Many of our programmes include a session on the water: a boat through the Tu San gorge on the Nho Que river, kayaking or paddleboarding on Ba Be lake, a boat along the Da river, or a stretch of Pa Khoang lake. This page answers the questions that come up most often about that part of the trip.
Before you get on the water
I cannot swim. Can I still take part?
Yes for anything in a boat, and in most cases for kayaking too — you always wear a buoyancy aid and you are always with a guide. But tell us beforehand. Non-swimmers are placed differently and watched more closely; hiding it is the most dangerous thing you can do.
Is paddleboarding difficult?
Everyone falls in the first time they stand up. On flat lake water, fifteen minutes is usually enough to get going. If you would rather not stand, you can kneel or sit on the board and paddle perfectly well.
I have never kayaked.
That is fine. We show you how to hold the paddle, how to go straight and how to turn before you set off. On our routes the water is flat, not white water.
Safety
Are buoyancy aids provided?
Yes, and wearing one is compulsory for the whole time you are on the water, strong swimmers included. This is not negotiable.
How deep is the water?
In the Tu San gorge and on the reservoirs, very deep — and colder than you expect even in midsummer. That is why we do not allow free swimming outside the places the guide points out.
What happens if it is windy or raining?
We cancel the water session and switch to the land alternative. Wind funnelling down a narrow gorge between rock walls is far stronger than it feels from the road. That call belongs to the guide and the boatman, and it is final.
Can children take part?
It depends on the activity and the age. A boat ride with a properly fitted buoyancy aid works from a young age. Kayaking and paddleboarding need enough strength and enough understanding to follow instructions. Tell us the ages and we will advise.
Getting ready
What should I wear?
Quick-drying clothes; not jeans. Bring a dry set to change into afterwards. Hat, sunglasses on a retainer, sun cream — the glare off the water doubles the sun.
What footwear?
Sandals with a heel strap, or water shoes. Not bare feet: the banks are sharp rock.
Phone and camera?
Bring a waterproof pouch, and put it on a lanyard. Every season a few phones stay on the bottom of the Nho Que.
Where do I leave my luggage?
Large bags stay in the vehicle. We carry dry boxes for what you need to take on the boat.
Timing
When is the Nho Que at its best?
The dry season, roughly October to April: the water is clearest and greenest, there is little rain and the level is steady. After heavy rain the water turns muddy and boats may stop running.
What time of day?
Early morning has the least wind and cloud still sitting in the gorge. Early afternoon is usually windier.
What if the boat cannot run that day?
We refund the cost of the service that was not delivered, or replace it with an equivalent activity on land, as you prefer — the principle is set out in our cancellation and postponement policy.