Halong Bay

by Sophie · 17th January 2014

Another UNESCO site on our big trip, this was one that we had actually heard of, and we were looking forward to seeing! With it being mid-winter, the usually jam-packed destination was relatively quiet. We opted for a 3 day / 2 night cruise to go deeper into the bay and escape what crowds there were.

On our first day, we spent most of the morning driving from Hanoi. We set foot on our boat around midday, checked into our rooms, then got to know the other 14 people onboard over lunch. After cruising into the bay until we were fully surrounded by the small islands (there are 1969 of them), our first stop was at ‘Surprising Cave’.

Olly had a go at some afternoon kayaking, then we headed to ‘Romantic Island’ for sunset, where a few of us climbed to the peak for the best view. We finished the day with a meal on the boat and some card games.

On our second day, we said goodbye to half the group, and were moved onto other boats. Our first stop was at a pearl farm. It was fascinating to see how the pearls are cultivated, and we even had the chance to buy some incredibly expensive pearl jewellery at the end (we declined). Next we went to ‘Monkey Island’, where we had the whole beach to ourselves. Some of the bravest tried to sunbathe, but we opted for a stroll. We then sailed further, to the largest island, Catba. We went for a bike ride through the lush countryside, then were dropped off in the main town, where we would be staying that evening.

As we approached the harbour, we were surrounded by floating fishing villages as far as the eye could see. The town itself was small, but had a pretty lake and beaches which we walked to. We ended up in the ‘Good Bar’, playing cards and supping bargain drinks.

On our last day, we gently cruised back to the mainland, chatting to our new friends. We felt that Halong surpassed our expectations – it really has earned its special title – and we would like to return when the waters are warmer!