visit Cua Van fishing village for kayaking and sampan boat
11:45
- Back to day boat. 
12:00 
- Enjoy local lunch on day boat while cruising to Drum Grotto
14:00 - 15:00
- Kayaking at Drum Grotto area
15:30-17:30
- Back to Aphrodite Vessel for free relaxing time
18:00-19:00
- Happy Hour promotion (Buy One Get One Free) (applied for House wine, Long drinks, beers, Soft drinks and canned juice)
18:30 - 19:30
- Cooking demonstration on the sundeck/dining room (optional)
19:30 - 21:00
- Dinner is served in the dining room
21:00 - onward
- Squid fishing at the reception or watch movie in the cabin

DAY 3 : HA LONG BAY - HANOI ( B,L)

06:15 - 06:45
- Start your day with Tai-chi class on the sundeck (optional)
06:45 - 07:30
- Light breakfast is served in the dining room
- Guests can choose one of the two options for joining as below:
07:30 - 08:45
- Visit Sung Sot Cave for hiking and exploring the stalactite and stalagmite formation.  720 steps in total. Rubber shoes and sandals for hiking are highly recommended. 
09:00 - 09:30
- Regular check-out time (if you have any heavy luggage, put outside of your cabins and settles your bills at the reception, 1st deck)
09:30 - onward    
- Full breakfast is served while the cruise goes back to the main port
10:45 - 11:00
- Disembark Aphrodite Vessel. End of your trip

INCLUSIONS

• Welcome drink
• Cruise itinerary and program
• Entrance and sightseeing fees
• In-house English-speaking tour guide
• Luxurious cabins and suites with A/C and en-suite bathrooms
• Luxury Vietnamese and international lunch and dinner (Set Menu)
• Vietnamese and international breakfast
• Tai Chi session
• Conference equipment (Charter only)
• Insurance, taxes and service charges.
• Kayaking
• Shuttle Bus Hanoi – Ha Long - Hanoi

EXCLUSIONS

• Visa arrangements
• Massage services (please see massage menu in cabin)
• Beverages, tips and personal expenses
• All other services not clearly mentioned above

PICK UP / DROP OFF 

You will see that the pick up and drop off time are well noted in the cruise itinerary. Generally speaking, almost al cruise trip will start at noontime, thus if you are leaving from Hanoi, you will need to depart between 7:45AM and 8:30AM to meet the cruise schedule. Standard included is a seat on the shuttle bus provided by the cruise service. There are 2 ways to be picked up for your departure, we always pick you up as confirmed by email.

HOTEL / STAY: 
- Pick up zone only from Hanoi Old Quarter
- From hotel or stay
- Please wait at the lobby 

MEETING POINT:
- From "Friends Travel Vietnam's" office
- Address Hanoi Old Quarter at 62 Hang Buom street. 
Important:
Not being on time or being present is seeing as non-shown up!

The cruise trip will return to the harbor by 11 AM or 12 PM on the last day of the trip and you can expect to reach your hotel in Hanoi or our office between 4:00 and 4:30PM. 

Keep in mind to arange and plan your travel accordingly to your itinerary. For example if you arrive at Hanoi airport at 9:30AM, it will be too late for a cruise departing on the same day. Similarly, any onward flight or train trip from Hanoi will need booked to be later than 7PM so that you can avoid all the hassle involved.
Please ask for advice if needed or if you are not sure about it.

WHAT TO BRING

Most of the cases, Halong Bay will be a side trip from your grander voyage to Vietnam. If possible, leave your luggage with a hotel (if trusted) and bring only day pack with you to best enjoy the trip. Take into account that you will need to carry them onto the shuttle bus, then onto the deck, then from the deck back to land. The lighter you pack, the better. Below are a few tips for you to pack smartly.

Travel documents: These are essential and you may be denied boarding without valid documents such as passport and visa. 

Clothes: You will need at least 3 set of clothes: for casual day wear, for evening wear and for swimming if you plan to do so. If you travel between May and October, it is fine to bring shorts and skirts and short sleeve shirts. For the rest of the year, bring extra sweaters since Halong Bay can get quite cold. In December and January for example, bring some light jackets.

Water bottles: Although the cruise will have water ready for you, some shuttle bus will not have them. Keep yourself hydrated all through out the trip to best enjoy it. Please note that water will not be complimentary.

Footwear: Sandals and walking shoes are both fine though the frequent exposure to water may make your feet wet and stinky with high capacity shoes. Sandals, on the other hand, may make you feel uncomfortable walking insides the caves or when you climb the rock to the top of some grotto's.

Electronic device: Camera is another essential item on your to-pack list. Charge the battery to full before you leave Hanoi and always leave them charged when you are in the cabin. There are so many things in Halong Bay to capture photos of and you do not want to miss the opportunity. Bringing the laptop or expensive device with you to Halong Bay may be better than leaving them at the hotel back in Hanoi. Always keep an eye on your personal belongings to minimize the risks. Unless otherwise noted, all cruises on our website are equipped with wifi facility for you to keep in touch with friends and relatives.

Others: A raincoat will be helpful in rainy summer months. The cruise will have umbrella ready but it does not hurt to bring your own. Sunglasses and sunscreen also work great for the sunbathing moments on the top deck of cruise and junks. Bring your medication if required by doctor. If you are seasickness, stock up on pills. Waterproof backpack.

What not to bring:

Below are what you should not bring with you on board – some are prohibited by the cruise:
Firearms, in-flammables, sharp objects, Illegal drugs and substances, Irons, hot plates and kitchenware, Alcoholic beverages, Pillows, Blankets & Towels those are already provided on board.

WEATHER CONDITIONS HALONG BAY

DIETARY OR SPECIAL FOOD REQUEST
In order to take care of your special food request we would like you to inform us by email in advance. info@friendstravelvietnam.com

ADVANCED REGISTRATION WILL BE REQUIRED 
Please provide us your passport information (name, date of birth, passport number, visa validity) prior to departure.