Planning to spend 8 days in Hanoi and surrounding area in early July. We are 4 independent travellers who are interested in nature (and outdoor activities like scuba camping, diving, kayaking, trekking), love to explore the off the beaten path and don’t mind roughing it out / street food / homestay. Not a big fan of museum /monuments/ shopping of souvenirs. So far we have narrowed down our destinations to Hanoi / Sapa / Fansipan /Ha Long Bay.

Hope to get some insights from those who have been to Northern Vietnam in the hot summer month of late June to early July.

Firstly, will language be a problem ? ie. with taxi driver giving direction / bargaining with street vendors / asking for direction in English ? As we only have 8 days, will it be too much of a hassle if we travel on our own instead of booking a tour with English speaking guide ?

Since it will raining season in July, would it be a bad idea to climb Fansipan / trekking in Sapa ? If it will be too challenging to climb Fansipan in the rain, what will be our alternative ? We love the nature but wouldn’t want to torture ourselves trekking in rain and miss the great scenery at the summit of Fansipan / Sapa due to the heavy mist / fog. What will be the temperature like in Sapa in early July ? Will the weather make it unpleasant / unsafe to trek in Sapa ? The published rate for 5D/4N Hanoi – Sapa – Fansipan package cost from US$200++ per pax (inclusive of the overnight softsleeper, trekking permit, food etc), is this reasonable ? Will it be cheaper for us to buy our own train ticket and engage a local guide upon our arrival at Sapa or book through travel agent in Hanoi ? Is it difficult for us to buy train ticket at the Hanoi Train Station to Lau Cai upon our arrival ? How far is Lau Cai Station to Sapa ? Do they have regular bus service / taxi to Sapa ? How much does it cost ? What is the going rate now for taxi from airport to Hanoi Old Quarter ? Can a taxi fit all four of us with luggages ?

Is July the best time to visit Halong Bay ? We are from sunny Malaysia so we don’t fancy being roasted alive while kayaking in Halong Bay, we have a whole year of sunshine and plenty of white sandy beaches back home. Is there any scuba diving site in Halong Bay ? We are not looking for fancy five stars junk / private cruise, so which junk should we book ? How long should we spend if we want to kayak, trek around Halong ?

Thanks in advance... cheerssssssss.

Lix