Halong Bay: The Most Beautiful Place in the World

By Vicky 

Halong Bay is one of the most beautiful places in the world, there’s no doubt about it. I booked a kayaking Halong tour there when I was in Vietnam for two weeks in August. To be honest, I didn’t know that much about the place beforehand but somehow had heard it was awesome and so decided to check it out. I’m glad I did. It was 5 hours from Hanoi, but worth every minute of the journey. Just a short boat ride out and we were greeted by these huge limestone karsts just scattered in the bay. Apparently there are thousands of them, but we must’ve only seen a small per cent during our time there.

The smaller boat took us out to this the ‘Surprising Cave’. As soon as I step foot in the place I was amazed – I didn’t realise then how huge the cave was. It was exciting for me to come across on a guided tour, imagine being the person to discover this place all those years ago?!

It was so hot and humid in there – note the lack of piccies of me here – I was a sweaty mess. The ground was slippy too, a few times I slipped off the path. If you’re going investigating places like this on holiday you need to make sure your travel insurance covers any sort of adventure activity, even if you have to pay a premium on it. Just check with your provider if you’re in any doubt, but do make sure. As long as you stick to the signposted walkways, and can walk steadily you’ll be fine but there’ll always be that one person who decides they want to go and explore further. Don’t be that person.

The way they’d lit the Cave of Wonders up just made it all the more incredible. Stalagmites and stalactites were everywhere but the cave was so huge it never felt claustrophobic.

They took us kayaking tour on the second day morning – if you’ve ever kayaked before could you let me know how you steer the ruddy thing in the direction you want it to go? I was hopeless.

We stopped to swim at the beach and there was a pathway to climb the limestone and look out over the bay, this was the incredible view.

A great trip to Halong Bay

By Ornthordarson

From Hue, we took the fourteen hour sleeper bus up to Hanoi that arrived just before seven in the morning. We moved quickly and booked a three day - two night Halong Bay tour, departing at eight o’clock that same morning.

Halong Bay is about 170 km. from Hanoi.  It is a UNESCO World Heritage site, a beautiful bay with just under 2,000 majestic limestone-cliff islands scattered around the bay.  We took the bus to Halong City (with a stop in a souvenir store of course) and there we boarded a nice three star junk with eleven other passengers and a crew of six.

A typical view in Halong Bay

At first it felt like stepping into a ski-lift, going out on that boat.  At any one time there are about 300 similar passenger boats sailing around Halong Bay and they all have similar schedules so we could always see a few boats behind us and a few ahead of us, all heading in the same direction. 

But we were quick to shake of the ski-lift feeling.  Sailing around the bay in those boats is soooo relaxing and nice.  The bay is very quiet and the scenery is so astonishing that you get the feeling of moving around in slow motion.

We visited a big cave on one of the islands, went kayaking Halong Bay and visited a floating village where the people live in houses build on rafts and underneath they have enclosures filled with fish, squid and lobsters that they feed until they are big enough to eat.

Kayaking towards the floating village

The first night we slept on the boat but on the second day we went to Cat Ba Island and stayed in a nice new hotel in Cat Ba town.  In hindsight we should have stayed two nights on the boat though.  The hotel in compared to how nice it was on the boat.

Relaxing

We were picked up the next morning and sailed quietly back to Halong City where we took the bus back to Hanoi (with a stop in a souvenir store of course).

Trying to be brave :)

All in all the tour was great, the scenery was fantastic, the food was good and the accommodation cozy and nice.  For people considering to take a similar trip I would recommend taking the two day one night on the boat option on a three star boat or even three days two nights on the boat option.

Our cabin on the boat

The Perfect Halong Bay Trip

By Lina Eroh

Halong Bay, with its 1000s of limestone cliff "islands," is a must for any visitor to Vietnam. Seeing the pictures is one thing, but actually looking up and around you and seeing nothing but sheer rock coming out of the water is quite another. If it's solitude or adventure you're after, it's all here at Halong.

The one must that your tour should provide is kayaking Halong Bay. This is, rightfully, almost everyone's favorite activity as it allows you to freely explore the caves and grottos carved out by the water. We kayaked into the "James Bond cave," which was featured in Tomorrow Never Dies, and then spent another hour just exploring the various nooks within the rocks.

If you want a more adventurous trip, opt for a one-night on boat, one-night on island package. That way you can do some trekking and additional kayaking in a different bay.

If you want a more relaxing trip, opt for two nights on the boat. I actually wish we had done that, because all the transfers on the second day take a while and kill the atmosphere a bit.

Our trip, with Monkey Island Cruises, took us to Monkey Island the second day. It was okay, but the water around it was filled with trash and the "superior" bungalows were tiny and lacked any view. The pouring rain didn't help matters.

