Junk Culture: Making the Most of Halong Bay

Why?

At Smiling Albino, we adopt a “how special can we make it?” approach to travel, always putting ourselves in our guests’ shoes. So, why should you consider this destination? Well, the list is quite extensive.

There’s that exhilarating first glimpse of the Bay, whether it’s from your car as you approach the coastline or from above, as you arrive by helicopter or seaplane. It’s one of those iconic “wow” moments like the Giza pyramids rising above apartment blocks of Cairo or riding the Shinkansen toward Mount Fuji.

Then, the delightful first cocktail in hand as your boat gently departs from the shore. Picture yourself savoring a bowl of bún bò huế on your balcony, leisurely gliding past the sheer islands. Imagine enjoying a steaming cup of cà phê nóng as the sun gracefully ascends over the mist-covered mountains.

Venturing into quiet fishing villages, discovering secluded beaches and caves – and relishing a private dinner of cua lot rang muối (salt and pepper crab) and tangy canh chua sour soup in these hidden gems. The thrill of kayaking through tranquil inlets and coves is an amazing experience. Or, if you prefer a more laid-back approach, simply reclining on deck and taking in some of the most breathtaking views the planet has to offer is always an option.

Is that enough for you?

Getting There in Style

We pride ourselves on transcending the conventional “join the dots” approach to travel. While those dots are undoubtedly crucial, it’s the spaces between them where perceptive travel designers can unleash their creativity and add what we call choreography. There are three avenues for getting you there.

Firstly, we offer the option of private luxury vans or cars. We transform this three-hour drive into a comfortable and enjoyable experience, complete with opportunities to savor local culinary delights or the simple indulgence of a perfectly made cà phê sữa đá.

Then, there’s the captivating seaplane alternative. If you yearn for a taste of the golden age of aviation, soaring above Halong Bay before gracefully landing on its waters offers an unparalleled experience that will kickstart your trip in grand style. With seats starting at US$450 per way, it also won’t break the bank. 

Finally, there’s the exhilarating helicopter option, which, like the seaplane, condenses the journey from a three-hour road trip to a mere 45-minute flight. Moreover, you’ll revel in the excitement and panoramic vistas that come with traveling by helicopter. A touch pricier (chartering a chopper to the bay will cost at least US$9000), but the time saved, and flexibility make it an exemplary choice.

(Note that the only potential downside of taking a seaplane or helicopter is that they are vulnerable to extreme weather conditions and flights can be rearranged or cancelled if the weather is bad).

Special Experiences

For most travelers, simply being in Halong Bay is special enough. But we’ve never met a destination we couldn’t elevate in some way, so here are a few ways we can take your trip beyond merely special.

Quiet Spots
Taking a cruise route away from the busy tourist paths means you get to see a different side to Halong and experience some spots that most visitors don’t. Thien Canh Son Cave, for example, is every bit as impressive as the bay’s better-known Surprise and Sung Sot caves, but without the crowds. Ditto Vung Vieng fishing village, where you can experience the traditional fishing way of life without feeling like a package tourist.

And if you want a whole island to yourself, your boat can stop at unspoiled Tra San and Cong Do islands, home to empty beaches, coral reefs, and underground lakes.

Seaplane Landing
Seaplanes to Halong Bay normally land at a local airport, but for the full James Bond experience, we’ll land your seaplane on the water in the bay, then transfer you to your cruise junk by private speedboat. No waiting time, no queues, no check-ins, just those spectacular views and a rockstar arrival.

Private Cave/Beach Dining
Cave dining and beach dining experiences are currently off-limits to the public in Halong Bay. However we thrive on making the seemingly impossible a reality. We can orchestrate intimate gatherings for couples or grand events for hundreds, complete with on-site chefs, live music, perfect lighting, and more. We craft unparalleled experiences which leave you with memories like no other.

Putting It All Together

What kind of experience can Smiling Albino create for you in Halong Bay? With us, every journey is like a surprise party – you’ll never quite know what delightful twists await you.

To give you an idea of what’s possible, here are three recent trips redrew the boundaries on what’s possible.

In our Red River Ramble expedition, a no-holds-barred adventure through Northern Vietnam, we concocted something truly outlandish. Our clients went from scaling the mountainous terrain of Ha Giang to Halong via a seamless combination of helicopter and seaplane. The highlight? Landing in the ocean and transferring to a private junk by speedboat. On a secluded island, we had not only arranged an exquisite dinner with a private chef but also set up a stage with a DJ, live band, dancers, for a night of extraordinary entertainment. As the evening ebbed, the party continued aboard the junk, sailing away from the island. The island slowly receded into the tide, leaving our client’s party in awe.

Then we choreographed a Northern Vietnam tour for a prestigious corporate client from the cosmetics industry. These folks are notoriously tough to impress, but we pulled off something truly remarkable – cocktails and fine dining in a secret cave right smack in the middle of Halong Bay.

