Halong Bay rip-off

---

Halong Bay...when you arrive at the ferry terminal and look at your ticket you find that you can vote to have the area become one of the "7 wonders of the world". Unfortunately the massive tourist industry along with the local disrgard for the environment is turning the area into a wasteland. We heard from many travellers that they were overcharged for their trip, didn't get enough or any good food, and didn't see the sights they were promised. We also heard that if you pay under $80 you may as well pay $15 as everyone is thrown together. The agents say you get what you pay for and they all say theirs is high quality. Shopping around became so strenuous that we decided to go with Sinh which has agencies all over the city and we thought we were going to the original and best.
We opted for the 3day 2 night trip and were promised we'd see certain caves and sights that weren't on many of the other agendas. Although we made it clear to the agent we still knew not to get our hopes up. When we arrived at the ferry terminal we were 2 of maybe 250 other people eager for their Halong adventure to begin. We were herded around for about 1 hour until finally set with a group. Our boat was better than some, but ofcourse not as we hoped. Our lunch was fantastic and there was plenty of food. We sat at a table with some Vietnamese on vacation. Mr. Tran lives in the US but visits Vietnam to take his relatives around the sites. He loved Alex and showed his status by buying Heinekin beer. 2 Americans were in our group, Joe and Jenna and thank god for them. Together we had so much fun that nothing could bring us down...more on that later. We also had a woman from the Philipenes(Guadaloupe) in our group who took us out for a wild night when we returned to Hanoi.
Our first day out we saw 2 impressive caves in the most touristed area close to the harbor. They are worth seeing though. Amazing! The first is full of colorful lights which sounds cheesy but is actually quite fun and shows the formations in eerie and formidable light. The second is missed by most tourists-including the other 14 people on our boat but is has natural light shining through both ends. This one was discovered long ago and has and old wooden path to follow. A written description can't explain how you feel as you walk through the massive opening in the mountain. And while the first cave is packed with people we were practically alone in the second.
After the caves we thought we'd go kayaking far away from the rest of the fleet of tourist boats-at least 50. However we ended up on Cat ba Island and were brought to our hotel. So far the trip was fun but already a let down. I knew we weren't going to see the islands and caves I was eager to visit. Some people say its better to plan the trip on your own and not go through an agency. If you have a group of 6 or so I think its definitely worth it. The whole package thing is quite a scam.
After dinner, Alex, Joe, Jenna and I wandered the town and went to a local festival. There was the typical night market but also a beer garden, live music and people preforming tricks. One woman was able to hold a wooden ladder on her head, her shoulder, and even her nose. A young man juggled and jumped while standing on a board which was on a ball which was on a small table.
In the morning we had to be up early for a hike of the "national park". I don't know that we were actually in the park but the hike was fun and challanging in sections. During the entire trip we were surrounded by fog so we couldn't see what must be magnificant views on a clear day but the hike was fun and we climbed our way to the top of a mountain to touch the flag. On a clear day I'm sure my fear of heights and vertigo would've gotten the better of me, but given that it was to foggy to see any distance I didn't realize how high we were on the narrow ridge until we had a brief moment of the sky clearing. The sight got me moving back down the mountain quickly. After a 1 hour break to wander the town we had lunch and thought we'd be off to kayak. However, we were told we had a 3 hour break. Luckily we had Joe and Jenna and we had a game of 13 marathon. When we were finally picked and brought to the other side of the island we had to wait another 2 hours on the dock for our boat to arrive. The 4 of us spent the time joking around and making up morbid stories about why we hadn't been picked up. The other people on the boat were all awaiting their chance to kayak as well but by this time it was almost dark. We set anchor in the boat parking lot. An area of sea surrounded by beautiful islands and 50 other boats just like ours. Drinks were not included in the cost of the tour and were ridiculously overpriced. We, along with most others brought our own beverages and drank and played cards in our boat room. It was cozy and fun and felt like a slumper party in highschool where you hide your booze from you parents.
Again we were woken up early(6am) for kayaking. Not in the serene area we expected but in the boat parking lot. We had a good time rowing around some small islands but the water was filthy and the traffic took away from the serenity we sought. After that it was back to town.
Overall making friends with Joe and Jenna saved the trip. Halong Bay is worth seeing if you 1. go when its not foggy and 2. set your own rules and plan-but unless you have a ton of money I don't know how that can happen.
When we got back to town we spent the next few days partying with Joe, Jenna, and Guadaloupe and then set off for Hue by night train.

---