A Long Way To Ha Long Bay

During the past couple of weeks, we've had the pleasure of calling the bustling city of Hanoi our home. Now it's time for a little tropical vacation in Ha Long Bay! I have been looking forward to this trip for while since we get to stay at one of Chase' "The Edits" collection hotels, The Intercontinental Ha Long Bay Resort. But before we get to how beautiful this property is, let me tell you how ugly our trip here was.

Now there are many ways to get to Ha Long Bay from Hanoi; buses, taxis, and in our case, a semi-private sprinter. We were picked up in a SUV at 10:50am, as we told the transportation company that we wanted to leave by 11am. We thought we were going straight to the sprinter location but, instead we took the next hour running around and picking up other passengers. The car got cramped pretty quickly as we were stuffed full with luggage and 4 others beside us.

After we picked everyone up, we were split into two different sprinter vans. The vans themselves were pretty nice! Very spacious and the seats reclined all the way back so we could lie down. Calvin's only complaint would be that the wifi on the van didn't work. What can we say, we're iPad kids! The rest of the drive was smooth sailing. To me, the two hour drive felt like 15 minutes. The company was also sweet enough to drop us off at the front door of our resort.

Not to sound like a Chase Sapphire Reserve advertisement but, they really hooked us up with this property. Since we booked through their travel portal, we were able to use our points and hotel credit to get this place for free! 4 nights in a 5 star resort? Uh... Yes please! We even got a room upgrade and a welcome present. Free drinks and snacks voucher? Check. $100 off a spa treatment? Check. A "Happy Honeymoon" cake with a fresh fruit platter? Check and check.

Whenever we go to a new hotel and they ask if we are celebrating anything we always says something fun like it's our Honeymoon or our Anniversary. You'd be surprised how many free little gifts we get. I guess I could've said its our 2 year anniversary but Honeymoon felt sillier in the moment. Here's a little room tour :)

Being on the 8th floor definitely has its perks. We have one of the most stunning views of Ha Long Bay. And the people watching is next level. The property right next to us is setting up for a big concert tomorrow so we'll keep you updated on if we go to that.

By the time we got into our room, I was nearly hangry. The amazing thing about Vietnam is how everything is mere cents to our US dollar. We ordered room service for $40USD. A Wagyu burger and salad for Calvin and a bolognese and mango smoothie for myself. Delicious! 11/10, no notes.

The rest of the day, we spent in our hotel room. Going between our desks to the balcony, just soaking up all the sun. I keep telling Calvin that I thrive by the beach the most. I look the best with a slight tan and glow from being by the water.

Once it was time for dinner, we headed upstairs to Roku. On the 10th floor, there is a Japanese sushi restaurant and sky lounge. The views are extraordinary. I didn't get to many pictures as it was already dark out but Wow! The restaurant was dark, sultry, and beautiful. Extra points for us being the only people in there as well.

The one thing I learned about being in Vietnam is that people have no shame taking photos. I thought it was just my Ba Noi (Grandma) but, no. Everyone in Vietnam will take photos no matter where they are or who is around. I have adopted this habit as well. Sorry in advance if I start taking photos of you or ask you to take photos of me. It just runs in my Vietnamese veins.

Back to the food! While Calvin doesn't really drink in the states, he loves a beer in Asia. I on the other hand stick with a fun mocktail. He got a Sapporo beer and I got this Yuzu Cloud drink. We then started off with Tuna and Salmon Tartare. I am such a huge fan of tartare whether it be fish or beef. Though I do prefer steak tartare, I am always down for a tuna one as well. For our main dishes; we shared a Chef's spread of sushi, chicken teppanyaki, and Wagyu udon. All super delicious! We then finished with a red bean cheese cake and matcha ice cream with rice pudding.

After dinner, we walked along the property's beach. I tried to shoo Calvin inside as I have a deathly fear of cock roaches but he pulled me out anyways. I must admit I'm grateful he did. It's surreal at night. It's definitely something I could get used to.