We recently curated a remarkable journey for a special family seeking a wellness retreat in Halong Bay. Here, the focus shifted away from cocktails and chefs, centering more on physical activity. Think kayaking through hidden caves, meditation sessions on secluded beaches, and rejuvenating sunrise yoga sessions on the deck of their private junk.

In Summary

• We recommend taking a private boat – it gets you more exclusivity/privacy, a flexible and tailor-made itinerary, and access to smaller, quieter bays. And always choose luxury boats – even the shared ones take the quieter routes
• The drive is not terrible, but not remarkable, and eats up nearly 3 hours each way. Opt for the seaplane, or splash out on a helicopter
• The magic is there and it does very much exist – you just have to dig a little deeper and go a little further to find it. Hence, the Smiling Albino Way!

 

To inquire about how to do Halong Bay the Smiling Albino way, get in touch with our Vietnam experts now!

The post Junk Culture: Making the Most of Halong Bay first appeared on Smiling Albino.

I had the great honor of hosting the first Destination Thailand festival held in Toronto last month and had an absolutely fantastic time.

The Destination Thailand event was organized by the Thai Embassy in Ottawa to promote Thai culture to the world, and what better place to start than Toronto, Canada. It was a wonderful big event, but what struck me most about the day was how involved and excited the people who participated were. We had a wide assortment of participants from across the Kingdom: Thai traditional dancers, musicians, culinary artists, boxers, and massage therapists were just some of them. The Smiling Albino team from Calgary was even able to come participate along with some long time SA customers and fans who came to support.

It was an amazing and energetic crowd and it reminded me of how special the people of Thailand and Southeast Asia are and how fortunate we have been to have had the opportunity over the past decade to interact with a great assortment of people – clients, partners and employees alike.

Many of you have met some of these special people over the years – Mr. Jeep in Chiang Khong, Mr. Bird in Chiang Rai, or Mr. Barang in Cambodia, Oi in Krabi, Lam in Vietnam, Mads and Clare in Nepal… That’s not even to mention all of you who have booked a trip with Smiling Albino have been touched by the people who work in our office and put the pieces of the puzzle in place to make sure you have an outstanding holiday.

Each of these people has made a difference to countless numbers of our friends and customers by just being their vibrant, enthusiastic and genuine selves.

I’m taking this opportunity to thank all of these people who have touched my life and so many of your lives through your experiences with Smiling Albino. I would love to hear back from you about any anecdotes that have stuck with you over the years since your first Smiling Albino experience about some of these special people so that I reflect back on them the impact that they have had on you. Please send them to me at dan@smilingalbino.com

I am lucky to be part of this, and thank you!

Safe travels!

Daniel B. Fraser

Adventure Highlights:

Surveying Chiang Dao

When we say that we personally scout every area, eat at each restaurant, source and train every guide/host, sleep in every hotel bed, ride the bikes, board the boats and scratch the elephants, we really do take our wholehearted promise to you, the traveller, seriously. We work hard to ensure every tour is highly original, well thought out, oozing value, and most importantly a trip we’d take our friends and families on.

During the seasons when there are fewer clients travelling and, at times, adverse weather conditions, our adventure specialists are often out in the field (literally) to discover and survey new resorts, sites of interest, outdoor activities and routes.

This is a tale of our intrepid Adventure Consultant, Queen who, along with our local guide, Eak, set out to survey a new trekking route in Chiang Dao.

Chiang Dao, an area dominated by national parks and a town of the same name, 80 km north of Chiang Mai, is regarded by many as the most beautiful scenery in Northern Thailand.

Chiang Dao’s most striking feature is Doi Chiang Dao, Thailand’s third highest mountain at 2225 m, which plays host to an abundance of wildlife and nature. It is one of the lesser-visited, but nonetheless interesting Thai birding sites. The area is also known for it’s famous caves.

Queen and Eak were on the final day of their survey of the region, driving into the jungle along a newly identified trekking route. Monsoonal rains, however, proved too unyielding, and their truck got hopelessly stuck in the rain-saturated red clay track. It took them hours to free themselves, and finally with the help of friendly passing locals, they made it out and back to Chiang Mai where Queen finally caught her thrice re-booked flight back to Bangkok.

The first-hand observations, incredible photos and new friends Queen acquired on this survey were immediately incorporated into our Northern Thailand Adventure Tours. Come the dry season, this trek will be a unique and rewarding experience.

Surveying Laos, in photos

Our Director of Sales and Business Development, Stephanie, spent a week surveying new resorts, activities and locations in Laos earlier this month, and she captured some great shots, a sampling of what our Classic Laos Trip has to offer. Don’t hesitate to contact our team for up-to-date Laos travel and accommodation information. Click here for inquiries.

