Wonders of North Vietnam

8-day package tour, starting at $295 per person
Tour with the best attractions in the North like Hanoi, Halong, Sapa, Ninh Binh

Day 1: Arrival Hanoi

On arrival, you are picked up by a tour guide for transfer to hotel.  If time permits, we embark on a cyclo for a short excursion through the bustling old quarter streets named after the specific goods once offered for sale at these places.  Overnight at Hanoi.

Meal: Dinner

Day 2: Hanoi-Halong

After breakfast, depart for Halong City.  Along the way, we make a stop over at Hai Duong province to observe embroidery-making women at work.  On arrival, we embark on a boat ride for an exploration of the legendary Halong Bay.  This exciting five-hour cruise will provide us a fantastic view of the picturesque scenery blending with the sky and some 3,000 limestone islands rising amazingly from the clean and emerald water.  Thelimestone Karst formations are littered with beaches, grottoes and beautiful caves.  Visit the amazing Thien Cung and Dau Go grottoes. After a seafood lunch on board, we return to Halong City.  Free afternoon to discover Halong City at leisure. Overnight in Halong City.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch.

Day 3: Halong – Hanoi

Enjoy sunrise at Halong City. Free day until transfer to Hanoi.  Visit the Lake of Returning Sword and Ngoc Son Temple. Enjoy a famous Hanoi water puppets show before dinner. Tranfer to train station for Lao Cai. Overnight in train cabin.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch.

Day 4: Lao Cai – Sapa

7:30 am arrive in Lao Cai, pick up at Lao Cai station for transfer to Sapa.  Breakfast and shower in hotel before the trip starts.  An 8-km on the rim of a deep valley, followed by 30-minutes walk take you to the so-called rattan bridge and the ethnic Ta Van village where the Dzao people dwell, followed by a walking visit to Cat Cat village. Lunch at a local restaurant.  Dinner and overnight in Sapa.

Meals: breakfast, lunch

Day 5: Ta Van – Giang Ta Chai – Sapa

Start the trip after breakfast, heading up to Giang Ta Chai village of the Red Zdao tribe, where lunch will be served.  Visit amazing scenery and beautiful waterfall inthe afternoon before going up to the main road where you will be picked up by motorbike/jeep. Rid eback to Sapa, and picture taking along the way through the fabulous valley of Sapa. Overnight in Sapa.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch.

Day 6: Sapa-Bac Ha – Lao Cai – Hanoi

Upon leaving Sapa, we set off on our scenic drive through theborder town f Lao Cai to the colorful Sunday Market at Bac Ha (we change route on other days). Tjis market also attracts a wide variety of ethnic minority groups including the Variegated Hmong, Dao, Phu La, La Chi and Tay. They still retain their age-old cultural traditions and are recognizably distinct from each other by their dress.  The experience of this congregation is colorfuland unique.  After themarket, we enjoy a walk around the area, visiting the Hmong King’s former residence,  and Ban Pho where the villagers ,ake the potentlocal maize alcohol.  In mid-afternoon, you are transferred to Lao Cai train station for a night train journey to Hanoi.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch

Day 7: Hanoi-Ninh Binh

After breakfast,depart for Ninh Binh, the so-called “inland Halong Bay”.  We visait Hoa Lu, the ancient capital inthe 10th century and relax on a rowing boat along Tam Coc. Return and overnigh in Hanoi.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch.

Day 8: Hanoi – departure

After breakfast, enjoy a half day city tour starting with the Ho Chi Minh Comples, containing the mausoleum of the nation’s founder Ho Chi Minh, the Preidential Palace, and the Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts.  The complex also comprises the One Pillar Pagoda whose origins date back to the foundation of Hanoi.  After lunch, depart fro airport for flight back home.

Meals: breakfast, lunch.
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Includes:

- Hotel accommodation as specific or similar in twin sharing
- All transportations in program include train ticket
- All entrance fees
- English or French speaking guide
- All meals as per program

Excludes:

- Drinks, except otherwise mentioned
- International flight and international airport tax on departure
- Insurance
- Personal expenses & Tips
- Visa fee

HOW TO BOOK THIS TRIP ONLINE

1. Proceed to the HopVietTravel site.  Click on the Wonders of the North Vietnam button for tour details. Select number of persons in group. Click on the button Book Tour.
2. Book your flights to and from Hanoi, Vietnam at mydreamtravels for the best possible rates.  Select arrival in Hanoi no later than lunch, if possible,  to avail of the short excursion around the old quarter. Select departure time for after lunch, if possible.

Or email mydreamtravels.gttrends.net for assistance.

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Dictionary of colloquial Filipino

The Philippines boasts of a highly literate population, and one that actually speaks English.  No less than 96% of Filipinos anywhere around the 7100+ islands can understand and speak English, a result of the Education Department’s stress on English as a medium of instruction.

Yet because of the predominant use of the national language, Filipino, one can expect Filipinos to understand and speak at least 2 languages plus one, two  or more of the 100+ regional dialects. Expectedly, over the decades of migration to the cities, several sub-languages are evolving, which leave even some locales wondering how best to use the words.

Yet, the sub-languages seem to be the colloquial Filipino, a creative, sometimes funny, fusion of English, Filipino, Tagalog, Ilocano, Kapampanga, Ilongo, and several other dialects.

Surely passing travelers can safely survive the tour with English spoken clearly and slightly slower than normal.

For natural and alien residents, a working knowledge of the colloquial language can work wonders, especially when trying to negotiate a bargain.

Fortunately,  there’s an online reference (and a book) to refer to, for those oft-intriguing bastardized words, phrases and idioms that local Filipinos use — the better for our immigrant and foreign-based Pinoys to understand our language and culture, and for foreigners in the country to finally learn to speak some colloquial Filipino.

Ano ba ‘yon? Ano ba ‘yan? http://www.anoyon.com is authored by Cynch Sta. Maria-Baron, and enriched by contributions of family, friends, and the general public. The site is a great reference for conversational Filipino, at least for use of some phrases, though it is a continuing work in progress. As I went through the long list, I actually learned a word or two, perhaps less commonly used, but nonetheless a part of colloquial Tagalog. I see the site evolving with thousands of additional words and phrases, corrections and adjustments, as well as a section on sample usage of these words, phrases and idioms.

The book version of the website was  launched November 15, 2008, and available at all major bookstores.