🙂 Amazing scenery. Incredible food.
🙁 Litter in bay
36C / 37C
We were up early and had pork and sticky rice at a street cafe – delicious! We were collected at our hotel at 08h00for our transfer to Halong Bay (via the obligatory Oyster Pearl Farm!! – SO expensive that we gave any purchases a wide berth!). Scenic drive though.
We arrived at the Dragon Legend jetty in Bai Tu Long Bay (which is a little less touristy and crowded than Halong Bay) at about midday and had a beer while we waited to board. Paul and `I were initially travelling alone and had booked a boat to ourselves (L’Amour Junk) … but then Charlotte decided to join us so we rebooked a boat that our friends had really enjoyed which is bigger than our usual choice at 24 rooms … but it was spacious with beautifully decorated rooms with stunning views, large bath and a swimming pool. Our comfy rooms were next door to each other which was great. It is better to do the two night and 3 day cruise – very reasonably priced! We very pleased with the quality of food and service. On boating excursions we all contributed to collecting litter from the bay which was very reassuring.
We had a quick safety briefing and set off whilst enjoying a delicious lunch of hot and sour soup, prawns, salad and wine- divine! It was extremely hot. The scenery was spectacular. After we booked massages we relaxed by the pool to sleep off our food stupor.
We cruised to Cap La, Train San and paddled around on our kayaks (collecting rubbish to be disposed of on the boat). It is stunning.
We swam in the sea which was a lovely temperature and kayaked until the sun set – spectacular…this has always been a bucket list and it was every bit as good as we had imagined it would be.
Back on the boat the view from our suit was stunning when having a bath! After freshening up we enjoyed pina coladas chatting to Andrew and Pamela – an Aussie / Spanish couple who lived in the Netherlands and who were lovely.
We tried our hand at making some spring rolls which were delicious!
Dinner was AMAZING.
Squid fishing with torches was next – but we failed!
Charlotte and I were up first thing for Tai Chi on the upper deck – great way to start the day! Enjoyed a delicious Vietnamese noodle breakfast, lazed by pool and swam.
The boat people now make their living from tourists but you can see the school and their pets all living on the water. Fascinating. The tiny ladies were pretty powerful as they rowed us around the bay to show us the hole in the rock.
We then returned to the ship and took our next excursion to Thien Canh Son Cave. It is a quick climb up the 60 odd steps to the entrance. The cave is comprised of three caverns in total, each one strewn with stalactites and stalagmites. Locals interpret the formations of the stalagmites that resembles a baby elephant, or the lotus flower, or the group of gnomes holding a meeting. It was quite amazing.
Afterwards we had a beach BBQ – sat next to Aussie girls who were the same age as Charls and who were lovely. Went for a massage at 18h00 which was excellent. Afterwards it was a final evening cocktail party on deck. Had dinner with Andrew & Pamela from Singapore. The crew and Captain played traditional instruments at the end of the evening for the grande finale … a lovely cruise!
Charlotte and I did Thai Chi before breakfast. Had a swim and disembarked at 11h00. We stopped at the shop where our friends had bought a beautiful sculpture for their garden and then back to the hustle and bustle of Hanoi.
Go Back to: Vietnam
Go to: Hanoi
Go to: Coc Ly Market
Go to: Sapa