What’s Going On

New Dynamic App Explores European Heritage Sites in Thailand

The European Union launched the “European Heritage Map and Cultural Calendar” smart phone application on October 13^th, 2014. This content-rich app describes, illustrates and locates 250 European heritage sites throughout Thailand. The criteria for the entries were “remarkable locations that share common heritage resulting from centuries of Thai-European interactions”.

Smiling Albino’s Daniel Fraser emceed the intimate event, hosted by H.E. Mr. Luis Barreira de Sousa, Portuguese Ambassador to Thailand, on behalf of the European National Institutes for Cultural Thailand at his splendid riverside residence, the oldest European Diplomatic mission in Bangkok.

The comprehensive app, developed by Talisman Media, is a valuable resource for history enthusiasts, locals and tourists alike. It also provides an up-to-date “European Cultural Calendar” that lists up-coming events organized by EU member States’ embassies and cultural institutes in Thailand

It’s a really cool free app! Search “European Heritage” in your app store now. Available for Android and iOS.

Smiling Albino Wins Expat Entrepreneur Award

On October 14th, Bangkok’s expat community gathered at the Rembrandt Hotel to drink free beer recognize outstanding expat businesses. For the first time, companies established in Thailand by the country’s expatriate community were honoured for their creativity, ingenuity, excellence and proven success in The Expat Entrepreneur Awards 2014. Supported by The BigChilli Magazine in conjunction with BNOW, Bangkok’s networking community group, the Award highlighted the contribution foreign operated businesses make to Thailand’s economy.

The awards night was well-attended, and as our own Adventurer-in-chief, Daniel Fraser was hosting a trip, SA’s Marketing Mahout, Andrew Clark was there to accept the award on behalf of the Smiling Albino team. Smiling Albino thanks all who participated.

PURE Life Experiences 2014

We will be back at PURE LIfe Experiences 2014, November 10-13 in Marrekech. We look forward to seeing you there at the global marketplace of high-end experiential travel!

New Connections

Soneva Kiri

Soneva Kiri is pleased to announce a new direct flight service to Siem Riep. Launching on 16th November 2014 with a special introductory offer! Two flights a week linking Indo China to the beautiful beaches of Koh Kood.

Halong Bay

Seaplane Flights are now available from Hanoi airport to Halong Bay! A 30-minute flight or 45 minutes with some sight-seeing. Reasonably priced, quick and easy with fabulous aerial views over the countryside and experience the thrill of a water landing at the Tuan Chau Island Marina.

Contact Smiling Albino today for all your travel needs.

The post People Drive Adventures – Albino Smiles Oct., 2014 first appeared on Smiling Albino.

Several weeks ago I was enjoying a few lazy minutes going through my twitter feed (@danbfraser) before getting out of bed in the morning, when I came across a beautiful sunset picture posted by a friend in New York. As I looked out my window and saw the blazing red hues of a new dawn rise over the horizon, I reflected on how she and I were experiencing the same event from opposite sides of the globe.

The same event, similar in so many ways, yet at the same time distinctly different as I was facing East to enjoy my view while my good friend had to look West.

There are parallels in that scene with life in the East and the West. So many things are similar on the surface, but the real material differences are often much more subtle.

One of those subtle differences is the relationship of the individual to the family. Family is often the center of social life in Asian cultures – it’s so pervasive as to be automatic much of the time. In the West we often tend to have to be much more conscious about planning family time.

As we approach the traditional mid-April Thai New Year, known as Songkran,a time of catching up with friends and family as well as to paying respect to elders by gently splashing water on them (actually, it turns into a nationwide water fight, but that’s another story), I’d like to ask you to reflect on your relationship with your family and what you are doing to spend time with them and strengthen the bonds that tie you together.

Just as a new perspective turns a sunset into a sunrise, I would like you to allow Smiling Albino to show you a new perspective on travel. Please send me an email today at dan@smilingalbino.com and let me know how we can immerse you in the Southeast Asian culture to build a new relationship with your family and help you put together a trip that will bring you closer together than ever before. I can promise you a new dawn.

Happy Thai new year!

Daniel Fraser,
Smiling Albino Adventurer-in-Chief

Adventure Highlights:

Smiling Albino’s Customized Nepal Grand Slam

This trip was packed full of the incredible, so we can only spotlight a few of the magical activities possible in Nepal.

For starters you can explore the perennial city of Kathmandu on the back of classic Royal Enfield motorcycles including 2 UNESCO World Heritage sites. If you like water try rafting the Seti River in Pokhara from Damauli to a serene riverbank campsite, unreachable by vehicles.

In Pokhara optional activities include leisurely boats ride to the World Peace Pagoda with views of the Himalayas, a visit to Tibetan refugee villages, bike ride around the lakeside, or for the really adventurous try a tandem paraglide with a professional pilot and the new zipline! Plan your trip to Nepal.