One benefit of all the transfers is the drive through Cat Ba Island, which is the only populated island in Halong. Lonely Planet calls it "something straight out of Jurassic Park," and in this instance, they're right. Besides for the one town and road, the locals have largely left Cat Ba to the elements, which means it's a mix of jungle, rock, tropical rainstorms, and fog that rivals San Francisco's. In short, it's a hell of a 40-minute drive, and probably the best part of our trip to Monkey Island.

Three days Kayaking Ha Long Bay

By Makrand

Ha Long Bay is one of the most popular tourist place in North Vietnam. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a collection of more than 1000 islands of various sizes most of which are formed by limestones.  It is also listed as one of the seven new wonders of the world.

It is located around 170 KM east of Hanoi and it takes around 3 and half hours to reach there by bus.  It can be reached by public transport or hiring a taxi from Hanoi. Alternatively you can take a group tour from any of the travel agency in Hanoi. Agencies offer various types of tours ranging from a day trip to 3 days trip. The cost of these tours also vary depending on the luxury level. If you do not have much time in hand then you can opt for a day trip which will take you through important spots of the region.

Kayaking Halong Bay tour starts at around 8 AM from Hanoi and you reach around noon time at Ha Long Bay. The bus stops for a break of around 20 mins at a stopover.  Once you reach Ha Long Bay you will notice two things –  The beautiful sea along with hundreds of boats of various sizes and a huge crowd waiting to get on boats. There is a small scam at the shore. 

After everyone is settled, the boat starts sailing through the sea and you start passing through limestone formations around you. Since it will be lunch time, soon you will be served lunch on the boat. Vegetarian food was  available but with extremely limited options of rice, tofu and fruits. You can buy drinks on the boat if required.  Food quality was ok just enough to survive for the day.

The views from the deck are very nice. You can see limestone formations in all directions. The boat moves steadily in sea water and gentle breeze making it more wonderful. The guide will tell you history of the place along the way. Meaning of Ha Long in Vietnamese is Descending Dragon. Vietnamese people believe that dragon was sent by God to protect land from invaders.

The boat then stops at fishing village. From there you take ride in traditional vietnamese bamboo boats passing below the rocks. You can also do kayaking at this place at additional cost. Its a very peaceful place and ideal for kayaking Halong Bay. This is the most beautiful region of the Bay.

The final part of trip takes you inside one of the huge caves which are open to tourists. The guide will show you various shapes of rocks which look like various animals. Sunlight enters through very narrow gaps and artificial lights are also places inside caves.

Why You Need to Travel Vietnam

By AUDREY 

If you only have time to explore one country in Southeast Asia, choose VIETNAM!

Let’s admit it, when it comes to travel, Vietnam gets a bit of a bad rep. Before coming here all I heard were stories of travel scams, robberies, aggressive touts, and warnings that I’d be treated like a walking dollar sign. I was beginning to wonder whether I even wanted to spend a full month in this country, but 31 days later as my Vietnamese visa is about to expire, I am sad to leave Vietnam behind.

I’ll admit I’m relatively new to Southeast Asia, and have only covered three countries in the past three months, but Vietnam has left the strongest impression on me by far.

So what makes Vietnam so special?

Friendly Local People

The people are warm, kind, and love to laugh and smile. It is in this country where I have met some of the most caring locals.

When I was sick in Hoi An, it was the woman who runs the Green Moss restaurant who took it upon herself to get me all better. She prepared ginger tea with honey for me, gifted me with a mint balm to rub on my neck and my chest, urged me to wear a scarf to bed, and then checked up on me daily whenever she saw me cycling around town or eating at her restaurant.

In Vietnam people have helped me when I looked lost, locals I met on a train have offered to show me around their hometowns (for free! Further proof that I’m not just a walking ATM), and business owners have been courteous to me even when I didn’t eat at their restaurant or didn’t take their tour.

Vietnam has been an explosion of flavours! Most dinners Sam and I have eaten in this country have been silent because we’ve both been gorging on local delicacies like the food in front of our plates is about to disappear. We’ve been known to order four different dishes in one go because there’s just so much new food to sample.

Whether I was learning to cook Vietnamese food in a dim lit kitchen with no ventilation (picture beads of sweat running down my back and hopefully not onto my food), or enjoying a meal at a local farm in the outskirts of Hoi An, the food was spectacular.

Some of my favourite dishes in this country have been bánh xèo (a rice flour pancake stuffed with pork, shrimp, onions and bean sprouts) and fresh spring rolls. Fresh, flavourful, healthy, filling – what else do you need in a meal?

Halong Bay

Then there is the diversity that comes with travelling in such a big country. I can guarantee that Vietnam will not bore you with its possibilities!

