Cave Tour through www.viator.com. This tour picks you up from your hotel, makes a stop at Hong Ngoc Fine Art in Hai Duong for some shopping, then proceeds to Halong Bay for a seafood lunch on a bamboo boat.
Afterward, you take a hike in Thien Cung Cave (Heavenly Palace Cave) which is considered the primitive cave of the Bay. This is a full-day round-trip tour that makes several stops on the way to Halong Bay. It is an amazing tour and well worth the full day. I made a number of acquaintances including a lady from South Africa, who I am still in touch with today. If your Vietnamese is not up to par, no worries as the tour guide spoke many languages and had quite a sense of humor.
Further recommendations in Hanoi are the Quang Ba Flower Market (even if you can’t bring the beautiful daisies, cherry blossoms, roses, orchids, and sunflowers back it’s still a great photo op), Bat Trang Pottery Village (for high-end dishes and souvenirs), and Ben Thanh Market (for all of your spices, coffee beans, and more souvenirs). Like Thailand, Vietnam also has a floating market. I did not make this tour but I would love to hear how you enjoyed it when you go.
Destination Pairings:
As I always mention, when you travel far you should try to pair another country with your destination. My pairing for Hanoi was to revisit Thailand and spend another