Exploring the bay…kayak style!

Halong Bay is one of the most spectacular, and therefore heavily ‘touristed’ attractions in Vietnam.  Stretching along the Northeast Vietnamese border with China it comprises thousands of limestone karst outcroppings and more than 750 islands of all sizes that dot the emerald waters of the Gulf of Tonkin.

Legend has it that the bay, ‘Descending Dragon’ in Vietnamese, was named after a family of dragons sent by the gods to help the Viet people repel Chinese invaders.  Spitting emeralds and jade (the islands) into the waters of the bay they created a natural defensive area that helped protect what became Vietnam.  After their success the dragons liked the area so much that they decided to stay.  They weren’t alone in their high opinions of the landscape - the area was formally inscribed as an UNESCO World Heritage site in 1999, which of course led to an even greater influx of local and foreign visitors.

Halong Bay

Getting to Halong Bay from Hanoi couldn’t be simpler - the hard part is making a choice between the hundreds of hotel tours and local operators.  We were very happy with the tour we arranged through our hotel, and after chatting to other travelers who had been to Halong it seems that we had one of the better trips.  The vast majority of options center around either two days and one night or three days and two nights in Halong.  We chose the longer option and were glad we did.

Our trip began with a mini-bus ride (of about 3 hours) from our Hanoi hotel (where we had left the bulk of our clothes and large backpacks) to Halong Bay town.  Our local guide, Son, took great delight in explaining with a huge grin that we shouldn’t worry about the 3000+ Vietnamese who die each year in the crazy traffic here because “Viet women and men make many many babies!”.  At the port we boarded our luxury junk (traditional Viet sailing vessel) with about ten other tourists.  It was to be both our transport around the Bay and our lodging for the first night. One note here for future travelers - be advised that although the tour to Halong Bay tends to be very reasonably priced (including all meals), they try to make up for this by charging exorbitant prices for drinks on-board ($25+ for wine, $3+ for beers etc) - and for all drinks that you bring aboard or buy on outings and bring back you will be charged ‘corkage’ - ranging from $5 per bottle of wine or 5000 Dong per bottle of beer (this applies to all drinks except water - so bring plenty of that with you to avoid the outrageous prices).

On the sundeck of our junk.

Our first day, which was the least enjoyable, was spent exploring “The Amazing Cave” - which although admittedly rather large was perhaps a little too developed (and therefore less amazing than it probably was ten years ago) - the best part of which was at the exit from which vantage we captured some of our best photos in Vietnam so far.  Aboard the junk again we headed for a local swimming beach (on yet another island) - which was also a little less than we had expected in that the waters and beach were quite dirty - mainly oil from all the junks that moor there (Denise’s white bikini came out a dark shade of grey and we could write in the oil on our arms and legs).  After the swim (and much-needed shower) the junk sailed to another picturesque spot and dropped anchor for the night (surrounded by about 7 other similar junks - we suspect that they are required to overnight in set spots).  Dinner was very nice (mainly seafood) and it was super getting to know all our fellow travelers.  We spent the rest of the evening playing cards with Phil and Kirsty (an Aussie couple from Cairns) and their brother Andy - welcome to the Blog guys!.

Great cruising

1The second day was so much better - and the hazy weather had cleared into bright sunshine. After packing and a quick breakfast we all transferred from the junk to a smaller taxi boat (picking up some new travelers along the way - notably Lachy and Lisa, also from Aussie - welcome to the Blog guys!).  Our next stop was the far side of Cat Ba island (the largest in the bay) where we each chose a bike and cycled about 7km inland passing some amazing scenery of local villages, rice paddies, mountains and forests.  A short 3km walk into the jungle brought us to an abandoned ‘ancient village’ - which we had a few minutes to explore, before trekking back and riding back to the boat.  We then took a short ride to the best beach we had seen in Halong - pristine white powdery sand, clean water, and sheer mountain cliffs rising out of the bay.  It was here that we had some swimming/sunbathing time and that our guides set up our beach BBQ lunch!  Great prawns, squid, fish, rice, veggies…ahh what a rough life!

