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Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Fly DUB - ISTANBUL - HONG KONG on 28/3/26 @ 16:50, arriving in Hong Kong for 17:05 (629e) on the 29th - 4 nights in Hong Kong.
Accommodation booked - Booking.com (Aoife), 158 each.
The Cityview - Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong
23 Waterloo Rd, Yau Ma Tei, Hong Kong
Activities:
- Symphony of lights
- Victoria Peak
- Big buddha
- Ladies market
- Stanley market
- Victoria Harbour boat ride
- Cable cars
- Shopping centres
- Peking duck and street food
- Shek O Beach
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Osaka, Japan
Fly from Hong Kong to Kansai (Osaka) @ 14:55, arriving at 19:45 (278e)
Accommodation booked - 133e (Air BnB Aoife)
Airbnb in the Namba area (in around 1 Chome Nagahashi, Nishinari Ward, Osaka, 557-0025, Japan, exact address sent to us closer to the time)
Train from Osaka to Tokyo booked (@ 11:06) - 82e.
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Tokyo, Japan
Arrive @ 1:33pm on 7th.
Mt Fuji day trip (Kawaguchiko)
Accommodation booked - 124 each (Lucy - Booking.com)
OHWA Hostel Minowa station
三ノ輪１－８－４, Taito, Tokyo, 110-0011, Japan
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Seoul, South Korea
Tokyo to Seoul flight @ 8:55am, arriving at 11:25, 142e with 30kg bag (Zip Air)
Accommodation booked - Booking.com (Lucy), 95 each.
Hithere guesthouse
22-3, Wausan-ro 29ra-gil, Mapo-gu, Mapo-Gu, 04053 Seoul, South Korea
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Hanoi, Vietnam
Seoul to Hanoi flight, 4h25 with Vietjet - 11:05, arriving at 13:35. €136.75 each for the flight
Hanoi is apparently very overstimulating and 2 days is enough.
Activities:
- Train Street
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Ha Giang Loop Tour, Vietnam
Booking request put in for 6D5N Ha Giang/Cat Ba combo tour, pickup at 9am from Hanoi old quarter on 18th, arrive in Ha Giang city around 4pm and stay in Bong Hostel that night. Start tour on 19th.
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Cát Bà, Vietnam
Overnight bus from Ha Giang to Cat Ba @ 6:30pm (will deffo need a sleeping pill for this leg LOL).
Pick up from Sea Pearl Hotel for cruise.
2 days, 1 night cruise around Cat Ba.
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Hanoi, Vietnam
We will get dropped from Cat Ba to Hanoi for around 4:30pm.
Accom booked (Aoife, booking.com, 21.50 each - pay @ property).
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Sapa - Hang Da, Vietnam
BUS FROM HANOI TO SAPA IS DURING THE DAY, 10.30am to 4.30pm
Bus from Hanoi to Sa Pa (5-6hrs).
Sapa is a small, compact mountain town surrounded by mountains, rice terraces, and villages.
Everything meaningful happens outside of the town centre by walking, short drives, or guided treks (think of the town itself like a basecamp rather than a destination). The vibe will be stay in one place slightly outside the centre -> do day trips / treks out -> return to accomm. Chat GPT says Sapa is designed for arriving -> looking around -> deciding what to do tomorrow (i.e. it doesn't require too much planning).
Accommodation - stay just outside of the town in somewhere which has views of the landscapes but is still accessible to the centre/transport. Tan Van area looks best to stay
Activities:
- Moana cafe! (in the town)
- Fansipan: highest point in Vietnam. There are cable cars up just outside of the town, or it can be hiked. Very weather dependent
- Muong How Mountain Train (part of the whole Fansipan complex above)
- Alpine Coaster at Fansipan Legend - RAINBOW ROAD MARIO KART!!!
- Lao Chi Village - typical "Sa Pa" in people's memories
- Ta van trek from Lao Chi Village
- Cloud Dragon Skywalk
- Rong mountain (walkable to from the town)
- Silver waterfall (15 mins from the town in a taxi/on scooter)
- Rattan Bridge (common on guided trekking routes)
- Bamboo forest (same as above, not a destination but somewhere you pass through)
- Ta Phin Cave (half-day visit, 15km outside of the town)
- Markets are a big thing for the locals
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Ninh Binh province, Vietnam
SLEEPER BUS FROM SAPA TO NINH BINH. 8.5hr journey
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Ninh Bình, Vietnam
Ninh Binh is a rural landscape spread out over smaller villages, moreso than one city you "do". It is describe as "Ha Long Bay on land". Sapa is high altitude, trekking etc - whereas Ninh Ninh is flat, warmer, and slower.