Get Dan’s live photo updates on his adventures on his Instagram.

What’s Going On:

Dinner in a Cave on Halong Bay
We recently just hosted a private group in Halong Bay. This was their last stop in Vietnam and they wanted something extra special. We arranged a magical candle lit cave dinner that we put together as a surprise for them!

Do you have a special moment that you want to celebrate this year? Let us know and we can arrange something special on your trip itinerary. We also know the most romantic place for dinner for two in the bay!

Myanmar’s First Peninsula Hotel
Yangon will soon be the home to the first Peninsula Hotel located in the former and soon to be renovated Burma Railway Company headquarters. This luxury hotel brand will be in the central business district of Yangon, in a colonial building from the 1880s. The Peninsula Bangkok Hotel is one of Smiling Albino’s favorite hotel brands, we are waiting anxiously for the opening of this new venture.

Travel with us to Myanmar.

Giveaway to Facebook Fan

We’re about to hit 1,300 Facebook‬ fans and we want to say thank you with a give away to a Bangkok food walking tour and a night stay at Inn a Day Bangkok!

Invite your friends to like our page and stay tuned for more details. www.facebook.com/smilingalbino

Connect With Smiling Albino!

Facebook and Twitter: “Like” and “follow” us on Facebook and Twitter and you will get tuned-in to the latest breaking news and hot tips on travel and adventure in Asia.

Planet Asia Travel Channel: Subscribe to the Planet Asia Travel Channel and receive expert advice and insider tips on travel in Asia from the team at Smiling Albino and our network of in-the-know locals, expatriates, and travel enthusiasts.

NEW on Google+ and Pinterest: Now even easier to connect and stay up to date with us!

Contact: Get a hold of us any time.

The post Importance of Family – Albino Smiles, April 2014 first appeared on Smiling Albino.

Vietnam is an amazing country to visit any time of year because it has so many things to offer. Due to its shape – long and narrow, covering 1,650km – there are a vast range of climates and landscapes available, from sandy beaches to misty mountains to steamy, crowded cities. So when is the best time to go?

Well, that really depends on what you want. The good news is that since the country is so long and narrow, there’s something for everyone, which is even further enhanced by its extreme elevations – from 0ft above sea level in the South China Sea to 10,312 feet above sea level at Ngoc Linh, a mountain sitting in the northern end of the southern half of the country, if that makes any sense.

Roughly speaking there are five regions in Vietnam – the mountainous northern region, with the trekking hub of Sapa; the Red River Delta, which includes Hanoi and Halong Bay; the central region, which follows the long curving coastline south past Hue, Hoi An and Nha Trang; the highland region, which stretches back towards Cambodia and is known for its hill tribes, forests and national parks; and the southern region, which encompasses Ho Chi Minh City and the mighty Mekong Delta.

If you’re a fan of long walks, steep hills and amazing scenery, then the northern region is where you want to go. There are superb trekking, waterfalls and nature trails around every corner, but you have to be prepared. The dry season lasts from October to April and is the best time to head for trekking and such, although December and January can be bitterly cold and damp. April to September is the rainy season, and while the trees and grass and rice will be at their most verdant, the daily downpours and abundance of mud limit the amount of fun you can have.

If you’re okay with a bit of chill in the air, November to April is a good time to visit the Red River Delta, although December to March-ish can get very nippy. May to October is the rainy season, but if you’re in Hanoi or any of the bigger towns it’s easy to duck into one of the many cafes and wait it out. July to September is often the wettest, and this is when the weather can get stormy and downright mean.

If you’re more attracted to the coast, then a trip down the central region will reward you with beaches, UNESCO World Heritage sites and many charming little villages. January to August bring the hottest weather in this region, which is obviously the best time to hit the beach, although the temperature in the middle of the hot season might be a bit much to have fun in. Much like the Red River Delta, the rainy season brings daily downpours but can get hit hard during October and November when the odd typhoon rolls through to say hi.

The highland region is unique in that it hasn’t been blitzed (yet) by tourists, although this is changing. The most popular destination here, Dalat, is known as a place to escape the hotter weather on the plains, especially during the cool season from November to January. February to April is the hot season, while May to October brings some of rainiest weather in the country. Again, avoid the mud and rain during the wet season and try to show up at the beginning of the cool season for the best scenery.

Finally, a visit to the southern region is high on everyone’s list, and rightly so – Ho Chi Minh city is a fantastic place to visit and soak up the culture, people and food.  The climate here is very easy to plan around – it’s either hot and wet or hot and dry. From November to April is the dry season, which slowly heats up as it approaches May, and then from May to November it’s generally the rainy season.

No matter when you want to travel to Vietnam there is good weather somewhere! Ask Smiling Albino to help you make the most of the weather on your vacation, no matter what time of year!

The post Deciphering Vietnam’s Weather first appeared on Smiling Albino.