Nice people

After lunch we headed to yet another spot where we moored alongside some floating huts to pick up our sea kayaks.   Denise and I discovered that despite our pretty much perfect match in almost everything we are not good paddling partners!  Still it was great fun to explore the bay and the myriad islands by kayak - and we all ended up in a truly magical place - where a ring of islands form a solid circle with only one opening (a low cave) that leads into a totally enclosed body of water - something right out of a movie.  Throwing caution to the winds we jumped out of the kayak and swam for a while - it was perfect.  We wished we could have spent more time kayaking but all too soon it was back to the boat and off to ‘Monkey Island’ - which was less enchanting - four or five monkeys scampering around a beach where we killed time by collecting shells and skipping stones.  Our final port of call for the day was Cat Ba (’Women Island’) town where we caught a short bus ride to our hotel for the night - the Holiday View hotel.

Anther great view

The hotel was quite upmarket by Halong Bay standards - very modern if lacking some warmth - and it was comfortable.  We spent the night at a local pool bar with the others from our group and had a fun evening - made even more so by the fact that the Springboks won the World Cup!!  Yay  South Africa!!  The next day was a traveling one - bus to the boat, slow boat ride back to Halong Bay town, bus over land-bridge to the nearest island for a final lunch and then a 3 hour bus ride back to Hanoi.
Halong Bay definitely has its plus points and is definitely worth the visit - but you do need to be prepared to deal with its less exciting and more banal side - bearing in mind that you are one of several million visitors every year.

Author: Wandering Spaulls
Traveling as a couple - Denise and Rob Spaull - one German, the other South African - born to be together and sharing everything… especially the excitement and experiences of global travel. Inspired by friends who have done the same they leaf behind jobs, homes and other “stuff” to travel the world for ten months from April 2007
Source: Around the World in 10 Months - and a Thousand Adventures Blog
Trip Date: Oct 19 ‘07

This is an entry about Ben’s day trip to Halong Bay in his Vietnam travel. Feeling the peace of the bay, discovering the miraculous of it by kayaking!

June 12th, 2007

We’d been drinking, Danny and I, perhaps a little too much to be jumping off Junk boats but man it was fun! Danny’s all-American, ‘Now that’s what I’m talking about’ enthusiasm is what my trip has so far been missing. Bewailing the fact that our Junk boat, the perfect setting to get down to some serious partying, is slightly lacking in hip young party enthusiasts – Danny and I were the only folk on deck and it was only 9:30 – a night swim was the only answer. It was a good idea. The water was deliriously refreshing in the tropical heat and gave my fading brain a much-needed wake up call. The idea of swimming to party at one of the other boats docked nearby was raised, but there was nothing going on there either. So jumping off those sweeping Junk boat eaves was really the only answer.

Off the first deck was easy, the second a little daunting and the third, climbing up on the roof, well… there’s really no better way to feel like you’re truly living again. If ever there was a thing to do with your favorite party people, 16 of you in a 6 cabin Junk boat on Halong Bay - cruising, kayaking, visiting beaches and exploring caves and tunnel networks by day and partying on deck by night – is really worthy of consideration.

I went kayaking today – fulfilled one of my Vietnam dreams: paddled through limestone pillar islands, explored deep dark tunnels emerging in isolated lagoons or to be faced with fresh, new karst island formations. It was brilliant.

When I got back on board, a new batch of tourists had joined us. It was then that I met Danny and Sharon, a couple from Alabama and Pennsylvania respectively. Within no time we were drinking and shooting the breeze

Tags: Kayaks and Limestone Pillar Islands

NowPublic

Tags: Style | Halong Bay | Halong Bay boats | cruise on halong bay

Myself and Caroline had a trip booked to Halong Bay for two days and one night on a boat. The previous night we went to call for David and Teri in their hotel. David wanted to watch the Rangers vs Dundee game on TV so we polled up with a large bottle of vodka which we bought for the boat and a small bottle of vodka that we could drink before we went out.
 

Needless to say both bottles got drunk pretty quickly and David was dispatched to the office to procure another large bottle. We vaguely remember ending up in a bar until 5am which was not a particularly good idea consider me and C had a 7am start. Which bar?, we are not sure but it was the one with the smallest pool table on the planet. We inexplicably ended up smoking a bong with some work men who were paving the street at 5am in the morning, got lost and had to get a motor to take us two blocks. I suspect when we see David and Teri in Laos they may or may not be able to shed some light on the situation.

When our tour guide knocked on our door early the next morning things were not too perky, considering we were not packed and not showered, we got our arses into gear pretty swiftly and were loaded onto the mini bus feeling like badgers had shat in our throats and mice were playing a game with iron footballs in our heads.
 