Want to travel down the banks of the Mekong Delta and experience the chaos of vendors at work in a floating market? Do you want to get lost in Saigon’s back alleys as you go in search of the best pho? How about getting clothes custom made in Hoi An? Or can I interest you with kayaking Ha Long Bay .You could also spend your time in Hanoi drinking bia hoi at a little street side bar equipped with plastic children’s furniture? Or if you’re feeling a bit more culturally inclined, go for a hill trekking Sapa where you can do a home stay with the ethnic tribes that call this place home?

Active Travel Northern Vietnam

By Peter Brown 

After a painfully long flight I landed in the Hanoi airport, and immediately hopped aboard an overnight train heading north. I shared a sleeper cabin with a French couple, and a girl from Quebec. They were all very nice, and we chatted for a couple of hours before hitting the hay. But I’m a light sleeper, and falling asleep on the clanging, jostling train car proved to be impossible- CA-CLUNK, ca-clunk! CA-CLUNK, ca-clunk! CA-CLUNK, ca-clunk!

Sapa, Northern Vietnam

I woke up at the Lao Cai train station, near the border with China, and found a car to drive me an hour west, through foggy, winding roads, to the mountain town of Sapa. The town was a kaleidoscope of colors and patterns: farmer’s markets glowed green with leafy vegetables, motorbikes zigged and zagged over every paved surface, and groups of indigenous women wore their customary handmade attire and patrolled for tourists to whom they might sell embroidered bags and Technicolor scarfs.

I spent the next three days trekking Sapa. My days were spent with Sung, a wonderfully peaceful woman from the Black Hmong tribe, who spoke fine English thanks to years of guiding western tourists around those parts. Sung took me to waterfalls, jungles, terraced rice paddies, small villages, across precarious bridges and along muddy mountain trails.

My favorite moment with Sung had to be when she took me to a little lunch spot in the village of Lao Chai. She sat me down in the main dining area (which consisted of picnic benches under a wooden canopy) and then she disappeared into the kitchen. When I realized she was eating lunch with the cooks, I sheepishly poked my head around the corner and asked if I could join them. I guess most tourists prefer the picnic benches, but I was alone, and much preferred getting to know Sung and her friends. They pulled up a chair for me and the cook brought over some of the most delish sautéed greens I’ve ever had, along with some tasty spiced pork and rice, and a can of coke. While eating, I peppered them all with questions about their daily routines, and Sung translated. They laughed at how excited I was to hear about everyday activities like planting rice and raising buffalo. To top it all off, I sat beside a window with a view I won’t bother describing, just look at the glorious picture below.

After exploring the North for three days, I got back on that overnight train and returned to Hanoi. Once in Hanoi, I quickly found my way kayaking Ha Long Bay. Several hours on the bus brought us to a harbor, where our group boarded The Calypso, a worn, but pleasant boat that would take us deep into the fantastical mountain islands that have made Ha Long Bay a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Calypso was one of dozens of boats making the trip, and so a fleet of us set sail for the islands. The Calypso provided us with lovely bedrooms, and meals, and the crew even gave a nice little cooking lesson and a Tai-Chi class the next morning.

Kayaking Halong Bay

The crew must have noticed the date of birth on my passport when I checked in, because after dinner the main lights turned off, strobe lights turned on, Vietnamese techno blasted from the speakers, and a birthday cake appeared before me. It was ridiculous. But it was a fun night. The other guests were good sports to sing Happy Birthday to a guy they hardly knew.

While in Ha Long Bay we stopped off to see a giant cave, and some of us went sea kayaking through tunnels to explore a lagoon in the center of a ring shaped island crawling with monkeys. My imagination couldn’t get enough of the scenery, and so I found a little time for watercolor painting.

Before I knew it we’d landed back at the harbor, and were boarding the return bus to Hanoi. I had an amazing week of traveling around northern Vietnam.

Kayaking Halong Bay - Some tips for a memorable journey

By Annie

I was motivated to write this post for anyone who may be planning a trip to Halong Bay and might find it as confusing as I did. There is a huge amount of information about Halong Bay on the internet and a large proportion of it is contradictory. After spending a couple of evenings reading reviews I was convinced that no matter what we did there was a good chance we'd have a terrible time and spend the whole trip wishing we'd chosen something else... it almost made me want to cut it out altogether.

Can I just say, if you're thinking about going to Halong Bay and feel the way I felt, don't give up! Halong Bay is AMAZING and completely worth the time and effort to plan.  Having said that, do put some time and effort into choosing what tour you do, as this will make a big difference to whether you come back raving about your trip or warning others not to make the mistakes you did.

Halong Bay

There are literally hundreds of boats floating around Halong Bay every single day, catering to all interests and budgets.  But to find the one that caters to you, you need to know what it is you are looking for.  That means:

1. How much do you want to spend?  

Of course, everyone's budget is different, but I recommend spending a bit extra and going for a mid-range boat.  Remember you are going to be stuck with it/on it, spending a little bit extra for a bit of comfort, good food, is probably worth it.

