Nov 11, 2024
Great fun! A must do if you like to be (slightly) off the beaten track! - BEKA - we visited at the end of September.
The homestay has been created in a beautiful garden setting, it was simple and modest but comfy and clean. Blissfully silent. The bathroom was an "all in one" ie the shower hose was beside the toilet/basin, not in a separate stall so danger of saturating the toilet paper if untrained !! Food was simple yet very tasty, everyone is served together at long tables (there were only 2 other guests, Australians!). Ran your own bar tab from the fridge and finalised at end of stay. Instantly relaxing, just being there.
Typhoon damage to the island was evident everywhere, esp Cat Ba township, v sad. To the casual visitor damage to the forest was only evident when you tried to walk in it, trees down everywhere but the wide vista scene, the hillsides and the karsts, still appeared green to visitors. The clean up was done remarkably quickly throughout the region with little debris in water.
The tours were great, especially with the insights offered by Thang our guide: walking through the little village was very pleasant. Unfortunately the Peak hike was not accessible due to the cyclone damage, instead we enjoyed a walk out to a cave and lookout. The night kayaking was such a buzz, the bioluminescence in the water like stars trailing through the sky, mesmerising. We all felt we had Harry Potter wands! Also a very special experience, being out in the pitch dark in a kayak (we were paddling 2 up). Other highlight activities on the boat day trip : swimming through caves, jumping off the boat, lots of fun. The scenery itself is awe inspiring and these bays are far less touristy, boat wise.
We exchanged the 2nd night of our homestay for a night on a different, small cruise boat which was quickly organised for us by Thang for a few extra $$, just so we could enjoy more of the bays and the towering karsts. It was very relaxing. Only 4 other people on that boat with us. Very pleasant, excellent food, attentive staff. We moored away from other boats so, again, a quiet still night.
I would happily recommend this 3 days /2 night BEKA experience for people who are active, happy with modest digs (who laugh at wet toilet paper events), who enjoy being off the beaten track and exploring, plus content with 2-3 stars accommodation (ie the homestay). If you need a proper shower stall, and a la carte menus this may not be for you. Our friend in her late 70’s did all but the kayaking (but still came along in a little boat, once again organised by the thoughtful Thang) , she had a blast. The 3 of us loved it.
Special thanks to our young guide, Thang. He was really terrific: quietly efficient with a gentle humour, spoke excellent English and was very knowledgeable. He looked out for us at every step, always confirming next day activities and times. He made sure all members of our party could still join in the spirit of each activity even if not the specific activity (ie night kayaking, cave kayaking) so they didn't miss out.
Pick up and drop off to Hanoi went very smoothly with the Beka staff confirming all arrangements prior and were always ready waiting for us. I would not hesitate to do it again, it was that enjoyable.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nov 11, 2024
Went that extra mile! Beautiful curated experience! - We had 3 days left and we stumbled upon this package to explore Lang Ha Bay and we really wanted to be part of this experience. But it seemed that the itinerary would not be an exact fit. Beka Travels worked with us and tailored the experience to suit our travel needs and ensured that we were taken care of from Noi Bai airport till reaching Cat Ba and arranging stays and transfers to ensure we got the most out of our tight timeliness. I really appreciate the extra mile and effort taken by Beka Travels to ensure that we had the best experience. We went hiking and kayaking across Viet Hai village and also had sufficient time exploring Cat Ba. Really loved the entire team and they helped us have a good experience!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nov 10, 2024
Great experiences with Luffy - The boat ride is spectacular, the activities very entertaining and our Tour Guide Luffy was a great professional, very attentive and close. I felt like staying more days. I would definitely repeat the experience again, and the Luffy tour guide the best.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oct 15, 2024
3 days Lan Ha Bay, Cat BaIsland - Beka Travels has been a revelation for me during my Vietnam trip. I took their 2 nights 3 days package to Cat Ba and Lan Ha bay with my friend and it was pleasantly awesome.
Right from guiding us from airport to reaching our stay in Cat Ba and there after back to Hanoi, they constantly made things simple and comfortable. The guides Thanh Nyugen guided us and informed us well about the place. Our trip was adventurous, memorable, comfortable and value for money. The typhoon had ravaged the small island but these guys micromanaged our itinerary so that our trip go perfectly. Also to mention our homestay cook Luyến and Tu who made some simple yet amazing food during our stay. Kudos guys! We would love to come back.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oct 14, 2024
Highly recommended! - The experience was absolutely wonderful. This place is truly one of a kind. The food was delicious, and the staff treated us exceptionally well, especially Tony, who was always attentive. We left feeling completely happy and satisfied.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oct 6, 2024
Wonderful Cat Ba trip - Beka travel did an amazing job of making our trip smooth and enjoyable. Lily was a very good communicator and helped us with our bookings and linking several of our travel plans together. The tours were excellent and full of awesome experiences. The family at the Lan valley homestay was very hospitable, with comfortable rooms and delicious meals. A big shout out also to our tour guide, Thanh, who was knowledgeable, super friendly and made our trip very memorable!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oct 5, 2024
A Fantastic Guide - Tin was our Tourist Guide and he did a great job! His English was excellent, he was very friendly and he shared fascinating historical information throughout the trip. The tour offered a perfect view of Lan Ha Bay and I highly recommend it. They even arranged convenient pick up and drop off at the Inn in Hanoi, which made the whole experience seamless from start to finish!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oct 2, 2024
Outstanding exploration - We spent three fantastic days exploring Lan Ha Bay and the whole trip was organized to perfection. Tony, the tour organizer, made sure everything went smoothly, from keeping us informed about the schedule to helping us with any questions we had. On the first day, we enjoyed a short hike on Navypeak for breathtaking views of Ha Long Bay, followed by a magical night of boating and bright plankton watching. The second day was dedicated to kayaking, swimming and visiting a floating village, all during the cruise on the spacious Beka Travel Cruise. The crew's attention to detail made the experience even better. Despite some visible storm damage earlier this month, the beauty of the bay remained intact. We were comfortably dropped off right at our guesthouse in Hanoi Old Quarter, making the end of the trip as easy as the rest. Highly recommend this tour and a big thank you to Tony for his exceptional service!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oct 1, 2024
Amazing trip - The trip was amazing !!
Thank’s you a lot Thanh for this beautiful moment.
We were on the Viet Hai Village and we visited a caves, and after we went on a beautiful beach for the sunset !
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sep 20, 2024
Awesome Lan Ha Bay trip with Beka Travels - Beka Travels was the best thing in our whole Vietnam trip. Our Lan Ha bay tour with them was adventurous, fun, comfortable and enjoyable. Our guides Tu, Thahn and cook Luyen were really really good at their jobs and ensured our trip went smooth. Beka Travels managed our trip right from the airport to Cat Ba and back and it was impeccable. Kudos team !
Review provided by Tripadvisor