I tired to purchase a large bottle of water from across the road but they claimed they did not sell water. This was not good, we were dying of thirst, the bus was very hot and C was feeling really ill. After asking the driver to stop for water at the next convenient shop, and his subsequent ignore of my police request, I lost my cool a little, scared him a little and he stopped. We loaded up with nice water.

Four hours later we arrived in Halong Town, not really wanting to be there but looking forward to spending the day on the boat chilling out.

We boarded a traditional Junk Boat. The top deck was open with sun loungers and seats, the middle deck was a bar/restaurant affair. The lower deck was the cabins. Our cabin was very nice.

On board were a couple of Argentinean girls, a Hungarian couple, A Chilean/German couple, a Malaysian couple and a group of older French people who were traveling together. Everyone was nice and friendly.

Hanlong Bay is a World Heritage Area and consists of green still sea and huge towering limestone islands, sparsely populated by greenery. The weather was overcast and it would look so much better with a blue sky backdrop. It sort of reminded me of Yangshou on Sea.
 

Our first stop were some amazing caves that were only discovered in the late nineties, we walked around for forty five minutes and got back on the boat

Late evening we dropped anchor in a bay and went kayaking. I had never done it before, C had once, so she was deemed the experts and took the lead in the front seat. We paddled ourselves around a nearby island and saw lots of massive jelly fish everywhere which rather put us off this idea of swimming.

After the Kayaking we waiting on the top deck, starving hungry for our food and watched the day turn into night and the lights come on the other Junks that were anchored nearby.

We were fed a very mediocre meal and everyone was in bed early due to the fact that there was not much to do.
 

We woke for a 7am breakfast and set sail back to Halong Town. We were due to arrive back at 4pm and then get an eighteen hour bus to Laos but we were shattered and could not face it, we decided to postpone it for twenty four hours and book back into the Blue Star Hotel for some rest.

We sort of enjoyed the trip but it was not spectacular by any means. 

Damien and Tanya have gone ahead to Laos and we shall see then in a few days. David and Teri may have gone to but we are not too sure if they were sober enough.

Source: Kayak Halong bay & Halong Bay cruises

Tags: vietnam travel, vietnam tours, cambodia travel, cambodia tours, Laos travel, Laos tours, Kayak Halong Bay, Halong Bay Kayking tours, Trek Fansipan & Sapa Travel, Tours, hotels, holidays in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Halong Bay cruises, Halong Bay junks, Cruises in Halong Bay, Junks in Halong Bay, Hoi An Hotels & Resorts , Saigon Hotels , Hanoi Hotels , Halong Hotels & Cruises , SaPa Hotels , Hue Hotels , Nha Trang Hotels & resorts, Phan Thiet Hotels & Resorts , Phu Quoc Hotels & Resorts, Hanoi Tours & daily excursions , Halong Bay Tours & daily excursions , Sapa Tours & daily excursions , Hue Tours & daily excursions , Hoi An Tours & daily excursions , Saigon Tours & Mekong daily tour , Nha Trang Tours & daily excursions , Halong Luxury Boats, Travel to Vietnam, Hotels in Vietnam, Asian Junks, Vietnam Kayaking, Halong Bay travel, Halong Bay adventures, Valentine Junk, Vietnam Cruises, Vietnam Junks, Halong Bay Deluxe Cruises

Gastronomic BBQ Seafood and Summer wines cruise promotion from 1st May- 30 August 2008. 180 USD per person ( twin shared)

Superior Double/Twin(Twin shared)

• Shuttle bus return Hanoi - Halong Bay – Hanoi
• Big choice of fresh local seafoods and others dishes
• Candlelight Dinner (BBQ Seafood dinner on Sundeck)
• International Wine tasting - A select wine list for 1 hour free flow from Spain, Chile,US, Italy
• Kayaking on Halong Bay
• Welcome Cocktail.
• Entrance and Sightseeing Fees.
• Luxury en-suite air-conditioned Cabins and Suites
• Vietnamese Set Lunch menu
• International Breakfast Buffet
• Swimming Equipment
• Conference Equipment (Charter Cruises only)
• Onboard Insurance
• Tax and Service Charges