Very nature/activity oriented; Boat ride through caves, rivers, cliffs, cycling between villages, sunrise or sunset viewpoint, temples. Where you actually stay is important, almost more than what you actually do - a pretty homestay will massively enhance the experience.
BEST TO STAY IN TAM COC as this is where majority of the activities are.
2 night stay is ideal - currently set at 1, should be up this to 2?
Overnight bus from Sa Pa to Ninh Binh arrives at 7am.
Ninh Binh = old capital of Vietnam.
Activities:
- Rent bikes and cycle around countryside.
- Hang Mua viewpoint @ sunset
- Temple of Emperor Le Dai Hanh
- Tam Coc boat ride
- Trang An cave
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Phong Nha Town, Vietnam
Bus at 5pm from Ninh Binh, arrives at Phong Nha at 22:30 (stay this night and following night).
Tik Tok says 2 nights here.
Activities:
- Duckies!
- Caves
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Da Nang, Vietnam
Bus from Phong Nha (Dong Hoi station) to Dang Na from 4.30-9.30pm. (5 hrs)
Tik Tok says this place is very cool so if we can manage more than 2 nights we should def try!
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Hội An, Vietnam
Split time between staying in old town (Fuse Hostel is supposed to be good - 13.68/night for 6-bed female dorm) and beachside (Nalani homestay & hostel is 12.41/night for a 4-bed female dorm). Emilie had recommended H Boutique Hotel but this is min 41/night so prob a bit much.
Activities:
- Rotating boats
- Lanterns with Lynn workshop - only 8/10 euro.
- Lantern boats old town - around 1/2 euro, 10 min boat ride, get to let the lanterns go.
- Pottery village - can make and paint pottery (again, really cheap).
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Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Can fly from Da Nang (around 50 min drive from Hoi An) to Ho Chi Minh with Vietjet - less than 30eu inc 20kg checked bag, 8:55am flight arrives in HCM for 10:15 (sleeper bus is 18 hours long LOL and more expensive).
Activities:
- Molly says Mekong Delta tour (river boat trip) is a MUST (whole day trip)
- Cu chi tunnels
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Cebu, Philippines
There are no direct flights to Cebu on this day - have to fly via Manila (Philippine Airlines flight, around 220eu with checked 30kg bag, from HCM @ 9:55, arriving in Manila @ 13:40, leaving Manila @16:45 arriving in Cebu at 18:10 - the only Cebu Pacific flight is at 00:50).
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Siargao, Philippines
Surf/island vibes
Activities: Cloud 9 surf spot is a bit corally and can be sore for beginners so go to Pacifico beach if we want a surf lesson! Island hopping (Sohoton/Caño island if you like), Magpupungko tides pools, island beaches
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Coron, Philippines
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El Nido, Philippines
Activities:
- Zipline
- Beach hopping - Napcan (sunset), Corong Corong, Duli (surfing), Las Cabanas, Diapela
- Chill on Darocotan island
- Socorro Hills viewpoint
- 5pm turtle release
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El Nido, Philippines
3D2N boat tour El Nido - Coron
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Cebu, Philippines
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Siquijor, Philippines
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Bohol, Philippines
Stay in Panglao
Activities: Chocolate Hills, Loboc River
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Cebu, Philippines
Latest flight from Cebu to Siargao is 2:50pm so we might be better to stay the night in Cebu before flying.
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Bangkok, Thailand
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Chiang Mai, Thailand
Elephant sanctuaries, temples, cooking classes.
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Koh Samui Nature Reserve, Thailand
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Ko Tao, Thailand
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Denpasar, Indonesia
Need Visa for Bali (get 30-day one on arrival).
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Ubud, Indonesia
Very cultural, so many activities apparently.
Mount Batur sunrise trek, rice terraces, yoga/meditation
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Uluwatu, Indonesia
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Gili Air Island, Indonesia
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Malang, Indonesia
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East Java, Indonesia
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Seminyak, Indonesia
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Nusa Penida, Indonesia
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Denpasar, Indonesia
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Dublin, Ireland