A tip: If you like a bit of luxury, consider upgrading.  We chose a mid-range cruise and upgraded to a suite which I personally thought was better value than the basic cabins on the more expensive boats.

2. How long do you want to go?

There are basically two options here: 2 days/1 night or 3 days/2 nights. In my view, you absolutely should go for the 3 day/2 night option, you won't regret it. If you do go for 2D/1N, be aware that you will spend less than 24 hours actually on Halong Bay.  The first day you will make the four hour trip from Hanoi and arrive at the boat after 12 noon, after spending overnight on board, you will then disembark at around 11 am before making the four hour trip back to Hanoi while asking yourself why you didn't go ahead and do the 3 day tour.  On most boats the 3 day tour does the same itinery as the 2 day tour, with an extra full day added in the middle where you will get the whole day exploring some of the further out areas, away from the tourist hordes.

3. How many people do you want to go with?

How many people do you want to share your tour with?  In my opinion anywhere up to 30 people is good, but I would steer clear of the huge boats.

4. What do you want to eat?  

It may sound silly, but you are going to be stuck eating what they give you for two or three days.  The quality of the food will largely be determined by your budget, however there is quite a range of options depending on the boat.  Some are predominantly buffets, however there are others (like ours) that serve you individual courses, or even ones where you can choose your main course from a menu.  This is especially important if you have special dietary requirements.  I've read so many reviews from non-seafood eaters or vegetarians saying that, although they specified their requirements when booking, there were very few options for them.  The Boy doesn't eat seafood so this was a key factor for us when choosing a boat and I have to say that the team on our boat did a brilliant job of providing a variety of tasty non-seafood options for him.

5. Where do you want to go? 

In broad terms there are two basic options: Halong Bay (to the west) and Bai Tu Long Bay (to the east).  Both are spectacularly beautiful, however, Ha Long Bay has many more boats giving you many more options, whereas Bai Tu Long Bay has less boats making it less busy and less crowded.  Many people also claim that the Bai Tu Long Bay is cleaner.  If you go to Bai Tu Long Bay you will miss out on seeing some of the more famous caves but you might get to visit some more untouched caves. Most boats provide a description of where they go on their website so check it out.  We opted for Bai Tu Long Bay because we didn't fancy the idea of being shuttled through various sites with hundreds of other tourists, and we were very pleased with our decision.  If you'd prefer to go to Bai Tu Long Bay, check out some of the boats listed at the end of this post.

A third option is a tour that spends one night on Cat Ba Island.  These tours are generally less expensive than the other options, however, be careful to check out not just the boat but also the accommodation offered on Cat Ba to make sure it fits your requirements.

6. What's included? 

 Do you want to go Kayaking? If so, many boats charge extra. Does the price include transport from Hanoi and pick up from your hotel? Also, depending on the boat there may be extra activities offered on board such as cooking demonstrations or squid fishing.  It's worth finding out exactly what's offered and what extra charges there will be.

7. Do your research

Most boats have a website so check it out.  Also, look for reviews but be aware that many reviews are posted for a Company rather than a boat so double-check that the review is actually about the boat you are looking at.  For some reason, a lot of people seem to post reviews for the wrong boats, so read carefully. Also beware of suspiciously good or suspiciously bad reviews, fake reviews are not unheard of.

A good travel agent can be very helpful.  Make sure you tell them what's important to you and then ask for recommendations.  If you've found some boats yourself, run them by the travel agent to find out if there's anything you should know.  In particular, agents will know the age of most of the boats and the size of the cabins.  They can also get extra information from the boat for you if needed.

8. Booking

Book early. Of course there are some good deals offered to last minute customers, but booking early will give you a better chance of getting the boat you want.  The popular boats do sell out.

Make any special food requests.  (Keep in mind that most boats offer a predominantly seafood menu so if you don't like fish and seafood speak up now.)  Also be clear about what you can eat (e.g., no seafood but fish is fine, or no seafood and fish but meat is fine).

ACTIVETRAVEL ASIA would like recommend Kayaking Halong Bay tour.Halong Bay, located in the Gulf of Tonkin, covers an area of 1500 square km. with more than a thousand limestone peaks soaring from its crystalline emerald water. The calm sea provides an ideal location for sea kayaking as we paddle through a maze of islets amid dramatic natural scenery. With our modern kayaking equipment, we are able to maximize on speed and maneuverability as we explore the open sea and the many hidden lagoons and stalagmite caves that are difficult to access by any other means. After a day of paddling we unwind on our boat and enjoy dinner. This tour offers longer kayaking expedition of Halong Bay. We will paddle amongst islets, visit hidden caves, lagoons, unspoiled beaches, floating fishing village and talk with local fishman.