Terms & Conditions

· Cruise rates based on group of two adults

· Advance reservation required

· Supplement cabins for normal walk-in rate without extras

· Other terms and conditions apply

· Available on Indochina Sails I and II only

· Cruise Itinerary and program for 2 days on Halong Bay

For reservations, Please email info@indochinasails.com
More information at: http://www.indochinasails.com
Supported by Active Travel Shop, Active Travel Vietnam, New 7 wonders 2008

Indochina Sails & Active Travel Shop

Halong Bay is the jewel in the crown of Vietnam cruise travel destinations. Located 165km (102 miles) East of Vietnam’s capital Hanoi, the 150,000 ha (370,658 acre) Halong Bay lies on Vietnam’s Northeastern coast in the Gulf of Tonkin. Not only are Halong Bay’s approximately 1,600 limestone islands and statuesque pillar islets and outcrops breathtakingly beautiful, the bay is deeply entrenched in Vietnam’s history and mythology, and the folklore of the surrounding regions.

The Sino-Vietnamese “Ha Long” literally translates as “Descending Dragon”. The true origins of the name are shrouded in mystery. Some say the name comes from a traditional Vietnamese legend; others say that the bay was given the name by the French during their colonial rule of Vietnam. Whatever the truth, there is no disputing Ha Long Bay’s unique beauty. The World Heritage Foundation even says “Apart from Halong Bay, there are no equivalent sites on the World Heritage List …”.

The Halong Bay World Heritage site is universally recognized worldwide for the value of its exceptional geology and distinctive biodiversity. The captivating seascape vistas, tranquil azure waters, diverse marine life and the rich culture of the local people only add to the charm and enchantment of cruising Halong Bay.

Halong Bay cruises have been a Vietnamese favorite for centuries. The restful waters, expansive skies, abundant aquatic life and the serenely majestic outcrops, islands and islets captivate all who experience them. One of famous luxury brand name, Indochina Sails are now cruising on Halong Bay.

Supported by

Vote for Halong Bay - new Natural Wonders in Vietnam

Tags: Asian Junks, Bike Luang Prabang, Cambodia, cambodia tours, cambodia travel, Cruises in Halong Bay, halong bay adventures, halong bay boats, halong bay cruises, Halong Bay Deluxe Cruises, Halong Bay junks, Halong Bay junks & Cruises, Halong Bay Kayking tours, Halong Bay Tours & daily excursions, halong bay travel, Halong Hotels & Cruises, Halong Luxury Boats, Hanoi Hotels, Hanoi Tours & daily excursions, Hoi An Hotels & Resorts, Hoi An Tours & daily excursions, holidays in Vietnam, hotels, Hotels in Vietnam, Hue Hotels, Hue Tours & daily excursions, Junks in Halong Bay, Kayak Cat Ba, Kayak Halong Bay, Kayak Luang Prabang, Kayak Si Phan Don, Kayak Vang Vieng, Laos, Laos tours, Laos travel, Nha Trang Hotels & resorts, Nha Trang Tours & daily excursions, Phan Thiet Hotels & Resorts, Phu Quoc Hotels & Resorts, Saigon Hotels, Saigon Tours & Mekong daily tour, SaPa Hotels, Sapa Tours & daily excursions, Tours, Travel to Vietnam, Trek Fansipan & Sapa Travel, Trek Luang Nam Tha, Trek Mai Chau, Trek Phong Sali, Valentine Junk, Vietnam Cruises, Vietnam holiday, Vietnam Junks, Vietnam Kayaking, vietnam tours, vietnam travel, Visit Angkor Wats Temples

When it comes to weekend getaways, you just can’t beat flopping around on the deck of a junk in Halong bay, says Duc Hanh

Indochina Sails

At 11.30 am, the sun is high in the sky and burning bright. At the pier countless wooden junks, sailboats, speedboats and tiny bamboo boats bob around. While tour guides try to organise how to get their groups on board, we sit with our bags in hand, ready to test out our sea legs.

“Which one is ours?” says a fellow traveler on my tour a tad impatiently.

After a four-hour-stint in the van from Hanoi, everybody is understandably itching to kick back and feel the sea breeze on board.

Just then a speedboat arrives with a flourish and we pile on board before zooming off to the Indochina Sail, a large, handsome junk that the captain proudly announces is 40 metres long and 8.5 meters wide – and indeed it seems a fine, seaworthy vessel to me.

In my time I’ve been on board a few of the bay’s shabbier junks. It is one point worth making: when it comes to visiting Halong Bay it’s worth treating yourself. Thankfully there’s more than a few classy junks to choose from these days.

