Cruise Pandaw: Halong Bay and the Red River

Vietnam’s charismatic capital, on the Red River, may be expanding and modernizing at an extraordinary pace, but it’s a great city to explore. Surrounded by parks and tranquil lakes, the core is a medieval Old Quarter – one of the most atmospheric square kilometres in all of Asia – where traditional craftsmen ply their trade in narrow alleyways lined with antique shop-houses. For the most memorable experience, we say shed the car and enjoy the city on foot, by bicycle or motorbike and get a local’s view of the everchanging street life as you pass through at close quarters.

Uptown, colonial mansions and relaxing cafés flank the boulevards and leafy shores of Hoan Kiem Lake. Still, the prime attraction in the broader city is Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, where the Great Leader’s remains are embalmed in a sombre marble tomb. Other iconic landmarks include the 11th-century One Pillar Pagoda, and the Temple of Literature; a feast of medieval Vietnamese architecture erected in 1070 AD.

Sometimes referred to as the ’36 Streets’, Hanoi’s Old Quarter teems with life: ‘36’ refers to the number of crafts guilds that arose over the centuries in the neighbourhood, and many survive here today. Highlights include the vibrant paper votive offerings on sale along Hang Ma Street, and the shops selling freshly ground coffee and local sweets on Hang Buom.

As the shadows lengthen, cross the red-painted Huc, or ‘Sunbeam Bridge’, on Hoan Kiem Lake to visit the delightful Turtle Temple – the best place in the city for sunset – before catching a performance of traditional puppetry at the nearby water theatre.

After a welcome drink and briefing, you’ll be served a light supper as the Pandaw cruiser chugs through the otherworldly karst limestone stacks and islets of Halong Bay, dropping anchor for the night in a sheltered cove with a spectacular backdrop.

As you cross the bay, the Pandaw ship will pass some of the area’s more famous formations, such as Hang Dau Go (the ‘Cave of Marvels’), with its extraordinary stalactite’s and stalagmites, and Hang Sung Sot (‘Cave of Awe’).

Visit Viet Hai village in the afternoon by mountain bike or electric buggy along a pretty backroad flanked by towering rock formations. Later you’ll head further south, pausing in Lan Ha Bay to visit a floating fishing house. Weather permitting, the day will end with cocktails at a remote, white-sand beach.

Passengers transfer to kayaks or a basket boat rowed by local fishermen to enter this remarkable cave-arch, which is hidden in an enclosed area resembling a crater.

Sweet-scented orchids and wild Benjamin fig trees carpet the sides of the hollow, while a colony bats nest amid the massive stalactites encrusting the cave’s ceilings. In afternoon, your ship enters the Red River Delta for the first time.

Hanoi’s rooftop bars are not as plentiful as in Ho Chi Minh, but there are still excellent places to grab a sunset cocktail or a refreshing Vietnamese draft beer on your last night in Vietnam. Hanoi’s narrow streets bustle with activity and some of the best places to truly experience the noise and chaos is from above. In the heart of the Old Quarter, grab a drink at Diamond Sky Bar and admire the 360-degree view or the Skyline Hanoi where you can also enjoy delicious local cuisine on the outdoor terrace.