|
pamolapat
Aug 28, 2004, 12:05 AM
Post #1 of 9
(3541 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 27, 2004
Posts: 11
|
Hey everyone, I am going to be studying in Hanoi, Vietnam from mid-September through mid-December of this year and, well, that's an awfully long time to go without climbing. I have heard tell of 'A-list' pro climbers putting up routes in Halong Bay, which, by my reckoning, is not terribly far from Hanoi. Can anyone tell me what kind of climbing community, if any, exists around here? Any reputable guide services, or expatriate Westerners I might be likely to bump into? I'm basically just looking for resources by which I might be able to find somebody to climb with on the weekends I have free. Anyways, any help anybody can provide would be tremendously appreciated. Thanks for the help, and thanks for the great forum! PamolaPat
|
|
|
|
|
cornbutt
Sep 3, 2005, 1:38 AM
Post #2 of 9
(3537 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 3, 2005
Posts: 3
|
Hello I'm Corinna from Canada and I'll be climbing in Thailand from late October to the middle of December and I would love the chance to go climbing In Vietnam. So if you have any info please let me know thank you Corinna
|
|
|
|
|
csgambill
Sep 3, 2005, 2:35 AM
Post #3 of 9
(3537 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 3, 2004
Posts: 607
|
Watch out for Pirates in Ha Long Bay. ...I'm serious. My suggestion is when you're in Hanoi, talk to the guy at Kangaroo Café http://www.kangaroocafe.com/ They're the only people who will tell you the truth about anything. They should be able to at least point you in the right direction. I got ripped off more than a few times in Vietnam :evil: Ha Long Bay is about 3 hours from Hanoi. When I was there I took the Kangaroo Cafe tour. 1 Night on the boat, and 1 night on Cat Ba Island. If I remember right I think it cost about $50. But I'm assuming you want to stay in Ha Long Bay longer than that. But you really should at least talk to the guys at Kangaroo Cafe. The Vietnamese are likely to tell you, "Oh yeah, go climb here." and here will either have no climbing (although a place like that would be difficult to find in Ha Long Bay) or it will be some place where sneezing is prohibited and you'll get arrested. Don't get me wrong, I had a great time there, but it left me with a lot of interesting stories to tell. Have fun and happy climbing! Here are a few of my pics of Ha Long Bay: http://www.csgambill.org/.../images/100_0038.jpg http://www.csgambill.org/.../images/100_0041.jpg http://www.csgambill.org/.../images/100_0058.jpg http://www.csgambill.org/.../images/100_0060.jpg http://www.csgambill.org/.../images/100_0036.jpg
|
|
|
|
|
frenchwine
Sep 12, 2005, 9:10 AM
Post #4 of 9
(3537 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 14, 2005
Posts: 12
|
Hello, I'm in Vietnam for an internship and I stay until December. I arrived in June and it was very hard to find routes and climbers. But finally, I find about 6 expat climbers. At the beginning, I went to Kangaroo Cafe, but they know nothing about climbing in Vietnam. It's a good way if you stay a short time, but it s only a travel agency. I try to create a website with all the routes and places: Halong Bay, Ninh Binh, near Kim Boi, Nha Trang (bouldering). Tell me when you ll arrive. Me email is jeanverly@hotmail.com See You http://escalade.camptocamp.com/...hoto2454.html?page=3
|
|
|
|
|
chansoobak
Sep 12, 2005, 10:23 AM
Post #5 of 9
(3537 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 12, 2005
Posts: 13
|
hey - i was in northern vietnam in june and was frantically looking for climbing info as well, to no avail. finally, i just went to halong bay and hired a fisherman to take me out on his boat ($20 for the entire day, i think it was), and just went deep water soloing. just point to any of the innumerable limestone faces rising straight from the sea and start climbing - just try to time it with high tide so that you don't have to cut your hands and feet open on the razor sharp barnacles that grow on the lower part of the rocks. also, (obviously) suss out the landing - make sure the water is deep enough in the places you're likely to fall or jump. if you're patient and can handle the hassles of dealing with the vietnamese with a sense of humor, then the free soloing possibilities in halong bay are endless and rewarding, in a "oh, crap, i pooped my pants" sort of way. good luck.
|
|
|
|
|
travellingmonkey
Oct 13, 2005, 2:59 PM
Post #6 of 9
(3537 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 13, 2005
Posts: 3
|
In reply to: if you're patient and can handle the hassles of dealing with the vietnamese with a sense of humor, then the free soloing possibilities in halong bay are endless and rewarding, in a "oh, crap, i pooped my pants" sort of way. good luck. That's what I'm talking about! Awesome, can't wait to get up to the north. Here's what I posted elsewhere...
In reply to: I'm in Saigon and will be for another couple of days, then planning on travelling North, up the coast, in hope for some dws, and any other sort of climbing if I can find partners. My email address is rupertb[at]gmail.com (replace [at] with @, obviously!) if anyone's close and wants to hook up. I'll try to get in contact with those of you who have already posted. It will be good to strech these slippers that are sitting in my backpack, unused for nearly two months! My travel blog: Travelling Each Other Mad
|
|
|
|
|
hospodp
Jan 25, 2006, 10:02 PM
Post #7 of 9
(3537 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 19, 2002
Posts: 3
|
Hi guys and gals, I'll be travelling around SE Asia for the next couple of months and would die If I didn't get to sample some of Ha Long DWS while I'm there. I should be in the area at the end of april and would be more than interested to spend a day or two discovering the bay with anyone else that might be in the area. Cheers, Phil.
|
|
|
|
|
travellingmonkey
Jan 27, 2006, 12:10 AM
Post #8 of 9
(3537 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 13, 2005
Posts: 3
|
Enjoy my friend, the variety is plenty and possibilities endless. Watch out for some of the sharper rock. Here's some pictures to wet your appetite: http://www.toddskinner.com/Gallery_Nam/index.htm Have a look on this website also: http://julienregnault.free.fr/ - this chap said he found a cheap boat that offered a sleep on with food and drink and taking you round the islands. He's French but speaks/writes good English. Have fun.
|
|
|
|
|
chicko
Feb 8, 2006, 7:51 AM
Post #9 of 9
(3539 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Feb 8, 2006
Posts: 1
|
Help help, I am in Hanoi right now (8th feb 06- 11thfeb)and only have a few days left of the trip. i am planning to head to ha long bay tomorrow and see what happens. However i would love to send a few routes. i climb about 7a level and have gear except for rope that was left in Thailand. If anyone has some info (even if it's too late, i have more friends on the way here) please drop me a line. thanks heaps chicken email nicolasv69@hotmail.com :lol:
|
|
|
|
|
|