Walking around on board the Indochina Sail, I discover a restaurant, the Indochina Sail Bar, a gift shop and even a library. Guests can also avail of binoculars, snorkeling equipment or top-of-the-line Canadian made kayaks.

With a grand view ahead, I tentatively start with the binoculars. Most of my fellow travellers are content to flop around the deck, sipping drinks, surveying the scene or catching a bit of sun. A trip to Halong is first and foremost about relaxing!

Sun-shy, I stretch out on a lie-low on the more shaded lower deck and listen to the buffeting breeze and the sound of the boat chopping through the waves. Time passes and I happily doze a little in the salty air.

However, a call for lunch stirs me right out of my light slumber. A five-course lunch is devoured by the hungry guests. We hadn’t even worked up an appetite.

Afterwards, I fight the urge to have a siesta and head out onto the deck as the boat floats into Bai Tu Long Bay. We drop anchor at Soi Sim island, famed for its rose myrtle brush.

The island sits in clear, blue waters and is also home to white sandy beaches. A member of the crew asks if anyone wants to swim but we’re already in our trunks and bathing suits ready to dive in. Afterwards, we head ashore and climb to the summit of the island which offers yet another idyllic setting. Although Halong is a large area with over 1,900 limestone islets and a 120-km coastline, when you get in amongst the islets it seems more intimate than grand.

The random scattering of islets meant the bay had its defensive advantages in the past. On three occasions in the labyrinth of channels near the islands the Vietnamese army stopped the Chinese from landing. Also in 1288 General Tran Hung Dao stopped Mongol ships from sailing up the nearby Bach Dang River by placing steel-tipped wooden stakes at high tide, sinking the Mongol Kublai Khan’s fleet. Of course, the legend is that a slew of dragons spat out jewels and jade into the sea. These jewels turned into the islands and islets that are dotted around the bay, which could be linked together to form barriers against would-be invaders.

It’s easy to see why residents of Halong would have conjured up such legends to explain the supreme scenery.
Understandably, after our mini-hike a thirst is upon the travelling party! We clamber back on board for a few sundowners with beers and cocktails all round. The sun drops behind the surrounding islands as we sit in the dwindling twilight.

Heading back to my cabin to shower and change for dinner, I’m fairly surprised to discover a royal costume laid out for me. A card reads: “For tonight’s Royal banquet.”

Slightly tipsy, I happily oblige. It’s only when I arrive up on deck for the BBQ dinner I realise that the costume is a rather baggy and my hat fairly cumbersome, still I manage to move around and fill my plate. A Japanese tourist, Megumi Katsu is more taken by her new look – “This is the most fun I have had on my holidays yet!”
At night in the bay is magical. A canopy of glittering stars above us, a refreshing coolness in the air – it is pure bliss just to sit around with the other travelers, your friends or partner. Conversation is optional.

Chris Wedlake and his wife, both looking positively regal, are on their honeymoon. “It’s an earthly paradise for a couple of newly weds!” So smitten with Halong, he and his wife says they’d come back for their anniversary every year if they could.

Traditional Vietnamese melodies hang in the air. The boat gently rocks. A few of the staff invite guests to fish for cuttlefish. But my eyes are heavy and I slip away to my cabin promising myself I’ll rise with the dawn – someone mentions morning tai chi exercises on the top deck and I nod in enthusiastic agreement.

But when I wake the sun is already up. I hear the voices of vendors who have rowed up to our junk to sell snacks, seafood, souvenirs and cigarettes. I stumble upstairs and discover guests still there from the night before – each one chose to sleep on deck in the open air rather than spending the night in their cabin.

A smell of fresh coffee is in the air as the boat pulls away; the crew informs us of our itinerary for the morning, but all of the passengers just reply with sleepy smiles. We are already under Halong Bay’s spell. No one really minds where we go next, anyway, you can’t take a wrong turn while cruising in Halong Bay.

Recommended vessels for Halong cruises
The Indochina Sails –  04 2434671, info@indochinasails.com, http://www.indochinasails.com/
More travel information on Halong Bay - Active Travel Shop, 303, Building 30 Nguyen Du, Hanoi, 04 944 6230
Adventure tours on Vietnam - Active Travel Vietnam

Vote for Halong Bay - new Natural Wonders in Vietnam