Blogs from Northeast, Vietnam, Asia - page 31

Up at seven am on a Saturday? Only for Halong Bay! We ate breakfast at 730 and were on our way by 8 am. Taking in the rocks in the morning mist was a magical way to start the day. We went to a cave. I'm not normally one for caves but this one was incredible. It was bigger than any I've ever seen and they lit it with lights to make the rocks more impressive. We climbed a lot of stairs and then descended in. It was huge and warm and tall and just seemed to keep going forever. There were three rooms, each more spectacular than the last. We were only there an hour--I wish it had been more--and I felt a bit rushed. Back on the boat we all relaxed, knowing our time ... read more

We took advantage of being so close to the world famous Halong Bay and booked up on a 2 day boat trip which included staying out in the bay overnight on our boat. Halong Bay has over 3,000 rugged islands which are dotted around the Gulf of Tonkin, it is a pretty majestic sight. In every direction there is jagged islands that just come shooting out the sea! At the time of year we are at, it was really misty (and freezing cold!) but this just seemed to add something to make them more mysterious. As part of our trip we were taken through enormous caves in one of the many islands which were very spectacular (although a bit too many tourists!!). We also got to get a bit too close to the icy waters by ... read more

The good thing about traumatic journeys like the one from Laos to Vietnam is that you quickly forget how bad it was and start to remember it almost as a fond memory! After a quick shower and a bite to eat we were fully recovered and ready to explore Hanoi. The first thing you notice is the sheer volume of traffic on the roads (mainly bikes). At first it appears to be absolute chaos and you have no idea how you will ever cross the road. It doesn’t take long to realise that the only way to cross is to just walk out slowly and steadily, and let the bikes work their way around you. It can be pretty scary when there is a sea of traffic coming towards you, but so far that method has ... read more

It's raining in Hoi An so we'll catch up on some blogging. Hanoi was a bit busy but a great starting off point for some day trips including a 4 hour drive to HaLong Bay which is definitely the most picturesque place we've ever been. We arranged a private boat for 1 night on the White Dolphin. The food was amazing which was a good thing considering that we were eating every few hours! We kayaked through floating villages where families have been living for generations. They have a small school for the kids where they go until they are 11-12 years old. They mostly sell knickknacks, rent kayaks, fish, etc. to make meager living. They also have a cultured pearl farm that was pretty cool to check out. We saw some really beautiful caves and ... read more

C'est parti. Après quelques centaines de mètres sur la route goudronnée, nous obliquons vers un chemin. La montée est rude, il fait chaud, quelque chose comme 36°C. De temps à autre un air de vent agite les palmiers et sèche un peu la sueur qui s'empresse de perler à nouveau quelques secondes plus tard. Le regard est attiré par les éclats de micas dont le sable rouge est parsemé, ils reflètent et amplifient les rayons filtrant des nuages et en renvoient une lumière intense et irisée. A la première halte, nous découvrons ce magnifique sourire qu'arborent souvent les jeunes filles et les femmes vietnamiennes. Celles-ci appartiennent à l'ethnie des Mongs bariolés que nous retrouverons un peu plus loin au cours de notre voyage. D'autres pauses désaltérantes permettent de mieux apprécier la beauté des paysages, de détailler ... read more